AMBER ALERT:(UPDATED) PHILADELPHIA CAR JACKING MOM AND DAUGHTER MISSING BONNIE SWEETEN AND JULIA RAKOCZY, 8, ABDUCTED
UPDATE II- BOTH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED, NO SIGN OF SWEETEN OR JULIA RAKOCZY, 8. SWEETEN CALLED 911 A TOTAL OF 7 TIMES BEFORE HER CELL WAS SHUT OFF LAST NIGHT. THE SEARCH FOR MOM AND DAUGHTER CONTINUES.
Update I- The 2005 Gold Denali was located at 1:30am this morning, with a parking ticket on the windshield, within 2 blocks of the last cell phone signal of Bonnie Sweeten. Julia Rakoczy, 8, reported to be inside the vehicle by her mother to 911 operators following her abduction, was not located.
Southampton, PA– Mother and daughter, Bonnie Sweeten and 8 year old Julia Rakoczy, were abducted during a carjacking this afternoon off of Route 132, Street Road, in Southampton, PA.
PA state Police have issued an Amber Alert for the little girl in accordance with Amber Alert regulations.
Folks- this is about an emergency situation as one gets.
Police were called to the scene this afternoon at approximately 2 PM, following an alleged accident involving the Gold 2005 Yukon driven by Sweeten, and a 1990’s model Cadillac.
Sweeten told 911 dispatchers two black males exited the Cadillac, and forcibly placed Bonnie into the late model Cadillac, where she used her cell phone to call police from the trunk; and her daugher Julia was placed in the trunk of the Denali.
Police are also looking for the Cadillac involved in the accident. Neither vehicle was located as Police arrived this afternoon.
Please check to blinkoncrime for updates. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Bonnie Sweeten and her daughter, 8 year old Julia Rakoczy, PA State Police are requesting you call 9 1 1.
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Blink,
I’m confused…I thought they were in the trunk of the Cadillac…reading conflicting accounts. Don’t know if the SUV (Denali) has a trunk.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090526_Police_looking_for_abducted_Bucks_mother__daughter.html?cmpid=16339736
We both are. 3 articles, 3 different acounts, I cant get through to State PA
B
Yeah…this is really confusing. Did you see this one? I assume prob did, but I’ll leave the link.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Police-Searching-for-Woman-Child-Trapped-in-Trunk.html
Will look for updates….hopefully you can get through. State Amber Alert site says they’re in the Denali….this is bad. Really….
2005 Denalis came equipped with “On Star” system as standard. They ought to find it quickly unless it’s easy to tear out that equipment.
I fear this vehicle has been recovered already or is disabled in some way, God forbid
B
Estranged from her husband reported on KYW website.
Your killing me.
Klaasend and I just had this conversation.
They were seperated.
B
Denali’s do not have a trunk, at least none of the ones we looked at did. Since the Denali belongs to HER (husband), they (On-Star) should be able to track it to at least it’s last known position. So if it were disabled/destroyed/submerged, they’d have a general idea of where those actions happened.
I hope they (mom and daughter) were in the same vehicle when abducted… I don’t know why, but I always fear being separated from my children in the face of horrific circumstances. I don’t want them to face anything alone – and I’d rather die with my child(ren) than return home without them.
They were seperated according to most current reports. I pray those are wrong.
I would have them shoot me in the street before they took my baby from me; maybe that’s wrong, but there is no question for me.
B
woah, just read the update on them being separated.
please tell me this is not happening to another woman/child. it cannot be happening like that.
Not wrong at all, I totally agree Blink.
Sweeten was driving the Denali and was rear ended by the cadillac. They were apparantly abducted by these 2 men (who were driving the cadillac) as they exchanged information on the accident. Her and her child were put into the cadillac trunk together. This all happened right before 2:00 pm. She called 911 from the trunk and said during the 911 call she heard her car speeding off as she was in the trunk. Most likely one of the men took the Denali and the other drove the cadillac.
The lost the signal on the phone in philadelphia. Philadephia is about 30 mins north of Philadelphia PA.
Southampton is just your typical suburban town. This crime is highly unusual for area. I find it hard to believe it was random, but then again you never know.
No new updates as of the evening local news.
I agree. Not seeing random.
B
Sorry not tryin’ to kill you. Just hound this stuff anymore, can’t stand seeing it…..therapeutic (I think??). Don’t like to hear they were separated. I read “he had no idea where she was when asked” hope this isn’t going down that same old road.
