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View Full Version : a 9 year wait continues for parents of abducted kids


dynoguy88
04-07-2002, 11:16 PM
I found this article that was written a couple years ago about an early case from Unsolved Mysteries. The one about the Maple's kidnapping 2 of their grand kids. I don't know why this story has effected me so, but I hope that some day soon, the Maples will be arrested and Christy and Bobby can be reuntied with their parents....


A nine-year wait continues for parents of abducted kids


MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) -- The agonizing wait continues for Mark and Debbie Baskin, whose two oldest children were kidnapped by her parents nine years ago.
There have been few solid leads since Christi Baskin, now 17, and Bobby Baskin, now 16, were taken by Marvin and Sandra Maple of Murfreesboro.
Their disappearance came near the end of a nasty custody battle. The Maples claimed their daughter and son-in-law were members of a satanic cult that practiced animal sacrifices and bizarre sexual rituals.
Investigators found no evidence the children were abused.
The grandparents, who had been awarded temporary custody of the youngsters, fled about a week before the Baskins were to have regained custody.
"We don't know so many things, not the least of which is where they are right now," said Mrs. Baskin, who lives with her husband in Barbourville, Ky.
Even though the Maples told investigators the Baskins abused the children, the youngsters never corroborated the accusations. An attorney in the case said the youngsters told incredible tales that were not believable.
"The things they were describing were fantastical. And each time I talked to them it got worse and worse," said Karen Hornsby, an attorney who was appointed to represent the children in the custody battle.
Sgt. Anita Flagg of the Murfreesboro Police Department said she often is reminded of the case.
"There doesn't come a time when I'll be out in the public, where there's a large group of people, and someone will ask me, 'What about those kids? Have they been found yet?" Flagg told The Tennessean.
"That case still sticks with people. It was just an unusual one."
Marvin Maple is now 62 and his wife is 60. Occasionally, FBI agents will call the couple to say they are working on a tip. The TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" featured the case in 1990.
There is sketchy evidence to suggest the Maples and their grandchildren disappeared with help from an Atlanta-based "underground railroad" that hides children who allegedly have been abused.
Eight years ago, Christi and Bobby were believed spotted at an apartment complex in California. But the occupants had moved by the time investigators arrived.
"For our FBI agent's benefit, it's extremely difficult to work a case when you don't have any leads, or the leads are nine years old," Mrs. Baskin said.
Mark Baskin, a one-time student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., withdrew from the seminary after the kidnapping and took a job as an insurance salesman. The couple moved to Barbourville with their remaining son, Michael, now 15.
"People ask us how can we go on knowing that our children are missing, and we say we don't have a choice," Mrs. Baskin said. "Life goes on. We have to continue."

Here is a poster of them again...

http://www.missingkids.com/cgi-bin/dbmlparser.exe?casenumber=721027&DBMLFILE=poster.dbml&postertype=c1c2a1a2&language=1&orgcode=1

I hope that this myestery will be solved.

Kane
04-08-2002, 01:11 PM
Originally posted by dynoguy88

I hope that this myestery will be solved.

I feel the same way. Besides, since the two children are a little over the age of 20 now, I'm sure they are stong enough to break free from their grandparents. Sooner or later they will learn the truth. Moreover, it is generally harder to kidnap your twentysomething child (or grandchild) than it is to kidnap them when they are below the age of ten. That's because youngchildren are generally easier to overpower.

I also think the children will see their own faces profiled somewhere, and realize that their grandparents are the villians in this case. I remember the Maples' faces well, and if I ever see them, I will not hesitate to contact the authorities.

dynoguy88
04-08-2002, 03:02 PM
You and me both, Kane. Like I said before, I don't know why this case has effected me so much. There have been many family abduction cases featured on Unsolved Mysteries, but this one always jumped out at me. (Maybe because it's one of the few that haven't been solved?)

I still baffles me that the Maple's have been able to escape all this time. And the only sighting of them after they were featured on Unsolved Mysteries was of them in Santa Clara California in 1990, but they were able to escape again before police arrived.

