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| Kienan Hebert - last seen wearing Scooby Doo boxer shorts |
RCMP suspect that a person (I won't call him a man) by the name of Randall Hopley is the one who took the child. They believe he is driving his light brown, 1987 Toyota Camry with a BC license plate 098 RAL. Randall Hopley is 46 year-old with a long history with the RCMP. In 2008, Hopley attempted to kidnap a special needs child from his foster home and return the child to his biological parents, for a fee of $2800. There wasn't enough evidence to convict him on the count of unlawful confinement and of abduction, but he did go to jail for 18 months for break and entry. Prior to that, he had 11 other break-in convictions as well as having been found guilt of a sexual assault in 1985. He looks like a real douche-bag and his rap sheet proves it.
A week ago, my partner wanted to surprise me with a morning/afternoon to myself by taking our child with him to the PNE. When either one of us leaves the house before the other wakes up (and it's something that wasn't discussed ahead of time), the standard operating procedure (SOP) is to write a note on a white board to let the other know where they've gone, if they took the kid with them and usually and ETA on their return home. For some reason, I didn't think to check the white board when I woke up. All I knew was I was awake and my child was no where to be seen. I called out his name, went throughout the house to look at all possible hiding spots, checked the front door (which was locked - dead bolt). He was no where. Irrationally, I thought maybe he was with my sister, so I called her to see if that was the case. She was the level headed one of the two of us and told me to call my partner. For some bizarre reason, I was holding off calling him because I didn't want to worry him on his day off. So here I am, in this gut wrenching panic, about to call the police to say someone stole my child and I call my partner. In tears, I ask if he has our kid and he seemed confused that I was as panicked as I was. He said, "Well, yeah I have him. Didn't you check the white board?" Sure enough, there was a note from him that he took our child with him to the Fair.
That was the single most terrifying moment of my life. I nearly died in a trucking accident 7 years ago, and the fear I felt in those few seconds from when I knew we were about to collide to when the collision occurred didn't even come close to the fear I felt when I thought (rather irrationally. Seriously, had I checked the white board, I wouldn't have had to feel that fear) that someone had my baby. I saw my life flash before my eyes, convinced I was going to die on that snowy highway, and I would rather go through that experience every day for the rest of my life than feel what it felt like when I thought someone had my kid for even one millisecond.
The thing is, I know - without a shadow of doubt - that what I felt can't even come close, can't even compare to what Kienan's mother, father and family are feeling right know. I felt as though someone had clawed my heart, my very soul, from my body with their bare hands and I know that while that feeling only lasted a few minutes, Kienan's mother is feeling it minute after minute. Hour after hour. Day after day. God, I can't even begin to imagine what it feels like to not only know that your baby is gone, that some evil person STOLE your little angel, but to know that that bastard took him from your very house! While you were there! Your house is the one place your child should always, ALWAYS feel safe. The person didn't just take their child; he took away their home. Their feeling of safety, of security, of comfort. He took away everything that that house is supposed to be to that family when he took their child.
My heart aches for Kienan and his family. There have been some possible sightings, in Kamloops, Dawson Creek, Chetwynd and on the ferry heading from Tsawwassen to Vancouver Island. Sadly, nothing has come from either of those sightings. I can't imagine how it feels to think that your child may be finally coming home only to have that too, ripped away from you.
In all of my melodramatic writing, I will say that I am really impressed with how the cities around them, around us all, seem to be responding. As soon as the Amber Alert came out, TransLink busses have been alerting riders that the alert is still in effect. SkyTrain stations are posting information about Kienan, Hopley and Hopley's vehicle. When the RCMP and BC Ferry found out that there was a possible sighting on one of the ferries, they immediately turned the ship around and brought it back to Tsawwassen. Alberta RCMP, and Canadian Border Services are on full alert. Even on Facebook and Twitter, everyone is sharing information, updates or simply wishing for the best possible outcome for the Hebert family.
If the Heberts somehow reads this post: I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I am fighting back tears as I write this because no one should have to feel the pain you are feeling right now. I imagine the only thing that can possibly the ache in your soul right is to have your son safely in your arms and I hope, with every fiber of my being that tonight is the last night that you will ever have to go to bed (if you are even able to sleep) wondering where your baby boy is.
If Hopley (or whomever has Kienan right now) reads this: bring that little boy back to where he belongs. Bring him back his family. You have brought so much pain to the Heberts, the people of Sparwood and all the communities - big or small - that have been hurting with and for the Heberts, to your mother. For once in your life, do something right and let that sweet little boy go home to his parents and siblings.
To everyone else reading this (especially those in BC, Alberta and Washington): it is the RCMP's belief that if they find the car belonging to Hopley, they'll find Hopley and they'll find Kienan. Please keep your eyes peeled for a light brown, 1987 Toyota Camry with a BC license plate 098 RAL. If you see this vehicle, don't be a hero! Don't be a vigilante! Get as good a look as you safely can and immediately call the police and let them know exactly where you saw the vehicle, exactly when, and exactly what it was doing (is the vehicle parked? Driving north towards Fort St. John? Is the driver driving erratically?) and by all means, KEEP YOURSELF SAFE!! You won't be helping anyone if you engage Hopley, least of all that little boy.
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| Randall Hopley, the person suspected of abducting Kienan Hebert. |
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| Hopley drives a 1987 Toyota Camry, believed to look like this one. BC license plate is 098 RAL |
*****UPDATE 9.10.2011*****
- Please go to the Find Kienan Hebert page for important updates and information. When there, print out a photo of Kienan and post it around your neighbourhood with a yellow ribbon. There are vigils being held in communities all over BC and Alberta. If there's one in your area, please consider going.
- The Amber Alert has been officially extended to Alberta, Canada and Washington, USA.
- For the fourth day, 500 volunteers are actively searching for Kienan in and around Sparwood, including a search party headed by Sarah Gasparetto who is searching off the beaten path.
- Police confirm that there was an attempted abduction in Sparwood earlier on the day Kienan was taken.
- The follow quote is a message from Kienan's parents to the abductor:
"Speaking to whoever has Kienan right now. We are just asking please bring Kienan to a safe place right now. Okay. Like a gas station or a store parking lot where he is visibly seen and you can just drop him off there. Walk away. We just want him safe. Kienan is only three-years-old right now, and as you know and we know, Kienan can't speak. So he can't tell us who you are. This is your chance now to get away. All we want is Kienan to come back with us and to be safe in our arms again. Thank you,"
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