It’s dark already….and cold tonight, trunk is not a good place to be and I agree about the separation….makes it even more awful. Her cell phones been shut off now. Not good.
Praying.
B
Sweeten made a total of (7) 911 calls. 2 were at length. As of the 11 local news they made NO mention of a seperation. On the 911 calls Sweeten was with her child in the trunk. FBI is also on the case.
This happened at a very busy area. 2nd Street Pike (4 lanes) is the main road through the town. It happened on 2nd street pike and Central Ave.
Husband works for a landscaping company. It said nothing about them being seperated. The news said they all live together at their home 1 town over from where the abduction occurred.
Thanks Winn- is this from live news, or is there a linki?
B
Ooops typo above. Upper Southampton is approx 30-45 mins north of Philadelphia (I made a mistake up above). The last call was traced to Walnut Street in Center City Philadelphia. That is approximately 55 mins in traffic from where the abduction took place.
Updates are coming from live news (Local channels whyy channel 6 and cbs 3).
This happened a few blocks over from me.
One other thing. This happened not even 2 blocks down from the police station which is also on street road! Whoever did this had balls.
Channel 6 is reporting a black Cadillac w/ front end damage and grey silver paint on the front end at damaged area has been found and towed from the city. Nothing in the trunk though they think it may the car involved.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6832725
Missing daughter is her husbands step daughter. He will not speak to news reporters at this time.
is there any report of the On-Star activation/location attempts on the Denali?
Arrrgh. I wish reporters would get things straight before they go on the air! The abduction happened at Street Road and Central Ave (not center ave as was been reported by abc link). The FBI also mistakenly said Street road and Southampton Ave in and earlier report.
The case is being treated as a carjacking and abduction, according to Weigman, who read the statement alongside Chief of Bucks County Detectives Chris McAteer. However, very little evidence has emerged to support initial reports, investigators said.
{snip}
Sweeten and her husband, Richard L. Sweeten, live on Saxon Drive in the Feasterville section of Lower Southampton. Neighbors declined to comment on the record, but were tearful after learning that a mother and child may have been kidnapped during daylight hours. They said the couple owns a landscaping business.
Sweeten has two daughters, Julia and 15-year-old Paige, with her ex-husband Anthony W. Rakoczy, according to court records. Sweeten and Rakoczy divorced in 2003 and she returned to her maiden name Siner before marrying Richard Sweeten. The Sweetens have an infant daughter, Faith, according to Sweeten’s Facebook page. She belongs to a Bensalem High School alumni group from 1989 and states she loves shopping with her daughters.
http://is.gd/Gy5g
The Denali was found this morning, Bonnie & Julia are still missing.
Ty, I know. Kinda breaks the thought they were after the denali-
I dont like the feeling I am getting on this right now, nope, not one bit
B
Now reporting the Cadillac found in Hunting Park is unrelated. Her Denali found on Chestnut St, in center city at about 1:30 am, with a parking ticket on it (gotta love those ever present meter cops for once, at least it will point out a time).
This is too bizarre, a car jacking where they abandon the hi-jacked car and keep the original used in the crime? They weren’t after her car; at least it would seem at this point. And these locations are just unbelievable. As I’ve been told 13th street is a well known red light district in that area, there is business done all night on the streets there, the rest is business district during the day.
We are back to looking for the Cadillac, and still conflicting reports comiing out. It’s reported Bonnie Sweeten was terrified on the phone in the 911 calls(no surprise there) and FBI acknowledged information during the calls was “inconsistent”, so perhaps that’s why the news reports are so conflicting.
I hope they are scouring the parking garages. This does not make sense. Any of the husband’s landscaping staff not at work today?
B
I hear you Blink, and that’s a good point about the parking garages. The Denali was 2 blocks from the cell tower identified, and they were purportedly looking in that area since the afternoon? It seems there is often some kind of “sense” behind the “nonsense”, if you know what I mean. Don’t like where this seems to be headed, I hope they are still okay.
personally I smell a rat…it is well known that a perp will intentionally bump or rear end a car in order to threaten or harrass or kidnap, rape etc the female occupants. if it were me I would be checking out ex Anthony W. Rakoczy..that is my theory and I’m sticking to it!!
Everyone is scratching their heads over this crime, in town.
Police, FBI aren’t forthcoming with much (or else they just don’t know), folks are questioning whether this was really random or she was a target.
