RavenCC2020
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2018
- Messages
- 346
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I know the deal here is scroll and roll if something upsets you but I just can't in this instance. Throwing in "white woman syndrome" is not only an untrue statement and misleading how it is thrown around so easily lately (not here in society as a while) not to mention it is an enormous insult to MT's parents and siblings.
Realty is NOT all missing person cases are handled the same because they are NOT all the same. Not victim bashing her but in some missing person's cases the victim themselves through prior actions and behaviors and patterns can lead to LE not getting right on a case or being brought in so late after the game that it is almost impossible to repiece the crime or even determine if one has been committed. Some people go "missing" on their own and make a pattern of it. How many times have you read of a person who was using drugs, perhaps even sometimes being a prostitute that has gone missing and no one ever reports it. Or worse yet, reports it a 6 months a year later. What are authorities to do? It is common behavior for that person to go missing and even travel to a different city and not letting anyone know they have left. Some are not even in contact with their families to have anyone who cares about them report them missing. Police have to consider this when determining if they can use their limited resources available on a case it took so long to report and may be the person is fine and just living some place else, or the 1000 other open cases they need to work on that are current.
Another good example is in our area we have a rather large ethnic community of people from Puerto Rico. In fact I have friends who are PR and it is not uncommon for people to be living here and working and be gone tomorrow. They decided to go visit their families in PR and decided to stay there awhile. No one knows this happens until it does. So people in the community don't think twice if this person or that goes "missing" because they are sure to show back up in a month or two or three, however long they decide to stay away. I've commented on how unusual that is and have had my friends say it's the culture. Hey, I am not PR so how do I know if that is true or not nor who am I to judge. I do know I've heard stories that I can't even imagine how LE would even begin to determine when the heck the person went missing and where they even on the mainland USA when it happened. Police are not clairvoyant and there is no crystal ball to find everyone. It is up to us as individuals to remain connected to someone so you WILL be missed should something happen.
I also wish to highlight that MOST cases that go national are in fact begun with the family that actively begin searching and making it aware in their communities. THAT is how it grows. Think Laci Peterson. Relatively small town where she was well known. The family and her close friends hit the pavement running (like MT's family in this case) and they took action, formed searches, called the media, passed out fliers, created jpg fliers to be printed out by anyone else anywhere to post. In her case there is no doubt what grabbed the national media was it was Christmas time and not a lot else going on. People are more likely to engage and empathize with the missing person and her family at a time when they are gathered with their own families in celebrations across the country. Add the fact that she was pregnant and then it adds the vulnerbility angle to it not to mention a religious aspect to those who celebrate Christmas. That image of Mary giving birth in the manger ya know.
Currently there is someone being held in the city I was raised in on assault charges and in fact they are aware that he is more then likely a serial killer. Why? Three bodies were found in his house. All missing women from the area. Problem here. I know two of them were never reported as missing. I read her families comments and thought OMG why do people do this. She was a person who traveled between the city she lived in and NYC whenever she felt she wanted to go and it was very common for her not to let anyone know. This was USUAL behavior for her so the family did not report it. One older woman (of the 3 victims) was missing almost a year and never reported missing. I couldn't figure out this one at all why she wouldn't be reported. No family has come forward to be interviewed so I assume she had no family. All three apparently were known drug users and often were seen on the streets or the bus station where they met the dealers or made contact with Johns etc. It was horrifying to know these people had been missing and no one reported it. Important to note the victim that frequently went to NYC was PR about 31 or so. The victim that was never reported for her was black in late 30's early 40's and the final victim was white in late 20's. She in face was a young mother and I think it was reported although I never saw any news on it but it could have just been a brief article or snippet on news.
You also have to consider some missing are homeless. They crash a day here a day there, this friend's house, the mission one day, on a park bench if not lucky enough to find a roof for the night. Those are almost impossible to solve and of course they get little attention because there is no real place to say they went missing from or even if they wenyt missing. Again, detached from family or friends for the most part who even if they do love you and want to get word out, they are hesitant to do so because you may be fine or involved in something that is not above board and loved ones don't want to set the cops looking for you and get you in trouble. I've seen cases reported of a woman in her 30's missing and the latest picture available to show what she looks like she was in high school. That is a long time and certainly her appearance changed during that time. How can police or the public help when they don't even have a relatively current photo.
The search starts at home with family. It doesn't matter what color that family is. If they are out there and continue speaking to the media people WILL get involved. But don't feel just because one case gets more attention then others it is simply about the victims color and not because the family worked their butts off to get the story out there. Finally, in this case MT had a family, had a schedule, she didn't take off on her own in the past and not tell anyone. It struck people's hearts because she IS your daughter, little sister, niece that is loved and well cared for every day by her family and those in her community. It does NOT mean her life is more valuable then someone else's it just means those who love her dearly are continuing to do the legwork, network, make contact with those that can get their stories out in the best way possible to the largest audience possible.
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