Not so Merry Christmas....

[MYSONSDAD]

http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3427119,00.html

Missing children found

Amber Alert ends with police chase, Springs man's arrest

By John C. Ensslin, Rocky Mountain News
December 27, 2004

BRIGHTON - Police arrested a Colorado Springs lawyer who was the subject
of an Amber Alert on Sunday after he allegedly failed to return his two
small daughters to their mother after a Christmas visit.

Officers subdued David A. Scott, 41, with a Taser device after he led them
on a brief foot chase, said Brighton Police Sgt. John Bradley. Scott was
not armed, police said.

  His two daughters, Heather, 2, and Nicole, 4, were returned unharmed to
their mother about two hours later, police said.

Scott's arrest ended a statewide search for the two girls, whom Colorado
Springs police said were supposed to have been returned to their mother at
8 p.m. Saturday.

The case began in Denver around 1:30 p.m. Saturday when Denver police were
called to the La Quinta Inn at 1975 S. Colorado Blvd. on a report of
criminal mischief.

Police said they found "significant damage" to the room, which suggested a
disturbance had taken place. A Denver homicide detective and a fire
investigator helped examine the hotel room. Police also searched a nearby
garbage container.

Denver police spokesman John White said the room looked "suspicious," but
declined to elaborate.

Meanwhile, Denver police contacted Colorado Springs police after learning
Scott had been the last person to rent the motel room.

Colorado Springs police contacted Scott's former wife, Elizabeth Scott,
who told them her daughters were supposed to have been returned Saturday
night under a court-ordered visitation agreement.

After Scott failed to drop the children off near a local drugstore,
Colorado Springs police contacted the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and
initiated an Amber Alert.

Around noon Sunday, Scott and his two daughters sat down for breakfast at
a Village Inn restaurant in Brighton.

He ordered bacon and eggs and a small chocolate milk for one of the girls.

A customer at the restaurant who had seen the Amber Alert recognized
Scott's rented red Chrysler Sebring and alerted police. Both the front and
back seats of the car were filled with clothing, crackers and stuffed
animals.

When officers arrived, one of them went inside and asked Scott to step
outside. He complied, but as soon as he got outside, witnesses said he set
his 2-year-old daughter down and ran north.

Janina Million, of Dacono, was walking into the restaurant when the chase
began.

"He took off running and all of a sudden a cop comes out," Million said.
"He (the officer) yells at us, 'grab the kids' and then he takes off
running after the guy."

Million and another customer, Coco O'Neill, of Brighton, took the children
inside the restaurant.

"They were completely hysterical," O'Neill said. "We just held them until
they quieted down."

She said the girls were crying out for their father.

Brighton officers chased Scott about 120 yards to a parking lot outside a
Kmart store.

After disregarding the officer's commands to stop, Bradley said one of the
officers fired his Taser, a nonlethal stun gun, and subdued Scott.

Court records show that Scott, an attorney who practices in Colorado
Springs, filed for divorce this summer.

He has been arrested five times in the past year as a result of domestic
violence allegations. The most recent arrest was Dec. 18.

The El Paso County district attorney dropped several of the charges
against him, but Scott is awaiting trial in March on the remaining charges
of false imprisonment, harassment and violating the terms of his bond,
records show.

Elizabeth Scott, 34, has obtained three restraining orders against her
former husband.

Details of her allegations could not be obtained Sunday. David Scott's
mother, reached in another state, said her son has shared custody with his
ex-wife and was responsible for his daughters on weekdays.

"He's a man who loves his kids dearly and would do anything in the world
for them," Ann Beirn said.

Beirn, who declined to comment further, said her son has been traumatized
by his divorce.

Denver police Sunday evening determined that no charges will be filed in
connection with the damaged hotel room because Scott agreed to cover the
costs.

Charges were still possible in Adams and El Paso counties.

Domestic violence activists worry about the long-term effects for children
who are exposed to violence and disputes between their parents.

"The trauma that it puts on the children, I think, is the most frightening
for all of us," said Jeneen Klippel- Worden, director of development for
the Gateway Battered Women's Shelter in Aurora.

"It's not going to be a happy ending unless someone gives them some
intervention."

[email protected] or 303-892-5291 Staff writers Sarah Huntley
and Jennifer Miller contributed to this report.



