Not his place?!?

I am shocked. When the story broke last week that the 1979 murder of Etan Patz's was finally being solved I was glad that the six year old's family would finally have closure, although saddened that it was not a happy ending. But to hear that this family could have mourned and laid Etan's body to rest 30 years ago is beyond my comprehension. Apparently, Pedro Hernandez, the man being charged with Etan's murder, confessed the crime to his prayer group at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Camden back in the 1980's. 

How does one, as a human being, hear that a horrible crime has been perpetrated against an innocent child and not speak up? How do you hear something so soul wrenching and not become angered with the loss of innocent life and compelled to see that justice is carried out? Well, that's exactly what the prayer group that Hernandez attended did; NOTHING!!!

"Tomas Rivera, 76, of Blackwood, a leader of the prayer group, told the Times he did not feel it was his place to notify the police because the confession was not made to him exclusively," (N.J.com). Well, Tomas Rivera of Blackwood, NJ, if it were not your place then whose place was it? I will answer you; it was the civic responsibility and duty of each and every person in that prayer group to speak up!

Where are we with our humanity that we can sit idly by and not act when a heinous crime is brought to our attention? I would have marched myself right down to the nearest police station and told them everything! I would have handed Hernandez over gift wrapped. As far as I am concerned, each and every person who heard Hernandez's confession, either directly from his lips, or by third party (I know someone from that prayer group told somebody something) should be brought up on charges of obstruction of justice. At the very least, they need to be made accountable to Etan Patz's family that they were forced by the group's inaction and silence to wait over 30 years to have closure and see justice carried forth.

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