Boy safe after kidnapping in The Dalles, police say
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THE DALLES, Ore. – A man kidnapped a young boy and set off an Amber Alert on Wednesday morning in The Dalles after attacking the boy’s parents, police said.
Officers found Brian L. Depriest, 36, and the child, Skylar Meldin Coulcer-Jarding, in the small town of Dufur, 15 miles south of The Dalles, said Capt. Ed Goodman of the Dalles Police Department.
Police said Depriest broke into a home early Wednesday morning and snatched the five-year-old boy. During the kidnapping, police said Depriest also assaulted the boy’s mother and father with a hammer.
The parents, Josh Jarding and Kathryn Riter, were injured in the attack. They were taken to a nearby hospital but were released by noon.
Police said Depriest is Riter’s ex-boyfriend and that she had a restraining order out against him.
After grabbing the boy, police said Depriest got into a stolen Chevy Cavalier and drove away with the boy in a stolen car.
"It was the car of a neighbor who was running it in the driveway to clear the windows of frost," Goodman said.
Detectives immediately started calling Depriest's relatives, many of whom live in Dufur, and one of them directed police to a family member's home, where Depriest was arrested without incident.
The Amber Alert was canceled around 8:30 a.m.
Neighbor Miranda Hendricks lives across the street from Riter and her family. She said she heard yelling and screaming in the morning but didn’t see anything when she looked.
“I’m actually really horrified by it, to be completely honest, it being right across the street from my house,” Hendricks said.
Kim Johnson knows Depriest and said his actions were out of character.
“Brian is not a bad guy,” she said. “He’s not violent, so I don’t understand.
Johnson said Depriest had played a role in raising Skylar, although lately there has been tension between Depriest and family, leading to the restraining order.
“He was distraught about not being able to see the kid,” Johnson said. “Something happened to get him riled up."
Depriest worked at Precision Lumber Co. in The Dalles for the past three years and was a "great employee," manager Matt McCall said.
"This has been quite a shock," he added. "It's a tough one for us."
KATU reporter Joe Raineri and the Associated Press contributed to this story
Doesn't anyone else wonder what the other side of this story is? Â People don't just go off and assault someone with any kind of weapon, including bare hands, and snag a kid that isn't their own. Â I'm not minimizing what he did, but there's something oddly missing from this story. Â I hope KATU updates when they learn more. Â
The kid reminds me a little of Kyron Horman. People in Oregon must have some weird obsession with cross-eyed boys.
Happy Ending.
Kim Johnson âBrian is not a bad guy,â she said. âHeâs not violent, so I donât understand.
Depriest also assaulted the boyâs mother and father with a hammer..
Apparently he had Kim fooled. and then there is the whole restraining order..talk about being blind, Kim really needs a wake up call .
It's sad because restraining orders don't stop people from doing anything if they want to do it badly enough.
 @Sarbar but a .38 can stop an invader dead in his tracks.
"Police said Depriest is Riterâs ex-boyfriend and that she had a restraining order out against him."
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Wait, wait a minute. This was a restraining order. They are supposed to stop folks from doing stuff like this. Didn't this guy get the memo?
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If restraining orders don't work then what will work? Does this mean that laws preventing murders don't work? Or gun free zones?
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Wow, this whole thing was a shock to me. I always thought that restraining orders always worked. A real wake up call for me.
@RalphCramden Maybe if they were printed on kevlar.
If he attached two people with a hammer he IS violent and IS NOT a good guy....
 @donna marie Donna, why would he attach two people with a hammer, I don't understand ...
Thank God this little boy was found safe, hopefully unharmed. Â If he was not violent why did she have a restraining order against him. Â Why do people always make this crazy statements when there has been a violent act committed?
"âBrian is not a bad guy,â she said. âHeâs not violent, so I donât understand."
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Don't tell me, he's a good guy... but he just has "anger issues".
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is he the father?
 @Phuzz I see there's a new update that says he helped raise the boy. So at this point it looks like he is not the boy's father, but was a part of his life for a period of time.
 @Phuzz I don't know if the story has been updated since you posted, but the boy's mother and father were the ones attacked. So unless the news has the wrong info, no, he is not the boy's father.
I'm holding off on judgement until we know why he chose the path he did. It is possible there were things going on in the house in regards to the kid that the man who did this wanted to get him away from. Terrible execution and decision on how to do it, but I'm not sure anyone here has much to go on to get to these conclusions they are jumping to.
 @Portlander29 I am so glad to hear that there are a few people around here that have enough common sense to restrain judgement until they have all the facts.
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Hear what I am saying.....I am NOT saying that this guy doesn't deserve to be locked away forever. Â If he is unjustly taking a child, then he deserves whatever he gets. Â I AM saying the same thing that several others here are. Reserve judgment until you find out WHY he did what he did. Â He may have been afraid that the child was being abused in the home, or had knowledge of it. Who knows? Â
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I say, if he is guilty of malice, nail him to the wall, but if he is guilty of protecting the child, think again.
