Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Statement Analysis of Melissa Hines: Hero Mom Fights Or Domestic Violence Victim?

Will Corey Hines be arrested?  What expense  has this cost the town?
This is the mother who claimed to have fought off a kidnapper, while receiving injuries, including a black eye, in the process.  Just who gave her the black eye is the topic of this article: 

Was it the kidnapper in all black, or was it Corey Hines, her husband, the only other adult present not wearing a ski mask?

The mother's account has few statements, but the statements themselves are enough to raise the right eyebrow of Statement Analysis, as she described a man only as wearing all black, during the day time, with black gloves and a black ski mask; not something inconspicuous in a day time neighborhood where one is intent on stealing a child yet something that allows the subject to be vague in her description to the police. 

Her husband, also there at the time, was around the other side of the house and did not see the heroic mother fight off the kidnapper.

Is this a case of Domestic Violence on the part of the father, who now has the mother lying for him?

Note that she withheld her last name, even though her story might have become an element of media fame.

Police would do well to take a full statement from the mother.  It is there they will find the truth.

 95% of readers have concluded that she is deceptive, and covering for her husband, Corey Hines.

The guy came from behind mehe already had my son in his hands … and I kind of like looked, stopped for a second stunned … and then I kind of went after him and he took a couple of steps and he fell … and my son hit the ground.”

Media did not report full statements.  Here, he is "the" guy, not "a" man or "a" guy.  Was this how she introduced her story to media?


The law of economy says that the shortest sentence is best.  Here, she tells us his positioning before telling us that a man has her son.  This is like a lengthy introduction, which, on form, moves the needle closer to "deception indicated."  Why not just say "A man grabbed my son and I..."?  

Note the "stunned second" is an inclusion of her emotions (being 'stunned') in the perfect, or logical portion of the story.  This is often an indictor of artificial placement of the emotions, as it takes humans some time to process their emotions.  When she made a statement about her son's emotions, it was in the 'after' part of the story, indicating veracity.  This may be due to the fact that the son did, indeed, experience violence, but not necessarily at the hands of the man in black, but possibly from his father. 

Note "my son" and not "my son, Alex"


"The guy had him in his hands, and he brushed up kind of behind me, and I saw that he had my son in his arms," she remembers.

Please note the change from "in his hands" to "in his arms":  something must change in reality to cause a change of language in a truthful statement. 

Within the context of the statement, I do not see anything to justify the change. She appears to attempt to repeat the same thing, but changes it from "hands" to "arms" without anything happening in her account to elicit a change in language from her.  This happens when someone is not speaking from experiential memory.  

Note also the emphasis of "I saw that" instead of the economic, "He had my son!"  This additional word, regarding what she saw, is not necessary, making it doubly important to us.  Why the need to tell us that she "saw" him as someone having a mother's 3 year old son would be all that is needed for action. 

"When he kicked me, I lost the wind in me," she said. "I felt like I was kind of going out because I couldn't fight any more, because I fought him for a while. I kicked and punched him."

The man then ran away over the backyard fence.

If you have ever lost your wind, you recall your inability to do anything, no less fight.  Note the need to say she was only "kind of" going out, rather than having the inability at that point, to fight.  This may be an indication that she is not speaking from experiential memory of what happened, but of a rehearsed story.  

Note "for a while" as the subject has, in two places, felt the need to mention the passing of time in her statements. 

To a different media outlet, Melissa Hines said:


"As he fell, my son fell with him. My son hit the ground and as soon as my son was on the ground, I jumped on top of my son, and held my son down. The guy came back over and was trying to get towards my son and get my son, that sort of thing, and that's when he started hitting and punching me. It seemed like he was trying to get him or he was upset that I stopped him."


Note how often "my son" is used without using her son's name.  7 times he is "my son" but she does not use the name, "Alex."

Note that the perpetrator is a "guy" and not a "man":  this is critical in learning what the difference between a "guy" and a "man" is within the personal, subjective, internal dictionary of Melissa Hines.  Is her husband a "guy" or a "man"?

Note "started hitting and punching me" has a beginning of an action, but not a completion such as "he hit and punched me."  This is found, at times, in PTSD situations, where the action is 'continual' (sexual abuse victims sometimes speak this way), as the subject appears to be reliving what happened.  Domestic violence victims sometimes also speak this way. 

