I wasn’t familiar with this case until today. I don’t know enough to have an opinion about the Dad and Step-Mom, as people or as to their involvement. I’m by no means defending them but I can say their behavior withholding the recording, their address and the witness’s address isn’t automatically damning to me.
Until the Watts case I really didn’t appreciate what happens to people caught in a full-on main-stream/social media frenzy. I know for a fact there were parties in that case that wouldn’t give their home address (even to LE!) or witness contact information by the time it was over. The witnesses who saw her that morning no doubt have been harassed by the media (and probably accused of abducting her in social media) and her family members know this. For a variety of legitimate reasons they may want to avoid annoying them.
As far as the audio recording goes, it may be as simple as they don’t want their daughters ramblings to be made public. If I had a loved one who went missing and I happened to have a recording of them drunk and stupid from the night before I’m not sure I’d give it over to MSM either. They’ve provided all that info to LE and may feel that’s what really matters. And they very likely may have been advised by LE NOT to speak to the media at all lest it hamper the investigation. It’s all overwhelming and with a missing child probably hard to know the right thing to do.
I don’t dislike Dr Phil, but understandably his Brand is a top priority so Dr Phil chose to make it an issue. He could have discussed their reluctance to provide information w/them off-air. However he was personally offended they wouldn’t give him everything and launched into them on-air. I understand that he’s victim friendly and says he’ll keep information confidential but in all likelihood this family has already been burned by very reputable, nationally known reporters/news venues. MSM employs people who call victims/witnesses all day every day to get an interview. The people they’re calling are ill-prepared to deal w/the manipulative tactics (and even lies) these callers have honed to a fine art. I won’t fault Karlie’s parents if they were hesitant to trust Dr Phil 100%. And sincerely doubt he would have cracked the case when LE couldn’t simply by hearing the recording of Karlie’s voice.
Now, IMO most if not all of the above would go out the window for parents who fear their child is alive somewhere and in danger. I think most would do anything they could that had the slightest chance of bringing their child home safely — **** the repercussions! Karlie’s parent’s behavior on Dr Phil makes me doubt they believe she’s alive, or else they think she’s run away voluntarily and don’t really want her to come back.
And if that’s the case why go on Dr Phil at all?
Them not giving out witness info to Dr. Phil, okay. I can get behind that. That;s not what's throwing up red flags for me. Here is what is:
1. They seem completely unconcerned. Dad is very nonchalant, casual about the details surrounding this.
2. The laughed and giggled inappropriately several times during the interview.
3. The stepmom especially had hardcore Duper's Delight several times, just like Chris Watts.
4. The stepmom seemed super excited and dramatic and enjoying herself in her Facebook live videos she aired very quickly after the disappearance.
5. They contacted Dateline immediately after the disappearance but then lied to the program about details.
6. They had an interesting reaction to the polygraph question. Stepmom flinched but stayed silent when asked. Dad was pretty quiet when asked.
7. They had fake tears during the interview.
8. They did not take their kid to the ER despite her seeming out of it and terrified and hallucinating.
9. The area they live in, and the supposed direction of travel of the child should've made it easy for them to locate her if she was out wandering. It's a straight line. Then drones and helicopters? But no sign.
10. They has multiple excuses for lying about details of the disappearance, to Dateline.
11. Dad seems like a glib and practiced liar.
12. However, dad was nervous during the interview, with a dry mouth and lots of odd head movements. If my kid had disappeared I would be distraught, not nervous.
13. If they had been instructed not to speak with the media, why are they going on Dr. Phil?
14. Apparently, stepmom's voice is also slurring on the audio she recorded. We should hear that tomorrow.
If you haven't watched the whole show, do it. Their reactions are bizarre at best. I've definitely seen behavior like their's before and never with a good outcome.
