By Sheryl McCollumNo one has seen baby Gabriel Johnson for a month. This fact alone lowers my hope that he is alive. I said on the Nancy Grace Show, that no one innocent has him. If a couple existed who believed they had been given a baby rightfully, and later found out the child was involved in a custody battle, they would have turned him over by now.
Other disturbing facts:
The mother abandons her car with the child’s car seat left inside. Wouldn’t the new parents need the car seat?
The mother leaves her car behind in Texas. Why would you leave your car? Maybe you don’t want to be identified by it. Maybe you are going to yet another state to start over with a new identity.
The mother sold her pets, jewelry, and took on a roommate for the cash. Sounds like she was planning on running.
The mother had about $500 on her at the time of her arrest. Not a lot of money for someone who just sold a baby.
The babysitter was a stranger, she did not try to give the baby to her. Why not? Because she had a plan. The key here is the two hour period the sitter had him and the mother was out. Her actions are key. Her whereabouts are key. This timeline must be filled in. Texas is the key to where Gabriel is. This is where he was last seen alive. This is where mother left is on a bus without him.
Everyone wants him to be found alive. But, everyone also knows something’s not right with this story.
Once you wrap your mind around the facts there is another twist in this case. The couple named Smith. They say they met Gabriel’s mother in an airport and wanted to adopt him. What? A women that you knew for nine hours. Crazy, but there’s more. They talked with her before she fled. They told her, “You can’t run forever.” Sounds like they may have known she was going to run but never called the police. They have taken a polygraph. Both the husband and wife’s test were inconclusive! Then, the police served a search warrant on their home. This couple has not been shy around the media. They have appeared on numerous TV shows telling their side of the story and stating they do not know where Gabriel is. Still something not right with their story.
Still there are other concerns: her grandfather said she has been known to have fits of “rage.” She told the child’s father she killed him! She gave details about the murder such as how she did it and how she disposed of his body. This is the only time she has been detailed about anything. She was vague about where she was going to the babysitter. She was vague about the couple to whom she gave him in Texas. She was vague about her plans with the Smiths. But she was very clear on what happened to Gabriel.
I will continue to pray for his safe return. I would love to be wrong!
Sheryl McCollum, MS
Director
Cold Case Investigative Research Institute
