I certainly can't speak for the mother, but I know when I get exhausted and stressed out, sometimes I get giddy and laugh when I shouldn't. I think for me it is my bodies reaction to the stress. I can't even imagine the stress and exhaustion that comes when someone you love goes missing.
+Robbie Walters Everyone does it. Trauma can definitely do that. Some people will act like your mad when you do that. If you get critical about it, you lose your humanity.
Yes, exactly. People that haven't been through something tragic/traumatic or just aren't thinking seem to not realize or forget that some people can and some people do laugh in the face of tragedy. I know I have.
I was being sworn into court to give testimony and i was so nervous my mind went blank when I was supposed to say “I do” but that made me think of a wedding and surely that wasn’t what I was meant to say? So I sort of exhaled-laughted at myself and the judge said I was laughing and was not going to be truthful! Uh, okaaaaay? Ever heard of nerves?!
Being in Australia,i have never heard of this case,but i would like to say a big thankyou to you John for caring so much to investigate these heartbreaking cases;may Johnathan be found safe and well.
My son has autism..One of the biggest things concerning this is people with autism do not like change..they have a certain schedule that they follow to make them feel safe..it's hard for me to believe that he would want to run away into uncertainty..something is just not right.
Lisa, aren't there different levels of autism. Just like regular people, we are all different. Not everyone with a certain...disease(?) acts the same way.
Horseflies are huge and they like blood. Their saliva can cause irritations or allergic reactions. It may have been hot and humid out on the water and her hands may have been slippery. I can understand if coming across an aggressive horsefly caused quick desperate swatting and maybe caused her to lose her grip on the oar. It could have slipped from her hands and hit her glasses. The marks or bruising look like they were caused by the eyeglass frames. As an eyeglass wearer I've been swatted in the face by tree branches before and it isn't fun when something knocks against your glasses and hard. About the searchers and some of the problems they caused the land owners, it may be a good idea if missing persons sites and Facebook pages also provided tips and information on proper means of conducting a search, FAQ's maybe. People motivated to help could possibly end up trampling over forensic evidence or disturb potential crime scenes.
My wife and I love your channel and think you are doing an amazing job at being entertaining while bringing attention to these victims or missing persons. You deserve praise even tho we are sure you do NOT seek such praise you are truly a wonderful human being. Thank you for being so awesome. Your fans always, Paul and Krista
+GeekenDorx My cousin is autistic and he is hugely homely. He lives in assisted living, so a level of independence. My concern aside from his obvious safety is, WHY did he want to go so badly???
Sadly, his remains have been found and positively identified. He was not far from home. www.ksdk.com/news/local/remains-of-missing-boy-jonathan-shay-found/76362800
Thanks so much for bringing this to light. Another excellent coverage of a case. Sometimes people can react strangely to extreme stress and grief, "I laugh because otherwise I'll cry". Also, she's wearing glasses, perhaps she whacked herself and her glasses hit her and caused the black marks, not the ore itself? Yeah, seems weird she would specifically point that out though... Thanks for the shout outs to helpful organizations, some really are so deserving. As for Johnathan Shay, I would be surprised if he still didn't want to be found after all this time. I would love to think he's still Tom Sawyering it in those woods, but being autistic and not having his medications seems like things might be confusing for him out there. I take long distance, solo backpacking trips for a week or more at a time, the romance of it wears off pretty quick and without training, it can be easy to make some pretty costly mistakes. Honestly my gut reaction is to suspect he's succumbed to the elements. IMO I really think there should be more laws in place about checking people's personal property. Obviously they should be informed and their fences shouldn't be cut, but they should be required to check their property or allow authorities to search if they don't want to/can't search themselves.
possible theory. as horrible as it might sound. maybe the other boy that went missing coaxed him into leaving, and out of jealousy did something to him. or left him and came up with the run away story to lead investigators away.
A quick Google search tells me that remains found in February 2016 near a creek in Phelps County were positively IDed as Shay's. So awful. Thanks for trying to bring attention to this case while it was still fairly new. His poor family... :(
I have a few theories about the bruising on the mothers face and her light, laughing behavior. perhaps she was medicated for stress and exhaustion and that affected her personality and caused the odd (nervous) laughter? and the bruised, could she have them.from.crying and rubbing her eyes? the blood will flow down and out with gravity to the lowest parts of the face. she could have had a head injury like a concussion? made her goofy and caused the bruising? I had an 18hour craniotomy in September and I had epic black eyes and bruising around my jaw line and below and behind my ears. the bruising lasted about 9 weeks to completely dissipate.
I'd put money on it the cousin did it. That's why he didn't come home or stayed out for a day. He knew his ass was grass. He mentioned, "he doesn't want to be found". Ya, right liar. I have known people, by the cousins age, that have done some crazy stuff. They probably went out to play and the cousin got sick of his autistic stuff "non normal interactions" and whacked him one.
LGZEE I was gonna say that also. Wouldn't be the first time a teenage family member intentionally or accidentally killed their young family members got scared and lied about it.
How would the 11-year old know that he last saw his cousin ‘3 hours ago’? That answer sounds conveniently specific in order to make searchers think he was quite a distance away by now.
A simple search would tell any of you that that he was found deceased over 2yrs ago you guys. Here’s the link: www.komu.com/news/deputies-confirm-jonathan-shay-as-teen-found-dead-in-creek/
John, I must say as someone who wears glasses, they have hurt me right in the same place after accidentally smacking my face. She even has a second pair on her head. Also if I had to talk about those incidents on tv I would laugh and feel uncomfortable and look odd. Why she doesn't seem distressed is not a question I have any answer to other then drugs. I would be inconsolable. Just my two cents...
I believe she was hit somehow with her glasses on. The black eyes are right under the rim of her glasses. Also I know this kid left on his own, however he went missing in a heavily wooded area from the way u made it sound. Have u ever read into the Missing 411 cases? It is usually small kids, older adults or kids with disabilities that go missing in these woods. I would love to hear about some of those cases. I would love to hear more on what this 11 year old knows. He said his cousin did not want to be found? What does he know? Is he scared to talk to much? Anyway if you get a chance I would love for you to talk about some of the strange missing 411 cases. There is a story of two brothers that go missing, one is found and said he did not know where his brother was. I am sure this case does not relate to these cases, however it very well could
I know this is really late but I just thought I would mention.. his name is spelt without an "H." It's Jonathan, and the title/ description box is spelt wrong. But thanks for making these!!! Love watching them! Also, thoughts on the mother: She seems anxious/nervous and very socially awkward. Laughter can be a natural reaction to an uncomfortable situation. It can be related to the black eyes or being on camera. Also, I have seen and have personal experience with hitting my nose and getting 2 black eyes, without damage to my nose. Just some thoughts.
I really love your videos and really appreciate what your doing. I would love to see a video done on Phoenix Coldon she has been missing sincr 2011. This story hits a nerve because it is a little creepy. This family needs closure. Keep up the good work
I agree,as also for Stacey English,did they find her? They were disappeared the same way....So terrible for the families just to wait and hope every day, without knowing.....
+SeaBlue1976 soo true and yes they found English she had died from hyperthermia reportedly, but the eerie part about it is the guy that English was dating was from St. Louis. They found both women cars in the same condition (maybe a coincidence)... why would English leave her car running and everything to go into the woods...and im not sure if Georgia even gets that cold but i could be wrong.
