ID DEORR KUNZ: Missing from Timber Creek Campground near Leadore, ID - 10 July 2015 - Age 2

DeOrr was last seen in Lemhi County, Idaho on July 10, 2015. He was with his parents, Jessica Mitchell and Vernal "DeOrr" Kunz Sr., his great-grandfather, Robert Walton, and Walton's friend Isaac Reinwand. The group was camping at Timber Creek Campground in a remote, mountainous area about ten miles west of Leadore, Idaho.

At 2:35 p.m. Mitchell called 911 and said her son had disappeared. According to her, she left DeOrr with Walton and she and DeOrr Sr. went to explore the campground, and when they returned about ten to fifteen minutes later, the child was gone. They looked for him for about twenty minutes before calling 911.

According to Mitchell, DeOrr never went anywhere without his blanket, his cup or his toy monkey; all these items were left at the campground. An extensive search of the area turned up no indication of his whereabouts.

Although DeOrr's parents speculated he had been abducted, police have named them as suspects in their son's disappearance. They had been engaged, but they ended their relationship after DeOrr's disappearance. Neither of them has an arrest record.

Investigators said there were inconsistencies in the parents' stories and they had both failed polygraph exams; they believe DeOrr was killed, either intentionally or by accident, and his parents know where his body is.

According to the sheriff, there was "no credible witness" to say they had definitely seen DeOrr at the campground, and it's possible he was never there at all. His case remains unsolved and foul play is suspected.


Charley Project - http://charleyproject.org/case/deorr-jay-kunz-jr
NCMEC - http://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/1251277
NamUs - https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/29726




Media - https://www.crimewatchers.net/media...near-leadore-id-since-10-july-2015-age-2.272/

 

[Regina]

And while a group doing such can come in any shape or form, I agree with @Mel70 that it seems unusual grandpa was with a far younger friend. Now in a case where nothing happened that wouldn't even be wondered about but something did happen here. What was the reason for that, does anyone recall? Where was grandma? Home?

I'm not sure there was a grandma or where she was but the grandpa and Isaac were friends who'd previously gone fishing and camping together and originally, it was gonna be just the two of them this time. Jessica's mother (although you probably won't believe it, lol) said she'd asked Jessica to go along and she was to go up on Saturday (the 11th).

And I forget, has it ever been known just how much "partying" was going on?

There's no evidence that there was any partying going on.

Can someone point me to proof this child was even on this trip?

Besides statements from everyone there saying he was, there are indications such as (per Sheriff Penner) a diaper inside a small plastic sack hanging from a tree and there was a bag- or diaper bag as one might call it- with his clothing and (per the parents) there were items there that he was particularly fond of that went with him everywhere.
I think there actually was a witness in town who saw Deorr the afternoon he went missing; Jessica said a lady who worked at the store said she saw a man with a young blonde boy matching Deorr's description inside the store buying candy and that the man drove a black truck. Although the witness said it was 6pm, Deorr had been inside that store that afternoon, candy was among items purchased, and Vernal's truck was black.

 

[GrandmaBear]

This child was TWO. Does anyone really think between at least the ages of one and two they never realized just how closely they need to be watched and that he had never ended up outside the home if not, on the counters, stacking things to climb to get something, opening the refigerator, playing with the knobs on the stove, or any of the millions of normal things children of this age can do and how fast they can disappear did not happen? Had they never taken him to a store or outside the home before? He is mobile to the max but probably not even potty trained. No you aren't naive to woods and lakes and creeks where one this age is concerned.

And here's another thing. I LOVED my DAD. There was never a better dad or grandpa. But as far as child watching, didI leave him babysitting without my mom? NO. Not because he coudln't be trusted but because he wasn't the one home with us when we grew up, he was of a different generation and as much as he 'd watch them I'm sure, he wouldn't have in the same way my mom would. And I was a young mom and I adored my dad and he took very good care of them but he wouldn't have thought of the same things as my mom or worried the same way.

I don't buy one bit of this garbage. Leaving a FIVE year old in their care or paying a little less attention would be a BIT more understandable but even then I'd say the same but not a TWO YEAR OLD.

