PA. little girl is found- Suspects arrested!

Honeykiss1974 · #1 07-23-2002, 10:21 AM

Philadelphia girl reportedly abducted

Family of 7-year-old says it has received ransom demands

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA, July 23 — A african american 7-year-old girl was reportedly abducted from a Southwest Philadelphia street corner by two men who may have made a ransom demand, police said Tuesday.
Witness told police that the girl, Erica Pratt, who is about 3-foot-5 and weighs 70 pounds, was grabbed Monday night from a corner in the Kingsessing neighborhood near the Mount Moriah Cemetery.
They said she was taken away by two heavyset men in a white car with dark tinted windows. Cpl. Tom Read of the Special Victims Unit said Tuesday that police are investigating whether a ransom demand may have been made in the case of the missing girl. However, Erica’s family has told NBC affiliate WCAU that it has received at least seven phone calls from the alleged abductors, demanding $150,000 ransom. Although the Special Victims Unit is best known for handling sex crimes, Read said his unit also handles child abduction cases.

© 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

kiml122 · #2 07-23-2002, 11:54 AM

Unfortunately the one in Philly is drug related. I just hope the little girl is returned unharmed.

korkscru · #3 07-23-2002, 12:11 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Honeykiss1974

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA, July 23 — A african american 7-year-old girl was reportedly abducted from a Southwest Philadelphia street corner by two men who may have made a ransom demand, police said Tuesday.
Witness told police that the girl, Erica Pratt, who is about 3-foot-5 and weighs 70 pounds, was grabbed Monday night from a corner in the Kingsessing neighborhood near the Mount Moriah Cemetery.

MY question is: WHY IN ALL OF GOD'S NAME WAS THIS 7-YEAR-OLD ON A STREET CORNER AT NIGHT???

Where in the WORLD were the adults (like her grandmother) who were supposed to be watching her?????

THOSE are two of MY main concerns. I tell ya, some of these people with children just need to be SHOT!!! They're like GIVING our young children over to predators. There is NO WAY that I would allow my SEVEN year-old to be outside at night without my or my husband's supervision. You would THINK that with all of these abductions of children AND adults that people would be even MORE aware and conscious of what's going on around them, ESPECIALLY when it comes to CHILDREN.

SOMETHING just don't smell too "kosher" about this story. I'm willing to bet that this story will to take a STRANGE turn by the time everything is said and done.

PositivelyAKA · #4 07-23-2002, 12:19 PM

my sentiments exactly, something is not right about that story, and why she was out by herself is beyond me.

kiml122 · #5 07-23-2002, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kiml122
Unfortunately the one in Philly is drug related. I just hope the little girl is returned unharmed.

The paper is saying that the little girl was snatched because the family came into some case money. The little girl was snatched because of a drug deal gone bad, and the people want thier money....

korkscru · #6 07-23-2002, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kiml122

The paper is saying that the little girl was snatched because the family came into some case money. The little girl was snatched because of a drug deal gone bad, and the people want thier money....

Yeah, Kim, I understand that it appears to be drug-related. But that STILL does not explain WHY she was OUT ON A STREET CORNER AT NIGHT...and BY HERSELF. I mean, I'd be more receptive to this story if she had been abducted from her home, her school, the playground DURING THE DAY, or even snatched WHILE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ADULT. But according to what I'VE read, neither of these scenarios were the case. So I'm STILL asking, what was she doing on that street corner AT NIGHT by HERSELF? Now will SOMEBODY PLEEEEZ tell me what's wrong with this story????

camelot_beauty · #7 07-23-2002, 04:59 PM

all this abduction and kidnapping going on? huh.......makes me scared to have a child. My goodness what is wrong with these people. I feel so bad about the Runnion case; he didn't have to do that little girl like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ClassyLady · #8 07-23-2002, 08:04 PM

Unfortunately korkscru, children out at night is no longer uncommon in Philadelphia. There have been nights when I was coming in the house from my night out where I have seen children still outside playing with no adult in sight. Actually, I just saw a toddler, still in diapers, out walking on the sidewalk at 11 pm the other day. Her mother was on the porch, but was hardly watching her.

Anyway, this has been getting major coverage. Apparently, the little girl's family received a $150,000 pay out from her uncle's life insurance policy. He was killed in a hale of gunfire last March. It was reported that the uncle and the two suspects were members of rival rap groups.

I just pray that this little girl makes it home safely. What is going on in the world today?

