# Missing Kansas City baby - odd that no one heard the kidnapper? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 7, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934 "2011-10-07T20:17:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/21 "2011-10-09T16:20:40Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > My wife was suspicious from the start due to an issue that no one publicly seemed to be asking – namely, \*\*is it odd that neither the mother (nor the other two children) were awakened \*\*as the alleged stranger entered the house, gathered the cell phones and the baby, and left? A coworker was robbed one night. The thief entered his apartment and stole a wallet out of his pants, which were draped over a chair that was next to the bed where he and his wife were sleeping. Neither of them woke up. It’s an odd case. I think odds heavily favor the parents doing it, but I do hope the police aren’t pulling another Jon Bonet snafu. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/22 "2011-10-09T17:58:17Z")
I wasn’t sure at first but then I heard about the cell phones and that makes me think one or both parents know something. If you’re going to kidnap a baby from her home in the middle of the night, you aren’t going to be heading out with the baby in your arms, hoping that she doesn’t make a noise and then decide “well I guess I’ll just take these three cellphones with me as well!” It also made me think of the Kyron Horman case were they were able to track the stepmom’s whereabouts by her cellphone. I’m guessing the parents remembered this and got rid of the phones. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/23 "2011-10-09T19:18:19Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > I think it’s odd that the father was at work and didn’t have his cell phone with him. We weren’t allowed to have cell phones in the monitoring station at my last job, but I had it in my locker or in my car. What is the point of having a cell phone if it’s not with you? > > Something just doesn’t sound right here. Some people (and I admitt to being one of them) only have cell phones because it’s nearly impossible to find a pay phone in the area they live in. My cell phone does not leave my car except in certain, very rare emergencies. The message on the voice mail tells people to never leave a message on the cell phone because I do not use the voice mail feature. Everyone who knows me knows of my utter hatred of cell phones (I have hurled my husband’s cells into the Gulf of Mexico and various trash bins on occasion) and that they should only attempt to contact me on my cell phone if there is a warrant for my arrest or terrorist attack has occurred. So, I can easily buy the father didn’t have the cell phone with him if he disliked cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/24 "2011-10-09T19:38:29Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Some people (and I admitt to being one of them) only have cell phones because it’s nearly impossible to find a pay phone in the area they live in. My cell phone does not leave my car except in certain, very rare emergencies. The message on the voice mail tells people to never leave a message on the cell phone because I do not use the voice mail feature. Everyone who knows me knows of my utter hatred of cell phones (I have hurled my husband’s cells into the Gulf of Mexico and various trash bins on occasion) and that they should only attempt to contact me on my cell phone if there is a warrant for my arrest or terrorist attack has occurred. So, I can easily buy the father didn’t have the cell phone with him if he disliked cell phones. Surely you understand that you are the exception to the rule with regard to cell phones? Just about everyone keeps their phone on them. It’s the whole point of having a cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/25 "2011-10-09T20:41:33Z")
None of the articles that I’ve read have mentioned if those three cell phones were the only ones owned by the household. Dad could have had the fourth one with him at work. Like some of the other posters, it is beginning to smell like the parents know something they’re not telling to me too. I just hope that the kid is found safe and sound. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/26 "2011-10-09T21:26:09Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > Surely you understand that you are the exception to the rule with regard to cell phones? Just about everyone keeps their phone on them. It’s the whole point of having a cell phone. Actually, I know a number of people who hate cell phones. A quck google will turn up numerous essays, a Facebook page, and other declarations of hate for the cell phone. People who like having a cell phone or who are compelled to carry one because of their job keep their phone on them. Those of us who have one soully as an emergency precaution (primarily because it’s damn near impossible to find a pay phone where I live) want as little contact with device as possible. So, if the father was of the anti-cell phone persuasion, I can easily see why he didn’t have the phone with him or why the phones were all in one easily located place in the house where an intruder could get them. In my house all cell phones must be placed (turned off) in a basket by the door. If they ring, they are confiscated and destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/27 "2011-10-10T08:38:10Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > My cell phone does not leave my car except in certain, very rare emergencies. The message on the voice mail tells people to never leave a message on the cell phone because I do not use the voice mail feature. Everyone who knows me knows of my utter hatred of cell phones and they should only attempt to contact me on my cell phone if there is a warrant for my arrest or terrorist attack has occurred. phones. Data point: This describes my mother exactly. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/28 "2011-10-10T08:52:03Z")
All the mobile phones(3) in my house are usually at the same place overnight. That’s where they get plugged in to charge. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/29 "2011-10-10T16:17:09Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > In my house all cell phones must be placed (turned off) in a basket by the door. If they ring, they are confiscated and destroyed. I’m awaiting your future thread, “How come nobody ever comes to visit me?” This is an odd story, but I give the parents the benefit of the doubt for now. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/30 "2011-10-10T17:09:16Z")
