Continuing in their fight to raise awareness about missing children across the country, victims’ rights and violence, the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction, proudly introduced an informative new website, according to EyesOnNews on Tuesday.
In late 1995, 9-year-old Jimmy Ryce was abducted in South Florida by a sexual predator while on his way home from school, raped and subsequently murdered. A massive search – led by Jimmy’s parents, Don and Claudine Rice – ended in December with the arrest of Juan Carlos Chavez. With a community in mourning, Jimmy’s funeral was held on December 30th.
To honor their son, “The Jimmy Ryce Center” was created in an effort to raise community awareness about the plight of missing children, in addition to victims’ rights’ and violence. Through speeches, brochures and newsletters, radio and television appearances and effective use of social media, they have not only educated the general public, but have introduced legislation effecting change in laws designed to better protect children from sexual predators.
In providing an education to the general public about dangerous sexual predators, The Jimmy Ryce Center also provides AKC bloodhounds to law enforcement agencies throughout the United States in an effort to help them locate missing and abducted children.
According to Jimmy’s mother, Claudine Ryce, “a bloodhound has 60 times the scent power of a German shepherd and is the only dog that can follow a human trail more than a few hours old. A bloodhound is your best single bet for bringing a child, abducted by a predator, home, alive. We believe that Jimmy would be alive today if a bloodhound had immediately been brought in to search for our son.”
“To donate an AKC bloodhound, the receiving law enforcement agency must be willing to designate an officer to be its handler or canine partner,” Jimmy Ryce Center board member Mark Young told Examiner. “For a little over $2,000, this includes not only the acquisition of the bloodhound puppy, but training and transportation.”
Young Jimmy had an IQ of over 130. He loved to read, hated stories with sad endings and cried when he saw Les Miserable. At nine years old, he had aspirations of being an MLB baseball player or finding a cure for a disease.
“Claudine and I always wanted our son’s death to keep other children safe and have a positive impact on future generations. Jimmy’s legacy endures each time we donate a bloodhound to a law enforcement agency,” Don Ryce, founder and Executive Director of the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction, told EyesOnNews. “After Jimmy’s death, Claudine immersed herself in creating our first website.”
Today, Don and Jimmy’s brother, Ted, continue with the mission of the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction and actively raise funds to donate bloodhounds to law enforcement agencies.
“I know Jimmy would never want another child to cry, ‘Mama, Daddy, somebody come help me,’ and nobody comes.” So, the Jimmy Ryce Center gives free to law enforcement AKC bloodhounds to find lost or abducted kids and catch violent predators,” Claudine Ryce said.
Jimmy’s mother – Claudine Ryce – died of a heart attack in 2009 and is buried next to him at Woodlawn Cemetery South in Miami. Juan Carlos Chavez was executed by the state of Florida on February 12, 2014 for the kidnapping, rape and murder of Jimmy Ryce.
To learn more about the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction or to make a donation toward the purchase of an AKC bloodhound, please visit the website.
“To date, over 400 bloodhounds have been donated to law enforcement agencies throughout the country,” concluded Young.
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Bill Lewis of Fort Lauderdale – Radio talk show host, Starbucks connoisseur, social media whiz, political consultant, extreme coupon shopper, identity theft expert, columnist, philanthropist and his kids Dad.
As a nationally recognized credit repair and ID theft expert, Bill Lewis is principal of William E. Lewis Jr. & Associates, a solutions based professional consulting firm specializing in the discriminating individual, business or governmental entity.
