Queen of Pith

Warning: Content includes details of child abuse

Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: January 7, 2003 from Galax, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date of Birth: February 15, 1997
Age: 5
Height: 3′2″
Weight: 30 lbs.
Hair Color: Blond
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: Decayed teeth and burn scars on his feet, buttocks and groin areas. Healed fracture in left arm.
NCIC Number: M-552998307
Case Number: NCMC954408

Logan was last seen at home on January 7, 2003. In May 2004, Logan’s mother, Cynthia Davis, was jailed for her role in his presumed death. Her estranged boyfriend, Dennis Schermerhorn, was charged as well.

Davis called the sheriff’s department at 12:59 p.m. Jan. 26, 2003, and asked to talk to someone about a kidnapping. She also told the dispatcher that her son had gotten hurt, and that she had been held hostage by her boyfriend. Davis said she had not seen her son since Jan. 5, 2003. Later she told the dispatcher she hadn’t seen him since Jan. 9, 2003.

The dispatcher notified a sheriff’s deputy about Davis’ call at 1 p.m. Jan. 26, 2003. Davis told him that while she was asleep Logan ran hot water to take a bath and “got burned pretty bad.” She told the deputy that Logan had been missing since Jan. 7, 2003. She said that Schermerhorn wouldn’t let her take Logan to the doctor. Davis fell asleep and when she woke up, Logan was gone. Schermerhorn told her he took Logan to his mother who was a registered nurse. Davis also told the deputy that Schermerhorn held her hostage for two weeks and hit her with a flashlight.

She told Grayson’s chief investigator that Logan had a stomach virus and had gotten up in the middle of the night – after he soiled himself – and “set in the hottest water.” She also told the investigator that Schermerhorn told her Logan was with his father and that Alvin Bowman would bring Logan home later. The investigator reported that Schermerhorn’s mother, Margaret Brandow, said she last saw Logan on Jan. 8, 2003. She said Logan was lying on a love seat at Schermerhorn’s trailer in Sherwood Trailer Park near Galax. Davis and Logan lived with Schermerhorn. Logan was completely covered with a blanket, except for his head, and he never moved or said anything. Brandow told the investigator she thought Logan was asleep.

Alvin Bowman, Logan’s father, last saw his son on Christmas Day in 2002. Bowman had weekend visitation rights. He tried to pick up Logan on Jan. 3, 9, 10, and 17-19. He then notified the Grayson Department of Social Services and the sheriff’s office around Jan. 21. On Jan. 26, Davis called Bowman and asked him to drop Logan off at Timmy Johnson’s house on Stockyard Road. On Jan. 27, Bowman filed a missing child report.

Logan’s kindergarten teacher told authorities that Logan was not in school for several days. She called the truancy office and social services. She had also reported suspected abuse to the Grayson Department of Social Services on Nov. 19, 2002.

Alternately, Schermerhorn told investigators that the night Logan was burned, Davis took off in Schermerhorn’s car for about a day, according to police testimony. That was the last time he saw Logan, he told police. Somewhere in all of these events, Logan disappeared and has not been heard from since.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Officer Glenn Hyatt 275-773-3241.

From the North American Missing Persons Network.

Why are there fat people in DC? Seriously. We walked all over Pennsylvania Avenue going to various museums after my BIL’s promotion to Navy Commander. No need for fat burner reviews. We went to the History of American History and only saw some of that. DD lived Mrs. Taft’s inaugural gown. Classy taste.

She really wanted to ride the Metro. The stops we have were rather short, so we went ahead and rode the yellow line all the way to the end of the line and then took the green line back to our destination. I really wanted to go to the Newseum. I dragged DD there. They had parts of the Berlin Wall, 9/11 building parts, and the cell phone used to send the first pictures of the VT massacre. After all that depressing stuff and having to explain things to DD about it. But her favorite part were the pictures of the president’s dogs. She loved Fala, FDR’s dog.

It was a long day for a five year old. She did very well. At BIL’s ceremony, held at the Navy Memorial, she was well behaved. The Army general who led the ceremony was awesome. He remembered everyone’s names and relation to BIL. So lovely and I am so proud of him.

Sorry for the rambling. I am exhausted too.

Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12 (New International Version)

First, let me thank Christian writer Brandilyn Collins for this post idea.

In the past week, the following people have died:
Farrah Fawcett, age 62
Michael Jackson, age 50
Billy Mays, age 50
My sister’s friend, Tom, age 39
Over 150 people in a plane crash in the Indian Ocean

There is no guarantee you will see tomorrow. There is no guarantee your loved one will. What is guaranteed is where you or your loved one will go when they die depending on who their Savior is when they take that final breath.