*******************************************************************************************************************************


Melissa Hines says she would do anything for her sons Logan and Alex — and she has the bruises to prove it.
Hines fought off a masked man who tried to take 3-year-old Alex as they were playing in the backyard of their White Center house Sunday evening, withstanding a barrage of kicks and punches, according to King County sheriff’s spokeswoman Sgt. Cindi West.
On Monday, in one of four such incidents in the Seattle area in a week, deputies were hunting for the would-be kidnapper with only the barest of descriptions while Hines, 32, was nursing a black eye and bruises.
I’m still in shock, because this neighborhood has been so nice,” said her husband, Corey Hines, 39.
Melissa Hines said she was playing catch with Logan, 5, and Alex just before 6 p.m. while her husband lit the grill on a side patio at their home in the 10400 block of Third Avenue Southwest. Logan went inside to get a baseball glove, and Hines told Alex they should race to the garden on the other side of the house to pick strawberries for dinner.
Hines said she got a head start, and when she looked back, a man was holding her son under his arm, she said.
She said it happened so fast she didn’t scream.
I just stood there, shocked. Then I took off running, trying to get my son,” she said.
Note the inclusion of body posture, indicating an increase in tension for the subject. 
With Hines in pursuit, the man tripped and dropped Alex. Hines jumped on top of her son as the man punched and kicked her.
When the beating stopped, she looked up, but the man was gone.
She grabbed Alex and ran to her husband, yelling that they needed to get inside. In the house, they locked the doors and called 911. Authorities believe the assailant fled over the backyard fence.
All I know is that I wanted to get my son back,” Melissa Hines said. “I feel like it was instinct.”
"all I know" is often used when someone wishes the flow of information to cease. It is often an indication that there is more that is known, but not wished to be shared by the subject. 
The man was described as tall and “lanky” and was wearing a black ski mask, black clothing and black gloves.
Hines, interviewed at home, said Monday she was still shaken but feeling better. Alex wasn’t hurt but had trouble sleeping Sunday night.
Corey Hines said their neighborhood has always been a safe place.
Melissa Hines said the family doesn’t plan to change its routine. They may fence the play area at the side of the house, but the boys won’t be allowed to go outside by themselves again.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311.
Another apparent kidnap attempt occurred Sunday during a Race for the Cure event. in Seattle. A 35-year-old Edmonds man was arrested.

(Doesn't this 'prove' her story?)
And Monday just after 9 a.m., a boy, 4, waited in the car as his mom walked his sister to Coe Elementary School at 2424 Seventh Ave. W., Seattle.
The boy told his mom a man had tried to open the car doors, police say. The woman said the man got into a shiny, bright red Pontiac Grand Am.
He was described as Hispanic, 25 to 32 years old, about 5-foot-9, with a thin build. He had a light complexion, shaved head and wore a white T-shirt and bluejeans.
Last Wednesday, Seattle policed quickly found a 2½ -year-old who had been abducted from the Mary’s Place shelter on Ninth Avenue in downtown Seattle. The child was unharmed, and a woman, 33, was arrested.

63 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is missing in the statement is her shouting for help. The most logical thing to do first when confronted in your backyard with a skimasked man trying to abduct your son is to shout and holler so that husband, neighbours or passersby might hear and come to help.
She was fighting him for a while, surely there must have been a moment where she could have called out for help?

~mj said...

http://seattletimes.com/avantgo/2021116327.html

What happened to the "he kind of brushed past me from behind" bit???

Her story has been embellished over time.

My 9 year old looked over my shoulder whilst I was reading this story on this blog and she asked me if it were true... (she has heard of my fascination with statement analysis)

I told her that I hope it isn't true, I'd rather explain to her about liars than try and protect her from brazen, daytime baby thieves!

Pineapple said...

Peter: I thought this article was interesting, esp the first quote from the police... Wouldn't the mother and the three year old qualify as "anyone who saw anything"? I know many three year olds who can answer basic questions, such as, was there a stranger in the yard? Etc.



by KING 5 News

NWCN.com

Posted on June 4, 2013 at 11:36 AM

Updated yesterday at 2:56 PM

Four attempted abductions of children in the past week in the Seattle area may make parents more cautious when letting their children to play outdoors, even in their own backyards.

