Nigel Barker Recalls Panic Over Missing Son
 Axelle/Bauer-Griffin |
As viewers around the world watched with bated breath as the Balloon Boy hoax unfolded on October 15th, there was at least one father who knew the fear of a missing child all too well.
Talking to OK!, photographer Nigel Barker reveals that during a family outing to a friend’s lake house his son Jack, 4 this month, suddenly went missing under his watchful eye.
“I thought I’d lost him and panicked,” he recalls. “I literally thought he had drowned. I thought he had gone outside and drowned.”
Fortunately, despite fearing the worst following a 25-minute search for his son, Nigel found Jack — safe and sound — hiding behind a couch. After hearing his father’s frantic calls, the preschooler, “scared to come out,” thought it best to stay put and avoid getting in trouble!
“Twenty-five minutes doesn’t sound long, except when you’re looking for a 3-year-old, and every minute that went by, you thought something worse had happened.”
Although his son is in school, Nigel won’t be catching a break to relax anytime soon; Ten-month-old daughter Jasmine Ines‘ first steps aren’t far off. “[She will be] walking any moment now,” the proud papa shares.
And while Jasmine may keep her parents on their toes, Nigel explains that the latest milestone means that he and his wife of 10 years, model Christen Chin Barker, are finally ready to take some time for themselves.
“Hopefully there will be a turn around in our scenario,” he muses. “For the first ten months to a year of a new baby, you don’t have any couple time.”
That said, Nigel would like to add to his family — but jokes that he needs to expand his wallet beforehand! “I would love more kids, but I’m not sure I can afford more in [New York City],” the America’s Next Top Model judge notes. “I certainly enjoy making them.”
Source: OK!
– Anya
- Posted on Nov 2, 09 at 6:00PM
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- 21 Comments
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
When i was 3 yrs old my mom could not find me anywhere! She called the police and they all searched the pond behind us. Before, she called the police she was looking for 30 minutes. That seems like a lot of time when you’re looking for your child. Apparently, i had a cold and fell asleep under the couch cushions and out of sight to everyone. My poor mom & police finally saw a little leg fly up from the couch and found me! I’m 40 now and my mom still talks about that incident. Scared the stars out of her. I didn’t remember it.
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 pm
One of my neighbors lost their son once. They called the police and the police searched all over, including in everybodys pools. There was a district-wide message on phones and everything. It was terrifying. He ended up being asleep under his bed under blankets and pillows (he had a loft bed) and didn’t wake up when his name was called. The parents were MORTIFIED but the police laughed and assured them it has happened before. It’s always better to be too safe, and have a happy ending!
I can only imagine how scary that was for them! At least he’s okay!!
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:01 am
Don’t you have to wait 24 hours to file a missing persons report and start a search? (with the police).
I’m sure its a terrifying experience.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:35 am
That happened to my parents once with my brother when he was around 2 1/2. They had stopped at a rest area while on a trip…and at some point, my brother went missing. Needless to say, they were in a panic. Luckily, they eventually located him. He had been hanging out in one of the restrooms (he wasn’t yet potty-trained at that point, hence why our parents didn’t automatically assume he had gone to the bathroom, which is probably what you’d do if an older child went missing at a rest area!).
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:49 am
I remember how terrified my parents were when my sister disappeared in a Turkish Bazaar (the big one in Istanbul). He just went straight to the police station where she was waiting. She’d had an argument with my parents and refused to go in the stall, some people saw her outside and figured she was lost and took her to a police station.
And my grandparents had the fright of their life when my brother went missing for about an hour in Sainsburys (a supermarket chain)- because he liked to run off he wasn’t allowed to go to the Millenium dome.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:50 am
Mia – the laws are different for children. 24 hours is a lifetime in a missing child search.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Mia, not with children. When a child or baby is missing, what would be the point to wait 24 hours? They most likely didn’t run away but are in serious trouble and danger. I can’t imagine if an infant goes missing, what would be the point to wait 24 hours. Here in BC, on Halloween night a 3 yrs old girl was left in the car sleeping at 11 pm by her parents, when they went to check on her, she was gone. Police found her several hours later on a freezing night by the river behind the parents place.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
I guess its only 24 hours with teenagers, since yes, it wouldn’t make sense to wait 24 hours, but the only missing persons/searches I have read about are the ones where you have to wait 24 hours.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
teenagers/adults****
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Mia, it’s not always 24 hrs for adults, either. If the person missing is unstable (at risk for hurting themselves or someone else) or there are other circumstances, the search can start much earlier.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Once I lost sight of my two older boys in a department store.I freaked and the store staff closed the doors and explained the situation to the costumers through their microphones.Everyone was gracious and kind enough to help me look for them.In the end the two kids thought they were playing hide and seek with the entire store.One of the most embarassing and scariest moments of my life in one.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Must have been terrible. I cannot imagine going through that experience.
-meream
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Molly, that sounds awful!! I hope that little girl is okay!
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
When my brother was about 18months old my mum thought he’d gone missing. We couldn’t find him in the house and she started to think he’d maybe wandered outside. Given that this was mid-winter and it was freezing outside and all he was wearing was a vest and nappy she was panicking! Luckily my sister found him maybe 15/20 minutes later in my parents’ bed – he’d climbed under the covers and fallen asleep, but because he was so little he hadn’t made a bump in the duvet.
Also when I was about 2 I wandered off in a park during a family fun day. Obviously my parents eventually found me, but they’d been panicking too. Needless to say I have no recollection of the incident!
November 4th, 2009 at 8:44 am
never leave yourchild in the car for ANY reason!!! get your kid cell phone, a prepay one it is a safereassurance. check your local police and village website for area predetors. As parents we have to triple protected and percautions. Have your familyhave a code word for “to come out” answer to mom or dad, pay atteniton etc. I call mykids a fav cartoon name when we are in public so theyonly look and respond me. my kids are 5 and 8 and we were at disney and i made them wear velco bracelet with bungy cords so they wouldn’t be sepaerated.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:15 am
When I was little, I wanted to watch tv with my mother and sister. But my mother yelled at me about something (can’t remember what it was), so I stormed out. I then decided to sit in the closet (couldn’t tell you why). The next morning, I woke up in my bed. My sister told me that they were frantically searching for me until they opened the closet to get coats, so they could search outside and found me asleep.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:58 am
My daughter hid in my Mom’s house for 5 minutes once, and I nearly had a heart attack. I was outside checking driveways and streets in 2 seconds flat.
Luckily, she was just hiding. I was so afraid.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
momofthree:no offense, but you sound a bit over-the-top…bungee-cord bracelets @ Disneyland for an 8 yr old???? I am VERY protective of my children, however, I keep a watchful eye on them and do not frighten them by being overly protective.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I heard this story about me every time my family get together. I was about 2 and my 9 month pregnant aunt was looking after me. I guess i have always played jokes on people since a child because i hide behind the curtain that was very long, hanging to the floor. You couldnt see my litle feet. my aunt starts looking for me, calling my name, then screaming for me.. she was soo scared that i was gone, she went into labor… sorry aunt…
November 6th, 2009 at 2:39 am
lindaloo- i don’t think it’s *over the top* at all for an 8yr old. Disneyland is a very very big place and it’s always better to be safe than sorry especially with the crowds that you get there. Momofthree- i would do the same with my 8yr old
November 6th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Im with you lindaloo!