Let's see, you have a missing mom and an estranged husband talking about getting a gun and ending it all - why do I get the feeling that this woman is dead at the hands of her estranged husband. Unfortunately, cases like this are becoming far too common. At least they got the kids away from the dad so that they are safe, at least for now. I hope I am wrong and this woman is found alive, but the odds are against it. If the father is allowed visitation with the kids it should be either at the in-laws house or at a neutral location. The last thing we need is a repeat of the Powell case.

"The children were removed from their father's custody Thursday night following a confidential call to the Florida Abuse Hotline,..."

...leaving a small field of contenders.

Someone needs to edit this article.

LOL..thx for the laugh Jim! :)

Hate to be the one to post the obvious, but in the majority of these cases the victim is found dead.

Now these children may have to grow up without their mother

Mothers and fathers die every single day in their commutes to and from work. Mothers and fathers die every single day from illness and disease. Mostly fathers and a few mothers die in combat in the middle east. Where is your sympathy for those children or do you only have sympathy for children whose parents go missing or are murdered? My mother died when I was eight years old from breast cancer. I survived, as so many others do, and so will they.

Not saying it is not sad, but death is just as much a part of living as living is.

Why are the crazies all in Florida?

Jim-372206 "Maybe it was her husband & self defense" Seriously, that's the first thing that comes to mind? I suspect it was her estranged husband, who wanted custody.... with her out of the picture, he would be first in line. Given the way people act, it is a good thing her relatives have the kids. Hopefully, now we won't see a report of him killing the kids and himself.

So sick: This is about a missing Mom; not politics.

SoSickoftheGOP... Maybe all the crazies seem to be in Florida is because they move there from other states.

hope they find

It's in the water.

Jeanette-767450-----You are correct but what you fail to understand are the lemmings of the political parties that associate everything and I mean EVERYTHING with politics. You have a crazy person living next door, it's because you elected a republican-------a mom goes missing, must be because of that democrat you put in office-----one kid out of 10 million died from drinking Drano, we need a law on the books to make sure that never happens again......... There aren't any unique individuals in the world, only D's and R's who are only concerned with greed and power.

Just watch out for the person that can't think for themselves (a sure sign of a political nut job) and you will be okay.

Realist.....yes moms and dads die everyday and it is indeed sad and unfortunate. But there is a HUGE difference between dying in an accident or due to an illness and being killed by the man who claimed to love her through goods times and bad and is the father of her children. Obviously we don't know yet if that is what happaned, but signs point to such.

I was older, I was 25 when my mom died from cancer, but still too young to lose a parent....I miss her all the time and yes I survived, but I hardly think a child who grows up motherless due to murder would "survive" and just deal with it the same way you and I did, much less when that murderer is their own father. Illness can be senseless but that cannot always be helped, but murder is ALWAYS senseless and it is NOT just as much a part of life as living is.

Jeanette............No, I disagree, this is about crazies that in this case are killing women. And my opinion is as valid as yours. I don't have to write things that you agree with. If you and I were the same person, we wouldn't need you, now, would we.

And Brown's Backer...........You're correct. Republicans are only concerned with greed and power.

The police need to question Zimmerman.

floyd..............Zimmerman's dad's a judge, that's a no go.

"This is not fair treatment, there is no indication that anything untoward has happened to Mr. Torrez's estranged wife," Cid Torrez's attorney, Alvin Entin, said. "There's no indication that he's been involved in any kind of improper activity."

Notice how the attorney didn't address the phone call to CPS by his own family member when he threatened to get a gun and "end it all" while the children were in his care. Um, I would certainly categorize that as improper activity.

Realist-502574

Mothers and fathers die every single day in their commutes to and from work. Mothers and fathers die every single day from illness and disease. Mostly fathers and a few mothers die in combat in the middle east. Where is your sympathy for those children or do you only have sympathy for children whose parents go missing or are murdered? My mother died when I was eight years old from breast cancer. I survived, as so many others do, and so will they.

Way to make it all about you!!! Whether or not that is a true statement, it is irrelevant to the discussion. We are talking about THIS mom and THESE kids. When an article comes out about your mom, some mom in the Middle East, or on a subway, or in a hospital dying from disease then I am sure we will show the same amount of sympathy.