Police are searching for a masked man who attempted to snatch a three-year-old boy from the yard of a White Center home Sunday night. As the boy’s family prepared for a barbecue, a man grabbed the boy and began running. The boy’s mother chased the man and jumped on her son to protect him. The man kicked and punched her before running away.

“So far we have not been able to locate anyone that saw anything,” said Sgt. Cindi West, King County Sheriff's Office spokesperson.

There was also a failed kidnapping attempt earlier on Sunday at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Seattle Center, as well as an attempted abduction last Wednesday when a woman tried to take a two-and-a-half-year-old from Mary Place’s shelter in Seattle. Both suspects were taken into custody.

Most recently, a man attempted to break into a car in Queen Anne where a four-year-old was waiting for his mother on Monday.

“We don’t believe there’s any connection,” said Sgt. Sean Whitcomb of the Seattle Police Department.

Anonymous said...

Peter:

Could you please look at Kaine's statement?

y KGW Staff

NWCN.com

Posted on June 3, 2013 at 4:35 PM

Updated yesterday at 7:42 PM

PORTLAND – Tuesday marks three years since Kyron Horman, who was seven years old at the time, vanished from Skyline Elementary school.

In an interview with KGW, Kyron's father Kaine said it was hard to believe three years had passed, but that he was still hopeful he’ll see Kyron again.

“There’s so many things I’d want to say. The last thing that I told him is that I loved him and I’d tell him the same thing,” Kaine said Monday. “I love you, man. Life’s not the same. And we miss you. And we’ve got so much to do together still.”

Kyron disappeared from Skyline school on June 4, 2010. His stepmother, Terri Horman, drove him to school that day. She later told investigators she last saw him walking down the hallway toward his classroom.

She was never arrested or charged, but Kaine Horman and Kyron’s mother have long said they believe Terri had something to do with the disappearance.

Related: Kyron Horman's mother sues stepmother for $10 million

Kaine Horman said the case of three women rescued in Cleveland after ten years of imprisonment gives him hope that Kyron will one day be found.

More: Cleveland survivors missing 10 years offer hope for Kyron's family

Kaine said he plans to spend the somber anniversary with friends and family. And he said he’ll continue to raise awareness for as long as it takes.

”Until we have any concrete information one way other another," he said, "we have to continue to pursue the fact that he’s still out there and that he’s going to be brought home. It's just a matter of when."

Investigators continue to receive tips about the case. Anybody with information is asked to contact the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

Meantime, Kaine Horman continues to speak out to Kyron. In his KGW interview, he urged his son to make a phone call or contact someone, and to immediately identify himself.

"We just want you back," Kaine Horman said, "so we can get back into that groove, and get you in with us to experience everything that we’re experiencing today."

Anonymous said...

Pineapples are fruity.

Unknown said...

Pineapple, no offense, but most three year olds will tell you anything they think you want to hear. Ask a three year old if they remember the purple postman bringing the orange donkey to the front door this morning and they will often just run with it...either because they want to tell you what they think you want to hear, or because it's a fun game to make-believe. Never believe anything a small youngling tells you unless it pops out of their mouth in their own free editing process...asking little ones questions just pollutes their fragile little memories.
Not one thing in her story makes any sense, and the way she tells it makes her out to be, well, just a terrible liar. The way she keeps saying "MY son MY son" and mentioning hands, then arms....does anyone besides me think that it's possible this was DV over that son? Maybe she didn't like how someone else had a hold of HER son..?

S + K Mum said...

Is there any links to pics of her bruises from being kicked and punched?

Depending on the age of the child he should be able to confirm if someone with a mask grabbed him?
If so, could it have been a set-up by the parents for some bizarre reason....donations maybe, who knows. Some people just crave attention.

REK said...

I wouldn't trust what a 3 year old told me, and that's coming from a mom of a 3 year old girl! you just never know what influenced them to say what they do. I'm not saying they're always lying but you just never truly know where the influence comes from. my daughter has some older step siblings ages 4,6, and 8. shes learned plenty of phrases and imaginitive things from them. One day my mom asked my daughter if she has dreams at night. my 3 year old told her a witch came in her room and chopped her head off with a knife and gave her a new head. I have no idea where she came up with that other than learning it from her step siblings or possibly children's stories/shows that have a witch and she embellished with knowing about the dangers of knives? i mean i didn't even know she knew the word witch when she told us this story, she had just turned 3

Interviewer said...