I agree an oare on the face would cause more damage. I use to canoe. I wonder if she is on some kind of medication. I deal with anxiety and take medication that makes me calm during high stressful times.
great job covering this, it's another one close to my home town. I hope we can find him safe and sound. I don't know about his mother. she just kind of seems unconcerned but I'm not one to judge
Great job again John.I work with autistic people&change&the unknown scare them.He may have gotten into his head that trying to survive outside would be a great adventure&let people see he isnt just a kid with a label.ie Autism.As for his mum cant you remember when you were young&1of your friends told you there parent had died&you started to laugh even thiugh you knew it was so wrong.Your emotions are so closely linked the mums worried&scared but knows if she voices this she will fall apart&be no use to her son whatsoever.I hope&pray hes still alive&hasn't succumbed to the wild thick forest&all it holds.
I wouldn't analyze the mothers demeanor too much just considering the fact that he has left home before a few times so at the time she's probably got it in her head that he's wandered off somewhere again and that they'll find him at some point, just based on the past she probably didn't think it would end the way it did
Yes the nose swells. The reason for the bruising under the eyes is because the surgeon breaks the bones on both sides. I had a nose job. She looks like she was hit but not on the nose. The light attitude seems to be a mechanism she uses so as not to cry. Did he run from his father?
I know this is an old video and it's possible that it's been mentioned, but I do want to drop in and say that the phrasing "suffering from autism" is generally seen as offensive to autistic people. Autism is simply a difference in how the brain is wired, and the majority of autistic people wouldn't say that they're suffering! The best language would be "Jonathan is autistic". Other than that, very good video! I've been slowly watching through the archives and I think your videos are really well put together. Keep up the good work!
Hi John, greetings from Australia. I read an article from www.listverse.com on 13.02.16 10 missing persons cases with strange sightings. I thought it had some perfect ideas for Searchlight.
I tried "running away" from home around age 10. I didn't even make it out of the cul de sac! I am wondering how far he could have traveled though since he had done this before and made it 10 miles perhaps this time he went further? I've looked at an aerial on Google maps of the area and about a 40 mile radius around St James is essentially all rural so a lot of woods/forested area for him to hang out in which seems was his goal. I do hope he is found safe
I agree with you John and the comments below. I think the bruises are probably from her glasses when the oar hit her in the face. I also think that as innocent as the bruises probably are, she knows it looks bad to have them, which may be why she was acting strange. It did make me reallllly uncomfortable to watch her laugh on camera in a situation like this.
From her comment "Regardless of the rumors" it sounds like the mom was already under some suspicion and was reacting to that with the bruises "to prove it" remark.... Re. her demeanor I've seen a couple people act similar at funerals & found out later it was just anti-anxiety medication.
Just a note on the mother's facial bruising. I wear glasses and sunglasses and was once hit in the face with a swinging board. Thankfully my glasses protected my eyes from impact, but it did cause extreme bruising in the form of dark patches under each eye. Not saying that's the case here, just giving a real world example that might help explain it.
This one was tough for me to watch, my son has autism and my worse nightmare is him running away. I really believe its possible that he was so interested in survival skills that he wanted to go out and test out what he had learnt. I think that when he told his cousin that he didnt want to be found was that because he wanted to use his knowledge. Maybe he didnt fully comprehend the situation he was putting himself in. Is there any information on how severe his Autism is? It could be a really good indicator of how much he had really thought thru running away. I know sometimes with my son often when he gets an idea in his head he will act first and think later. I really hope hes found safe and well.
+Soulless Hi Soulless, I didn't hit any info on the severity of his Autism, but I'm with you in hoping he is found safe and well. Wishing you and your son safety and health!
It's true that alot of us in our younger years have attempted to run way, I know I did, but only once, I never did it again. Most of the people I know would say the same, why is it that this boy has done this more than once? I understand that being autistic would bring up different point of views and need different ways of dealing with this case, but still.... I too felt weird watching the mother's interview, but again nobody reacts the same way in a crisis. btw, love the new pic :) Hoping and praying that he's found safe and sound. Great job to you both.
+Joanne Sabourin When around eleven, C., a friendgurl of mine & I made plans to run away from home. We made the mistake of discussing what to pack in our suitcases over the phone. My mom, suspecting something was up, monitored our conversation via the extension line & later called C.'s mom, informing her of our plans. Suspecting Mom was onto us, I had 2nd thoughts & quickly unpacked my suitcase right before she stormed into my room &, searching it, found nothing. She had heard us plotting, however. I ensured her I'd never planned to go through with it & avoided an ass-whipping. My friend was not so lucky. I was subsequently grounded from talking to her, so couldn't give her a proper head's up. C.'s mom found her suitcase stashed under the bed, packed & ready to go, & both her folks beat the crap out of her that night. I wonder what motivated this child's desire to leave all he knew behind? Furthermore, how did he & his friend become separated the following morning so that one is found & the other is not? What aren't we being told concerning his family and this friend? Perhaps he succumbed to snakebite, or drowned, but something doesn't add up, imo.
LadyGreyBlack He was found deceased 2yrs ago. Here’s the link to the news story.... www.komu.com/news/deputies-confirm-jonathan-shay-as-teen-found-dead-in-creek/
To anyone wondering about Xaviar, and his help with the search effort; Johnathan's mother made this post to the Find Johnathan Shay Facebook page. m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=448090938720001&id=417942041734891
Is she was wearing glasses, and the oar hit her in the face, the bruises are consistent with the glasses being pushed into her face. Often children that are diagnosed with autism have a parent or parents that show autistic markers, without the parent being autistic, inappropriate verbal response and facial mannerisms are common markers.
I think the mom's reaction can be easily explained away with the fact that her son had ran away from home before and was found, so for her it could be an 'oh no, not again' kind of moment, and although I'm sure she is very concerned, she may also be confident that he will be found once again in a reasonable amount of time. My main concern is the 11 year old cousin. It's pretty suspicious that two cousins will leave into the woods and only one is found alone. Maybe the cousin knows more that isn't being reported? Or maybe the cousin knows more than he is saying. Like, why would the kids want to run away from home to begin with? Who gave Johnathan that idea to do so? The obsession to run away seems strange to me without there being any reasoning behind it.
everyone grieves differently, i personally don’t think the mothers behavior is odd. my family lost a person in November, my godfather, and it’s just part of how we cope to be light about it and try to be as happy as we can because he wouldn’t have wanted us to sit around at christmas depressed that he wasn’t there. some people laugh out of discomfort, when theyre in an awkward situation and dont know what to say they laugh, and thats how i think she was especially about her bruises (which look like she hit herself with glasses on) to me, she just seems like a mom trying to stay strong and not wanting to show too much emotion maybe so she wouldn’t appear like a wreck (because some people have that concern even in these cases, some just dont like showing strong emotion publicly) or because she felt johnathan wouldn’t want her to be upset.
I just watched the video for the first time, going through in reverse order since a while. I couldn't find a follow up video but there's updates. PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. - Phelps County Sheriff's Department investigators confirm the human remains found February 21 were those of Johnathan Shay. On February 21, 2016 human remains suspected to be Johnathan were recovered from a near-by property. The remains were transported to the Boone County Medical Examiner's Office by the Phelps County Coroner's Office. Late Wednesday, after an extensive examination by a forensic anthropologist and dentist, the remains were officially identified as that of Johnathan Shay. The examination will continue in an attempt to determine the cause and manner of death. This morning the family was formally notified of the findings. "We want to thank the community, law enforcement agencies, search and rescue professionals and Emergency Medical Services for their support of the family and the Sheriff's department during this trying period," said Sheriff Rick Lisenbe. He added, "Please continue to pray, support and respect the family during this grieving period." - The strange thing is that from there on I couldn't find more information. The facebook page has been taken down, there's just a couple articles about remains found & less than a handful of him being identified. There's no cause of death public but also no cases brought against anyone - after the "waiting for cause of death" there's nothing but silence.