And if Deorr was ONE maybe the parents wouldn't have learned yet what all they can get into or how risky but he WASN'T.

With respect. I differ and will continue to on this.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Maybe they had him locked in a cage at home so they hadn't learned from one to two how quickly they an take off or get into something. If so, then well that says something doesn't it.

Not buying it.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Oh and I'd also add we have apparently TWO naive parents here and four naive people.

 

[Guess Who]

No, I think they were naive about a lot of things, mainly the idea that nothing bad could happen.

We tent camped with a 1 year old in what we would later find out was deep in bear country. We were oblivious to it until quite a bit of time afterwards. Naivety definitely happens without bad intentions.

 

[Whatsnext]

This child was TWO. Does anyone really think between at least the ages of one and two they never realized just how closely they need to be watched and that he had never ended up outside the home if not, on the counters, stacking things to climb to get something, opening the refigerator, playing with the knobs on the stove, or any of the millions of normal things children of this age can do and how fast they can disappear did not happen? Had they never taken him to a store or outside the home before? He is mobile to the max but probably not even potty trained. No you aren't naive to woods and lakes and creeks where one this age is concerned.

And here's another thing. I LOVED my DAD. There was never a better dad or grandpa. But as far as child watching, didI leave him babysitting without my mom? NO. Not because he coudln't be trusted but because he wasn't the one home with us when we grew up, he was of a different generation and as much as he 'd watch them I'm sure, he wouldn't have in the same way my mom would. And I was a young mom and I adored my dad and he took very good care of them but he wouldn't have thought of the same things as my mom or worried the same way.

I don't buy one bit of this garbage. Leaving a FIVE year old in their care or paying a little less attention would be a BIT more understandable but even then I'd say the same but not a TWO YEAR OLD.

And if Deorr was ONE maybe the parents wouldn't have learned yet what all they can get into or how risky but he WASN'T.

With respect. I differ and will continue to on this.

I absolutely agree with you, they wouldnt be able to live unassisted if they all were that stupid.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I think so as well. It's too beyond and too much just past naive.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

I agree to a certain extent. You'd think it would be common sense to watch your two-year-old at a campsite. BUT...
I also grew up in Idaho. The amount of camping trips I've been on where people let their kids wander all over because they FEEL SAFE is very high. Yes, young kids too.
I was in a National Park last month and saw a 3-4 year old kid riding their bike in the campground loop. Alone. Not a toddler but young enough to still need supervision!
It happens.

Just last summer at a family get together, a family friend brought someone who had never come before. This person had a 2 or 3 year old son. My dad's house is right on a river. The amount of times this toddler was IN the river because his parent was not watching him, I just about had a heart attack. He'd walk down a steep hillside to find a good rock to throw in. He'd see a stick in the water that he wanted and wade in after it. Parent was reading a book, making a tiktok, chit chatting with others. Where's your kid? Oh someone else must be watching him. Right. My friend and I ended up essentially babysitting this kid for hours so he didn't drown.

 

[GrandmaBear]

We tent camped with a 1 year old in what we would later find out was deep in bear country. We were oblivious to it until quite a bit of time afterwards. Naivety definitely happens without bad intentions.

Was there a lake? Woods? A campfire? Did you lose your one year old? Or did you worry and watch because there were such things. Sure there is naivete but not with some things and when they had raised him to two years of age with things like that.

And what again was his remark, that he didn't think anything could happen to him? Huh?

 

[Guess Who]

I agree to a certain extent. You'd think it would be common sense to watch your two-year-old at a campsite. BUT...
I also grew up in Idaho. The amount of camping trips I've been on where people let their kids wander all over because they FEEL SAFE is very high. Yes, young kids too.
I was in a National Park last month and saw a 3-4 year old kid riding their bike in the campground loop. Alone. Not a toddler but young enough to still need supervision!
It happens.

Just last summer at a family get together, a family friend brought someone who had never come before. This person had a 2 or 3 year old son. My dad's house is right on a river. The amount of times this toddler was IN the river because his parent was not watching him, I just about had a heart attack. He'd walk down a steep hillside to find a good rock to throw in. He'd see a stick in the water that he wanted and wade in after it. Parent was reading a book, making a tiktok, chit chatting with others. Where's your kid? Oh someone else must be watching him. Right. My friend and I ended up essentially babysitting this kid for hours so he didn't drown.

