New details emerge in Etan Patz case

More details have emerged in the case of 6-year-old Etan Patz, whose disappearance sparked the nationwide missing child movement. Etan Patz was the first child to be featured on a milk carton and his disappearance led parents to keep close watch on their children.

NEW YORK, NY (Catholic Online) - According to authorities, the story is now that an 18-year-old Pedro Hernandez lured the six-year-old Etan into a basement with a soda, then strangled him. He told authorities that he later cut up the boy's body and disposed of his remains in a plastic bag. Hernandez insists that he did not molest the boy before killing him. 

And now the question of why is all that remains. Investigators said the Hernandez, now 51, could never answer that question. 

Hernandez has been charged with second degree murder and is expected to appear before a judge as early as today. He is currently on suicide watch at Bellevue Hospital after informing authorities that he has not been taking his psychiatric medication. 

Hernandez, originally a native of Puerto Rico, moved to New Jersey after the murder. Presently, he is married and has a daughter who is in college. Hernandez has no prior criminal record, but does apparently take psychiatric medications, although the kind and reason have not been disclosed. Hernandez has been described as a good person by his neighbors. 

According to relatives, Hernandez has been troubled for a very long time over the killing of Etan. As early as 1981, relatives say he told them he did something "really bad" in New York. 

Ironically, it was a false lead that led police back to Hernandez. When the case returned to the media spotlight after a fruitless search of a basement in New York, a tipster decided to call police and refer them to Hernandez who was already known to police. 

Now, the legal case against Hernandez will start and the proceedings may be as complex as the case itself. Although Hernandez has admitted to the crime, police have only his admission and no physical evidence. There are no other witnesses to corroborate Hernandez's claims. 

Also, if Hernandez has a psychiatric condition, that could also complicate matters. The fact that Hernandez committed the crime without any apparent motive is also a problem because it could bolster an insanity defense. 

For now, prosecutors will have to wrangle with these issues. In the meantime it is hoped that the family of Etan Patz and all those who remember the horror of the case will find some measure of closure from Hernandez's confession. 

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