I guess my heart just breaks for the Baskin's so much because they have had to go the last dozen years not knowing where 2 of their kids are all because their psycho freek parents decided to lie to the courts about them and escape.

You're right though, since the kids are now 21 and 20, sooner or later they will have to find out the truth. What is scary though is, how would the Maple's react. After all, their lies were some how able to start an investigation against their daughter and son-in-law. They could just have easily have told Christy and Bobby that their parents hated them or that they died long ago. Like Mark Baskin said at the end of the UM segement, "Anyone who is crazy enough to do this to their own daughter, is crazy enough to do anything."

I found another link about the Maple's, apparently they would rather kill the kids than see them returned to their parents. What a bunch of sickos!
http://critterstorm.tripod.com/361dmtn.html

Kane
04-08-2002, 03:13 PM
Originally posted by dynoguy88

You're right though, since the kids are now 21 and 20, sooner or later they will have to find out the truth. What is scary though is, how would the Maple's react. After all, their lies were some how able to start an investigation against their daughter and son-in-law. They could just have easily have told Christy and Bobby that their parents hated them or that they died long ago.

Interesting points. And my point, of course, is that the Maples can't deceive their grandchildren forever. And that's because I know that untruths get detected sooner or later, one way or another. And if that general fact isn't making those low-life Maples nervous, then it SHOULD!

dynoguy88
04-08-2002, 03:26 PM
I like the way you think, Kane. I'm hoping they are nervous and that they sooner or later (hopefully sooner) get what they deserve... jail time!

TheWho
04-08-2002, 03:28 PM
:confused:Maybe Bobby and Kristi are wantching Unsolved Mysteries on TV.But may not know that they are on there.
And what was the UPDATE?

dynoguy88
04-08-2002, 03:34 PM
Unsolved Mysteries first featured this story in 1990, almost an entire year after the Maple's ran off with Christy and Bobby. Within minutes of that first broadcast, a couple viewers called in and told UM operators that they spotted the kids swimming in a pool in a apartment complex in Santa Clara, California. Pictures of them were sent to UM and were featured in the update.

Santa Clara was where the Maples were hiding for a couple monthes. They went by the name Ray and Sandra Farmer. Investigators quickly rushed to Santa Clara, but the Maple's escaped again. That was the only update shown.

Those rotten grandparents sure know how to hide, and barely escape authorities time and time again.

Kane
04-09-2002, 01:37 PM
Originally posted by dynoguy88
Those rotten grandparents sure know how to hide, and barely escape authorities time and time again.

Looks like they do. :mad: But maybe they won't be so lucky next time. And that's because wanted fugitives eventually screw up in such a way that they end up being caught. Sometimes even the most innocent, trivial mistake gets them caught.

dynoguy88
04-10-2002, 01:48 AM
Originally posted by Kane


Looks like they do. :mad: But maybe they won't be so lucky next time. And that's because wanted fugitives eventually screw up in such a way that they end up being caught. Sometimes even the most innocent, trivial mistake gets them caught.


I hope it happens soon enough before the Maple's are too old that they forget all the trouble they caused. Kidnapping, lying, threatening to kill the kids rather than to see them returned to their parents? Unbelievable. It's only too depressing knowing that they have been able to escape for this long, what a shame it would be if they didn't get what they deserved.

I thought grandparents are supposed to be loving and fun, with intentions of spoiling the grandkids, not kidnapping them. I don't know what chemical embalance happened with the Maple's, but they managed to get some "psycho genes."

I could never in a million years imagine my grandparents doing HALF of the insane things that the Maple's have done. :mad:

cellomaster
04-12-2002, 12:17 AM
...I could have sworn this case was solved and the kids located....

dynoguy88
04-12-2002, 12:15 PM
Originally posted by cellomaster
...I could have sworn this case was solved and the kids located....

I wish. Only one update about their where-abouts in early 1989 was shown on Unsolved Mysteries, but nothing since. Depressing. I wonder what would drive people to do such a thing to their own daughter.