Chapter 2, Donovan's Story

His name is Donovan Prom.

As it turns out, in one way or another, this poor baby is lucky to be alive and well. There are a LOT of facts and details that still need to be discovered and sorted out, but it is now clear that his mother was found. She was shot in the back of the head and stuffed into the trunk of her car. The car was found on a North St. Louis street.

(Don't know whether his mother's murder put the baby in the apt. complex after she was killed, etc, )

It is unlikely that his mother abandoned him at-will, and possibly did so a gunpoint, if she had any choice in the matter at all.

Even though this crime occurred during the night, I:

* ALWAYS lock the doors to my truck, whether I am in it or not.

* GPS is a good thing. Even though I have lived in St. Louis since 1995, and I know the city fairly well, I *always* have a GPS with me. I might not always turn it on, but it is in the truck with me, in case I need it.

* Anyone living in or visiting St. Louis should draw a mental imaginary line of the city, running from East to West. The Arch is a good reference line, but more accurately that line should be drawn east-to-west, starting at the Edwards Jones Dome.
Use that GPS *at all times* if you go 'north of the Dome'.

* Only 'go North' if you have business to tend to up there AND you know where you are going, and preferably only in the day time.

* IF you do have business to tend to 'up North', park as close to the door as you can. Before you get out of the vehicle, it should be an instinctual habit to scan the area completely around your car for as far as you can see (KEEPING THE DOORS LOCKED!) I won't exit my vehicle if I see another soul on the street.

* THEN, get out of your vehicle and get inside your destination as quickly as possible. Unsuspecting people tarrying around a vehicle in bad areas of town is the same as having a billboard on your forehead that says, "Go ahead! Hold me up and take my car! Shoot me, if you think it is necessary!"

* Of course, the doors of a vehicle are locked at all times - whether you are in the vehicle or not.

(When in Chicago, replace the word "North" with "South" !)

The reality of the deal is that you should do these things at ALL times, no matter where you are, and irregardless of the time of day.

Taking the time and energy to be smart and to make intelligent choices is priceless. Losing your valuables or your life is a high price to pay for being too lazy and / or too naive to be savvy about your business.

Even when I am in 'Small Town, USA', I still do these things by sheer habit - and I am glad that I do.
"The Rest Of The Story" (Donovan's mother's murder):
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/mother-found-dead-in-trunk-died-of-gunshot-wound/article_33d46ecb-23e0-5863-8297-f598e33b54ba.html

Donovan's story is still unfolding....

- Michael