PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With convicted murderer Danilo Cavalcante back in police custody, neighborhoods that had been on high alert during the two-week manhunt, while the fugitive broke into homes for food, changed his appearance and stole a van and rifle, can now return to their lives as usual. That may be more difficult for some than others.
Learning of the capture, neighbors who live and work near the search area said they can finally breathe. Mary Galpin, who lives just a few miles from where Cavalcante was captured, was almost in tears Wednesday as she described how she felt.
“I was scared. I was really frightened, especially when he got the gun,” Galpin said. “I'm very relieved. Everybody around here is relieved.”
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Phyllis Flowers, who lives just two miles from the capture site, said she had been on edge knowing the escaped fugitive was so near.
“I'm so relieved because, to be honest, we were on pins and needles in the area. I have two grandchildren that live only like three miles away, and I wasn't even able to let them go outside.”
Neighbors with experiences like Galpin’s and Flowers’ may have trouble returning to their normal routine, especially if they don't take time to process what they just went through, according to West Chester University psychology professor Michael Roche.
“If you don't take time to process what happened, then it can come out in other ways," Roche said.
“It might come out in increased anger, irritability … maybe sensitivity to threats that you might not have otherwise been so concerned about."
Roche says if residents begin to feel overwhelmed, he would encourage scheduling a few sessions with someone to check in and look for some more effective ways to process and cope with those feelings.
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He says children in particular may have trouble understanding there is no longer a threat.
“There's some research that suggests school-based proficiency tends to go down, especially the closer you are in proximity to the areas where the events have taken place."
He says parents and teachers should keep an eye on children as they go back to school.
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“The signals of what's wrong when you're an adult look a little bit different than when you're a child, and parents often notice that it’s difficult for children to communicate their feelings in words, so they end up using actions to communicate that."
Parents who notice their childrens’ school performance slipping, or any changes in mood now that the manhunt is over, should consider calling in some extra help, Roche said.
“It makes sense to monitor them for a couple weeks to see if they resolve on their own — and if they don't, I'd say it’s time to reach out to a professional."
Correction: A previous version of this article spelled Cavalcante's first name based on official law enforcement and court documents, which have been different from what's on customs documents.