Pineapple is correct. A child should not be dismissed due to age. Many three year olds when asked open, non-leading questions, can tell you what happened to them and they also can be frank and honest. You may verify that with preschool teachers and family therapists.
You also must NOT assume that a child you read about is incapable of this maturity. You may only get one or two valuable statements out of him or her, but this is also likely due to the short attention span and, of course, the attitude/disposition of the person working with the child. I believe you are simplifying and confusing asking a three year old a question based on your understanding of tv specials and the idea of getting a 'testimony' out of a child.
Many three year olds would be unable to answer very much but that is often due to parental abuse, neglect, a non-stimulating environment that does not foster inquiry and examination, refusal to converse with the child on a daily basis, which they need and perhaps a below average level of development.
Those of you who have relied on your experience with your own three year olds should know that dismissing all of them based on your experiences at home speaks more to the quality of your parenting, and in Ms. Moon's case, an attitude of subtle contempt towards her own child. Developmentally delayed children will be unable to answer questions. But to say that a three year old cannot answer the question, 'tell me about your day,' or something similar is a fallacy. An experienced child/play therapist may be able to establish the basics. However, the child's mind may have been polluted already by these parents.


Please don't burden this blog with your trivial anecdotes about your own three year olds. It's irrelevant. Why would you be afraid to have a three year old questioned? Whats going on at your house?

Anonymous said...

REK, that's very disturbing. You should supervise your child more closely.

REK said...

To me it's not a matter of whether true statements can be extracted from a toddler, because they can. It's a matter of weighing the reliability. You might believe that the child's statement is true and have reason to believe it. But how reliable is their statement in general? In this instance, we can ask, did a masked man attack you? the child could answer yes and give details abiout the situation. how reliable is his statement? what if his mom and dad "coached" him on what happened? how are you going to know what is reliable and what isn't? I think you should tread with caution

Anonymous said...

We'renot talking about an amateur doing this. The question you chose is very leading and not open enough. Yes the parents may have coached the child, that actually becomes obvious and us very telling.
You don't ask a child using the words their parents use--you don't assume those words are true. Adults are fantastic liars and terribly unreliable. Let the child choose his own words. And only professionals should do this.
This is not a new science. I am not sure why oeople are arguing. It's as if you are oblivious to reality and child welfare practices.
Please remember, a 3 year old's words are not fir testimony! They are to help rule things in or out when they have not been corrupted by a parent ir adult with an agenda. This is not for court.

Dee said...

"The guy came from behind me, he already had my son in his hands … and I kind of like looked, stopped for a second stunned … and then I kind of went after him and he took a couple of steps and he fell … and my son hit the ground.”

****I kind of like looked, I kind of went after him. If someone comes into your yard, your domain, and attempts to take or harm your child you are not going to "kind of" do anything. You will be on full alert, full protect mode with adrenaline flowing and go after the guy. This mother is storytelling, imo. I think it was a case of DV and she is attempting to cover it with this made up story.

"And Monday just after 9 a.m., a boy, 4, waited in the car as his mom walked his sister to Coe Elementary School at 2424 Seventh Ave. W., Seattle. The boy told his mom a man had tried to open the car doors, police say. The woman said the man got into a shiny, bright red Pontiac Grand Am. He was described as Hispanic, 25 to 32 years old, about 5-foot-9, with a thin build. He had a light complexion, shaved head and wore a white T-shirt and bluejeans."

Notice the full description this Mom was able to give about someone who threatened her child's well-being. Quite a difference.

BostonLady said...

On Monday, in one of four such incidents in the Seattle area in a week, deputies were hunting for the would-be kidnapper with only the barest of descriptions while Hines, 32, was nursing a black eye and bruises.

When reviewing the four incidences, they are not even close to what allegedly happened in this back yard. Two suspects were women and the other a hispanic male in a bright red car. Definitely not trying to hide !

The mother has made this story up to cover up something. It could be the black eye. I'm betting there will be more on this story in days to come.