I agree with your observations about her claims of accidentally hitting herself in the face with an oar; It's highly unlikely that just the area underneath her eyes were affected. I also doubt she's wearing any makeup (if so, it's a very small amount), as she could have easily coveted the bruising underneath her eyes. I'm not exactly one to speculate on people's personal lives, but the claims about the oar could be a lie. I don't know if she's married or has a significant other as of current, but she could have had an altercation of some sort to which she isn't comfortable confessing and shedding into public light. It's pretty common for those who are in abusive relationships to create outlandish lies about how they've obtained injuries. I'm not saying this is the case for her, but it's just a possibility bouncing around in the back of my mind, and felt it was worth mentioning. I don't think there's too much to worry about when it comes to her mannerisms; She seemed slightly uncomfortable, which could be the reason she's acting a bit, "aloof" as you put it. Being in awkward positions often causes people to act a bit odd. I don't get the vibe that she had anything to do with Jonathan's disappearance, but that's just my two cents. Anyway - Another great video, John! I sure hope we can all get to the bottom of this and bring Jonathan home! (:
I can't find anything about Johnathan's mother having a boyfriend. None is mentioned in the search effort. His father died a few years ago. One of the searches for Johnathan was on the anniversary of his father's death. Looking into this I saw a lot of people who talked about "wandering". Apparently it is common for some Autistic people to do. Maybe he was prone to wander when he was younger and that led to his fascination with survival in the outdoors.
Bleu Meanie Hey, thanks for taking the time to research this! I wasn't saying that what I put forth actually happened, just that it could be something to keep in the back of your mind. I'm very familiar with autism (I'm on the spectrum myself), so I do agree entirely with you!
+Shalee Michelle No, thank you for your comment! Speculation is all we really have right now. I completely get what you were saying. Sorry, sometimes I have a blunt way of wording things. Communication isn't my strong point. ☺
my main questions are about the cousin. Why and how did they get separated? did the have a fight and decide to go their separate ways? did the cousin change his mind about wanting to run away and get lost trying to go home? I don't like the term 'indicated' when referring to questioning-it is not an 'absolute.' Seems fishy. I am not saying the cousin did anything, but it does not seem all the facts are out about that. I would like to have more information from the cousin about the timeline from them leaving the backyard up to their separation.
Did Mom have an abusive boyfriend? Maybe the boyfriend smacked her around? Could explain the marks, and also would be a great reason for Johnathan to want to run away. Hmmmm.... Awesome job on the video, John! And thanks to the researches sending him so much information. :)
+Eric Garza If you go on brain scratchers.com under the researchers link there is a great outline for becoming a researcher. I think the boy in the box case would make an intriguing BrainScratch episode.
I've seen a few articles popping up claiming remains have been found and positively identified as being that of Jonathan's. The articles aren't from any reparable news site as far as I can find; please could you check those out :)
+Olivia Williams They have confirmed that the remains are Jonathan's. I did an update covering the remains being found, but the investigators hadn't positively ID them yet.
Why didn't the parent and grandparent keep a closer watch on him, they have too know his actions, and the cousin I do not believe a thing he said, why did they not continue to ask questions until they got an answer. Something is very wrong with this case.
I am genuinely asking about what the odds are of encountering someone who might have unfavourable motives.? I have heard that a key component is opportunity. London, uk.
I can not imagine being able to function if my child were missing except to constantly be looking for him and begging on camera for his safe return.I know I would not be capable of standing calmly in front of a camera talking and laughing as if it was just another thing happening. That's just me and I am not thinking she had anything to do with her son's disappearance. However I am wondering about his companion. Did he have any mental health issues? Any history of wrong doing? It seems to me he might hold the key to finding this boy. Thought and prayers for Johnathan and his family.
I agree completely about the mother, and she was searching for him too. I think she is holding it together with all she's got, that's why she comes off weird. She may be a little sedated. I know I would probably need to be in that situation. I don't know a lot about the other boy. Though I don't think an eleven year old would be sophisticated enough to hide a body from all the search efforts. You're right about him holding the key. He saw where Johnathan went and what direction. I hope the search started there.
dear brain scratch fans, if there isn't already I think we should form a brain scratch group page on facebook to stay in touch bounce ideas off of each other and help put out the word for missing persons. yay? no?
+Isabella Villanueva John is not on facebook..he just doesn't like that social media site. I know he is on twitter, but he doesn't use it all that often. I would suggest one of his wonderful research helpers start a page, but only with John's approval.
Sorry again to comment on such an old video! But I have seen people say things to this effect in person before, and it strikes a nerve, as it's usually about women, and usually paints them in a negative light. (You merely are looking at it... investigatively, but still.) As some others have mentioned, when I am stressed - in pain, most notably, such as having a serious migraine - I will often smile, laugh, and generally have responses considered socially inappropriate to the state I am in. I honestly don't see the mother's response as uncomfortable or odd, and I find it somewhat sad that people who respond like this are misunderstood so often. I cannot, of course, speak for her, but this is what I personally see.
Wow, John -- how do you stay so neutral, all the time!? Do you have journalism running through YOUR veins? Also, how long do you typically spend researching these SEARCHLIGHT cases before you actually begin filming? Sign me -- a new fan.
Don't know if somebody already posted this but I don't see an update yet. When I googled this story unfortunately I found this. fox2now.com/2016/02/22/major-announcement-about-human-remains-found-in-phelps-county/
for the people talking about her reaction; yes she was having a laugh about a stupid accident that happened but you could see how emotional she was after that bit. Looks to me like she was just trying to put on a brave face in a horrible time.
Autism is generally measured on a spectrum, do we know what his level of function is? I also agree with most of the commenters that the mother's bruises do look like they line up with the frames of her glasses and nervous laughter and/or laughing due to stress is very common. I think she was trying to make light of a situation that she could laugh at, despite all her fears and concerns. It helps to try to maintain some sense of normalcy in highly stressful and life-changing times. . On a darker note, I think it would be beneficial to pay more attention to the 11 year old cousin. If he knew his cousin was disabled it seems like he might have been keeping a closer eye on him. Also, was he able to show the police/search party where he had least seen his cousin? Was he able to show the police/search party which direction his cousin was heading when he last saw him? Did they have any food or water with them when they decided to run away? For some reason, my attention keeps going back to the cousin. Though it is uncommon, people of that age do hurt and even kill people. It is also far more common for people with any mental disorder to be harmed by "normal" people than for said person to hurt someone else. People with mental illnesses and disorders are, regrettably, not uncommon victims of violent crimes. I certainly hope I am wrong in this regard and he is found alive and as well as could be expected for a 13 year old who has been living in the wilderness for months.
+Mreffs101 You raise some good points. My researcher Bleu Meanie posted the following : To anyone wondering about Xaviar, and his help with the search effort; Johnathan's mother made this post to the Find Johnathan Shay Facebook page. m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=448090938720001&id=417942041734891
why did he want to run away so much...others have brought this up as well..Interesting point but understood better after seeing clip of mom..I know people get nervous in front of camera but that was uncomfortable and suspicious
I'm sad to bring bad news. Johnathan Shay was found dead this weekend. I would like to thank you all for caring (especially you, John), and offering ideas. At least he is back with his family. m.waynesvilledailyguide.com/news/20160222/remains-found-along-dry-fork-creek-believed-to-be-johnathan-shay-missing-autistic-boy
First, thanks for switching out your Flash Mask profile picture. That was kind of freaking me out. They didnt say what form of Autism he has. My wife has Aspergers. When she gets something in her head she is able to think about it, make a plan, and nothing you will do will change her mind. And wonder what his exact diagnosis is.
