05-25-2012, 07:18 AM
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-25/su...er/4033710
A man has been charged over the murder of a little boy more than 30 years after his disappearance in New Yorkprompted a major rethink on child safety.
Etan Patz disappeared on his way to school in late May 1979 in a case that shocked New Yorkers and saw him become one of the first missing children to have his face on a milk carton.
Six-year-old Etan lived in New York's Soho District and it was the first time he had made the trip alone.
A day before the 33rd anniversary of Etan's disappearance, New York's police commissioner Ray Kelly confirmed that a 51-year-old New Jersey man, Pedro Hernandez, has been charged with murder.
"In the years following Etan's disappearance, Hernandez told a family member and others that he had 'done a bad thing', and killed a child in New York," he said. "Last night after being questioned, Hernandez returned voluntarily from New Jersey with detectives to Manhattan. He brought them to the scene of the crime, which is now a store that sells eyeglasses."
Hernandez described to the detectives how he lured young Etan from the school bus stop at West Broadway and Prince St with the promise of a soda.
Mr Kelly says Hernandez has admitted leading the boy into the basement of a grocery store, choking him and disposing of his body in the garbage.
When Etan Patz disappeared in 1979 his face was plastered on posters appealing for information.
The date of his disappearance, May 25, became known in the US as National Missing Children's Day.
And in a new move his face appeared on milk cartons as parents became more cautious about letting their children out alone.
Etan's father Stan Patz says his son went missing in a safe neighbourhood that Etan was familiar with.
"At some point in every parent's life they send their children to school alone. Did we do it too early? Obviously we did," he said in a 2010 interview.
"It was very familiar territory; this was a safe neighbourhood. When do you let them out of your sight, when they're 21?"
Mr Patz hates to think what his son went through.
"At some point he must have realised that ... things were going bad," he said.
"I still gag with the fear that this child must have felt when he realised he was betrayed by an adult."
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg feels for Etan's parents.
"As a father I just can't imagine what they've gone through and I certainly hope that we are one step closer to bringing them some measure of relief," he said.
"If you remember 33 years ago this was a tragedy that broke the hearts of millions of people, especially parents, across this nation.
"It's a case that, to his credit, district attorney Cy Vance reopened in hopes not only of bringing justice but also offering some closure to Etan's parents." But they might never know what became of their son's body. Mr Kelly says it is reasonable to assume that Pedro Hernandez has no idea.
Here's the video:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-25/mi...rs/4033448
A man has been charged over the murder of a little boy more than 30 years after his disappearance in New Yorkprompted a major rethink on child safety.
Etan Patz disappeared on his way to school in late May 1979 in a case that shocked New Yorkers and saw him become one of the first missing children to have his face on a milk carton.
Six-year-old Etan lived in New York's Soho District and it was the first time he had made the trip alone.
A day before the 33rd anniversary of Etan's disappearance, New York's police commissioner Ray Kelly confirmed that a 51-year-old New Jersey man, Pedro Hernandez, has been charged with murder.
"In the years following Etan's disappearance, Hernandez told a family member and others that he had 'done a bad thing', and killed a child in New York," he said. "Last night after being questioned, Hernandez returned voluntarily from New Jersey with detectives to Manhattan. He brought them to the scene of the crime, which is now a store that sells eyeglasses."
Hernandez described to the detectives how he lured young Etan from the school bus stop at West Broadway and Prince St with the promise of a soda.
Mr Kelly says Hernandez has admitted leading the boy into the basement of a grocery store, choking him and disposing of his body in the garbage.
When Etan Patz disappeared in 1979 his face was plastered on posters appealing for information.
The date of his disappearance, May 25, became known in the US as National Missing Children's Day.
And in a new move his face appeared on milk cartons as parents became more cautious about letting their children out alone.
Etan's father Stan Patz says his son went missing in a safe neighbourhood that Etan was familiar with.
"At some point in every parent's life they send their children to school alone. Did we do it too early? Obviously we did," he said in a 2010 interview.
"It was very familiar territory; this was a safe neighbourhood. When do you let them out of your sight, when they're 21?"
Mr Patz hates to think what his son went through.
"At some point he must have realised that ... things were going bad," he said.
"I still gag with the fear that this child must have felt when he realised he was betrayed by an adult."
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg feels for Etan's parents.
"As a father I just can't imagine what they've gone through and I certainly hope that we are one step closer to bringing them some measure of relief," he said.
"If you remember 33 years ago this was a tragedy that broke the hearts of millions of people, especially parents, across this nation.
"It's a case that, to his credit, district attorney Cy Vance reopened in hopes not only of bringing justice but also offering some closure to Etan's parents." But they might never know what became of their son's body. Mr Kelly says it is reasonable to assume that Pedro Hernandez has no idea.
Here's the video:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-25/mi...rs/4033448