Well said Lolly, children do not need to be in the care of someone unstable enough to make threats about ending it all! We don't need anymore sad funerals where the children followed their mother in death at the hands of a deranged father. If Daddy proves to be stable and fit at a later date, he can have the children back. Just ere on the side of caution and protect them right now.

To CHETAH, and all the would be comedians that tried lamely to make jokes about this, you're not funny, don't give up your day job.

Divorce is easy and abortion is free. Society has done everything it can to make it easier to get out of a relationship unencumbered. Surely the result has been a lower incidence of domestic violence. No? Oops.

Uh, abortions are free? Yeah, not so much... if you are going by Foxnews completely false talking points, none of the money Planned Parenthood has ever received by the federal and state governments EVER went to abortions.

Let's get to the real problem with these cases - it's not divorce or abortions. It's control-freak spouses who refuse to allow their separated significant other to leave and move on....if they cannot have them, no one can. That's who need to be blamed

Divorce is easy

If you're the one who wants the divorce. I would imagine the person being left behind doesn't agree with that sentiment.

Well jkatze I was all for you until you decided this was a comment section for your political views. Another individual who is part of the problem and not the solution. Don't be surprised when your post gets collapsed.

jkatz: Stay on topic. Find a vine about politics.

Can we leave the political vitriol out of this discussion, please? Especially since politics has nothing to do with any of it.

The facts appear to be a missing mother, children removed from the visitational custody of their father after he threatened to "get a gun and end it all", a mariage that was marked by abusive and controlling behavior on the part of the husband, and the wife - now missing - who left the marriage to get herself and her children away from the abuse.

Having been through an abusive marriage in my youth, I can see this story with a different viewpoint than many others. Some may call it a jaundiced eye, but unless you've been through it, you really cannot understand all of the issues and why it's never as cut-and-dried as "why didn't you just leave?" Damned hard to leave when the other person refuses to let go and threatens to kill you and the kids as well as your family, friends, and anyone else who helps you. There has to be a very strong support network in place to get you out and keep you safe. Many women (and men) don't have that. And for abused men its worse...they get far less sympathy and often as not scathing ridicule that leaves them feeling emasculated twice over.

The thinking and behavior of abusers is irrational and no amount of logic will get through to them. Not surprisingly, most of them are pathological liars and sociopaths and master manipulators, capable of charming anyone while hiding their true natures. Abusers will often justify their abusive/controlling behavior as "necessary" to prove their love, to protect what's theirs, etc. They will terrorize, stalk, and threaten to hurt anyone who attempts to help their victim, using this to keep the victim in line and from seeking help.

All too often that safety net I mentioned earlier is not in place, and law enforcement and the courts is constrained by laws and sometimes by ignorance in ways that allow abusers to get away with what they're doing. And when tragedy strikes everyone asks why it was allowed to happen. Citizens have to vigorously petition their local and state governments to write, pass, and enact more thorough and stringent laws concerning domestic violence and then stay on them to make sure that law enforcement and the courts have what they need to enforce it. Which might mean paying a bit more in taxes, but nothing comes free in life.

And folks...abusers come from all races and classes. There are plenty of rich white women hiding bruises under designer clothes or who "go to the spa" to hide black eyes and broken bones. This isn't a condition restricted to the ghetto, the barrio, or the trailer park. You can't look at someone and tell that he or she is an abuser, although you can learn what behavior patterns to look for. There are signs of behavior when a person is being abused, too. The problem is, most of us aren't looking because we don't want to see.

Since whwn did abortions become free??

Great post, Allison. I'm wish I was allowed to vote for it more than once.

Divorce is easy? Hmm. Not when you have someone flipping out over it. Someone who refuses to understand that marriage is NOT all about them. This seems to be a recent trend, and I base this opinion on experiance.

Yes, thank you Allison Shaw! You ARE SO correct! WHY don't the state and federal governments "get it" yet? ... AND DO SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THIS???!!! WHY aren't there MORE abused womens' shelters and programs to hide at & FULLY help them re-start their lives? And WHY aren't "womens'" groups more concerned about this???!!! I'm not hearing enough concern/efforts by womens' groups about this issue! And the "good" men in our society - in government - in general - WHY aren't YOU concerning yourselves with this issue? Men - HAVE YOU (???) put yourself in the place of/ & imagined WHAT YOU would do or where YOU would go if you were a woman who suffered daily, from this problem? Women do not earn as much as men. Women are closer to their children, due to the maternal bond. WHAT IF the shoe were on the other foot & YOU earned less? If YOU had no where to go? The only way you can relate is if you imagined yourself married to or living 24/7 with a HUGE, 7 ft. boxer who hated you & took it out on you daily! Could YOU survive??? Oh, I know... most of you are TOO BUSY! Just go ahead & continue to ignore this issue & see how THAT choice rests with your soul! And you women, who call yourselves "champions of womens' causes"... why don't you take up this worthwhile cause???