Been there

we had to replace our above ground pool this year and it actually came with a medallion to put on a string (or equivalent) that actually is given to the person that is the one responsible for watching the kids in the pool and I was thinking that was a fabulous idea for nearly any gathering. People can't go around thinking somebody else is watching them and this happens a LOT. It only takes a second...

 

[GrandmaBear]

I agree to a certain extent. You'd think it would be common sense to watch your two-year-old at a campsite. BUT...
I also grew up in Idaho. The amount of camping trips I've been on where people let their kids wander all over because they FEEL SAFE is very high. Yes, young kids too.
I was in a National Park last month and saw a 3-4 year old kid riding their bike in the campground loop. Alone. Not a toddler but young enough to still need supervision!
It happens.

Just last summer at a family get together, a family friend brought someone who had never come before. This person had a 2 or 3 year old son. My dad's house is right on a river. The amount of times this toddler was IN the river because his parent was not watching him, I just about had a heart attack. He'd walk down a steep hillside to find a good rock to throw in. He'd see a stick in the water that he wanted and wade in after it. Parent was reading a book, making a tiktok, chit chatting with others. Where's your kid? Oh someone else must be watching him. Right. My friend and I ended up essentially babysitting this kid for hours so he didn't drown.

I agree with much of that. We had a permanent campground site. It wasn't though a just us were there place. There was a loop and yes kids rode their bikes on it. Not a huge area and I guess parents trusted they knew almost all and the kids were hardly out of eyesight for a minute to go around and many people known to each other camped there regularly. And I am not talking decades ago, this was during my marriage I saw such, my kids were long grown.

The one with the river thing now that is downright neglect. Maybe some cluelessness with it or lack of awareness but again by that age they darned well should know what is dangerous for children to be doing unwatched. I have seen people at a gathering rudely assume that other people because they will have fear on seeing such behavior will step in and watch their kid. And that's what you did. I'm not saying you shouldn't have, I'm saying that is probably part of what such a person figures.

So then to take that back to this one, this wasn't some large group gathering. MAYBE if it had been someone would have done that as you did... And then it yes is neglect if something on that order. Here's the other thing, this child DID go missing (or so we are told) and was NOT found (fact) and if a single one of us or anyone mentioned like in your examples had that happen they darned well would be suspects. And if the child continued to not be found the suspicion would deepen and any lie or failure to account for something would add to it, etc.

If that child you mention had drowned that mother would definitely be in a hot seat and all of you could attest to the fact she was not watching her child.

That's the thing though here, if such a thing happened it is neglect and not necessarily naivete. Could be but doesn't have to be. And unless the mother you mention had not raised her child or been with him a lot, she should have had enough experience to know better by his age. Same in this case. Just what they get into from one to two AND simple common sense is enough. There ARE people with mental issues and who lack common sense which I think could change things some BUT there is not a hint of that here in this case.

Jmo.

 

[Regina]

We tent camped with a 1 year old in what we would later find out was deep in bear country. We were oblivious to it until quite a bit of time afterwards. Naivety definitely happens without bad intentions.

Your story reminds me of the movie, Backcountry. If you haven't seen it, I found it to be very realistic and utterly terrifying! It's loosely based on a true story.
Now, long before seeing the movie, I'd already established something of a bear phobia from reading two books, Alaska Bear Tales and More Alaska Bear Tales. Both books are filled with all sorts of stories, even silly or funny or sad but no, I wouldn't recommend even hiking near wilderness areas without some sort of protection against a bear or any other kind of animal!
Back to your story, surely, I think you were no different from most people, that most people are merely oblivious to such danger.

 

[GrandmaBear]

We could go down an entirely different road with that subject, bears, etc. The bear is most definitely an animal that stands out to most people. I think of course because of size and for North America which doesn't have things like tigers or lions, etc. it is probably the biggest and most feared although things like buffalo and bobcats can get a bit irate or lash out.

