The father of missing Sauk County teen, James Yoblonski, said the past eight days have been a nightmare.
www.wkow.com
Sauk County (WKOW) -- The father of 13-year-old James Yoblonski spent Father's Day combing through leaves and branches searching
for his missing son.
In an interview with 27 News Bill Yoblonski said this has been the hardest eight days of his life.
"It is the worst feeling in the world," he said. "I don't know how to explain it, but it just hits you every which way."
<snip>
Officers from all 72 Wisconsin counties participated in search efforts all week before deciding to pull back on Friday.
The decision came after investigators said they believed James might be purposely avoiding law enforcement while attempting a 'survival mission'.
Sauk County Lieutenant Steven Schram said they worry their large presence might push James further into the woods.
On day eight of the search, Schram said, while they decreased the number of officers on scene, they haven't stopped looking.
"We haven't been able to really rule anything out," Schram explained. "We're trying to keep an open mind as we continue to look for new information and follow up on every single tip and every single piece of information that's brought into us."
<snip>
Sauk County Crime Stoppers is reminding the public that
anyone who takes a runaway in should immediately notify law enforcement.
My heart goes out to the family. They always mention his father which makes me wonder if he lost his mother or if she is not in the picture. I can't recall, maybe they have mentioned her.
The father mentions searching on Father's Day but I thought he wasn't allowed to search mentioned in a previous article/post.
It says officers from all 72 Wisconsin counties have participated. Wow. While that sounds wonderfully supportive and collaborative when one hears it, I don't really understand it. Officers in other counties, especially like where I live, would have absolutely no knowledge of this wooded bluff area, etc. or the area in general. Also none of these officers would have ever worked together before which also, I would think, would make it harder to coordinate searches and ways they would work it/work together. They mentioned two officers getting injured a few days back and now that makes me wonder if it wasn't officers from other counties unfamiliar with the terrain, etc. I can only think that from all 72 counties means that each county sent one or two officers because I doubt they could send a full team in many cases, they have their own county to keep covered at all times with law enforcement personnel.
This child then has cost in searching more than any would have even thought, for other counties as well. That's travel and likely overtime and possibly lodging expense. It doesn't say if they help daily, are staying there to continue helping, etc.
Interesting they mention anyone who takes him in should notify them. Usually that would be accompanied by a warning they could be charged for doing so. They are being very careful to assure the child and anyone who may be helping him (or at least make them think) that they won't be in trouble nor will he be in trouble. I have wondered if there is anyone else in this picture. I'm not convinced of it but I do wonder. Someone got him the survivalist guide or book for one and I wonder if he was on any online forums of such groups/types, etc.
I also wonder how they know the signs of things they have run into are of James. I guess they must have found items of his or that were known to be his. In the forest I mean, I know they found his celll phone, etc.
How are they sure he is still alive at this point? I think he is but unless they are still seeing daily signs or or watching him somehow, none of us can be sure of that.
It would be hard on an adult much less a child. Just how much did he bring with him? I mean it is difficult to believe he isn't missing some creature comfort or basic comfort like even his own bed, a cold drink, shampoo and soap (did he take these kinds of things), pizza, his siblings or another human voice, or SOMEthing.
It almost seems as if he is proving he can elude capture more than prove he is a survivalist. In some odd way.
Have they had a single sighting of him? I don't think so, at least not from what we know. If they know where he is or are somehow watching, I'm sure they would at some point manage to surprise and take him. I mean of course they can't do that with a huge group or presence, he'd be aware but with a few out there working together, they could. IF they knew where is is at any given point.
Not knowing where he is means to me they can't be sure of anything other than maybe daily or recent signs of life each day, a fire, some of his things, etc., his marking his trail and so forth. Even then somehow they need some way to know each time it is him doing this.
A curious and very different case. I pray he's alive. Nothing has seemed to indicate he is suicidal but then we don't know much. What was going on in his life? An adventure or proving you can do this is one thing but leaving for good as it seems like may have been his plan is another. And leaving for good with no intention of having contact with the world again is completely another deal all together. Why would he feel that need?
No idea. Was this book given to him BECAUSE he already had an interest in things? Or was it given to him and then he developed an interest in such a thing?
It may seem harmless and that he just needed a gun for protection but he stole a family car, he stole dad's gun. Is this for protection or does this kid have other plans? Does he have any other troubles or issues? Is the public safe from him? What is his real reason here/reasoning? Purpose? He is only 13, maybe he hasn't thought that all out or doesn't think that way but one has to remember to rip off the blinders that come (for me too) that this is some kind of neat story where he is smart enough to avoid LE and is doing a great job surviving on his own and realize there may be more going on with him than we know or than meets the eye and this isn't just some adventure. 13 year olds aren't dealing in the same world we were in at that age. I dont' think he is playing Huck Finn on some recent adolescent read/summer adventure. Huck isn't the best example by my tired early morning fifth day in a row brain isn't up to coming up with better right now.
To wrap up my not great post or tired thoughts, the mention of anyone who may be helping him or he may be staying with, mentioned in a general way isn't unusual BUT I wonder if they have ceased recently to find signs of him or think he now may have help or have went elsewhere... Makes me wonder if there is reason behind the mention. What would he do if feeling the need he wanted done with this little adventure? He likely is old enough/smart enough to know he may face trouble at home and have to face it all so he'd look elsewhere imo for somewhere or someone to go to. Who would that be in his world? We really know little about that--who he is close to, what his interests are, who he would hang with, if he had any troubles, did he have a girlfriend, etc.,, etc., etc. I'm not wanting to know, I am just saying all we basically know about him, his family life, his social life, etc. is that he got a survivalist book and he is playing survivalist and that he has a father who clearly cares about him.
Do we know more than that? Apologies for my wandering thoughts and probably imperfect post of trying to put them down. More COFFEE needed. If this work and life pace keeps on for me (which it will) I may have to do something I've never done and try some of those high energy drinks. Never have but I'm starting to think I may need to... On the other hand, I watch people spend a small fortune on such every single day. And I can't do that. So for now it is java.