If my child was missing and a fu$#ing farmer cares more about his cows and gate more than finding a sick kid. I can't say what I would do to them if I found my kid on that farm.
That mom seemed “off” and I don’t usually judge people’s demeanor under these circumstances. She’s definitely lying about the bruises (maybe she’s being beaten at home or is a total drunk/addict and fell etc). No way did she just have rhinoplasty tho. After getting your nose done you can’t wear any type of glasses (with frames) cuz it can mess up the surgery and bend the bridge of your nose (plus it hurts).... Anyway, damn I just googled this boy’s case and it looks like he was found dead (no foul play involved). Damn I was really hoping he was ok. Poor sweet faced kid, what a shame.
the last person to see him...cousin...just because he said it don`t make it true...age?...history...normal...why did cousin run away ...did these youths have other problems ....if cousin is normal..what was their plan...to get to where to do what to survive?surely it was more than .....just go into the woods...what to eat ,drink?
Ok, if hes prone to disappearing, (1) how was he able to get 10 miles away!!!!!! and (2) why are they not keeping a closer eye on him?!?!? My son got out onto the porch when he was about 2 (case of my mom thought he was with me and I thought he was with her) and since then, Ive added additional locks that hes not able to reach to keep him inside. WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN ONCE, YOU TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP THEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN! I totally get the lighthearted nature of the film clip. I laugh at inappropriate time smyself, ie funerals, church service, somber moments...its not a reflex but...I cant think of the word but it just happens to keep me "grounded" in tense situations.
+Mrs. Torrie lebelesprit_ on ig Very good point. How many warnings do they need before keeping a closer eye on him. Thanks for the insight on the laughter, I know it's a nervous reaction for many people and can be easily misunderstood.
Children with autism tend to be amazing escape artists. I know a child who was a repeat escapee, his parents had double lock security doors, they wore the keys around their neck so he never had the chance to get the keys. They had magnet door and window alarms in his bedroom so if the circuit was broken while they were asleep the alarm would go off. They had 9foot fences around their back yard. Dan seemed to see it as a challenge to escape and still managed on many occasions. This boy was 13 years old. He was playing with his cousin. It doesn't sound like he had any significant intellectual disability. If he was being locked up in a "prison" they would have been in trouble. Kids need to play.
The mom's behaviour doesn't seem suspicious to me. I tend to smile or laugh when I'm nervous or embarrased. How is the climate in Missouri? Below zero in winter? It really worries me, because even if he has the skills to survive in the forest, he wore light summer clothing when he went missing... OT: Congrats on 7000 subs! And nice new icon pic. What were you dressed up as in the old pic (I'm not geeky enough to know lol)?
i`ve been punched in the eye..it did not bruise like that..the fellow was big and drunk...bullying his girl friend ..wham ..full force ..i think maybe stuff going on at home ....not good ..is why he left...i live in mo. know ozarks. a bit ..lots of copper head snakes....this is just a bad deal all around for this young man
I see there's an update video, which I'll be watching next, so what I'm about to say is probably totally irrelevant... I don't think she had a nose job because, like you said, her nose looks fine. And if she did a great job with makeup on her nose, she would have also covered up under her eyes. I think the oar story could be true, since she wears glasses. The glasses could have hit her face. Idk... As for her laughing, it didn't seem super inappropriate to me. It seemed like nervous laughter. Or, her trying to keep from crying.
She seems really carefree. I understand the idea of her trying to laugh off the awkwardness about her eye....but I'm just going to go ahead and say what popped in my head....Maybe she's an evil person who did something horrible. I'm sorry, but anyone who truly loves their child, and that child is missing, would surely not be smiling and giggling as much as her. I just get a bad feeling from her. Usually the mother of a missing child is either crying or very sad looking...not all giddy and happy looking....and she said "that was a fun day"...was it really a fun day looking for you missing son? I know what she meant, she was being kinda sarcastic....but she still said it...then it looked like she caught herself looking too happy, and toned it down some. Also, it seems as if she's trying to convince people that she's been searching, almost as if she's justifying something. Again...does not look like she cares at all. Who knows, I could be totally off....maybe I've just seen too many Dateline, or "Deadly Women" type shows, but I get the feeling she is not missing her son at all in that video.
Hmmm, there's a brain scratcher, haha! I think it could be a little bit of both. I asked for Johnathan to be covered in a Searchlight because I stopped hearing about him. If he was a girl I would be just as worried. Maybe if it was a girl it'd still be in the news. I'm not sure on that one. Great question!
Some people use laughing as a cover up for other emotions. It's a defense mechanism. Also as a nurse that cares for patients with dementia and psych issues there are many days I say to myself and to coworkers "If I dont laugh, I'm gonna cry" I'm not gonna read anything into her laughing at herself, we all need to cope in order to continue.
Could i say that as an autistic person it's pretty offensive to say suffered from autism. I know you meant no harm but for future reference it's better to say he's an autistic person
Now, is the boy. Autistic or does he have Aspergers? When you say he is "autistic" it sounds like he has full blown autism and can't function alone. People with Aspergers, while technically they are autistic, they can function by themselves and take care of themselves like everyone else, they just have social issues. One of my good biddies has Aspergers.
+amethystwyvern I've only heard that he's autistic. There's also an update on this case that I just released today that you may want to view: ruclips.net/video/MHgt2KydJ9s/видео.html
Where is the dad? Why did he want to run away? Was there an abusive boyfriend cuz those look like black eyes to me. I know I worked in domestic violence field for years. Seems like the other boy was helping him to run...why? Did he know he was in danger in some way?
I certainly can't speak for the mother, but I know when I get exhausted and stressed out, sometimes I get giddy and laugh when I shouldn't. I think for me it is my bodies reaction to the stress. I can't even imagine the stress and exhaustion that comes when someone you love goes missing.
+Robbie Walters Everyone does it. Trauma can definitely do that. Some people will act like your mad when you do that. If you get critical about it, you lose your humanity.
Agree.
I have social anxiety and I really make a fool of myself a lot and regret a lot of actions and things I've said.
Yes, exactly. People that haven't been through something tragic/traumatic or just aren't thinking seem to not realize or forget that some people can and some people do laugh in the face of tragedy. I know I have.
I was being sworn into court to give testimony and i was so nervous my mind went blank when I was supposed to say “I do” but that made me think of a wedding and surely that wasn’t what I was meant to say? So I sort of exhaled-laughted at myself and the judge said I was laughing and was not going to be truthful! Uh, okaaaaay? Ever heard of nerves?!
Being in Australia,i have never heard of this case,but i would like to say a big thankyou to you John for caring so much to investigate these heartbreaking cases;may Johnathan be found safe and well.
My son has autism..One of the biggest things concerning this is people with autism do not like change..they have a certain schedule that they follow to make them feel safe..it's hard for me to believe that he would want to run away into uncertainty..something is just not right.
+Lisa Phillips If he is high functioning, he may like changes he can control. Especially if he can go away from people and to nature.
Lester McGee If he has been found dead...why is the person an asshole?
Lisa, aren't there different levels of autism. Just like regular people, we are all different. Not everyone with a certain...disease(?) acts the same way.
He'd run away before, got ten miles from home.
+Lisa Phillips
Look up "elopement in autism".
I have a lot of respect for you for spreading information about these cases. I hope your channel grows and reaches more people!
+FleetingPrecision Thank you!
