I don't like to blog about public stories a lot, especially when they're so sad. But over the last few days I have been hoping that a local girl kidnapped Saturday would be found alive. A beautiful little 18 year old girl was kidnapped in the parking lot at Target in Overland Park, KS.. which is across the border from Kansas City, MO. They kept showing surveillance video, it was still daylight and the parking lot was full. She was merely 2 spaces from the front door. Some guy rushed her as she was getting into her car and then drove off in her car with her. Later they found her car at a nearby shopping mall.. but she was gone. And they kept showing the cash register surveillance of her paying for some rolls of gift wrap and a present she had purchased for a friend. It's always so incredibly sad when anyone is killed, but when it is so random it really shocks you even more. It's not like she was at some drug house party with a bunch of losers, she was just shopping at Target? How many times was I out goofing around at 18.. cruising shopping malls and such. She was going to a graduation party, and graduated from the same school district I did.
I feel so sad for her parents. I just can't even imagine ever going through that. They were so brave in the news conferences, and even her sister would get up and answer questions during the search. They found her body in a local park yesterday.. they narrowed her location down by cell phone pings. And they did arrest the guy lastnight, so at least there is some closure for the family. They had surveillance of him leaving the same store just before she did. He was only 26.
Anyway, God Bless Kelsey Smith and her family.
