Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Allegation: Attempted Kidnapping at Walmart


On social media, a woman alleged an attempted kidnapping in Walmart. 


1.  Is she telling the truth?

2.  Might her perception of what happened be incorrect?

3.  Is she deceptive?  (or, Does she believe her own words?) 


What follows is the notes from team analysis. This includes questions and observations posed along the way, which are not conclusions. 



"I just had the worst experience ever in my life at Walmart in brewer!!   I was in the toy isle with Jaicee and this older man kept following us, so I switched isles with her trying to not panic for Jaicee..then he came up behind us and reached around me and tried to grab Jaicee from right in front of me!! I grabbed Jaicee and pushed her away to leave and yelled Brandon’s name, this man came back and tried to take her again!!! At this moment I started to get worried then Brandon came down the isle and this man just disappeared!! For that split second if I wasn’t paying attention my baby girl would be gone!!! PARENTS WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES WITH THEIR HAND IN YOURS, OR IN THE CART!!!! You never know when something like this can happen to you!! Brewer police did show up, have it on tape, and have his face out there to find this sick man!!"



Statement with Analysis 


I just had the worst experience ever in my life at Walmart in brewer!!   

 

 

1.   The subject began with the pronoun “I” which suggests psychological presence = we should obtain reliable information in the statement.  

2.   just” --- if it is timing (element), however:  would the subject have time to do this shortly after police arrived?  Or, might “just” be a comparison of experiences in her own life? 

3.   Opening sentence will often give us insight into priority.  

 

What is the author’s priority? 

 

1     Self (personal experience)—her own emotion

2     Self; but not selfish, but the worst experience as a mother? 

3     Was this her first reaction to her child almost being taken, to reach out to social media? 

 

4.   Use of emoji: (context) The case was just opened shortly after Brewer PD arrived.  Would “scared” or “angry” emoji be expected? 

5.   What of the location of the emotion? Is it artificial editing, so that she can be perceived as crying and receive attention? 

6.   Is the use of emoji and the double exclamation point a “need to persuade”?

7.   Are we looking at immaturity? 

8.   Are we seeing possible neglect? 

 

 

 

was in the toy isle with Jaicee 

 

a.   “with” between herself and Jaicee = distance.  Was she watching Jaicee?  If this is a “toy isle”, the distance may not be interest.  Might the subject have been neglectful?

b.   Please note that “with” (see below) is used again in relation for Jaicee. 

c.   Repetition of “with” between them increases the distancing that is on the subject’s mind. 

 

 

and this older man kept following us, so I switched isles with her trying to not panicfor Jaicee.. 

 

a.   She has a need to explain why she switched isles – being followed by someone who attempted to abduct your child, we would not have to ask, “So, tell me, why did you switch isles when he was following you?”

b.   Is the use of emotion (“panic”) artificially edited into the logical portion of the statement? 

c.   Here is the “good mother” principle:  switched isles for her, trying not to panic for her, and grabbed her, all in the isle that would most benefit Jaicee, the toy isle. (4) Does this principle suggest that she lost sight of Jaicee?

d.   kept following” – trauma hx? Hypervigilance? Did she know or speak to him? 

e.   Partial ellipsis ---- continued thought is not given to us – this comes right before the TL (“then”) which indicates that she is thinking of something that she is not telling us.  Is this critical missing info?  Is it ‘story telling’?

 

 

then he came up behind us and reached around me and tried to grab Jaicee from right in front of me!! 

 

a.   “me” and “me” suggests the focus upon self (and location).  

b.   Is the subject indicating offense more than anger or concern for her child? 

c.   The subject does not write so much about the intended victim as she does about self. 

d.   Is “reached around me” unnecessary to state in terms of an alleged kidnapping? 

e.   Does this affirm that subject (mom) was not with Jaicee, at least previously? 

f.     Emphasis appears to be self. 

g.   Double (2) exclamation points = unnecessary emphasis.  Is this for effect? 

h.   Does this language come from experiential memory?

i.     “right in front of me” affirms the distance previously seen. The need to portray herself at this spot suggests to the contrary. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I grabbed Jaicee and pushed her away to leave

 

She has a need to explain why she pushed Jaicee away from the alleged kidnapper. 

 

 

and yelled Brandon’s name, 

 

She had lost sight of Brandon.

Who is Brandon? 

She didn’t yell for help

Why the need to call Brandon’s name?

 

Had she lost sight of both children? 

 

Thus far, she has not indicated closeness to either.  What is the quality of the bond? She does not present like a “mama bear” over her cubs.  Thus far, she does not indicate of fear of the older man, as a kidnapper. 

 

 

 

this man came back and tried to take her again!!! 

 

a.   From 2 exclamation points to now 3---- we are considering increased drama as part of the story 

b.   “came back” indicates she did not leave. 

c.   Where did he go? 

d.   The three exclamation points indicate emotion.  This is, again, in the “perfect” part of the statement. 

 

 

At this moment I started to get worried then Brandon came down the isle and thisman just disappeared!! 

 

After fleeing from the alleged kidnapper, she “started to get worried.”  This is a signal of deception and it affirms the artificial editing in of emotions earlier in the statement. 


If “this man” then “disappeared”, you will not be able to find him.  

 

 

For that split second if I wasn’t paying attention my baby girl would be gone!!!

 

a.   This is an embedded admission of neglect. 

b.   Passive:  my baby girl would be gone” after confrontation with “this man”, is not appropriate.  She should be putting the blame upon the man.

c.   Three (3) exclamation points--- the need to emphasize reveals the weakness of her assertion. 

d.   She neglected her child and maybe both. 

 

She now turns to  sermonizing:   

 

 

PARENTS WATCH YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES WITH THEIR HAND IN YOURS, OR IN THE CART!!!! 

 

a.   Unnecessary sermonizing often indicates guilt. 

b.   All caps unnecessary emphasis 

c.   Four (4) exclamation points--- increase in guilt. It is the like climax of her story in which she is the leading character. 

d.   Did she leave the baby in the cart (not holding the hand) which caused a stranger to intervene? 

e.   Explore for possible substance abuse

 

 

 

You never know when something like this can happen to you!! Brewer police didshow up, have it on tape, and have his face out there to find this sick man!!

 

The LD turns negative towards him, only when tape and police enter the context.  He continues to be “this” man, now “sick.

 

Double exclamation point is unnecessary emphasis. 

 

The subject warns parents about “this man”, but does not give any identifying details of the alleged kidnapper of her child, other than being “older.” 


This belies the warning to parents. 

 

He “disappeared”; therefore, he will not be found. 

 

She did not, in this post, report asking anyone  at Walmart if they witnessed this man. There is no report of yelling for a Walmart employee, security, or for help. 

 

Alibi?  Brandon is not there, so he cannot describe "this" "older man."

 

Analysis Conclusion:

 

1.   Did the subject truthfully report an attempted kidnapping?

 

No

 

2.    Does the subject believe her own words?

 

 

 No


This precludes misconception; rather showing intent to deceive. 

 

 

3.    Did the subject indicate neglect for her child or children?

 

Yes 

 

4.   What is the subject’s motive for posting this on social media?

 


Attention for self, consistent with her opening sentence.