Horseflies are huge and they like blood. Their saliva can cause irritations or allergic reactions. It may have been hot and humid out on the water and her hands may have been slippery. I can understand if coming across an aggressive horsefly caused quick desperate swatting and maybe caused her to lose her grip on the oar. It could have slipped from her hands and hit her glasses. The marks or bruising look like they were caused by the eyeglass frames. As an eyeglass wearer I've been swatted in the face by tree branches before and it isn't fun when something knocks against your glasses and hard. About the searchers and some of the problems they caused the land owners, it may be a good idea if missing persons sites and Facebook pages also provided tips and information on proper means of conducting a search, FAQ's maybe. People motivated to help could possibly end up trampling over forensic evidence or disturb potential crime scenes.
About the bruising on the mother's face, it looks like the marks were left by the glasses frame.
+michellllllllllle GREAT point!
My wife and I love your channel and think you are doing an amazing job at being entertaining while bringing attention to these victims or missing persons. You deserve praise even tho we are sure you do NOT seek such praise you are truly a wonderful human being. Thank you for being so awesome. Your fans always, Paul and Krista
John you really are a decent person for all the work you put into these cases.
Thanks again for doing this I know I tell you the same almost all the time but, it's good to see someone with a big heart like you. God bless 🙏🏽👼🏽
+Dove Jc Thanks so much Dove Jc!
+GeekenDorx My cousin is autistic and he is hugely homely. He lives in assisted living, so a level of independence. My concern aside from his obvious safety is, WHY did he want to go so badly???
Sadly, his remains have been found and positively identified. He was not far from home. www.ksdk.com/news/local/remains-of-missing-boy-jonathan-shay-found/76362800
=(
Thanks so much for bringing this to light. Another excellent coverage of a case.
Sometimes people can react strangely to extreme stress and grief, "I laugh because otherwise I'll cry". Also, she's wearing glasses, perhaps she whacked herself and her glasses hit her and caused the black marks, not the ore itself? Yeah, seems weird she would specifically point that out though...
Thanks for the shout outs to helpful organizations, some really are so deserving.
As for Johnathan Shay, I would be surprised if he still didn't want to be found after all this time. I would love to think he's still Tom Sawyering it in those woods, but being autistic and not having his medications seems like things might be confusing for him out there. I take long distance, solo backpacking trips for a week or more at a time, the romance of it wears off pretty quick and without training, it can be easy to make some pretty costly mistakes. Honestly my gut reaction is to suspect he's succumbed to the elements.
IMO I really think there should be more laws in place about checking people's personal property. Obviously they should be informed and their fences shouldn't be cut, but they should be required to check their property or allow authorities to search if they don't want to/can't search themselves.
possible theory. as horrible as it might sound. maybe the other boy that went missing coaxed him into leaving, and out of jealousy did something to him. or left him and came up with the run away story to lead investigators away.
A quick Google search tells me that remains found in February 2016 near a creek in Phelps County were positively IDed as Shay's. So awful. Thanks for trying to bring attention to this case while it was still fairly new. His poor family... :(
I have a few theories about the bruising on the mothers face and her light, laughing behavior.
perhaps she was medicated for stress and exhaustion and that affected her personality and caused the odd (nervous) laughter? and the bruised, could she have them.from.crying and rubbing her eyes? the blood will flow down and out with gravity to the lowest parts of the face. she could have had a head injury like a concussion? made her goofy and caused the bruising? I had an 18hour craniotomy in September and I had epic black eyes and bruising around my jaw line and below and behind my ears. the bruising lasted about 9 weeks to completely dissipate.
I'd put money on it the cousin did it. That's why he didn't come home or stayed out for a day. He knew his ass was grass. He mentioned, "he doesn't want to be found". Ya, right liar. I have known people, by the cousins age, that have done some crazy stuff. They probably went out to play and the cousin got sick of his autistic stuff "non normal interactions" and whacked him one.
LGZEE I was gonna say that also. Wouldn't be the first time a teenage family member intentionally or accidentally killed their young family members got scared and lied about it.
The younger cousin was 11 and Johnathan was 13.
How would the 11-year old know that he last saw his cousin ‘3 hours ago’? That answer sounds conveniently specific in order to make searchers think he was quite a distance away by now.
A simple search would tell any of you that that he was found deceased over 2yrs ago you guys. Here’s the link:
www.komu.com/news/deputies-confirm-jonathan-shay-as-teen-found-dead-in-creek/
LGZEE he didn’t he is so kind and he would never do that I know he wouldn’t
John, I must say as someone who wears glasses, they have hurt me right in the same place after accidentally smacking my face. She even has a second pair on her head. Also if I had to talk about those incidents on tv I would laugh and feel uncomfortable and look odd. Why she doesn't seem distressed is not a question I have any answer to other then drugs. I would be inconsolable. Just my two cents...
I believe she was hit somehow with her glasses on. The black eyes are right under the rim of her glasses. Also I know this kid left on his own, however he went missing in a heavily wooded area from the way u made it sound. Have u ever read into the Missing 411 cases? It is usually small kids, older adults or kids with disabilities that go missing in these woods. I would love to hear about some of those cases. I would love to hear more on what this 11 year old knows. He said his cousin did not want to be found? What does he know? Is he scared to talk to much? Anyway if you get a chance I would love for you to talk about some of the strange missing 411 cases. There is a story of two brothers that go missing, one is found and said he did not know where his brother was. I am sure this case does not relate to these cases, however it very well could
I know this is really late but I just thought I would mention.. his name is spelt without an "H." It's Jonathan, and the title/ description box is spelt wrong. But thanks for making these!!! Love watching them! Also, thoughts on the mother: She seems anxious/nervous and very socially awkward. Laughter can be a natural reaction to an uncomfortable situation. It can be related to the black eyes or being on camera. Also, I have seen and have personal experience with hitting my nose and getting 2 black eyes, without damage to my nose. Just some thoughts.
I really love your videos and really appreciate what your doing. I would love to see a video done on Phoenix Coldon
she has been missing sincr 2011. This story hits a nerve because it is a little creepy. This family needs closure. Keep up the good work
I agree,as also for Stacey English,did they find her? They were disappeared the same way....So terrible for the families just to wait and hope every day, without knowing.....
+SeaBlue1976
soo true and yes they found English she had died from hyperthermia reportedly, but the eerie part about it is the guy that English was dating was from St. Louis. They found both women cars in the same condition (maybe a coincidence)... why would English leave her car running and everything to go into the woods...and im not sure if Georgia even gets that cold but i could be wrong.
+Tyesha Roberts so sad stories, thank you so much for your reply.(hope one day,we will find out what happened into both cases....)
+SeaBlue1976 indeed and no problem. i pray we know what happened to all these people
i have a friend who lives in the US and in Missouri to be exact,so i will share this with her :)
+kate davenporty Thank you so much Kate!
I agree an oare on the face would cause more damage. I use to canoe. I wonder if she is on some kind of medication. I deal with anxiety and take medication that makes me calm during high stressful times.
great job covering this, it's another one close to my home town. I hope we can find him safe and sound.
I don't know about his mother. she just kind of seems unconcerned but I'm not one to judge
Great job again John.I work with autistic people&change&the unknown scare them.He may have gotten into his head that trying to survive outside would be a great adventure&let people see he isnt just a kid with a label.ie Autism.As for his mum cant you remember when you were young&1of your friends told you there parent had died&you started to laugh even thiugh you knew it was so wrong.Your emotions are so closely linked the mums worried&scared but knows if she voices this she will fall apart&be no use to her son whatsoever.I hope&pray hes still alive&hasn't succumbed to the wild thick forest&all it holds.
I wouldn't analyze the mothers demeanor too much just considering the fact that he has left home before a few times so at the time she's probably got it in her head that he's wandered off somewhere again and that they'll find him at some point, just based on the past she probably didn't think it would end the way it did
Yes the nose swells. The reason for the bruising under the eyes is because the surgeon breaks the bones on both sides. I had a nose job. She looks like she was hit but not on the nose. The light attitude seems to be a mechanism she uses so as not to cry. Did he run from his father?