REK said...

Anon 11:06 AM

thanks I think you made some great points. Yes it was a leading question, and that is why I am not a professional in that manner. My own experience tells me that I can't find what a 3 year old tells me all too reliable. (think casey anthony..lots of lies and some truths..but without physical verification of those truths... should you rely on it?)

Apple said...

OT:
Why are doping scandals so rich with statements so easy to practice SA on?
It makes for good practice at least

Dee said...

Apple said...
OT:
Why are doping scandals so rich with statements so easy to practice SA on?
It makes for good practice at least

********************

I'm waiting for the statements to start to fly in the MLB investigation into the doping facility in FL. Some big names already known and I'm sure, more to come. Should be interesting to analyze. One of the players on my fav team, Jhonny Peralta, has been named. I await his statement. I have a feeling I'll be disappointed in him. :(

REK said...

Ryan Braun again. peter did some analysis on him awhile ago found him deceptive. i did as well which made me sad since he was a favorite of mine.

Anonymous said...

If it was domestic violence, why would they call 911 just to make up a story afterwards to cover it up?

kmn

REK said...

The other very odd part about the story is that the older brother and dad were on the other side of the house and didn’t hear the scuffle that took place. This could either be concocted because 1)older son is old enough to explain things and will say that he didn’t hear or see anything, but dad is still aware of the real story, or 2) both dad and older son are oblivious to the “real story” and that’s why it fits perfectly that both of them didn’t see or hear anything (which would be next to impossible)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
If it was domestic violence, why would they call 911 just to make up a story afterwards to cover it up?

kmn

June 5, 2013 at 12:25 PM

It would help to hear/ the 911 call, to know what they called in originally.


The mom may have wanted the police to come, so the husband would stop hurting her, but did not want to see him in jail.

Baxtie said...

Seems to me like the emphasis and repetition on "my son" (instead of Adam or anything else) reinforces her "ownership" of the child which to me points to the father being the perpetrator. Peter has often pointed out that using phrases like "our son" seeks to SHARE ownership/responsibility. But in this case the mother is distinguishing this child as HER son.

I dunno, maybe I'm way off base with that. It just seemed so odd that she would repeat "my son" over and over again without using the child's name.

Pineapple said...

Julie Moon,
None taken. I work in childcare and respectfully, and knowledgeably, disagree with you.
Best,
Pineapple

Pineapple said...

Ok, let's clarify. Yes, three year olds are a clever and inventive breed. I'm not disputing this, but please don't dismiss them. A three year old is capable of saying who, if anyone, was in the back yard. Did I say in my comment that you should tell the child what to say? If I didn't, then you can not assume that I meant to, correct? SA 101, folks. ;) Right?
Ask the 3 year old what happened. Simple. If the toddler is afraid or has other embargoes on speech, then you won't get much of an answer. If the toddler speaks, you're likely to get reliable information you may trust.
You, as adults, will/should hopefully know the difference (as evidenced in the comment about the witches.)
Pineapple out

ima.grandma said...

60.years experience raising children

Team Pineapple

Anonymous said...

I guarantee you if Julie Moon's three year old had a traumatic experience she'd be asking and she'd want it taken seriously. She'd suddenly have more respect for her toddler's cognitive abilities.

Anonymous said...

You have children. One cries and says the other hit him. What do you do?
You ask the other child, did you hit him?

This is what's known as a Yes or No question.

They say yes, you ask other, open questions.

They say no, you ask other, open questions.

Since when is a Yes or No question a "leading question"?
I lol'ed when I read that.

REK said...

so you guys are saying you find my daughters witch story reliable? I'm not trying to be a pain. I think we are emphasizing different points to what we commonly know, 3 year olds are clever and inventive. i guess it depends on what information the child divulges on whether or not you can find it reliable.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
If it was domestic violence, why would they call 911 just to make up a story afterwards to cover it up?

kmn


Fair question. If she did not want it known because it was D/V, why bother to call 911?

It may be because they have CPS history, and, given that she had a black eye, she would need a cover story.

The mother fears losing her children, her medical benefits, her job, her self respect, and on and on it goes. I'll do an article. I grew comfy with having Susan Murphy Milano writing on D/V and using her material. God knows...I miss her. God knows how many others do, too.

