Topic : 08/16 The Hunt for Amanda

Of course she was content to stay that way. She had no rules, no boundaries, and no one to answer to for her actions. A 16yrd heaven. My god she was getting her nails done when they found her. Her older sister is likely still at home saving money for her own future. In trying to protect kids from physical and emotional abuse we as a society have gone way to far. Seeing some of the kids I have seen lately I am worried about where the world is going to be in the next twenty years. The things I have heard kids even younger kids say amazes me. Who's gonna stop me?? and you know what they are right who is gonna stop them. Parents can only do so much. I watched a mother break down turning her only son over to the police but she had tried everything to stop him from the life he was falling into. He went to Child Welfare on her and lied to them she was put under investigation of sexually abusing him. Of course he was turned over to a foster home and he ran away from there then after the investigation they knew the kid was lying to get his way they found him returned him to her they tried counseling but this kid just would not stop. When she turned him over for a break and enter when she found stolen property in his bedroom he told the cops she was a mean person and abused him hit him and once locked him in his bedroom for days no food or water. The kid got a suspended sentence and to this day he blames her for everything bad in his life. Why? Because he can. I have seen not to this extent but on a similar bases many kids try this and it is not the parents it is the kid.

Hello. I am Mike. I live in the same town that Amanda lives in. I know Amanda personally, since I went to school with her before.  

  

I'd just like to say to Amanda that I know how you feel. I feel the same way about my parents, but I know that they just want to protect me, and they want me to be safe. I mean, how do you think we would feel if we were parents someday and we had to deal with our own children like this? I know we can have bad tempers at certain times, but we have to talk it out, and we shouldn't be afraid to talk to our own parents about it. I certainly hope that if you're reading this Amanda, I really hope the best for you and your family. 

  

Best of wishes,  

  

-Mike 

   I guess it depends on which end of the scale you are looking. You see a 17 year old as almost grown up and I know for a fact that its not even close to being an adult.( I have a granddaughter that age).  AS I said before, its proven by her actions. Yes, I know she was with George and his Mom because Dr. Phil said so! Innocent people don't aid and abet a minor.

To be honest I would not have come out of that bathroom until i had the phone in hand. The parents had given the b-friend a chance they screwed it up so as far as Iwould be concerned she would have no rights. No phone NOTHING...until the attitude changed. She would not have the opprotunity to run again because everyplace i went she would also go. Like it or not. She needs to know that there is a consiquence for her running the first time. Alittle tough love. In her mind she ran but she is thinking if they really wanted to find me they would have so she feels they dont really love her.

We know that because: 

• The front page of the local paper, where Amanda was staying with his family, had an article about the child being missing and suspected of being a run away! 
• She is 'almost' 17, teen translation is she is most likely 16 and two months
• After several MONTHS of being a runaway, she left for Florida!  Obviously George and his family knew Amanda wasn't  in contact with her family.
• When the former FBI agent started looking the family started RUNNING

These people are not innocent.  Who tells another teens parent that the kids like it better at my house?  Come on, WHY?  Because they could have SEX at George's house, and not at Amanda's. 

  

I hope that the police and the FBI throw the book at George's entire family!   

 Good Lord! Thats going to far. I just wanted to scream at the parents to leave the child alone. I mean she was in the shower for cryin out loud!

i am very much confused and hurt by some of you posts of course everyone can have there own opinion but how can you say "if she wants her phone let her have it why cant she be on the phone with her boyfriend" or "you have to trust her and not think shes gonna run away" omg are you kidding me i am 23yrs old and i have more common sence then that i was sitting at home with my husband watching the show and we wer both shocked at what we were seeing. i do believe her parents are doin the right think and i hope they send her away because they are not gonna be able to handle her and shes gonna be living on the streets or dead if she keeps up with this. i feel really sorry for her mother and wanted to give her a hug how can you people blame the mom?she can not make her daughter do things her daughter makes her own decisions and they are terriable...god forbid i have a child like that i would do the same thing i would rip that phone right out her hands what she should be rewarded to be on the phone after what she pulled?think about it she ran away for 5months it dosent matter if she was in touch with her mother SHE WAS NOT WHERE SHE BELONGED she belonged at home with her family not running around with this kid and his family let me tell you one thing i have never been so mad at something like this i cant believe what i am reading from some people shes 16 not an adult she still a child and no 16yr old shouldnt be disrespecting her family that way.her poor mother is gonna have a nervouse breakdown(if she hasnt already)this was a very disturbing show for me to watch i just couldnt believe how that girl was acting she needs help. so like i said before you can have your own opinion and i respect that but come on shes out of control if i was her mother i would press charges on the boyfriend and his family...yes i would how are you gonna ask his mother oh can i go with you...its ok that i go...SHES 16 what kid of parent is gonna say ok she should have called her mother that goes to show you what kind of people they are im sorry that i keep on going on and on but i am still in shock about this....

I usually agree with Dr. Phil but i do not in this case. i feel bad for Amanda her mother shiuld remember what is is like to be sixteen and inlove. Her mother harps on this poor girl.

I,greatly understand both Amanda and her parents points of views. At the age of 16 I did the same thing. I ran away to make my mom understand she couldn't keep me away from the guy I was seeing.Biggest mistake of my life! If I only knew at the time what I was putting her (my mom)  through I would have never did it . I now understand everything she did and said was because she loved and wanted to protect me. In the end my story turns out good! I'm now married to that same guy and we're going on seven years! To say the least things are going wonderful. I just hope Amanda and her family can find the same understanding and work through their problems!

I totally disagree with the way this was handled. First, there is a reason a teenager runs away. Every teenage girl wants to talk on the phone non-stop and hang out with her boyfriend. The best thing the parents can do is make compromises and allow privileges based on her grades, or getting good conduct reports from school, etc.   

I think it was an inappropriate invasion of  privacy for the parents to enter the bathroom while she was showering.  What was so urgent about getting that cell phone that minute? They did not show good judgment and provoked a response from Amanda. 

Wouldn't any teenager be more likely to listen to your views if you listen to theirs? 

Signed, Mother of Two