Until 2013, the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation was a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

charitable organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...

based in

Richwoods, Missouri Richwoods is an unincorporated community in northeastern Washington County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Route A one mile east of Missouri Route 47 Route 47 is a highway in eastern Missouri. Its northern terminus is at R ...

, devoted to the search for and rescue of abducted children. It ran the Shawn Hornbeck Search and Rescue Team. The rescue team was founded by Pam and Craig Akers following the disappearance of their son Shawn Hornbeck (born July 17, 1991). Hornbeck was eleven years old on October 6, 2002, when he was kidnapped while riding his bicycle near his home in Richwoods, Missouri. Shawn Hornbeck was missing for over four years before being discovered on January 12, 2007, along with another teenage boy. They had been kidnapped by

Michael J. Devlin Michael John Devlin (born November 19, 1965)Richwoods, Missouri Richwoods is an unincorporated community in northeastern Washington County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Route A one mile east of Missouri Route 47 Route 47 is a highway in eastern Missouri. Its northern terminus is at R ...

home on October 6, 2002. Shortly after Hornbeck's disappearance, his parents appeared on ''

The Montel Williams Show ''The Montel Williams Show'' (also known as ''Montel'') is an American syndicated tabloid talk show, hosted by Montel Williams, which ran from 1991 to 2008. On January 30, 2008, the end of production of new episodes of ''The Montel Williams Sho ...

'', where self-described psychic

Sylvia Browne Sylvia Celeste Browne ('' née'' Shoemaker; October 19, 1936 – November 20, 2013) was an American author who claimed to be a medium with psychic abilities. She appeared regularly on television and radio, including on '' The Montel Will ...

erroneously told the Akers that Hornbeck was dead. Browne also described the

abduction Abduction may refer to: Media Film and television * "Abduction" (''The Outer Limits''), a 2001 television episode * " Abduction" (''Death Note'') a Japanese animation television series * " Abductions" (''Totally Spies!''), a 2002 episode of an ...

, telling them several things about the abductor that later proved to be incorrect. Hornbeck was missing for over four years before being discovered on January 12, 2007. Police were searching for 13-year-old Ben Ownby of Beaufort, Missouri, who had gone missing earlier that week. Aided by a descriptive tip from teenager Mitchell Hults of Beaufort, Missouri, police searched

Michael J. Devlin Michael John Devlin (born November 19, 1965)Kirkwood, Missouri Kirkwood is an inner-ring western suburb of St. Louis located in St. Louis County, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 27,540. Founded in 1853, the city is named after James P. Kirkwood, builder of the Pacific Railroad th ...

. Hornbeck and Ownby were both found alive there.Associated Press, "Missing boy in the open: Child had encounter with police just 10 months after disappearance, January 21, 2007, as found in the ''

Albany Times-Union The ''Times Union'' is an American daily newspaper, serving the Capital Region of New York. Although the newspaper focuses on Albany and its suburbs, it covers all parts of the four-county area, including the cities of Troy, Schenectady and ...

'', January 21, 2007, p. A7.

Prosecution

In June 2007, Devlin was charged with 80 counts in the abductions and molestations of Hornbeck and Ownby. On October 8, 2007, Devlin pleaded guilty to all charges filed against him and was sentenced to

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence (law), sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed te ...

."Devlin Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Photographing, Taping Kidnapped Boy"
FOXNews.com, 10 October 2007, Retrieved June 11, 2016

References

{{authority control Charities based in Missouri Child abduction in the United States Children's charities based in the United States Child abuse in the United States

Prosecution

See also

References