Polly Klaas Kidnapping Essay Example

for justice. Polly Hannah Klass was born on January 3, 1981 in Fairfax, California to Marc and Eve Klaas (Burke, 2008). She was a beautiful baby girl whom they named Polly Hannah Klass. At the age of two-and-a-half, her parents divorced and her mother was granted custody.

Her father faithfully visited her, which was easy for Marc because he remained friends with her mom, Eve. Later on, her mother got married, but Polly had no trouble getting along with her mom's new family. Like any other little girl, Polly had crushes on boys, particularly football player Joe Montana and actor Mel Gibson. She also had various favorite things such as popcorn, hot fudge sundaes, Archie comics, and Judy Blume books. Polly grew up to be a very pretty girl with big brown eyes, fair skin, dark wavy hair, and dimples.

Polly has always aspired to be a professional actress and has shown a keen enthusiasm for music (Podger, 2003). She takes pleasure in participating in school plays and is an engaged member of the school band. Since she was young, Polly delighted in amusing people with her comical behavior and possessed a great sense of humor. Despite residing with her mother's new family, she spent weekends and holidays with her father Marc, who provided unwavering support and made sure that Polly never experienced loneliness.

Polly had a strong bond with her paternal grandparents and often went on trips with them. Similar to other kids, Polly had a fear of the dark due to an unknown bogeyman and the worry of being taken away. She would regularly discuss this fear with her parents,

and her father always guaranteed her safety. Furthermore, after separating from her second husband (Burke, 2008), Polly's mother resided in Petaluma, California along with her two daughters.

Their new neighborhood in Petaluma is a safe suburb, and their pale-blue house is conveniently situated near downtown. On October 1, 1993, Polly organized a slumber party for her closest friends, Kate McLean and Gillian Pelham. All three girls were students at Petaluma Junior High and also played the clarinet in the school band. The party was filled with excitement as they had loads of fun capturing moments wearing Mickey Mouse hats and antler hats.

While the three girls were enjoying themselves, playing with make-up, one of them named Polly decided to transform herself into a ghoul by painting her face white and wearing black lipstick (Knaupp, 2007). Unfortunately, as Polly was removing her make-up later on, an abductor was lurking outside their house. They were having a great time in Polly's cheerful bedroom playing a board game called Perfect Match when she left to fetch some sleeping bags from the living room. However, upon opening the door, she was confronted by a middle-aged man of large stature who brandished a knife and blocked her path. He warned them all to remain silent or face certain death. The presence of Polly's abductor filled all three girls with sheer terror.

Katie and Gillian initially believed it was a Halloween prank. Richard Allen Davis reassured the girls that he had no harmful intentions and was only motivated by money. Polly offered him $50 cash, but Davis declined, instead instructing the three girls to lie down and

tying their hands behind their backs. He then placed hoods over their heads while reassuring them that he would not harm them. In a fearful plea, Polly begged Davis to spare her mother and sister.

Davis then commanded the other two girls to count to 1,000 before taking any action, and proceeded to forcefully take Polly out of her home (Knaupp, 2007). Though the two girls tried to free themselves from their restraints instead of counting, they eventually succeeded. Gillian and Kate urgently woke Polly’s mother and recounted everything. In a state of panic, Eve Nichol dialed 911, initiating the extensive search for Polly Hannah Klaas (Whisler, 2001). The Petaluma police force quickly arrived in the vicinity and broadcasted the abductor's description on police radios throughout Sonoma County.

Davis may face arrest at night when his Pinto car gets trapped in a ditch. A woman contacts the police after witnessing an unfamiliar man stranded on the roadside. As two deputies approach him, Davis, with twigs in his hair and perspiration on his forehead, maintains composure. He uses his shirt to wipe off the sweat while casually engaging in conversation with the officers.

In fact, the officers assisted Davis in extracting his Pinto from a ditch by borrowing a chain from a nearby homeowner. The next day, forensic experts discovered Richard Allen Davis' palm print in Polly's bedroom. However, this information was withheld from the media, as well as his encounter with the deputies (Gross, 1993). The Petaluma community was deeply disturbed upon learning about the incident. Consequently, numerous individuals volunteered to help in the search for Polly Klass. Thousands of circulars

containing Polly's photograph, along with her description and the police contact number, were distributed.

A television show has aired a segment featuring pictures of Polly and a sketch of her abductor. The police, along with K-9 units, have searched every possible area for any signs of the missing girl. In the town of Petaluma, purple ribbons have been scattered as a symbol, since it is Polly's favorite color. Winona Ryder, a thin and elfin brunette actress who is from the same place as Polly, has offered a reward of $200,000. She believes that there is a common connection between her and Polly, as they both attended Petaluma High School. All Winona wants is for Polly to safely return home alive.

The hopes of Ryder and all concerned individuals were shattered when two hikers discovered items that could be linked to Polly's abduction. These items included knotted red tights, a dark sweatshirt, strips of binding tape, a white cloth used as a hood, and the wrapper of an unrolled condom. Millions of prayers were answered when Davis was arrested two days later, although he remained silent until December 4 of the same year when he confessed to everything he had done. This confession led investigators to the lifeless body of Polly Klaas, which was found 30 miles away from Petaluma. Subsequently, formal court hearings were held.

The defense team of Davis aimed to reduce his chances of receiving a death sentence by proving that he did not sexually assault Polly. In California, committing sexual assault or kidnapping can lead to capital punishment. Although there was no physical evidence from Polly's decomposed body, Davis

was still sentenced to death by lethal injection based on the jury's recommendation. During the sentencing hearing, Davis accused Marc Klaas of sexually mistreating Polly.

Davis alleged that Polly confided in him about her father's molesting and advances towards her. This revelation prompted Mark Klaas, a staunch advocate for child safety, to angrily react and confront Davis. Following this incident, California heightened its vigilance and the police force developed new methods to track missing or kidnapped children. Polly's case also helped fortify the laws against felony within the judicial system. Richard Allen Davis remains far from completing his sentence, and his conviction will forever be remembered as the jury remained unmoved by his false accusations against Polly's father.

The jurors who convicted Polly Hannah Klaas are regarded as contemporary heroes and heroines because of their unwavering commitment to preserving justice. The case of Polly Hannah Klaas had a significant influence on the community, raising awareness about the necessity of safeguarding children from perpetrators. In honor of his daughter, Marc Klaas founded the KlaasKids Foundation, which aims to shield children from any type of harm (Knaupp, 2007).

The KlaasKids Foundation is committed to championing children's rights and fostering a safer world for them. Their efforts include educating the community on protecting children from potential abductors and offenders. They advocate for stronger laws to hold responsible individuals accountable. Additionally, they actively work with the victim's family, concerned citizens, organizations, law enforcement agencies, private sectors, and legislators in locating missing and kidnapped children.

The memories of Polly Hannah Klaas will forever endure in the hearts of all Americans. The tragic loss of this cherished

child, sister, student, grandchild, and friend is a significant chapter in Petaluma's history. It is crucial that we protect our children as they are the embodiment of our future. If another tragedy were to befall one of them, akin to what occurred to Polly Hannah Klaas, what would become of our future?