Baby Kate petition regarding bothced LPD investigation

[Dave]

Found this when looking through my Facebook updates a few minutes ago. Apparently members here are not the only ones that think the LPD botched the investigation into the baby Kate disappearance. Follow the link at the end if you wish to sign the petition.

Why this is Important

Katherine Shelbie-Elizabeth Phillips was 4 months old when she was last seen in Ludington, MI on June 29, 2011. Kate's mother, Ariel Courtland, reported that Kate's father, Sean Phillips, drove off with the infant after a fight between Ariel and Sean. Within hours, the Ludington Police Department arrested Sean Phillips on the charge of felony kidnapping. Once paternity was proven to the court, the charges were reduced to the less serious Parental Kidnapping. While Sean Phillps remains detained and awaits trial, he has maintained his innocence and reports Kate's mother, Ariel Courtland, was the last one to see Kate. With much speculation and uncertainty about Kate's disappearance, we are asking for more from the Ludington Police Department. While one suspect is detained and awaiting trial, a baby is STILL missing -- nearly 4 months later! It is time for a more thorough investigation than the Ludington Police Department wants to provide.

Provided below is a list of the Ludington Police Department's failures regarding this case:
-- LPD has stopped looking for Kate: They have not continued searches and will not allow other agencies and trained professionals to donate their time to the search for missing baby Kate.
-- LPD has stopped investigating Kate's disappearance: They have not conducted interviews or followed-up on important leads. When tips are submitted, phone calls and e-mails are not returned.
-- LPD is not considering all possible options: They will not consider the possibility of additonal suspects, such as the mother, friends/extended family members, or strangers.
-- LPD is not keeping Kate's story in the media: They do not provide press releases, nor do they ask the public for information and/or assistance.

Overall, it appears that the Ludington Police Department is more interested in obtaining a conviction than finding a missing child. Even if Sean Phillips is found guilty of his pending kidnapping-related charges, Kate is still missing. What happened to baby Kate?

Please sign this petition to show your support for a more thorough investigation into the disappearance of missing baby Kate. Your signature will be sent to Bill Schuette, the Attorney General of Michigan, with a formal request to investigate the faults of the Ludington Police Department. This formal request will also include a request for more experienced and committed law enforcement professionals, such as the Michigan State Police and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigations, to assit with this investigation.

Thank you in advance for your time and support. Should you have any questions regarding this petition, please contact: [e-mail]

http://www.change.org/petitions/bill-schuette-attorney-general-of-m...

[Willy]

The police will discontinue an invesigation if they are convinced they have a subject in custody who they think committed a crime. Nothing strange about that.

[Dave]

Well, without the kidnapped person being returned, I don't think you can really close the investigation. Anyhow, I think any cop worth anything is not going to stop looking are taking tips until they either have a conviction and the kidnapped back home. Not taking any help, specially when its offered seems a little weird too.

[Willy]

I didn't say they have closed the invesigation, only that it now is a low priority. Who is claiming the police won't take any help?

[XLFD]

They failed to mention that the LPD botched the Amber Alert protocols that day as well, covered by Grand Rapid's WOOD Amber-Alert-was-delayed-for-baby-Kate

 

Or that LPD Chief Barnett less than 100 hours after the disappearance  led and followed the Freedom Festival Parade, waving at the crowd, while the search for Baby Kate, who still could have been alive if abandoned somewhere, took a breather.  Organized searches were not made until a week after that. 

 

In my view, Chief Barnett was too busy padding his paycheck and resume' in getting to be the dual Police Chief of Scottville and Ludington throughout the early stages of the investigation instead of using the resources at his disposal.   

[april]

What a joke.

[Marty Redman]

I would say there is no harm in having an Attorney General task force look into what has been done so far in this case.  This was national, high-profile news, and the Ludington Para-Police Dept. and Mason County Prostectutors offices have both done some bone-headed things.  It does look more like they value throwing someone in jail rather than finding the babe.  That's what it looks from the ouside at least from an outsider like me and my vacationing friends.

[XLFD]

Some new news on the Baby Kate story that could be significant.  WMOM radio (102.7) reported on their newsboard http://www.wmom.fm/ this morning: 

"Some of our listeners have been actively following the Baby Kate case. Several of them have "whispered in MOM's ear." They tell us that a local private investigator is digging up information for the defense of Sean Michael Phillips, the man acused of kidnapping Baby Kate. The investigator has talked to several MOM listeners and others to gather new clues in the case. That PI is believed to be Col. J.D. McGuire of Scottville. MOM news successfully contacted Annette Smedly, the defense attorney for Phillips. Smedley, of Muskegon, would only confirm that a private investigator is working on the case. She would not identify McGuire directly. Phillips is facing a trial for the alleged crime in January."

 

Mlive passed this on before noon too.  It makes one wonder:  Why has the accused abductor hired a private investigator, and what is the PI trying to turn up? 

[Willy]

Thanks for posting WMOM's web site. I can get the local news from them instead of the LDN. You never know how accurate LDN's reporting will be or if you can rely on getting the truth.

[XLFD]

There appears to be some new action in the Baby Kate case, on the wings.  Allegedly, some LPD detectives/officers have been visiting private citizens who have been somewhat outspoken on the case and LPD's effectiveness on Facebook, or perhaps attended the October march protesting the LPD's competence.  According to these sources, the LPD representatives have made certain requests that may violate these citizens' rights and did other actions that were questionable.  Possibly related, the City of Ludington has advertised for a Police Officer position the last couple of days.  Could it be because a conscientious officer has quit? 

I hope to hear the affected citizens side of the story here soon. 

[april]

Hi, I had the pleasure of Mr Wells and Mr Kenny knocking on my door in Grand Rapids,Mi.

[Willy]

april

Can you relate the conversation? It would be interesting to know what took place.

[XLFD]

Could you elaborate on the details of that encounter here?  That sounds a bit crazy, for LPD to send officers down there to do what I hear they did? 

I had LPD's Steve Wietzerkowski drop by my place back when I was running for City Council this summer because I drove my bicycle by the mayor's house on the road, and was later accosted by the mayor and his wife riding by in a car.  The note he left to me was to " Call him and to stay away from the mayor's house".  These guys act more like a private security force for the City's interests.  P.S. I didn't call Steve, I called my lawyer.