Another report just out is the mother is still married to a different man, even though she is “engaged” to the man she is living with. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/31 "2011-10-10T17:22:40Z")
So does that mean the identity of the bio-dad is in question? ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/32 "2011-10-10T17:49:15Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I’m awaiting your future thread, “How come nobody ever comes to visit me?” > > This is an odd story, but I give the parents the benefit of the doubt for now. I don’t search guests for phones, but most people who know me for more than 30 minutes know of my hatred for cell phones and put theirs on vibrate and reframe from extended conversations on them when in my house (you know the polite thing to do). The cell phones that have been destroyed have all belonged to teenage and young adult household members (oh, and my husband on one occasion) who could not behave politely with them. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/33 "2011-10-10T18:18:19Z")
Were the phones taken so that the kidnapper would have a running start once the baby was discovered missing? I can buy that. I guess. Although…it ain’t that hard to go to the next-door-neighbor’s house and ask to use their phone. But I admit the coincidences are making this a tad suspicious. First time the dad had to work the night shift. First time the wife left the door unlocked (why would you do this intentionally? I can see it being an accident, but if it’s an accident usually you don’t know that it is the first time you’ve ever done it, right?) Also, leaving the door unlocked is a moot point, since the parents say the kidnapper went through the window. I watched the news yesterday and saw how the police were trying to recreate how someone could sneak in through that back window without making a disturbance. They were not able to do it. If that’s how the kidnapper came into the house, then everyone in the house must have been on Xanax or be extremely sound sleepers. Which is not that hard to believe. When I was a kid, we once had a thief come into the house while we were asleep. He came in through my parents’ bedroom window. Literally just a couple of feet away from them. He stole my mother’s purse, which was on the floor right next to her head. He stole suits from my father’s closet, and stole a whole heap of things from downstairs (TV, violins, and everyone’s coats). Then drove off in our minivan. None of us knew what happened until the morning. So it is not impossible. (It probably didn’t help that my parents had the TV blaring as well as the attic fan. All that white noise is a burglar’s dream come true.) I guess it’s possible that someone skilled in the art of sneaking around sleeping people would swoop down and steal a baby, but it still seems kinda suspicious to me. I blame Susan Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/34 "2011-10-10T18:33:41Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > I don’t search guests for phones, but most people who know me for more than 30 minutes know of my hatred for cell phones and put theirs on vibrate and reframe from extended conversations on them when in my house (you know the polite thing to do). The cell phones that have been destroyed have all belonged to teenage and young adult household members (oh, and my husband on one occasion) who could not behave politely with them. Why is it impolite to talk on a cell phone while in your house? I realize that if I were having a conversation with someone and interrupted it to have a long conversation on my cell it would be impolite but… seriously, you’d get my cell phone over my dead body. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/35 "2011-10-10T18:39:19Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > Why is it impolite to talk on a cell phone while in your house? I realize that if I were having a conversation with someone and interrupted it to have a long conversation on my cell it would be impolite but… seriously, you’d get my cell phone over my dead body. I could see it being annoying in a, “Dammit, can’t you go an hour without talking in your stupid phone!” kind of way. I admit that it annoys me that everywhere I go–from the grocery store to the public toilet–people are talking on phones. But I don’t think I’d go as far as banning phones in my house or even making people put them on vibrate. I don’t live in a movie theater, for pete’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/36 "2011-10-10T18:42:03Z")
And I completely forgot what i was going to post. And while it does sound kind of strange, I’m not convicting the parents or acquitting them… I don’t know. It sounds like the police suspect them, but… ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/37 "2011-10-10T20:21:34Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > Why is it impolite to talk on a cell phone while in your house? I realize that if I were having a conversation with someone and interrupted it to have a long conversation on my cell it would be impolite but… seriously, you’d get my cell phone over my dead body. In formal etiquette it’s impolite to start a secondary, secretative conversation with a third party in front of your host and other quests. On a more practical level cell phones are potential recording devices. If business is to be discussed it’s considered a breach of trust and anyone that would insist on carrying one into a meeting would be told, “we cannot do this informally, we willl have to met in my lawyers’ office and sign contracts.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/38 "2011-10-10T20:32:08Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > In formal etiquette it’s impolite to start a secondary, secretative conversation with a third party in front of your host and other quests. Even if it isn’t secretive, it is bad manners. Mama Plant taught me about a hundred years ago that it is impolite to talk on the phone in front of others, or stay in the room when someone else is on the phone. Of course, she taught me to open doors, take off my hat and stand up at the appropriate times, too. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/39 "2011-10-10T20:33:24Z")
People go to your house to record their own conversations? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934/40 "2011-10-10T20:49:22Z")
Enough with the hijack about cell phones, please. Either start a new discussion of phone etiquette in IMHO, or just let it drop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-kansas-city-baby-odd-that-no-one-heard-the-kidnapper/598934.md?page=3)