I know this is an old video and it's possible that it's been mentioned, but I do want to drop in and say that the phrasing "suffering from autism" is generally seen as offensive to autistic people. Autism is simply a difference in how the brain is wired, and the majority of autistic people wouldn't say that they're suffering! The best language would be "Jonathan is autistic".
Other than that, very good video! I've been slowly watching through the archives and I think your videos are really well put together. Keep up the good work!
I appreciate the note and sensibility Abby. Thanks for sharing that.
Hi John, greetings from Australia.
I read an article from www.listverse.com on 13.02.16
10 missing persons cases with strange sightings.
I thought it had some perfect ideas for Searchlight.
+beck beck Thank you beck beck!
I tried "running away" from home around age 10. I didn't even make it out of the cul de sac!
I am wondering how far he could have traveled though since he had done this before and made it 10 miles perhaps this time he went further? I've looked at an aerial on Google maps of the area and about a 40 mile radius around St James is essentially all rural so a lot of woods/forested area for him to hang out in which seems was his goal. I do hope he is found safe
I agree with you John and the comments below. I think the bruises are probably from her glasses when the oar hit her in the face. I also think that as innocent as the bruises probably are, she knows it looks bad to have them, which may be why she was acting strange. It did make me reallllly uncomfortable to watch her laugh on camera in a situation like this.
+Skylar Davenport VERY good point.. thanks Skylar!
From her comment "Regardless of the rumors" it sounds like the mom was already under some suspicion and was reacting to that with the bruises "to prove it" remark.... Re. her demeanor I've seen a couple people act similar at funerals & found out later it was just anti-anxiety medication.
Just a note on the mother's facial bruising. I wear glasses and sunglasses and was once hit in the face with a swinging board. Thankfully my glasses protected my eyes from impact, but it did cause extreme bruising in the form of dark patches under each eye. Not saying that's the case here, just giving a real world example that might help explain it.
This one was tough for me to watch, my son has autism and my worse nightmare is him running away.
I really believe its possible that he was so interested in survival skills that he wanted to go out and test out what he had learnt. I think that when he told his cousin that he didnt want to be found was that because he wanted to use his knowledge. Maybe he didnt fully comprehend the situation he was putting himself in.
Is there any information on how severe his Autism is? It could be a really good indicator of how much he had really thought thru running away. I know sometimes with my son often when he gets an idea in his head he will act first and think later.
I really hope hes found safe and well.
+Soulless Hi Soulless, I didn't hit any info on the severity of his Autism, but I'm with you in hoping he is found safe and well. Wishing you and your son safety and health!
It's true that alot of us in our younger years have attempted to run way, I know I did, but only once, I never did it again. Most of the people I know would say the same, why is it that this boy has done this more than once? I understand that being autistic would bring up different point of views and need different ways of dealing with this case, but still.... I too felt weird watching the mother's interview, but again nobody reacts the same way in a crisis. btw, love the new pic :) Hoping and praying that he's found safe and sound. Great job to you both.
+Joanne Sabourin When around eleven, C., a friendgurl of mine & I made plans to run away from home. We made the mistake of discussing what to pack in our suitcases over the phone. My mom, suspecting something was up, monitored our conversation via the extension line & later called C.'s mom, informing her of our plans. Suspecting Mom was onto us, I had 2nd thoughts & quickly unpacked my suitcase right before she stormed into my room &, searching it, found nothing. She had heard us plotting, however. I ensured her I'd never planned to go through with it & avoided an ass-whipping. My friend was not so lucky. I was subsequently grounded from talking to her, so couldn't give her a proper head's up. C.'s mom found her suitcase stashed under the bed, packed & ready to go, & both her folks beat the crap out of her that night. I wonder what motivated this child's desire to leave all he knew behind? Furthermore, how did he & his friend become separated the following morning so that one is found & the other is not? What aren't we being told concerning his family and this friend? Perhaps he succumbed to snakebite, or drowned, but something doesn't add up, imo.
LadyGreyBlack He was found deceased 2yrs ago. Here’s the link to the news story....
www.komu.com/news/deputies-confirm-jonathan-shay-as-teen-found-dead-in-creek/
To anyone wondering about Xaviar, and his help with the search effort; Johnathan's mother made this post to the Find Johnathan Shay Facebook page. m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=448090938720001&id=417942041734891
+Bleu Meanie Thanks for the follow up Bleu!
Is she was wearing glasses, and the oar hit her in the face, the bruises are consistent with the glasses being pushed into her face.
Often children that are diagnosed with autism have a parent or parents that show autistic markers, without the parent being autistic, inappropriate verbal response and facial mannerisms are common markers.
+Babelfroggy Excellent post as usual! :-) Thanks for contributing Babelfroggy!!
I think the mom's reaction can be easily explained away with the fact that her son had ran away from home before and was found, so for her it could be an 'oh no, not again' kind of moment, and although I'm sure she is very concerned, she may also be confident that he will be found once again in a reasonable amount of time.
My main concern is the 11 year old cousin. It's pretty suspicious that two cousins will leave into the woods and only one is found alone. Maybe the cousin knows more that isn't being reported? Or maybe the cousin knows more than he is saying. Like, why would the kids want to run away from home to begin with? Who gave Johnathan that idea to do so? The obsession to run away seems strange to me without there being any reasoning behind it.
Have you heard of the Avonte Oquendo case? I'd love to see a video on that.
everyone grieves differently, i personally don’t think the mothers behavior is odd. my family lost a person in November, my godfather, and it’s just part of how we cope to be light about it and try to be as happy as we can because he wouldn’t have wanted us to sit around at christmas depressed that he wasn’t there. some people laugh out of discomfort, when theyre in an awkward situation and dont know what to say they laugh, and thats how i think she was especially about her bruises (which look like she hit herself with glasses on)
to me, she just seems like a mom trying to stay strong and not wanting to show too much emotion maybe so she wouldn’t appear like a wreck (because some people have that concern even in these cases, some just dont like showing strong emotion publicly) or because she felt johnathan wouldn’t want her to be upset.
So sad. I truly hope he is found soon.
unfortunately, I see remains have been located. However, I couldn't find anything about cause of death. Anyone know of an update on that?
I just watched the video for the first time, going through in reverse order since a while. I couldn't find a follow up video but there's updates.
PHELPS COUNTY, Mo. - Phelps County Sheriff's Department investigators confirm the human remains found February 21 were those of Johnathan Shay.
On February 21, 2016 human remains suspected to be Johnathan were recovered from a near-by property.
The remains were transported to the Boone County Medical Examiner's Office by the Phelps County Coroner's Office.
Late Wednesday, after an extensive examination by a forensic anthropologist and dentist, the remains were officially identified as that of Johnathan Shay.
The examination will continue in an attempt to determine the cause and manner of death. This morning the family was formally notified of the findings.
"We want to thank the community, law enforcement agencies, search and rescue professionals and Emergency Medical Services for their support of the family and the Sheriff's department during this trying period," said Sheriff Rick Lisenbe. He added, "Please continue to pray, support and respect the family during this grieving period."
-
The strange thing is that from there on I couldn't find more information. The facebook page has been taken down, there's just a couple articles about remains found & less than a handful of him being identified. There's no cause of death public but also no cases brought against anyone - after the "waiting for cause of death" there's nothing but silence.
I agree with your observations about her claims of accidentally hitting herself in the face with an oar; It's highly unlikely that just the area underneath her eyes were affected. I also doubt she's wearing any makeup (if so, it's a very small amount), as she could have easily coveted the bruising underneath her eyes.