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Find out first.
 @Portlander29 I agree with you! There are two side to every story. Maybe the mother and step father are the POS's and he's trying to make the kids life better. Right now, we dont know....but this is people believing everything media throws up.
 @jenewein11  @Portlander29 I tentatively agree pending more information.  There are many times when couples separate that some pretty ugly stuff happens, often on both sides.  It sounds like maybe the 'bad guy' helped in raising this child...perhaps he got wind of some mistreatment by the new guy?  Maybe the mom make false accusations against him and he finally snapped?  I know a woman who falsely and purposely said her ex was molesting his children so she could move out-of-state with a new boyfriend.  And the ploy worked for about 2 years while he went through agony not knowing where his kids were.  So I'll hold out judgment too.Â
Very happy that this cute little guy has been found and he's safe..! Â Â
Given this latest incident, I hope they can lock up DePriest and just toss the key in the ocean... maybe "forget" to feed him, too... Â
Thank god the poor baby was found alive! Â I hope he gets the help he needs. Â
Ray...."D'you know that the human head weighs 8 pounds?"
This guy is a deadly threat to this family. Who knows what he had in mind for the boy. Think about it. If he's the ex, and the victims are the parents of a five year old, this has been going on for a while. Unless there was a break up between parents at some point. Following the courts advice with the RO (as usual) was useless. Other than violation charges to go with the others. Poor little guy. I can only imagine how frightened he was and still must be. I hope mom and dad are a little more ready for POS next time.
@Lips with a gun
 @oodathunked Yep, that's a frightening thought.
 @oodathunked I was not exactly referring to that, but yes, you are correct.
@Reeldeal101Â Â Â Â Absolutely! The thought of having to defend your life or the lives of those around you is a scarey thing.
 @oodathunked  @Lips When you know your life and the life of your family is in danger, all available precautions should be taken. My first defense would have been a serious home alarm system. A gun would have been my last but not least.
@oodathunked Oh, you just had to go and say the 'g' word didn't you? Now You-Know-Who will come around telling us hateful rednecks why that's not a good idea and that all of society's ills are our fault...
 @Sundowner  @HenryBowmanÂ
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I remember when Bush was president and the roles were reversed. It's okay, it's just the way politics is.
 @HenryBowman You know, I recently checked out a "redneck" Conservative website and I was actually appalled at the hatred spewed there.  You might find much humor in it (duh -- it's all anti-Obama, anti-liberal, blah, blah), but if examples like this aren't what's keeping our country divided (remember that old "united we stand, divided we fall" thing?), I don't know what is.  I consider myself liberal in social views, fairly centrist in others.  But this kind of rhetoric is unacceptable to so many of us and it's having the exact opposite impact your "side" needs to win elections, maintain all of your gun rights, etc.  BTW, I've checked out a few "liberal" sites and I see almost none of the venom shown from the opposite "side".  http://patriotupdate.com/2013/01/obama-concedes-obamacare-didnt-do-anything-for-rising-health-care-costs/#comment-775260242
@HenryBowman Fed up Fed ???????????????????
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 @ApeX  @tigress  @pdxd Whew!  Glad I wandered by when I did!  If someone's gonna be passing around junk pics don't leave any of us out, k?
 @ApeX If you're referring to the kidnapper, then yes, the eyes freak me out. However, shame on you if you're referring to the child.
The only bad thing about restraining orders is that it takes a violation allegation for law enforcement to take action. They cannot prevent a violation, unfortunately. And if both sides intend to honor the restraining order, then there really was no reason for having one in the first place. Anyway, I really am glad the child was found safe and the suspect in custody.
I got the Amber Alert on my smartphone this morning. Was actually glad that it came through, just to let the news out.
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I'm thrilled that the boy is safe, and this jerk of a guy is in jail.
 @washcomom It scared me when it came through (I work late nights and was sound asleep). It was the first one I've ever had come through. I'm glad it did, though, even though it woke me up. Pretty cool that they can do that.
 @washcomom I didn't get an alert :(
Glad they found the little boy. Seems like again, the legal system and the police are not able to keep you safe, even from known threats.
The Oregon Prison Industry JUST HIT THE TAXPAYER JACKPOT with this guy....PAY UP PEOPLE!
Looks like Mr. DePriest was in jail before; if the jail system would have HELPED Mr. DePriest with his issues society could have been saved the $2 million in "treatment" &Â lifetime incarceration it will now cost them.
Praise the Lord he was found safe! ;o)
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Thank God! When they announced this over the radio, I instantly thought about Kyron, and now another missing boy! I am so glad he has been found, safe!!! There is hope for Kyron's safe return as well!
He sure does look like Kyron! A much younger version but dang! I mean...that is just creepy!
 @J J He even looks a bit  like Kyron.  So glad he was found safe.
Awesome! Â Although I kind of wish there was more info available on how he was found, as in, did a regular citizen assist in finding the boy via the Amber alert or was it normal police work? Â (Not blaming KATU, I know the authorities don't provide details sometimes).
