The Value Of Photo Recognition

Billy Hanson, nine years old, was supposed to return to his mother's house in Pennsylvania on September 4, after visiting his dad, Jeffrey Hanson, for awhile. Had he returned home on that date, he would have started school on time.....but guess what? Jeffrey Hanson decided to do something other than simply take his son home after his scheduled visitation was over. He sailed in his yacht, the Draco, to the tiny island of Niue, in the South Pacific, instead. How very sweet and sentimental.

Upon hearing that Mr. Hanson was an avid sailor, the FBI circulated pictures of Mr. Hanson, and his missing son, in some of the very places that Mr. Hanson loves to sail in his yacht. As luck would have it, someone on the small police force of the island of Niue got a tip from a citizen who had seen Mr. Hanson and Billy's picture and recognized them! Now, Jeffrey Hanson is home, in the United States, facing charges for international kidnapping and custodial interference. His yacht has been confiscated, and young Billy has had quite the adventure; definitely a superb "What I Did Last Summer" essay. It's too bad his father was too unconcerned about the start of a new school year to make sure Billy would be in school to write such a paper. Now, it looks as if Mr. Hanson will be visiting with his son via prison plexi-glass windows, if at all.

Never doubt that photo recognition, in missing persons cases, is a great tool, and never be nervous about calling in a tip, if you think you might have seen someone whose picture has been circulated by law enforcement. If you really have recognized a missing child, it's better, just in case you are right, to risk being mistaken and let authorities find out. It made an huge difference to Billy Hanson and his mother.

Seeking Kyron Horman For Three Years

 

Kyron Horman has been missing from Portland, Oregon for three years, as of tomorrow. He was last seen by his stepmother, Terri Horman, at his school on the morning of June 4, 2010. His teacher listed him as absent when he was not in class when role was called, and no one batted an eyelash for the rest of the day, until Kyron was not on the school bus that afternoon. By that time, he had been officially missing for almost seven hours. In cases which actually involve a kidnapping by a stranger, NOT the norm in missing persons cases, the first three hours are the most critical in order to find a missing person. The seven hours before law enforcement was called was far too long.

Below is a set of pictures someone shared on Facebook awhile ago. These show Kyron, with his birthmark and his mole, which is under his right eye. While these pictures are not age progressed, as the pictures at the very top, anyone who may have seen Kyron should be aware of these two distinct features. Between eleven and fifteen percent of missing persons who end up found are found through photo recognition.

 

Hopefully, Kyron Horman will not have to remain missing for even one more day.