We could get into Kodiak, polar and grizzly versus the typical brown or black bears. It's a pretty fearsome sight to see any bear on its hind legs anywhere near you. Yep, I have. And not in a zoo. I've also been bear hunting and seen them run by dogs on all fours which I entirely don't like or agree with. I abhor it in fact. Don't ever say that though in front of a macho bear hunter with pride in his dogs where the man stands there and the dogs run the bear down and up a tree and then they stand there and shoot them defenseless in the tree.

They are after food and garbage with food and food and food for the most part and of course like any living creature will defend their cubs or selves in the way they can if they feel threatened. Well any living creature other than some parents we see in some cases who not only don't defend their kids but harm them.

 

[Regina]

And what again was his remark, that he didn't think anything could happen to him? Huh?

No, those were my words, my impression of his overall attitude toward being there.
But the subject has gone into the weeds, I mean, the info isn't that they'd allowed Deorr to roam unsupervised, or that they'd assumed somebody else would watch him...
Indeed, he said "we thought he'd be good with Grandpa".

 

[GrandmaBear]

No bear snatched this child.

I do understand though that wasn't the point here where they came up, the point of the post was naivete about not knowing they were in bear country and I can completely understand that. Bears can be anywhere in the states they are in. Some areas of course may be more known for them if not completely hunted out (these days).

 

[GrandmaBear]

No, those were my words, my impression of his overall attitude toward being there.
But the subject has gone into the weeds, I mean, the info isn't that they'd allowed Deorr to roam unsupervised, or that they'd assumed somebody else would watch him...
Indeed, he said "we thought he'd be good with Grandpa".

Okay so he didn't say that. Because that sounded like oh what could possibly happen to him if he did run around or wander. Good to know that isn't what was meant. And sorry if I should have caught that. I took it that he said that.

 

[RoundPeg]

Playing catch up. Is there new info here?

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Remembering Deorr Kunz, 9 years without answers - Local News 8

Thursday, July 10, 2024 marks 9 years since 2-year-old Deorr Kunz jr. disappeared from timber creek campground in Lemhi County. According to the controversial volunteer group "Justice for baby Deorr" the day marks "another year without answers."

localnews8.com

Remembering Deorr Kunz, 9 years without answers​

July 10, 2024, marks 9 years since 2-year-old Deorr Kunz Jr. disappeared from Timber Creek campground in Lemhi County. According to the controversial volunteer group "Justice for Baby Deorr," the day marks "another year without answers."

In the years since the boy's disappearance, police have developed 3 theories as to what happened to the 2-year-old. First, an animal killed the child, Deorr was possibly abducted, or he was the victim of foul play.

Phillip Klein, of Klein Investigations and Consulting, has theorized that the parents, Jessica Mitchell and Vernal Deorr Kunz, know what happened to their son. Klein worked as a private investigator on the case, hired by Deorr's parents to find their son.

Klein was let go by the family years ago because of his accusations. Then, Vernal hired another private investigator named David Marshburn, who is no longer involved in this case.

Klein has actively repeated his theory in online interviews.

The parents still insist they had nothing to do with Deorr's disappearance. In 2019, they sued Klein for defamation.

According to attorney Allan Browning, that case was thrown out because the judge did not believe enough evidence was provided to prove Klein had slandered Vernal Kunz.

While Klein has written online that he proved his case in the slander trial. "Vernal Kunz lost his case after the judge reviewed the evidence and in part stated "The Truth is the Ultimate Defense," Klein wrote in a Facebook post.

Browning has filed another slander suit this year directed at the woman behind the "Justice for Baby Deorr" group.

"I've actually filed suit against Kali Pearson because she won't stop," Browning said. "She has pushed Vernal to the point of near suicide...When all this came down in the earlier years ago, he went into counseling to get rid of the suicidal ideation that he was having because she was telling the world, and Klein was telling the world, that he killed his son."

Browning is urgently asking for the accusations to cease, and to simply focus on finding the child.

Local News 8 has reached out to Klein for comment, and in response received an email from the Justice for Baby Deorr group that Klein and his organization "are not taking interviews at this time."

The volunteer group, "Justice for Baby Deorr", writes they "still have faith" Deorr will be found.

 

[Guess Who]

9 years???

 

[GrandmaBear]

I don't have any doubts in this case of the who/s. Never have had.