I'm not exactly one to speculate on people's personal lives, but the claims about the oar could be a lie. I don't know if she's married or has a significant other as of current, but she could have had an altercation of some sort to which she isn't comfortable confessing and shedding into public light.
It's pretty common for those who are in abusive relationships to create outlandish lies about how they've obtained injuries. I'm not saying this is the case for her, but it's just a possibility bouncing around in the back of my mind, and felt it was worth mentioning.
I don't think there's too much to worry about when it comes to her mannerisms; She seemed slightly uncomfortable, which could be the reason she's acting a bit, "aloof" as you put it. Being in awkward positions often causes people to act a bit odd. I don't get the vibe that she had anything to do with Jonathan's disappearance, but that's just my two cents.
Anyway - Another great video, John! I sure hope we can all get to the bottom of this and bring Jonathan home! (:
+Shalee Michelle Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts Shalee!
I can't find anything about Johnathan's mother having a boyfriend. None is mentioned in the search effort. His father died a few years ago. One of the searches for Johnathan was on the anniversary of his father's death.
Looking into this I saw a lot of people who talked about "wandering". Apparently it is common for some Autistic people to do. Maybe he was prone to wander when he was younger and that led to his fascination with survival in the outdoors.
Bleu Meanie Hey, thanks for taking the time to research this! I wasn't saying that what I put forth actually happened, just that it could be something to keep in the back of your mind.
I'm very familiar with autism (I'm on the spectrum myself), so I do agree entirely with you!
+Shalee Michelle No, thank you for your comment! Speculation is all we really have right now. I completely get what you were saying. Sorry, sometimes I have a blunt way of wording things. Communication isn't my strong point. ☺
my main questions are about the cousin. Why and how did they get separated? did the have a fight and decide to go their separate ways? did the cousin change his mind about wanting to run away and get lost trying to go home? I don't like the term 'indicated' when referring to questioning-it is not an 'absolute.' Seems fishy. I am not saying the cousin did anything, but it does not seem all the facts are out about that. I would like to have more information from the cousin about the timeline from them leaving the backyard up to their separation.
Did Mom have an abusive boyfriend? Maybe the boyfriend smacked her around? Could explain the marks, and also would be a great reason for Johnathan to want to run away. Hmmmm.... Awesome job on the video, John! And thanks to the researches sending him so much information. :)
I can't find any mention of a boyfriend, but I agree that would make any kid want to run away.
+zeraphym i agree i met kids that runaway for those reasons thats what came to mind when i finished watching the video
+One Directioner I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and all Johnathan's loved ones.
they where mean to him
Feb 21 2016 remains found, believed to be Shay's. Not confirmed at that time, based on clothing! March 10 positively identified as Shay's.
reminds me of the series top of the lake
I really want make you a time line of the boy in the box case If I made one wear would I post it ?
But the case is vary long staring in 1957 to now and we still don't even have. Name for him please I really want this case to get more well known
+Eric Garza If you go on brain scratchers.com under the researchers link there is a great outline for becoming a researcher. I think the boy in the box case would make an intriguing BrainScratch episode.
I've seen a few articles popping up claiming remains have been found and positively identified as being that of Jonathan's. The articles aren't from any reparable news site as far as I can find; please could you check those out :)
+Olivia Williams They have confirmed that the remains are Jonathan's. I did an update covering the remains being found, but the investigators hadn't positively ID them yet.
Why didn't the parent and grandparent keep a closer watch on him, they have too know his actions, and the cousin I do not believe a thing he said, why did they not continue to ask questions until they got an answer. Something is very wrong with this case.
Sad story.
I am genuinely asking about what the odds are of encountering someone who might have unfavourable motives.? I have heard that a key component is opportunity. London, uk.
I can not imagine being able to function if my child were missing except to constantly be looking for him and begging on camera for his safe return.I know I would not be capable of standing calmly in front of a camera talking and laughing as if it was just another thing happening. That's just me and I am not thinking she had anything to do with her son's disappearance. However I am wondering about his companion. Did he have any mental health issues? Any history of wrong doing? It seems to me he might hold the key to finding this boy. Thought and prayers for Johnathan and his family.
I agree completely about the mother, and she was searching for him too. I think she is holding it together with all she's got, that's why she comes off weird. She may be a little sedated. I know I would probably need to be in that situation.
I don't know a lot about the other boy. Though I don't think an eleven year old would be sophisticated enough to hide a body from all the search efforts. You're right about him holding the key. He saw where Johnathan went and what direction. I hope the search started there.
Love the 90's intro music and the super Mario figuring :)
great video keep them coming
+Matthew Meza Thank you Matthew!
dear brain scratch fans, if there isn't already I think we should form a brain scratch group page on facebook to stay in touch bounce ideas off of each other and help put out the word for missing persons. yay? no?
www.brainscratchers.com
Lori Miller cool is there a facebook group? thanks for the link
+Isabella Villanueva brainscratchers
fame mone thank you
+Isabella Villanueva John is not on facebook..he just doesn't like that social media site. I know he is on twitter, but he doesn't use it all that often. I would suggest one of his wonderful research helpers start a page, but only with John's approval.
I've just read an article from March 2016 that says Johnathan Shay was found deceased :(
Sorry again to comment on such an old video! But I have seen people say things to this effect in person before, and it strikes a nerve, as it's usually about women, and usually paints them in a negative light. (You merely are looking at it... investigatively, but still.)
As some others have mentioned, when I am stressed - in pain, most notably, such as having a serious migraine - I will often smile, laugh, and generally have responses considered socially inappropriate to the state I am in. I honestly don't see the mother's response as uncomfortable or odd, and I find it somewhat sad that people who respond like this are misunderstood so often.
I cannot, of course, speak for her, but this is what I personally see.
He never should have been left alone if he was a risk for hurting himself inadvertantly or otherwise
Do a searchlight on lindsey Baum. She disappeared literally out of thin air
Wow, John -- how do you stay so neutral, all the time!? Do you have journalism running through YOUR veins? Also, how long do you typically spend researching these SEARCHLIGHT cases before you actually begin filming? Sign me -- a new fan.
I wear glasses, and I got the same marks after having a horse smack his head into my face.
Don't know if somebody already posted this but I don't see an update yet. When I googled this story unfortunately I found this.
fox2now.com/2016/02/22/major-announcement-about-human-remains-found-in-phelps-county/
for the people talking about her reaction; yes she was having a laugh about a stupid accident that happened but you could see how emotional she was after that bit. Looks to me like she was just trying to put on a brave face in a horrible time.
Autism is generally measured on a spectrum, do we know what his level of function is? I also agree with most of the commenters that the mother's bruises do look like they line up with the frames of her glasses and nervous laughter and/or laughing due to stress is very common. I think she was trying to make light of a situation that she could laugh at, despite all her fears and concerns. It helps to try to maintain some sense of normalcy in highly stressful and life-changing times. .
On a darker note, I think it would be beneficial to pay more attention to the 11 year old cousin. If he knew his cousin was disabled it seems like he might have been keeping a closer eye on him. Also, was he able to show the police/search party where he had least seen his cousin? Was he able to show the police/search party which direction his cousin was heading when he last saw him? Did they have any food or water with them when they decided to run away? For some reason, my attention keeps going back to the cousin. Though it is uncommon, people of that age do hurt and even kill people. It is also far more common for people with any mental disorder to be harmed by "normal" people than for said person to hurt someone else. People with mental illnesses and disorders are, regrettably, not uncommon victims of violent crimes. I certainly hope I am wrong in this regard and he is found alive and as well as could be expected for a 13 year old who has been living in the wilderness for months.
