Seeking the lost children

Judy Maher began the Child Seek Network after the disappearances of two Oregon City girls last year. The on-line group now has 190 subscribers across the country. We offer people hope," Maher said.

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By Danielle Frost
Wilsonville Spokesman

Judy Maher's day usually begins at 3 a.m., when she boots up her computer, sits down and searches for missing children.

She does this for two hours until it's time to go to her other job as a food services employee at Wilsonville High School.

"People say I'm crazy for trying to do all of this," she said. "But it's so important."

Maher started a web site after the disappearances of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis of Oregon City. At first, her site was a place for people to seek solace and share theories about what might have happened.

In August, police found the bodies of both girls buried in the backyard of Ward Weaver, a neighbor. He is awaiting trial on murder charges in the Clackamas County Jail.

After the girls were found, Maher's website evolved into the Child Seek Network. It is a group of volunteers whose aim is to assist in the search for missing children through research, information and communication, according to their website.

"The tragic loss of these beautiful girls (Ashley and Miranda) only strengthened our resolve to help in some manner, and the network was formed," it states.

Maher said that since the site was formed, there have been more than 300,000 hits. It's sparked media attention from as far away as Vermont.

"I was amazed at the response," Maher said. "I had no idea. What happens is that children disappear, they're in the media for awhile, then nothing. We have a lot of parents coming to us for help. It's sad that there is a need for it, but a lot of them never get closure."

She has 190 regular subscribers. One of them is a woman whose two daughters have been missing for 28 years. "She's still looking," Maher said. "It's so sad."

Maher researches missing child cases by talking with law enforcement, checking on-line news wires and reading public records. "I think about it all day," she said. "I check my email and update cases daily. I have people who help me with that. They are people from all over the country who have come together."

In addition to news reports and public records, Maher hears about cases through families. They fill out an on-line questionnaire about their missing relative and forward it to Maher. Some recent cases she's researching include the disappearance of 6-year-old Logan Tucker from Oklahoma and 5-year-old Sofia Juarez from Washington.

Both children were last seen at home. "It just breaks my heart," Maher said. The group also helps look for adults, such as 22-year-old Ryan Katcher, missing since November 2000. He was last seen at his residence. He was featured in Child Seed's monthly newsletter, along with 13-year-old Erica Baker.

"Never let others forget your son or daughter," Ryan's mother wrote. "This bad experience can either make you or break you. Take care of yourself. If you don't, who will find your child?" Erica's brother shared his feelings about her disappearance in the newsletter. "When Erica went missing I broke down. I am now unable to work and I missed out on most of my junior and senior years of high school," he wrote. Maher said those kinds of stories are why Child Seek is needed.

"If it isn't there, they're forgotten" she said. "Families need hope that they will be found. No child deserves to be stolen and abused. They need to be sent home."

The group has not solved any cases yet, but Maher said they have offered families hope. "They thank us for helping," she said. "The sad thing in this world is, the two groups who can't defend themselves (children and pets) are the ones who are hurt the most."

Maher has a 26-year-old daughter and said she's not sure how she'd continue functioning if her child went missing.
"I love kids," she said. "I try to keep my eyes and ears open. I think people should be the eyes for every child. I just think we need more public awareness. Times have changed." Child Seek urges parents to talk with their children about potential dangers.

"Education and communication, according to police, are two of the most important factors in protecting your children," the site states. "It is always very important to be willing to listen to them."
The Child Seek Network can be found on-line at www.caninebytes.com. Maher can be contacted at childseek@caninebytes.com.