Glad we've passed the tagging or not tagging etc. I can't remember who now but someone mentioned that there are 10 children involved, April, the child who was with her, April's sibs and 6 children in the Bridgers family. I thought there were only 2 children in the Bridgers family but regardless of how many they are all going to hugely affected. Presumably the Bridges family are going to have to move well out of the area and the children move schools etc. I know this is of secondary importance to April's disappearance, but it is just something I have been thinking about.
It does appear that April knew the man whose car she got into last Monday night. Someone has said that April was in and out of the Bridges house and recently went to the beach in the car with 2 of his children. I haven't seen that and I am wondering if some of the red tops are adding bits to this story I don't know. IF she did, then of course her DNA would legitimately be in the car and their house. However more forensic evidence has clearly been found.
I think the other thing is that none of us can even begin to understand the mind of a man who (not) necessarily the man who has been charged as he is innocent until proven guilty, abducts a child and kills her. It is way way beyond our understanding, and after a 30 year career in Children's Services LA I have seen some pretty awful treatment of children, but this can almost always be traced back to the fact that the parents have been ill treated as children, they have learning difficulties, mental health problems etc. In fact I have never met a child abuser who is just evil; there is always a reason.
There have been cases of children dying at the hands of their parents (Heidi Kaseeda in Birmingham) and before her Victoria Climbie and others I can't recall. These cases are truly awful but the parents (or aunt in VC's case) I think really do believe that the child has an evil spirit within her and there are church people who confirm this, and encourage the abuse to get rid of the evil spirits.
There have been quite a few cases in the media lately of fathers who are estranged from mothers, killing their children and themself usually. Awful as this is, the motive is fairly clear - he wants to hurt his ex W or P as much as she is hurting him and he knows what will hurt her most. Even paedophiles who are of course predatory and want sex with children - that is awful too, but I wonder why they have to kill the victim too. I can only imagine that this gives them some sort of "kick" - is it a control thing, god only knows.
Sorry about the long post, I am just thinking aloud!