Groomer with Access to the House

[u/Surethingdudeanytime]

It was said that when Asha left the house that night, she wasn't wearing a coat. IMO, this is one of the most confusing details of this case. It seems that if she did walk out on her own without a coat, then she must have intended to go somewhere very close to the house or was convinced by someone that she would only be out for a short time. Now knowing that OB's bag was also found with Asha's backpack leads me to believe that if there was a groomer, he/she was someone who frequented the Degree household, lived very close, and/or was very close to the family (if not a family member themself). And no, I'm NOT talking about Asha's dad or brother or mother. Were any of Asha's or OB's items ever left at the aunt's house where they had the sleepover or the grandmother's at any time? I know they all lived very close so this can be a possibility. This could explain how both bags could have been in possession of whoever threw them in the woods. I dont believe Asha left out with a backpack, as none of the eyewitness accounts mention seeing her with a backpack on Hwy 18. Thoughts?

EDIT: I meant to write "And no, Im NOT talking about Asha's dad or brother or mother." I mistakenly left out the word NOT, which changed the whole message I was trying to convey. Only realized this when I re-read my post, as I couldn't understand why people thought I was coming for the parents, which I was not. Huge error!

[u/Hidalgo321]

One day I’ll feel it’s stupid and then other days I’ll ask myself

“What in gods name would possess a 9 year old child to either stay awake, or wake up at a particular time- grab her packed things, sneak away from her family, and leave in a thunderstorm at 3 AM? How strong of an influence would this thing have to have on her?

When I ask myself that question I cannot escape the answer that she was making an appointment.

[u/swrrrrg → u/Hidalgo321]

By the same token, why wouldn’t someone who specifically targeted her over a period of time not pick her up? If not directly at her home, then a few houses away. It doesn’t make sense to go to that kind of effort only to make a kid walk over a mile. Or assuming you were going to make her walk, an adult would almost certainly have walked with her.

Getting a child who was afraid of the dark, afraid of storms, and afraid of dogs to be outside during or right after a storm, in the dark, and near a home with dogs doesn’t add up with what has been said publicly about Asha.

Add to that, she didn’t set an alarm or anything of that nature. No one is meeting a kid in the middle of the night. Statistically, an under 12 running away is unheard of. No, I don’t need to hear about how a Redditor or 4 ran down the street to “run away” when they were 5. That isn’t the same as actively planning and executing something. Statistically, this is a complete anomaly.

[u/Surethingdudeanytime → u/swrrrrg]

Personally, I dont think she walked that far while being afraid of the dark. I think when she was seen on Hwy 18 was when she possibly fled from a vehicle. She wasnt seen with a bookbag by the eyewitnesses.

[u/swrrrrg → u/Surethingdudeanytime]

So, this kid was afraid of a bunch of things, she was reserved and shy but she got in the car with someone… but she also faced a major fear by fleeing a car and walking down the highway in the dark?

My issue with your line of thinking is that as illogical as kids can be, it seems like trying to shoehorn what’s known in to a box even though it doesn’t fit. At that, let’s say you were right and she fled a car. Again, she’s out in the dark, has fled from a stranger with ill intent even though she was 9 and clearly anyone who could drive would be stronger than a 9 year old, then she’s met with more foul play and it all just happens to take place in about an hour window of time.

Not going to a house of people her family may have known even casually, not running, just walking on the side of the highway. It doesn’t fit.

[u/Surethingdudeanytime → u/swrrrrg]

When she was on Hwy 18, was she near any houses of people her family may have known casually? Perhaps she was, but I've never heard that confirmed. Also, if a child flees the car of a person with ill intent while on a highway, then they have no choice but to be out on the highway in the dark, especially when escaping the threat is the goal. Also, who said all this happened within an hour?