I am hoping that the reports of the 911 calls didn’t change their plans if they did just want the car. But why on earth if you were after a Denali would u stuff the mother and child into your car?
Her current husband is not the father of Julia. He ex husband (Julia’s father was on tv this morning) but Bonnie’s curent husband has not made a comment yet.
None of this makes sense at the moment. I hope they are ok.
I live in Feasterville and know exactly where this took place. I find it extremely hard to believe that on Street Road, in broad daylight, no one saw anyone being stuffed in a trunk. That would be like driving down the busiest street in your (those who do not live here) area and not seeing anyone stuffing a human being in a trunk. I’m wondering if after the accident, did they pull into a parking lot or something. I mean, you can’t exactly pull over on Street Road. Shoulder is almost non-existant. Our whole community is up in arms. I have a 10 year old. It occured to me last night, this could have been me. I travel that road everyday. What would I have done?
Please keep them in your prayers as well as our little community.
Not a chance this is random. I’m a single mother with two young kids. Reading about all the recent crimes against mothers and their children has made me decide that dating is entirely out of the question. It’s become much to risky.
Something just doesn’t smell right. Susan Smith….anyone? This whole thing sounds staged. I hope to God I am right too. I don’t think I can handle hearing about anything bad happening to one more innocent child. I would like to hear more detail though.
Agree here with Blink….not feeling this was a random crime.
Something is wrong. A Step-Child or “most” any child for that matter does not get kidnapped WHILE WITH HER MOTHER OR A PARENT, then the parent is let go—child is not?
What is the MOTIVE here?
More to come, I am sure.
Please, Lord—please do not let another child suffer at the hands of a cruel human bringing them harm. We will pray for yet another victim of a violent crime—hoping just once! that this one has a happy ending.
The parent has not been released, she is missing as well
B
Blink, I don’t know where to post a question that does not relate to the crimes you are already tracking, so will post here. Are you going to follow and report on the murders of Davina and Brock Husted last week at their home in California? They were stabbed to death in the presence of their 9 year old son, who escaped with his 11 year old sister. She was pregnant.
This is getting stranger by the minute…..ticket was issued on the Denali the afternoon of the abduction. The daughter had been withdrawn from school May 1st ?
Don’t know if it’s relevant about the school withdrawl, but it’s being reported. Her husband will not comment to reporters.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSwZZBIHPmdIbh7rtGDWMmu4g89AD98EN59G1
woops, missed this as you will see. I am about 3 seconds away from really giving my opinion on this. I am praying I am wrong
B
Atlanta, GA 5/27/2009 02:01 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)
An Amber Alert was issued Wednesday for a Pennsylvania girl after her mother called 911 and said she and the girl were in the trunk of an SUV after being carjacked in Southampton.
Bonnie Sweeten, 38, called 911 Tuesday afternoon saying two men forced her and her daughter Julia Rakoczy into the trunk of a Cadillac after her GMC Yukon Denali was rear-ended by the men’s car. The call was traced to a cell phone tower in downtown Philadelphia. Sweeten’s Yukon was found near the tower Wednesday.
FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver said there are “inconsistencies” in the woman’s claims but right now they are treating it “as an abduction based on the information provided in the 911 call.”
Sweeten’s ex-husband and Julia’s father, Tony Rakoczy, said he did know why the pair would be abducted.
perhaps the Mom ran off with one of the kidnappers, and staged it to look like an abduction..and why do you call 911 7 times, but to throw the suspicion away from yourself?
How far away from the original location was the Denali found? Seems like the meter reader would’ve been alerted about the car description and would’ve noted it immediately.
approximately 20 mi. I dont know if there was a BOLO issued by then or not. I would love to know the time stamp on the ticket.
B
Blink,
Are you hearing anything???…something’s giving me a twitch, and you’re a little quiet……for a story this close to home. I know you can’t always comment…..but just wondering if somethings smoking out here. Send smoke signals when you can. Nothing funny about this situation, but trying to lighten myself up a bit. R
Well, yes, I am, nothing I like.
Did you see this?http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20090527_Dad_appeals_for_release_of_daughter__ex-wife.html?cmpid=16339736
Something sounds pretty fishy here. One would think of a simple bump in the back for free insurance money….but they took mom and daughter…..This does NOT fit a carjacking……Sounds more like someone is really pis*ed off and took them period. (kidnapping) Set-up? who knows the answer to that. funny how not 1 neighbor would go on tv. WHY NOT? Desperate people do stupid things for any reason. They really need to grill new hubby and the ex hubby, father of the kids. What was there relationship now like? I pray they find them. and yet with all the witness’s to the crime itself….no one tryed to help? I can not imagine me just sitting there when something like that is going on. But in today’s world no one wants or cares to get involved. SO sad. We can all pray for the mom and child…….
