Source: Shawn Hornbeck was forced to guard Ben Ownby

ST. LOUIS -- Abducted teen Shawn Hornbeck assisted his alleged captor Michael Devlin by keeping guard over another snatched boy after Devlin repeatedly left the youngsters alone in his apartment, an official said Thursday.

Shawn's cooperation with Devlin was the result of what Shawn experienced during his first 30 days of captivity after Devlin allegedly kidnapped the boy in 2002, an official close to the investigation said. The official requested anonymity. Several officials have refused to speak publicly about the case for fear their statements might hinder the investigation of Devlin.

Shawn's isolation and abuse during that first month were so intense that the then-11-year-old's identity was torn apart, the official said. Over time, Shawn began to see Devlin as his protector and surrogate parent in a pattern common to many abuse victims, the official said.

The official would not elaborate on what happened to Shawn during the 30 days, but said details of the abuse and captivity would emerge soon when they are used as evidence against Devlin. The 41-year-old pizzeria manager is charged with kidnapping Shawn and Ben Ownby in separate remote Missouri towns four years apart.

Ben was abducted Jan. 8. Both boys were found inside Devlin's apartment in the St. Louis suburb Kirkwood on Jan. 12.

The official, along with another source close to the case, said Shawn answered the door the evening of Jan. 11 when authorities arrived to question Devlin. They wanted to ask Devlin about his white Nissan pickup, which matched the description of a truck that was seen speeding away from the scene of Ben's abduction.

Before Shawn answered the door, he and Devlin told Ben to hide behind the door of Devlin's bedroom and to remain silent. Shawn spoke with the authorities as did Devlin, according to the sources.

Devlin refused to let authorities enter his home, and officers did not have probable cause at the time to force their entry, according to a law enforcement official who worked on the task force to find Ben.

The next day, officers raided the home, finding the boys.

A skewed picture

The official said a previous news report claiming Shawn helped Devlin kidnap Ben was largely inaccurate. That story and other tidbits of information have painted a skewed picture of a young boy who was forced against his will to live with Devlin for years, the official said.

"Until you understand what he went through, don't be looking at these little snippets and judging" Shawn, the official said.

"He's a victim. He was kidnapped. He was taken from his parents. He was forced to live with this guy. He was forced to accommodate," the official said.

During Ben's four days of captivity, Shawn helped ensure Ben didn't escape during the hours when Devlin worked as a manager at Imo's Pizza, the official said. Devlin went to work for a couple of hours Wednesday and the full days of Thursday and Friday of that week, according to his boss, Mike Prosperi.

Scott Sherman, an attorney representing Shawn's family, said the family could not comment on anything that happened between the date Shawn disappeared and the date he was rescued.

"The family thanks everyone for their concern and we hope to get justice in a way that has dignity for our criminal justice system," Sherman said.

Devlin's attorney Michael Kielty, through a spokeswoman, said it is "reprehensible that stories about this case are being told by the government in anonymous leaks."