Jeanette...............who are you to decide what the "topic" is? And who are you to regulate what other people write? First me, now jkatz. Say your piece and leave the rest of us alone. We have rights too, tho I know that ticks you off.

Alison...........Leave politics out of your discussion? Have you not heard of the Republican "War on Women." Perhaps reading about it would broaden your perspective. You want more laws about the bettering treatment of women? The you'd better vote Democarat, because Republicans don't care. In fact, a recent Minnesota Republican stated that abused women would be better off if they stayed with their abusers and were "nicer" to them, so kids could have two parents. And Wisconsin Republicans just recinded a law that made employers give equal pay to women because.........wait for it.............men need money more than women. Everything comes back to politics, because that's where the laws come from. The rules we have to live by. And sometimes die by.

It sounds like both parents WANTED the child so I don't see why abortion politics is being discussed at all....

Anyway, grandma, perhaps the reason so many of these murdered spouse stories are popping up is because the killer thinks they are justified in the moment. Why don't they just kill themselves instead? because they don't realize that their feelings are truly abnormal. Or if they do, they see themselves as an exception. It takes a certain amount of narcissism to carry out a murder vs simple abuse. Abusers may get caught up in a moment of criminal passion and strike their spouse, but to cross the line of deadly force and follow through requires a feeling of absolute justification.

Unless they are truly insane, they know it is wrong but they keep going because the end justifies the means. Getting away with it may not even come to mind until the murderous act is finished. Letting something go or just walking away isn't enough. They need gratification too.

Entitlement in today's society (especially the false kind) is greater than it was decades ago because more people have more rights and more opportunities. The problem is not enough people willing to put themselves in check when they want something or when they feel betrayed.

I guess you haven't read the rest of the story. I am happy to see that you ALSO as many did feel that the children would be fine without and him and protected by the grandparents. Unfortunately, and I should say tragically a judge thought differently. They were delivered to his home for a supervised visit where he killed them. He didn't JUST kill them, he used a hatchet on them first and had the house set up to explode. I know this seems pretty unbelieveable, but I wouldn't lie about such a thing. Look it up for yourselves. I'm sure you're speaking of the same Susan Powell and Joshua Powell from the Pacific Northwest US area.

This time, I HOPE they can manage to just KEEP THE KIDS away from the father and not worry about his god damn rights.

Joshua Powell was ALLOWED to kill his children, can we PLEASE just NOT have another repeat!

So now rights are "God damned?"

Mrs. C., I think machspeeddemon was referring to the children in this story being removed from the fathers custody so there would not be a repeat of the tragedies that happened in the Powell case. I too am glad that it sounds like the children are safe for now. I hope their grandparents can provide a loving and stable environment for them.

Yes, I was. Mrs C. makes a valid point, though. The work to protect those children has just begun.

I love when people say, "Not to pass judgment, but..." and then proceed to make a judgmental comment. It's exactly the same thing as saying, "Not to be a bigot, but... I hate Asians."

good point. i suppose i am judging.

just a thought: that's what the "but" is for... it indicates a contrary statement is about to be made.

It's still disingenuous. You're trying to make yourself seem like a less judgmental person by prefacing a statement like that with a meaningless platitude. Just be honest with yourself and everyone else about being judgmental. It's the internet. No one really cares.

good point. i suppose i am judging.

i agreed with you. and now you have added that my comment disingenuous and used a big scary word like platitude. awesome.

another good point:

It's the internet. No one really cares.

So, Chris, what is a probability statement? Just a nasty form of judgement? How about investigators working on past experience and likelihood? Are they just judging some poor, innocent sap?

Chris stated that " It's the internet. No one really cares." It appears that is not true. Chris cares!

jkatze

Right on, good points, and way to make Chris look like a pompous ass. Two thumbs up!

How about investigators working on past experience and likelihood? Are they just judging some poor, innocent sap?