NO,hadn’t seen that yet. Wondering if the school withdrawl had anything to do with reports of being estranged from the silent husband? Can’t imagine she would have a hand in this herself w/only one daughter with her if she wanted to dissappear for some reason. Hate to say, but this is pointing to the silent one in my mind. Hope I am wrong. Nothing worse than further victimizing a victim, so I hope it gets resolved quickly and makes sense, but my radar is off the wall on this one right now.
Wow, I wonder what May 1st was all about? Was there any damage to the Denali when they found it? And I thought I read that the Cadillac that was found wasn’t the right one. Did they “real” Cadillac?
Something is very odd to me. At first I wondered if her husband wasn’t commenting because he was too distraught. Now I wonder if he knows something…not that he had anything to do with it persay, but if he has some sort of feeling about what may have taken place.
See the last line…. why would they need a search warrant for the Denali ??????????
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20090527_ap_policeseekpamomgirlafterreportedabduction.html
I don’t know, I’m not seeing mom as running away with someone here – why take just Julia? She’s being described as a very active and GOOD mother, I just can’t resolve that theory in my head. There’s NO WAY I’d leave my other children behind if I wanted to run away. Nuh uh, not happening.
Blink, can you tell us ANYTHING?
If she was laying in the trunk, I see nothing wrong with calling 7 times. Maybe she was interrupted. Maybe she tried to stay quiet. Could be lots of reasons?
Something stinks here
So the Cadillac is still missing, right? The one found with silver paint/body damage is being reported as unrelated.
Thanks to everybody for the local media links. It saves googling time. Okay Blink: you said you were three seconds from letting loose a comment… awaiting riddlemethis’s smoke signals. The mom is very organized and school oriented, but had withdrawn the daughter on May 1? Major problem to me.
On Fox News the ex hubby said that his daughter was taken out of school and put into a different school…….she hasn’t missed school, also the mom and daughter were on their way to a doctor’s office.
Thanks B for the updates.
Okay…*****UNCONFIRMED**** the daughter was out of school that day for a Dr.’s appointment. This came supposedly from a friend of the family on Blog comments. AGAIN **UNCONFIMRED*** also read the daughter had been re-enrolled in a school closer to home.****ALL UNCONFIRMED**** So I don’t know for sure, but it would shed some light.
Also big questions about the Denali being ticketed at 2:20pm and the time frame involved. I wonder though if she had already been traveling in the car trunk for awhile before attempting to call 911? Trying to put myself in those shoes and can’t make a judgement on that, you would be terrified for your childs life, and your own, wondering if and when the car would stop. Trying to listen for sounds and not wanting to be heard making 911 calls. I don’t know.
Doesn’t seem like police know exactly when her car was rear ended. So I’m not buying the problem with the time frame until more facts come out. Blink, you’re initial report states witnesses saw the accident; can you confirm there were witnesses? Can’t find anything on that reported, maybe it’s being kept hushed?
Nope, tried to confirm that report myself. No witnesses.
B
We’re sure there’s no custody or visitation issues here between the mom and the ex right? Just checking.
Confirmed
B
Come on Blink. You’re never this quiet. We’re all waiting…
CNN indicates the time stamp on the ticket was 2:20.
*******
Investigators say Sweeten called them just before 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, saying she and her daughter, Julia Rakoczy, 9, had been kidnapped after a traffic crash in Upper Southampton, Pa.
That 20 minute window would be an incredibly tight timeframe to get from the suburban town to the heart of the city.
Furthermore, police say they traced Sweeten’s first 911 call to a cell phone tower near the location where the SUV was found, indicating it may have been there the entire time.
FBI….’obviously there are alot of facts we know that we cannot release to the public’ (paraphrasing).
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6832725
Yep. You cant be in 2 places at one time, unless your not really at one of them.
B
Has any of this information been corroborated by a third party? Eye witnesses? Or is this just a story that mom is making up…. heaven forbid. I live in the kidnap capital of the nation and daylight kidnappings happen, but there is always independent witnesses.
Could this be another case of a mother doing something horrible and making up a story? I just don’t understand people
I’m seeing the smoke signals, but sorry to see the direction they’re goin’