Pedophilia has crept into the investigation into what happened to missing Maine baby Ayla Reynolds. It remains unclear whether pedophilia is a side bar story or a central theme in the missing baby case.
Public awareness of the possible role of pedophilia in the case stems from a Facebook post by the organizer of prayer vigils for Ayla. Bob Vear announced on the now-defunct Ayla's Community page (post copied here) that he is a pedophile. Case followers wonder if pedophilia played a role in baby Ayla's disappearance.
* "I am a pedophile," Vear said in his post. "But because of Maine's law, I do not have to register as a sex offender, for it happened over 30 years ago. I had a blip in life. I was on street drugs, and they were heavy hitters." Vear's use of the present tense describing himself as a pedophile generated a strong reader reaction on the Statement Analysis blog.
* Vear added Ayla Reynolds to his now-removed Facebook page as his "granddaughter" on Dec. 16. But like his Ayla Community page post, it was preserved by readers. "I know that with my other grand, I now take that much needed time, to hold him, to tell him that I love him, and before he turns his eyes inward at night, just give him a big ol PapaBoot hug. One never knows when the opportunity will present itself again. In the meanwhile, I just hope and pray, that my 'Little Buggie' will come home, so that I too, can give her that special PaPaBoot Hug and Kiss," Vear said.
* Vear is a close friend of Lance DiPietro, Ayla's uncle, according to the Boston Globe. Vear claimed to have inside information about the case, stating he knew about blood found in the basement of the DiPietro home since Dec. 24, well before that information was released publicly. He also posted Jan. 29, "I, personally am involved deeper than you may, or even I realize, or in my personal case, realized."
* One troubling aspect of the Vear post was his advice to an unnamed friend, "I know what you know. The 'Gig' is over. It's time to Fess Up. To be a man and do the right thing."
* Readers expressed concern about the implications of Vear's word choices. For example, he said in a Bangor Post interview, "Tonight if you have a small child at home, hug and caress them. One never knows." Case followers pointed out the oddity of using the word caress to talk about a parent-child hug.
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