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Kidnap Victim Visible Via Xbox Community Site
Via Joystiq comes the confusing tale of Shawn Hornbeck. Shawn was kidnapped more than four years ago, and his absence has made his parents worry and left a hole in his friends' lives. He's been returned safely home, so there's a happy ending to this tale. Strangely, though, he has been publicly visible for over a year now - via Xbox Live. From the Joystiq post: "The GamerTagPics profile for Xbox Live user 'DevilDevlin' shows the kidnapped Hornbeck outside what appear to be [alleged kidnapper Michael] Devlin's apartment. The profile was created Sept. 4, 2005 but hasn't been accessed since early 2006. DevilDevlin's Gamertag reveals that someone played Saints Row on the account as recently as Friday. It seems likely that Hornbeck used the account -- a Washington Post story reveals Devlin's neighbors 'often spotted Shawn out and about, visiting friends on his bicycle or playing video games with the apartment door open.'"
He was possibly playing Saint's Row and he is only 15! That game has an M rating! One can only imagine what this has done to that poor child's psyche.
I keep telling myself I'm not the desperate type.
Doesn't sound like kidnapping to me. "Hey kid, you wanna come play video games for a few years." "Sure, thanks mister"
I'm gonna need a spec.
gonna start looking through Xbox live users. You know for all the terrorist suspects and pedofiles (well you might find some of these type but) I can see it now
bush -------- "halo is being used as a training device for the terrorists, we need access to the user database. NukeDukeum1987 has been posting terrorist threats -
You are so Ded you think your 1337? bring it im gonna blow up your whole city than kidnap your son and make him my bitch-
If we cant monitor these people, they have already won."
have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
"Shawn was kidnapped more than four years ago, and his absence has made his parents worry..."
It's only January, and we already have a solid nomination for understatement of the year!
This sounds like something a third-grader would say while giving a book report.
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More like MJ and Neverland
There is a handy preview feature though... Maybe it's disabled in IE7 - contact your tech support.
His name is XXmastorCheefRoxorsXX (it's a family name, on my mother's side.) I hope I can find him on Live...
I completely agree with you.
I once met this kid, couldn't have been more than eleven at the time, that was accidentally left home alone when his parents and brothers took a trip to France. During the first days the kid managed to do the cooking, cleaning and shopping all by himself, no problem. But then, he found out that some burglars had targeted the house assuming it was empty for the holidays, so this brilliant kid first tried to make the house appear occupied by a full family through some clever tactics and minor inventions (like cardboard cut-outs which he animated with ropes and then projected through the curtains).
Eventually the burglars found out the house was just occupied by a very small kid and did the same as the GP here, and assumed 11 year olds are helpless morons. They found they were wrong the hard way, when the kid rigged the whole house making it a lethal burglar trap by using the coolest rube goldberg contraptions you can imagine.
I could also tell you about very young kids who found a pirate's gold while exploring some sewers... but I think I made my point.
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