Bak to D/V:

One might be surprised just how far a victim will go to protect the perp.

Peter

Anonymous said...

seriously, I have a 3 yr old and they would certainly be able to say whether or not someone tried to take them . wth...

~mj said...

Any husband that had the proper respect for his wife and family would be furious that this happened, not a little upset. Guilty knowledge of something hinky here. Period. His word choice gave him away. Just as it gave mom away. I can't speculate what is the true story, but these two are obviously not telling the truth.

Trigger said...

Yes, this mother's story sounds bogus.

A kidnapper, dressed in black with a mask, comes into her fenced yard, in the daytime, while she and her husband are outside with the kids and grabs her son.

She doesn't scream for help, but attacks the kidnapper, in a knee jerk type response in which she gets bruises and a black eye.

Don't bother to ask the three year- old what happened. He has already been coached and rehearsed and fears losing his parents if he tells the truth.

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Trigger said...

"Will Corey Hines be arrested?"

Not if this wife can stop it.

She doesn't want all the legal repercussions. It's easier and more comfortable for her to cover up and deny the reality of the violence in her life.

She doesn't want to be alone living without her man. Covering up for the perp makes her feel safe and secure.

equinox said...

Gobsmacked,
Oh my goodness, aren't you funny! You post a 170 word essay on your opinion and then insist that everyone else shut up so you can relish the final word.

If your opinions truly were so obvious and all-encompassingly correct, why even bother to post them? Really, anyone who tries so hard to mock and control a discussion on a blog has some seriously amusing control issues.

Take a look at yourself!

--enjoying the discussion as I don't have a three year old..

jay said...

remember the toddler that said mommy broke the table, mommy is in the rug. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/23183540/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/mommys-rug-leads-murder-verdicts

Tania Cadogan said...

I've been accused of acting like a 3 yr old (childish and immature as i was hauled out of waterstones)

I am also available for hire as an excuse for a nominal fee of cookies, donuts and cronuts, I am also available as an aid to queue jump at theme parks due to my being raspberry rippled. This option is free to deserving peoples if they are prepared to sit through several go's on the water rides.

You will need to provide your own shades to protect your eyes against my taste in attire.

Anonymous said...

My 8 year old is still unreliable when it comes to information. He does not lie outright, but sometimes hears what he wants to.

dadgum said...

lol hobs..my kids love taking me to Disney with them..

Interviewer said...

Because the question you may ask is using words that are part of the parents fabricated story. Do you understand now? Yes or no questions are fine but that could be what a child has been coached to say.
I'm not sure how you could misunderstand that. Semantics are important. That's what SA is about, language, synonyms, pronouns.

exhausted said...

http://m.vice.com/read/did-a-murderer-just-give-himself-away-on-yelp

This Is Fascinating....

Interviewer said...

We all issue unreliable statements. We are talking about a traumatic experience for which the child should not feel blame and therefore have mo reason to lie...unless he has been told to or he feels pressure from a parent. It's obvious when this occurs.

ima.grandma said...

You're a little bossy there, aren't you Gobsmacked?

Interviewer said...

REK, you stated your daughter said that when she was asked about dreaming. Was that her response abput dreaming? Then yes, it is a reliable statement. She had a nightmare.
Disney movies are fodder for nightmares. I find it amazing when a parent is concerned about the things their child might see or read yet let their small children watch even Disney fairy tales. I observe these objectively as I imagine a child might who is not able to filter out things such as there are no such things as witches. I also work with children's literature and I think if you want to take a look at a seemingly innocuous story that is truly a terrifying story, look at Hansel and Gretel. Freely abandoned by their father, they are taken out in the woods and rejected, only to find a witch who tries to fatten them up, cook them and cannibalize them.
That is an aside. REK, I do believe your daughter thinks that happened. We know that it did not. Asking a child an open ended question allows them to answer and a professional to use discernment.
As far as the table and the rug, children may use terms that need explication or seem to be speaking in metaphors or fantasy language when they really lack the correct term or are conveying horror.
Taken from a different context, and not to imply REK's child is a victim, a child may speak of a bogeyman coming into his room to steal something or do something to his body. This can be reliable and should not be dismissed. Find out what bogeyman means if your child's behavior suddenly changes. That's also just plain common sense.