Recently I had to do a video. No big deal except I was IN the video. I have no problems speaking in front of a group of people. But I HATE being on camera. Why? I guess because it is permanent and I get to see my ugly mug over and over.

Before the taping, we were joking about the Cindy Brady moment where you get massive speech anxiety before a performance. For example, when the red light on the video camera comes on, you freeze, like Cindy Brady did when she was on a quiz show on the “Brady Bunch.” I was fortunate in that I did not have that moment, but I have nightmares where I have to go onstage for a musical or a play and I don’t know my lines.

Do you have a “Cindy Brady” moment?

I am in the process of making some changes to the blog. Stand by!

I subscribe to the Southeast email alerts for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, just in case a child in our area goes missing so I can send out local alerts.

98% of the time when the NCMEC sends me a “recovery” email, it states that a certain missing child has been found. On occasion, I get something like the one I received the other day, “It is with great sadness and deep regret that we notify you that Breeanna Duncan missing from Vero Beach, FL, has been located deceased.”

At that point, I usually do a Google search to see what happened. With this case, I found nothing.

Breeanna was a runaway. She was reported missing from Vero Beach, Florida on November 15, 2008. I received the email about her on June 25.

Someone obviously cared enough about her to report her missing, but there has been no followup that I could find – no obits, no memorials, nothing.

The former newsie part of me wonders what happened. The mom side of me wonders if she could have been saved and was she still missed after that initial missing report.

RIP Breeanna. Someone out there does care.

Two days and counting until the new health insurance kicks in. Since I cannot take diet pills like nuphedra, and since other diets do not work well with the hypoglycemia, I am going to go for the nutritionist.

I know that slow and steady wins the race. That is what I am aiming for.

It really is not fair though that it can take weeks to lose five pounds, but only a day or so to gain it.

One of the nice things about living in our area is the fact that there are many opportunities for us to enjoy nature within ten minutes of our home. Today we headed to the duck pond with two loaves of bread. There were many happy ducks and geese when we got there. DS got nipped a couple of times, but it never phased him. DD liked one duck in particular and kept feeding it.

There were a few fishermen at the pond. A couple had caught some fish. I asked DD if she wanted to go look at the fish and she did. I feared that seeing a fish being caught and having the hook taken out would freak her out. Not so much. She seemed fascinated and wants to go fishing.

We sat in a gazebo and chatted. We decided it would be fun to go there again and read – just Mommy and Daughter. I hope we get to do that some time.

What IS it with clothing stores in my area?

We have a special event next week, my brother-in-law is being commissioned, knighted, crowned, whatever the Navy calls it, to Commander. It’s a big deal!

Last Sunday afternoon, we went to the mall to get DD some cleats and DS dress clothes. He has some stuff he wears to church, but our church is pretty casual. I wanted something more suit-like than a polo shirt and shorts. Most of his really dressy stuff is for winter anyway.

I went to Belk. Nothing for his age. For infants, yes. For ages 4+, yes, Age 2? No. We headed to Gap, Sears – nothing. We went to Dick’s Sporting Goods for the cleats. I was in a hurry, so pulling DD off the ellipticals I dragged the kids to J.C. Penney. NOTHING!

I live in a rural, college town area. So I know getting a toddler dressed all hoity-toity is not high on the fashion trends here. But someone cut me some slack! Literally!

Both of these men went missing after a car accident, (the two cases are not related).

Donald Ray Billings

Missing Since: February 14, 1997, from Marion, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: May 16, 1966
Age: 30
Height: 5′8″
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: He has a gap between his upper middle teeth. Billings has previously broken his nose. He is uncircumcised.
Clothing: Blue jeans and low-cut brown shoes.
AKA: “Donnie”
NCIC Number: M-000968103
Case Number: 0201797

Billings was involved in an automobile accident on Route 16 in Marion, Virginia, on February 14, 1997. He was last seen walking away from the scene. It is rumored that Donald may have hitched a ride with a trucker at the Village Truck stop along I-81 in Atkins, Virginia. Atkins is located between Bristol, VA-TN and Roanoke, Virginia.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact Smyth County Sheriff’s Office 540-783-7204.

Robert Lee Kelley

Missing Since: July 24, 2002 from Buckingham County, Virginia
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 19, 1967
Age: 34
Height: 5′7″
Weight: 160 lbs.
Hair Color: Lt. Brown
Eye Color: Blue
Race: White
Gender: Male
Distinguishing Characteristics: May have a goatee.
Clothing: Blue T-shirt and blue jeans.
AKA: “Robbie”
NCIC Number: M-532566151
Case Number: 02-23-19-5060

Kelley was last seen on Route 675 in Buckingham County. He got into a car accident on the highway the day of his disappearance. Kelley apparently vanished from the scene of the accident.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact Virginia State Police 434-352-3452.