+Mreffs101 You raise some good points. My researcher Bleu Meanie posted the following : To anyone wondering about Xaviar, and his help with the search effort; Johnathan's mother made this post to the Find Johnathan Shay Facebook page. m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=448090938720001&id=417942041734891
Caves would be awesome to a kid who is interested in survival. Sinkholes would worry me.
why did he want to run away so much...others have brought this up as well..Interesting point but understood better after seeing clip of mom..I know people get nervous in front of camera but that was uncomfortable and suspicious
I'm sad to bring bad news. Johnathan Shay was found dead this weekend. I would like to thank you all for caring (especially you, John), and offering ideas. At least he is back with his family.
m.waynesvilledailyguide.com/news/20160222/remains-found-along-dry-fork-creek-believed-to-be-johnathan-shay-missing-autistic-boy
where is the father ??
Those marks are totally from her glasses. It's happened to me before.
I would have thought it was mascara from crying if she didn’t mention it....
First, thanks for switching out your Flash Mask profile picture. That was kind of freaking me out.
They didnt say what form of Autism he has. My wife has Aspergers. When she gets something in her head she is able to think about it, make a plan, and nothing you will do will change her mind.
And wonder what his exact diagnosis is.
If my child was missing and a fu$#ing farmer cares more about his cows and gate more than finding a sick kid. I can't say what I would do to them if I found my kid on that farm.
That mom seemed “off” and I don’t usually judge people’s demeanor under these circumstances. She’s definitely lying about the bruises (maybe she’s being beaten at home or is a total drunk/addict and fell etc). No way did she just have rhinoplasty tho. After getting your nose done you can’t wear any type of glasses (with frames) cuz it can mess up the surgery and bend the bridge of your nose (plus it hurts).... Anyway, damn I just googled this boy’s case and it looks like he was found dead (no foul play involved). Damn I was really hoping he was ok. Poor sweet faced kid, what a shame.
the last person to see him...cousin...just because he said it don`t make it true...age?...history...normal...why did cousin run away ...did these youths have other problems ....if cousin is normal..what was their plan...to get to where to do what to survive?surely it was more than .....just go into the woods...what to eat ,drink?
Ok, if hes prone to disappearing, (1) how was he able to get 10 miles away!!!!!! and (2) why are they not keeping a closer eye on him?!?!? My son got out onto the porch when he was about 2 (case of my mom thought he was with me and I thought he was with her) and since then, Ive added additional locks that hes not able to reach to keep him inside. WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN ONCE, YOU TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP THEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN! I totally get the lighthearted nature of the film clip. I laugh at inappropriate time smyself, ie funerals, church service, somber moments...its not a reflex but...I cant think of the word but it just happens to keep me "grounded" in tense situations.
+Mrs. Torrie lebelesprit_ on ig Very good point. How many warnings do they need before keeping a closer eye on him. Thanks for the insight on the laughter, I know it's a nervous reaction for many people and can be easily misunderstood.
GeekenDorx Thats the phrase I was looking for, "nervous laughter". Lol. There was something a lil disigenous about hers but Ill leave that alone.
Children with autism tend to be amazing escape artists. I know a child who was a repeat escapee, his parents had double lock security doors, they wore the keys around their neck so he never had the chance to get the keys. They had magnet door and window alarms in his bedroom so if the circuit was broken while they were asleep the alarm would go off. They had 9foot fences around their back yard. Dan seemed to see it as a challenge to escape and still managed on many occasions.
This boy was 13 years old. He was playing with his cousin. It doesn't sound like he had any significant intellectual disability. If he was being locked up in a "prison" they would have been in trouble. Kids need to play.
Maybe they argued and he hit her and she's afraid to admit they fought
The mom's behaviour doesn't seem suspicious to me. I tend to smile or laugh when I'm nervous or embarrased. How is the climate in Missouri? Below zero in winter? It really worries me, because even if he has the skills to survive in the forest, he wore light summer clothing when he went missing... OT: Congrats on 7000 subs! And nice new icon pic. What were you dressed up as in the old pic (I'm not geeky enough to know lol)?
+tweetinger It was a "The Flash" costume I wore to Comic Con a few years back. :-)
Not usually below zero in winter, but definitely below freezing in the winter.
i`ve been punched in the eye..it did not bruise like that..the fellow was big and drunk...bullying his girl friend ..wham ..full force ..i think maybe stuff going on at home ....not good ..is why he left...i live in mo. know ozarks. a bit ..lots of copper head snakes....this is just a bad deal all around for this young man
They found his bones about a month ago
I see there's an update video, which I'll be watching next, so what I'm about to say is probably totally irrelevant... I don't think she had a nose job because, like you said, her nose looks fine. And if she did a great job with makeup on her nose, she would have also covered up under her eyes. I think the oar story could be true, since she wears glasses. The glasses could have hit her face. Idk...
As for her laughing, it didn't seem super inappropriate to me. It seemed like nervous laughter. Or, her trying to keep from crying.
She seems really carefree. I understand the idea of her trying to laugh off the awkwardness about her eye....but I'm just going to go ahead and say what popped in my head....Maybe she's an evil person who did something horrible. I'm sorry, but anyone who truly loves their child, and that child is missing, would surely not be smiling and giggling as much as her. I just get a bad feeling from her. Usually the mother of a missing child is either crying or very sad looking...not all giddy and happy looking....and she said "that was a fun day"...was it really a fun day looking for you missing son? I know what she meant, she was being kinda sarcastic....but she still said it...then it looked like she caught herself looking too happy, and toned it down some. Also, it seems as if she's trying to convince people that she's been searching, almost as if she's justifying something. Again...does not look like she cares at all.
Who knows, I could be totally off....maybe I've just seen too many Dateline, or "Deadly Women" type shows, but I get the feeling she is not missing her son at all in that video.
Hi, I recently discovered a case that you might be interested in. Quincy Jamar Davis.
+Cecelia Morton Thanks for the suggestion!
Is making Searchlight all about males so far intentional since male missing persons typically don't get as much coverage, or just coincidence?
Hmmm, there's a brain scratcher, haha!
I think it could be a little bit of both. I asked for Johnathan to be covered in a Searchlight because I stopped hearing about him. If he was a girl I would be just as worried. Maybe if it was a girl it'd still be in the news. I'm not sure on that one. Great question!
+Ty Dune It isn't intentional.. but thanks for pointing that out!
15:01 +16:12...
Some people use laughing as a cover up for other emotions. It's a defense mechanism. Also as a nurse that cares for patients with dementia and psych issues there are many days I say to myself and to coworkers "If I dont laugh, I'm gonna cry" I'm not gonna read anything into her laughing at herself, we all need to cope in order to continue.
Could i say that as an autistic person it's pretty offensive to say suffered from autism. I know you meant no harm but for future reference it's better to say he's an autistic person
Sorry but I think the other kid did something
Gina MacDougall HE DIDNT I KNOW HE DIDNT
Now, is the boy. Autistic or does he have Aspergers? When you say he is "autistic" it sounds like he has full blown autism and can't function alone. People with Aspergers, while technically they are autistic, they can function by themselves and take care of themselves like everyone else, they just have social issues. One of my good biddies has Aspergers.
+amethystwyvern I've only heard that he's autistic. There's also an update on this case that I just released today that you may want to view: ruclips.net/video/MHgt2KydJ9s/видео.html
+GeekenDorx I saw, very sad. RIP.
Where is the dad? Why did he want to run away? Was there an abusive boyfriend cuz those look like black eyes to me. I know I worked in domestic violence field for years. Seems like the other boy was helping him to run...why? Did he know he was in danger in some way?
She's on drugs for sure