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[NYBob]

Missing son's return a 'miracle' -

Pam Akers and her son Shawn Hornbeck


Shawn's mother: Nightmare of past four years -
is over -

First appearance
The family of a US teenage boy found by police four years
after he went missing have been speaking of their joy
and relief at his "miracle" return.

Shawn Hornbeck, 15, and a 13-year-old boy who vanished
this week were found on Friday in a flat near St Louis.

A 41-year-old man, Michael Devlin, has been charged with
kidnapping.

"Shawn is a miracle here,"
said his mother, Pam Akers,
who together with her husband runs a foundation
helping with missing children cases.

Shawn Hornbeck, who was 11 when he vanished
in rural Missouri, smiled as his mother and
stepfather, Craig Akers, told a news conference
of their joy to have him home.

Dream

They had been in disbelief when they were reunited
with Shawn, they said.

"There was that split second of shock,"
Mr Akers said.
"Once I saw the face, I said 'Oh God, that's my son.'"

Shawn, much bigger than the pictures on the missing
posters, did not speak but seemed at ease as his mother
kept hugging him.

Shawn Hornbeck, missing since 2002

Shawn Hornbeck had not been seen since October 2002

"We're glad to have him home.
I still feel like I'm in a dream,
only this time it's a good dream,
not the nightmare I've had four
and a half years," she said.

Mr Akers said Shawn seemed to be in good health
and spirits.
On the way home after being discovered,
Shawn's first request was to stop to get
something to eat at McDonalds,
which his father said he took as a good sign.

The family had no immediate plans, Mr Akers said,
but they would go shopping and buy clothes
"as the old stuff doesn't fit him".

Shawn's rescue came as police were looking
for Ben Ownby, 13, who had vanished
earlier in the week.

Michael Devlin's flat near St Louis
was searched after police noticed that
his white van matched the description
of one seen when Ben vanished near his
school bus.

Mr Devlin - manager of a pizza shop
and a part-time funeral home worker -
has been charged with kidnapping.

In the St Louis area, there was unreserved joy
at the news that both boys had been found safe.

Missing children

Ben Ownby's disappearance on Tuesday had sparked
a major hunt in the area around his home.

Prayer vigils were held and "missing" posters
were fixed to walls around town.

But police out hunting for Ben Ownby were not
expecting to find Shawn Hornbeck alongside him.

Shawn was just 11 when he failed to return home after
going for a bike ride near his home in Washington County,
some 60 miles (100km) from St Louis.

In the years after their son went missing,
Shawn's parents,
Pam and Craig Akers, devoted themselves to -
missing child cases.

Suspect Michael Devlin

Police and the FBI are looking into
Michael Devlin's background

Craig Akers left his job to devote his time -
to a foundation bearing his son's name.

They used up their savings, borrowed money and talked -
to psychics, until the financial strain forced them -
back to work, the Associated Press reported.

On the anniversary of his disappearance in October,
Pam Akers said:
"It's been four years.
But for me, it's just been one long continuous day."

Gary Toelke, a local sheriff said officers had been
"just on cloud nine" since the discovery of the boys.

The authorities say they are still investigating
the motive behind the abductions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6259367.stm

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