A good investigator works from evidence alone and does not allow preconceived judgments to guide his search for a suspect. That's how innocent people end up in jail. You can call me pompous all you want, but it won't disguise your ignorance.

Chris is obviously a mind reader. He knew EXACTLY what you meant by what you wrote. Interesting. What am I thinking right now, Chris? That's right.. you probably spent $100,000 on that education so you could get on the blogs and use big words while you collect unemployment. Nice.

lol, u all mad

No, a good investigator does not work from evidence alone. I know, I was married to one many years ago. They use experience, instinct, and gut feelings along with the evidence. If they used evidence alone, which in some cases is non-existent then in certain cases they would never even get past evidence gathering before the case went cold.

Yeah, okay Realist. Instinct and "gut feelings" aren't admissible in court. Stop making up stories to try to make your BS sound more legitimate.

I wasn't talking about admissibility in court. I was talking about the investigation leading to things that are admissible in court. Quit changing the subject to make yourself appear intelligent and all-knowing.

Zzzzzzzz.

Most of you are acting like children on this entire thread. Let's face it... the media surrounds with stories that are similar to this one right? How many have we heard in the last 5-10 years where a similar event has taken place and it ended poorly? Its because of this that we are all somewhat 'pre disposed' to think the worst without knowing all of the facts.

Why not focus on one thing and one thing alone.... The mother is missing, the police are 'following' leads one of which happens to be the father... expect the worst, but hope for the best??????

Don't apologize Doolittle, it's your opinion (probably correct)!

It's sort of like "OH, I WENT TO BED LAST NIGHT, WOKE UP AND MY BABY WAS GONE"

yeah, cause you killed it, so where'd you put the body idiot?

JUST like the Powell case! Dad did it.

ok, so one time it actually wasn't the husband/boyfriend. what about the other 99% of the time?

So, Chris, are you telling us Stacy Peterson really did run off with some mysterious stranger and poor old Drew is being railroaded?

I really hate to agree with you Chris, as an older woman and mother (even grandmother)- I really feel I must.

We're not hearing anything about context as far as "ending it all", but after the Powell fiasco I can't imagine the local and even nationwide witchhunt surrounding this man. To be falsely accused is truly a horror, THIS I know from personal experience, and back when it happened to me there was no internet to spread the news of my "alleged" possible crime to the world. It's also possible he just isn't capable of being the sole caretaker of children unprepared 24/7, father or not. I don't know many parents of either sex that are "perfect".

Obviously if this man did something, crucify him. But now isn't the time.

There's no evidence other than baseless suspicion and gut reaction that points to the father.

Baseless? I won't go so far as to say he is guilty, but their suspicion is not baseless. He threatened to get a gun and use it, and his children were removed by the state because of that. That's a pretty solid base.

Hmmm people keep mentioning he threaten to get a gun....can you all please take a moment to read? An anonymous call claimed that and it could have been a lie from someone in the wife's family or a friend....

Do you base you opinion on past cases, people such as YOU are why people can not get fair trials and eventually get off....pat yourself on the back.

Except in this case, it is reported the father threatened to get a gun and end it all. I believe the suspicion is warranted.

Having a bad day, Chris? You seem cranky.

people such as YOU are why people can not get fair trials

No, it's exactly because of people like me that people CAN get fair trials. Instead of kangaroo-court lynch mobs like the rest of you, some people (like me) can wait until the facts are known before making a judgment.

"Vilet Torrez's brother, Javier Blanco, said a family member made the call after Cid Torrez threatened to get a gun and "end it all.""

Gailerina, no. It was not an "anonymous call" it was right there in the article, that you are suggesting people read.

Chris my comment was not to you, other people commenting.

Justice I read a different article that said anonymous call.

Gailerina, understood. Something else to be careful of is that MSNBC will change the article after it has been posted, sometimes changing important information. That's probably what happened here. You didn't see that line from the article because it wasn't there originally, but added later.

Good day to you.

Florida has a war against women?? I was born & raised in S. Florida, & still live there, & have never heard of "a war against women". Whatever that means.

Now YOU are thinking the correct way.

More information is needed, for all we know the marriage was bad because of her....you really think her family would protray her in a bad light?

They'd BETTER! The suspicion SHOULD be enough to keep the man AWAY...clear away from the children. I hope someone is paying attention. I hope the judge that gave Joshua his visitation rights never gets another peaceful night's rest either.

