[DiamondSmiles]

Authorities say Richard Wayne Landers, Jr. was abducted from Indiana by his paternal grandparents in 1994 during custody proceedings.

By Ken Kusmer, The Associated Press

Richard Wayne Landers Jr., was just 5 years old when he and his paternal grandparents, who were upset over custody arrangements, disappeared from Wolcottville, a town about 30 miles north of Fort Wayne.

Nineteen years later, news that he has been found living under an assumed name in Minnesota left his mother overjoyed, her husband said Thursday shortly after police announced the break in the case.

Indiana State Police said the now 24-year-old Landers was found in Long Prairie, MN, thanks in part to his Social Security number. His grandparents were living under aliases in a nearby town and confirmed his identity, investigators said.

Police declined to say whether the grandparents will face charges, citing the ongoing investigation.

Landers' mother, Lisa Harter, was, "jumping up and down for joy", when investigators told her a few days ago that her son had been found, her husband Richard Harter told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

He said his wife is, "the happiest woman on earth."

Harter said he and his wife were working with an attorney and hoped to reunite with his stepson soon. Police said Landers is married and expecting his first child.
Harter declined further comment and referred questions about the case to his attorney, who didn't immediately return phone messages Thursday. Investigators declined to release the names under which Landers and his grandparents had been living.

Police said the boy's paternal grandparents, Richard E. and Ruth A. Landers, abducted him in July 1994 because they were, "upset over pending court proceedings", regarding his placement.

Police spokesman Sgt. Ron Galaviz said it appears the boy's father was never in the picture. Lisa and Richard Harter had married a year earlier.

Authorities believe the grandparents took the boy from their home in Wolcottville and fled. They were charged at the time with misdemeanor interference with custody, which was bumped up to a felony in 1999. But the charge was dismissed in 2008 after the case went cold.

Investigators reopened the case in September when Richard Harter turned over the boy's Social Security card to an Indiana State Police detective.

That turned up a man with the same Social Security number and date of birth living in Long Prairie, MN, about 100 miles northwest of Minneapolis. A driver's license photo for the man appeared to resemble Landers, police said.

Indiana State Police then contacted Minnesota law enforcement agencies, which began investigating along with the FBI and the Social Security Administration.

The grandparents were found living in nearby Browerville, MN.

"By all accounts, it didn't appear he suffered from any abuse, either physical or mental," Galaviz said.

Indiana boy abducted in 1994 found in Minnesota
AP Photo/Indiana State Police, photo below.

[Impotent Rage]

Abducted in a custody dispute, isn't really surprising he wasn't killed by the abductors. It is surprising that he surfaced though.

[Pyramid_Head]

I think they should be charged.

[AmericanIllusions]

You don't even know the damn circumstances. For all we know the mother could of been a shit parent or another Casey Anthony avoided. They didn't go through all the trouble because she was "mother of the year".

Originally Posted by Pyramid_Head ↗

I think they should be charged.

[Pyramid_Head]

Originally Posted by AmericanIllusions ↗

You don't even know the damn circumstances. For all we know the mother could of been a shit parent or another Casey Anthony avoided. They didn't go through all the trouble because she was "mother of the year".

Odd, I missed the part where you know all the facts. Look, these people kidnapped a little boy and stole those years away from both the boy and his mother. I really don't see a "bad" mother being overjoyed about her now grown son being located.

If she was a shitty person, she would have zero interest in seeing or speaking with him. I'm NOT saying I myself know the facts either, but right is right and wrong is wrong.

[DiamondSmiles]

I'm waiting for an update.

Since they were the father or sperm donor's parents, something was up!

Or, it could be just spite on their part.

[gatagato]

Lawyer: Mom of abducted Ind. boy wasn't homeless

BROWERVILLE, Minn. (AP) - The lawyer for an Indiana mother whose in-laws reportedly abducted her son nearly 20 years ago is refuting claims that she was homeless and living in her car at the time.

Attorney Richard Muntz says Lisa Harter spent only three days living in a car. He says a judge had given her custody of the boy on weekends in 1994, but the paternal grandparents took him to Minnesota before she could get him.

Authorities recently found the boy, Richard Wayne Landers Jr., living in Browerville. He had changed his name in 2006 to Michael Jeff Landers.

Muntz says Harter is eager to talk to her son but that hasn't happened yet.

The father, Richard W. Landers Sr., says he also wants to see his son again.

AP
http://ktar.com/23/1600909/Lawyer-Mo...wasnt-homeless

Man defends grandparents who abducted him

A US man who was abducted by his paternal grandparents 19 years ago has defended their actions saying he was right where he needed to be.
Richard Wayne Landers Jr was five years old when he and his grandparents, who were upset over custody arrangements, disappeared from the town of Wolcottville, Indiana in 1994.
Indiana State Police announced yesterday that they had found the now 24-year-old Mr Landers after almost two decades, thanks in part to his social security identification number.
Mr Landers was discovered in Long Prairie, Minnesota, and his grandparents, who were living under aliases in a nearby town, confirmed his identity, investigators said.
Police declined to say whether the couple would face charges, citing the ongoing investigation but Mr Landers has leapt to their defence saying people should not "jump to conclusions" without finding out the whole story.
"My "grandparents" were in the right I don't care what anyone else thinks," Mr Landers told TV network KARE."
Mr Landers had reportedly lived with his grandparents since he was born but after a custody dispute with the boy's mother his grandparents fled to Indiana with the child.
Mr Landers' parents were unemployed and living in their car at the time, investigators said.
The grandparents were charged with abduction at the time but the charges were dropped in 2008.
http://ktar.com/23/1600909/Lawyer-Mo...wasnt-homeless
http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1...d-in-Minnesota
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1238756

[icheerthebull]

The title sounds great but I have to be honest and say I am unsure of where I stand or what to make of this case. It would have to take a lot to justify not allowing a (again I am unsure on the circumstances in this case) willing mother to see her child.

*off topic- the thread title reminded me of a tv film i saw when I was young, it was a true story about a kid who was abducted and found YEARS later it was called "I know my name is...[I cant remember the name]" does anyone have any detais on that case or remember the film?

[AmericanIllusions]

Originally Posted by Pyramid_Head ↗

Odd, I missed the part where you know all the facts.

Odd, I also missed the part where you know all the facts too, you twat!

[Pyramid_Head]

Originally Posted by AmericanIllusions ↗

Odd, I also missed the part where you know all the facts too, you twat!

I stated in my response to you that I TOO DO NOT KNOW THE FACTS EITHER. Maybe you should read better buddy.

Oh and I like how grown up you are, call me a twat instead of having a respectful argument. PM me if you want to continue this argument because I'm NOT here to spam this story's comments.