I hadn't heard those specifics before...Where was that reported? I had just heard/read that they called some neighbors first before calling police. In fact, I recall an interview published in the paper that said the uncle (Tom) got a call between 2:30 and 3:00am and by the time he got to the house the police had already arrived and had the house sealed as a crime scene.
It has been reported that some neighbors had come over and gone searching for Elizabeth through the house before police arrived.
You also mentioned some 'wild rumors' about the dad staging the kidnapping for ransom money, I hadn't heard those rumors (other than some pretty wild scandal-monging here at FR over the last couple of days). Where were you when you heard those rumors??