Jonathan Thomas.. I'm sure the cops in FL are hanging on your every word.

oh that sounds real bright, ever hear of the US CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF RIGHTS, you cant just detain someone because you are suspicious of them. Bob I dont know you, but that was really a moronic statement

Wait. Obama doesn't give a crap about what is in the constitution even though he swore to uphold and protect it. The citizens are supposed to?

Kari, maybe you should read up on how President Bush circumvented the Constitution via his self-appointed Supreme Court Justices, in part, to re-appoint himself President. You Remember 2004, the Supreme Court STOPPED a legal recount of votes during the election against Al Gore? Oh wait, you must be part of the 'let's not delve into the past because it doesn't matter or isn't a concern with what is happening NOW' crowd.

The Bush/Gore election was 2000, dude. Bush ran against Kerry in 2004. And since Bush wasn't president UNTIL the SCOTUS had ruled in his favor it would be impossible for him to self-appoint those justices that supposedly "re-appointed him president"; there were two president Bushes, senior and junior, and it was the elder Bush who appointed the justices that benefited the younger Bush.

Oh wait, you must be part of the "lets speak authoratatively about stuff we never bothered to look up and understand in the first place"

That case is still happening. He's in jail awaiting trial. I'm betting he will be convicted. I'll remember my words, and add lots of swear words to them if he walks.

Cool. I'll start! You are posting while drunk?

You both understood that post? Because he lost me at Oh, wad.

Lol! We were being gifted with a quote from a poem by Robert Burns, who did, as a matter of fact, like to imbibe.

I do agree with you, however most people I think are just going by what mostly happens if a child is missing most of the time it's a parent or a spouse is missing its the ex. Not saying that it happens all the time but most of the time.

and maybe she just got tired of being a mother and took off with her new boyfriend and abandoned her kids. I know there is no mention of a boyfriend, but people want to make sh1t up, so im just making up my little scenario, because just like everyone else, I KNOW NOTHING OTHER THAN SOMEONE IS MISSING, NO OTHER INFORMATION IS PUBLIC,

Eyeguy, thanks for the chuckles!

flyerznut, it's stated in the article that family and co-workers think this is uncharacteristic of her. That makes your make-up more made up than the others.

Have they questioned the Duke Lacrosse team yet? It's either them or the husband.

Funny eyeguy, but also you raise an interesting point. Isn't that going to be the way in Florida? Boy, a state where progress goes backwards.

Yeah eyeguy- and maybe it was the doctor in the kitchen with a spatula. (reference to an old board game if you're too young to know)

MAYBE this, MAYBE that...OOPS, I didn't realise YOU were referring to Tawana Brawley and Duke Lacrosse! So Sorry.

Maybe it was Col. Mustard at the Bed, Bath and Beyond? Is he out on parole already...after what he did to Mrs. White?

I thought it was Mrs. Peacock in the study with a candlestick?

at this point i would ask for the evidence that you have that the rest of us havent seen, besides your opinion, what clear and convictable evidence do you posess??? I hope it turns out not to be him, and he sues for them taking his kids. I understand its best for the kids to be safe, But if its determined that the father is innocent, I hope he sues, because at this point he is innocent. And of course her family will put him in the worst light, they would never say oh she just left her kids and took off. Eventually if no charges are brought, guess what, he gets his kids back

What the f__k??? kippy sounds mental!

I wonder the same thing. Did she work a night shift or something? Even so, at 11pm most night shifts have already started.

I feel there is too much information missing and while it is easy to point the finger, the call about the gun could have been a lie and if CPS did not investigate it properly and took the kids with no real evidence...someone will lose their job.

I'm not saying he is innocent, but the public is going to make it hard for him to get a fair trial...just look at majority of the comments on here....

How can we comment without slander? Maybe she just left and is walking the Earth like Caine in Kung Fu having adventures with the strange new people she's meeting? But that's slander against her because she abandoned her kids. These cases are so common that soon Vegas is gonna put up lines on the outcomes...threatening husband killed her 3-1...serial killer got her 7-1...her friend of 11 yrs killed her 10-1...she'll never be found/we'll never know 100-1...she took off with her new secret boyfriend 50-1. It could be a new reality show...like a spinoff of America's Most Wanted but interactive?

Maybe she got a great job somewhere working on a laptop at Mallory's neighbor's step-sister's house and didn't want to share her $12,000 check with her kids? 300-1?