"Children learn what they live"

[Bolivar]

A woman kidnaps the child for years and when found gets physical custody and the father pays child support.

A father kidnaps the children for 2 hours and there is a statewide search for the two girls with the father being arrested.

The sad part was "She said the girls were crying out for their father."  This man is not dangerous.  The system is.


"Never forget who your actual opponent is. – The System".  Don't give your opponent any opportunity to continue to pretend the problem is between you and the eX-. It thrives on the conflict it engenders."
By Jim Loose

[MYSONSDAD]

>Domestic violence activists worry about the long-term effects for children
who are exposed to violence and disputes between their parents.

"The trauma that it puts on the children, I think, is the most frightening
for all of us," said Jeneen Klippel- Worden, director of development for
the Gateway Battered Women's Shelter in Aurora.

"It's not going to be a happy ending unless someone gives them some
intervention."<

Maybe if equality in the courtrooms were practiced, this could have been avoided. Would love to hear the details behind what really happened.....

There is much more to this story then meets the eye.

"Children learn what they live"

[Brent]

>A woman kidnaps the child for years and when found gets
>physical custody and the father pays child support.
>
>A father kidnaps the children for 2 hours and there is a
>statewide search for the two girls with the father being
>arrested.

And shot with a TASER. (I noticed that they didn't shoot the mother with a TASER for kidnapping her kids for a decade or so.) But hey, he was a only a father, it's not like he was an actual human being or something.

Plus he was *2* whole hours late dropping off his own children. If that isn't reason enough to TASER him, I don't know what is. If we don't show fathers that they're nothing but targets for the police they might start getting uppity notions- like they deserve "equality" in parenting or some such nonsense.

[gidgetgirl]

He was found at noon on Sunday and he was supposed to drop off the girls Saturday night at 8pm.  That's 16 hours late.  The girls were reunited with mom two hours after the arrest.

And he was TASERed for resisting arrest, not kidnapping, although still most likely overkill.

But yes, I'm thinking there is MUCH more to the story than what is in the paper- there always is...

[bigsigh2004]

Ok, I'm a dad (granted the oh so controversial one who is actually a better parent IMO as an NCP)

BUT all "injustice to father's in the system" aside...

didn't anyone catch this one line of the article?

**witnesses said he set his 2-year-old daughter down and ran north.**

He bailed on a two year old, left her in a restaurant with strangers to try to save his own butt. I can't think of any kid who wouldn't start to scream and cry if EITHER of the parents plopped them down and ran off.

Sorry, but as a parent I'd have tasered him too, you are supposed to protect your kids first, not yourself.

[Stepmom0418]

I agree he should have thought of the child before himself!

My question is would a mother in the same shoe have been treated the same?? I doubt it very much! A mother would more than like get a slap on the wrist and that would be the end.

By the way bigsigh " How are things going your way?" How is your daughter and the situation that you are/were going through?

[bigsigh2004]

I doubt the mama would have been tasered but I know a few policepeople who don't think twice about tackling a woman if she runs.

I do notice since the institution of the "amber alert" any kidnapping situation, regardless of gender, has a heightened reaction level.

Step - actually pretty wonderfully thank you for asking. My daughter is doing much better at her mom's. She has more patience than I do, always has.

Due to my choice to have her go back to mom everyone is getting along better. Mom has pretty much instituted an "open door" policy, if I want to come by all it takes is a call. She taught our daughter that I'm #2 on the speed dial during the day (work) and #3 at night (home). (911 is #1 - I had to ask!) She didn't blink an eye at signing my version of the custody agreement, with all of my concerns I had addressed. She added a few things of her own, but minor. (ie: It's my job to contact daughter's school/doctor for any info and not expect her to be the delivery person)

We shared Christmas, I'm taking her New Year's Eve so my ex can go out.

All in all, it was the best decision I've made in a long time. The big huge goofy grin on my daughter's face proves it.

Thanks for asking.

[MYSONSDAD]

I know it was a heart wrenching decision, Happy Holidays!

"Children learn what they live"

[Stepmom0418]

From what you have said Bigsigh, it sounds like you made the best choice for you, your childs mother, and most important your daughter! Also I would like to say that from what you posted it sounds almost like a shared parenting plan and you can pretty much see your daughter when ever you or your daughter want to see each other. That is the best plan anyone could ask for!!

Congrats to you and your daughter!