AKAtude · #9 07-23-2002, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by korkscru
Yeah, Kim, I understand that it appears to be drug-related. But that STILL does not explain WHY she was OUT ON A STREET CORNER AT NIGHT...and BY HERSELF. I mean, I'd be more receptive to this story if she had been abducted from her home, her school, the playground DURING THE DAY, or even snatched WHILE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ADULT. But according to what I'VE read, neither of these scenarios were the case. So I'm STILL asking, what was she doing on that street corner AT NIGHT by HERSELF? Now will SOMEBODY PLEEEEZ tell me what's wrong with this story????

That is the question I want answered, too. With numerous kidnappings getting so much coverage lately, people should be more aware and cautious when it comes to protecting their children. And what makes those fools think they are going to get away with abducting a child? Isn't kidnapping a federal crime?

Honeykiss1974 · #10 07-23-2002, 09:10 PM

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

UPDATE!!
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/07/23/phi...irl/index.html

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Erica Pratt, the 7-year-old girl abducted from a city street one day ago, has been found alive, police said Tuesday evening.

Witnesses said the girl was kidnapped -- kicking and screaming -- from a street corner Monday night.

Police said earlier they were looking for 29-year-old James Burnes and 23-year-old Edward Johnson.

"We believe these two individuals have information that can possibly shed light on the subject of her whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding her abduction," said Philadelphia Police Inspector William Colarulo.

He said investigators believe the two men are known by Erica's family and others in the neighborhood. Colarulo said anyone with information should call the FBI or local tip hotline.

The chief said the Monday night abduction did not appear to be random and that investigators believe the motive was money.

Colarulo said Erica apparently was the target, because the 5-year-old she was walking with at the time was not taken. The inspector would not comment on reports the kidnapping might have been gang-related.

Twenty minutes after the abduction, the girl's grandmother Barbara Pratt, 45, began receiving calls threatening the girl's life and demanding $150,000 in ransom money, Colarulo said. Erica lived with the grandmother.

Erica talked with her grandmother during one of the calls, police said.

Colarulo said a $10,000 reward for information leading to Erica's safe return has been posted by police. Police have a special hostage negotiation team on stand-by if needed, he said.

Several people besides the playmate witnessed the apparent abduction, Colarulo said.

Some said two men were in a white car, possibly a Buick, with tinted windows and a broken latch over the gas tank. Erica was just a few feet from her home when she was grabbed, police said.

"The 5-year-old witness said a heavy-set male wearing a white T-shirt -- he had a very large stomach, very heavy-set -- and a baseball cap got out and grabbed the 7-year-old and carried her into the car," Colarulo said.

Colarulo said the car was driven by another man who was shouting, "Come on, let's get out of here."

Erica's mother, Serina Gillis, said at least one of the men called out the girl's name.

Gillis told her daughter, "If you're watching me, I love you and I hope to see you as soon as possible."

Colarulo said police were unsure of the whereabouts of the girl's father. He said the FBI was assisting with technical support and some advanced investigative capabilities.

A neighborhood pastor, Stacy Adams, said he knew Erica, calling her "a really sweet girl" who was "very kind-hearted and respectful."

DELTABRAT · #11 07-24-2002, 12:07 AM

The neighborhood pastor's name is Stacy Adams ( lawd)!

Anyways, this is a sad case. It is interesting that the seven year old's grandma is only 45 years of age which leads me to believe that the mother is fairly young and most likely, negligent.

This is crazy!

FeeFee · #12 07-24-2002, 10:31 AM

Thank God that little girl is alive and well. I hope those kidnappers get the maximum prison time possible.

PositivelyAKA · #13 07-24-2002, 02:40 PM

i heard she bit thru duck tape to free herself, go Erica!!! she's probably street smart.

Steeltrap · #14 07-24-2002, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DELTABRAT
The neighborhood pastor's name is Stacy Adams ( lawd)!

Anyways, this is a sad case. It is interesting that the seven year old's grandma is only 45 years of age which leads me to believe that the mother is fairly young and most likely, negligent.

This is crazy!

CTHU on "Stacy Adams."

Your observation about the mother is dismaying, but it's probably true.

ClassyLady · #15 07-24-2002, 08:21 PM

Something about this case is really starting to seem fishy to me. It's getting a lot of coverage here and something about all of this just doesn't sit right with me. I was watching the news yesterday, before she was recovered, and her mother was on there saying "I have a feeling that everything is going to be okay." She was just a little too calm for me. I know you can't expect everyone to behave a certain way when their child is missing, but she just gave me the creeps. It was almost like she knew for a fact that her daughter was okay. And, then when I heard that the little girl had escaped and how she did it. The way that she got free, it just seemed like too much for a seven year old girl to be able to do. Supposedly, she bit through the duct tape, hobbled up the steps, kicked through the door, broke the window and then screamed for help. Something just doesn't sit right with me about all of this.

I am starting to wonder if her mother wasn't some how involved. Lord, I hope not but that's what my gut is telling me.