Interviewer said...

"Did a masked man attack you?" First of all, why use the word attack. Secondly, what will you do with the yes or no? If no, that simply could mean he wasn't masked. Or it could mean, no, I recognized him. You would have to continue to query, and then the child may become fearful, try to please you by reading your reactions or become confused.
A leading question, if I call it being too blunt does that make it more clear? This question is useless for your intended purpose.

Interviewer said...

I answered your question above.

Interviewer said...

Btw, a yes or no question is by it's very nature NOT an open question. You have two options, neither may encompass the truth. @Anon at 1:56, do you understand? You want to ask a child who has experienced a trauma as few questions as possible. If you are looking to bust one for simple assault of his brother, feel free to interrogate with reckless abandon.

Tania Cadogan said...

'Gum i have never been to Disney nor has my inner child.

If i ever return to the states and canada for a visit you are hereby nominated as my responsible adult when we go to Disney.

I am not skeered of 6ft mices or ducks, i promise to mostly behave ( you will have to have words with my inner child to make sure she does)i also promise i make Mickey Mouse ears look good.

I will be cool with a capital coo :)

bigmtn said...

I skip all anon posts. Pick a mame or I am not reading your posts. I can' t be bothered to read. E

Yukari said...

REK - about the witch story, in one of the Oz books (and in the later movie, Return to Oz) there is a witch who wears different heads as if they were hats or shoes. She asks Dorothy if she could have her head and offers to swap it for one from her collection. With the new Oz movie out not so long ago, the chances that this was on TV as a rerun and either your daughter or her siblings may have caught this scene are not too small.

Gobsmacked by all yall said...

@imagrandma
Yah, sorry imagrandma. Someone's tone set me off.
Hugs and Kisses
Gobs

Gobsmacked by all yall said...

@Jay

That link snatched the breath right out of my chest. Wow. Perfect example!!

Anonymous said...

So when I say other, open questions, that's meant to say, ask other questions that are open ended.

I relied on my comma after other to indicate a change in questioning technique. If I hadn't put the comma there, it would have been 'other open questions' which would indicate that I thought Yes and No were open questions. You and I are on the same page @Interviewer. My punctuation is unimpeachable there, but I probably should have been more explicit.

Do ya get me?

:)

jay said...

thanks :)

Dee said...

exhausted said...
http://m.vice.com/read/did-a-murderer-just-give-himself-away-on-yelp

This Is Fascinating....

*****************************
Thanks exhausted. That was interesting. "Grant" immediately picked up on the past tense usage by the roommate while she was still "missing" and thought it was hinky.

REK said...

Like I said earlier, it's not that 3 year olds don't or can't tell us the truth. they obivously can. but when i ask my daughter what she ate for lunch today at daycare and she tells me peanut butter sandwich which is the same answer she gives almost every time, (and i know this isn't the case) i know that my judgement tells me there are some limitations to childrens memories. i'm not being disrespectful to her. i'm actually curious about her memory.

Interviewer said...

I, too, find your punctuation unimpeachable. I did not take issue with it. My point is to ask as few questions as possible and I stand by the initial yes or no question, or any yes or no question not including emotional language or trigger language. Since we are not at odd, let's wrap.

Anonymous said...

We have a special connection @Interviewer.

Anonymous said...

@Anon@5:09, i bet you were a cute zygote.

ima.grandma said...

Gobsmacked by all yall said...
@imagrandma
Yah, sorry imagrandma. Someone's tone set me off.
Hugs and Kisses
Gobs

Funny how you can go from 0 to 10 being irritated by a comment simply because of their mere presence over your broadband connection. I get excited sometimes too, not to worry hon.

ima.grandma said...

@interviewer

I am impressed with your conflict resolution skill set. Good job!

Anonymous said...

Nelson Mandela IS DEAD!!!!

Anonymous said...

Role playing: Aurora shootings, Dunn death, teacher/bank robber in Colorado,and some guy trying to think like a stalker dressing up in all black to go hang out in tall grass at night.

If this were domestic violence, more than likely the neighbors would have heard quarrelling before and been privy to regular arguments.

It is possible some young "guy" wanted a caper since it's the 'in' thing. Could explain the falling-agile, but not sure footed.