A Dark Chapter in History -The James Bulger Case
How did two 10-year-olds kidnap James Bulger?
James Patrick Bulger — a lively two-year-old boy, full of curiosity and joy. He was born on March 16, 1990, and lived in Kirkby, England, with his loving family. On February 12, 1993, this two-year-old was having a typical day with his mother, Denise. They were at the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool. It was close to their home and a familiar place where James could enjoy the sights and sounds.
Denise was shopping, and James was by her side. For a moment, she looked away, unaware of their day’s terrifying twist. In that brief moment of distraction, two ten-year-old boys took James away. But how did they manage?
The Tragic Incident
The two ten-year-olds, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson spotted James. They saw an opportunity at the moment when Denise was momentarily distracted without catching the attention of the adults around; the boys approached James.
Venables and Thompson started interacting with James. They seemed friendly and harmless, enough to win the little boy’s trust. This encouraged James to follow them, and they successfully led him away from his mother. This was the start of a walk that would end tragically.