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The suspect went to a family members house in Dufur, where he was reportedley detained until police arrived.
 @negativerep I'd imagine we'll see more details soon. They just want to get out the word that he's safe and then the details come later.
Two adults attacked with a "hammer"!  Now, whats the chance of the liberals making any special news about a "hammer" being used as a weapon? It's a fact, nearly twice as many people were killed last year with hammers than with rifles.Â
 @last boyscout Really... No, all those killings were a result of haters... You know, ones just like you !
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 @Dr. Rawdog No more than I could guess how many lies Mrs. Bill Clinton (Hillary) will tell today while under oath concerning Obama's Benghazi massacre.
 @Portlander29  @last I'll take the plunge here, open myself up to a pack of garbage, but there sure is a ton of FoxFlack about those 4 Americans but a total unwillingness to change anything when it comes to "G" violence here at home.  I'd call 'hypocrisy', but that would only serve to inflame.....
@last boyscout @Sundowner Whoa...four dead Americans? How many Americans died because of the lies of the previous administration. Right, Left...whatever...they are all a bunch of liars.
 @last boyscout Nice try but no cigar.  Go back to lusting after Tom Cruise.
 @last boyscout To hell with you and your right nut propaganda
 @Sundowner It's all about "wining or losing" with liberals isn't it. To heII with the truth, to heII with the dead Ambassador and the other three Americans, what matters is that we (liberals) won. Real nice.
 @last boyscout  @Dr. Rawdog You lose, boyscout.  I listened and she rocked!!  It's no wonder she has a 67% approval rating.  Your boy Rand Paul came off looking like a whining Foxie as did John McCain. Â
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 @Dr. Rawdog "Rawdog" had me thinking you were referring to something, lol
 @Dr. Rawdog If you only batted for the other team, you'd know.
 @Dr. Rawdog Better keep it wrapped up then!
 @Dr. Rawdog  @pdxd Oh, you little devil!  You go, gorgeous!
 @Dr. Rawdog Ever tell me if you were single or not?
 @last boyscout Gee...only about 10 comments in....predictable but kind of sad.
 @deejm2112 What's sad? That your life revolves around what I say, and when I say it.
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 @Solipsist01  @last I like how people who've never committed murder are experts on the psychological nuances between close-quarter and ranged warfare. It's almost like they've been there. Well, maybe. I shoot Isosceles (http://www.spw-duf.info/right%20isosceles.jpg) because the Marines have discovered that people instinctively throw their hands out--as if to shove away--when they are startled by something in front of them. If somebody attacks you, you reflexively throw your arms forward. So a Marine clearing a room with a pistol will hold it at close-ready (http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/media/images/close-ready-position.jpg and notice his finger is not on the trigger) knowing that if an insurgent jumps out at him, his arms will carry him to firing position as quickly as his brain recognized the threat. I'm not going to tell you about knives. I would rather be shot than disemboweled.
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"if your aim is true then you can be done with it in one shot then go about your day."
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That's what happens at school shootings. When the shooters tire out, they just be done with it and go about their day. Right?
 @last boyscout Objects like hammers, bats, fists, etc. are much more likely to be involved in a violent altercation according to what I've seen from the FBI. However, you end up with more injuries and deaths per incident with guns, typically, than you do with those blunt force instruments.
 @last boyscout "Now, whats the chance of the liberals making any special news about a 'hammer' being used as a weapon?"Â
About the same chance as conservatives making runs on hardware stores to buy up all the hammers -- especially the big ones -- because the evil Obama administration might try to take them away.
 @StealthActivist  @last boyscout
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1) It's not beneath reactionary nanny-statists to ban things that scare them.
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2) If they did, there would be a run on those hammers because of the collector value.I bought an old SKS rifle during the Clinton assault weapon ban, for $99 new in the box. IF you can find them, they're $400-$500 and the $20 magazines are going for $50 apiece. Only liberals think you won't be able to sell that stuff after they're banned. There's a hell of a lot of money to be made these days.
 @randola Yeah, I took a sabbatical from KATU for about 8 months or so, just kinda playing here a bit lately.  I've gotta admit, it's been fun (and we both know THAT won't last!).  Nice avatar, btw.
 @randola GraMMy.  Yeppers. Â
 @Sundowner I mean grammy... I lost you for a long time huh?
 @Sundowner The artist formerly known as Granny? Is that you Granny?
 @randola And big boys with phallic symbols (only referring to pick-ups and pit bulls, of course!).  Hi, randola -- nice to "see" you.  ~~ COG
 @sargerator  @Playanekes  @StealthActivist  @last I knew somebody would want to ban hammers. In addition we should ban little boys and cars.
@Playanekes @StealthActivist @last boyscoutÂ
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"It's not beneath reactionary nanny-statists to ban things that scare them."
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Like gay marriage ????
 @last boyscout Let's ban hammers!!! Â
True story. I had a hammer held to my head.Â
@Dava @last boyscout But only assault hammers.