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I was thinking about this earlier: most families do not want the shame that goes along with having admitted that their daughter was raped. They want to pretend it never happened. As long as Elizabeth is getting the counseling she needs privately, there is no reason to make this a public affair. Also, for authorities to file sexual assault charges against Mitchell, Elizabeth would have to testify against him, and the family probably doesn't want that.

I'm pretty sure that this family isn't doing what they need to be doing - because I would think a competent counselor would discourage them from the staged shots, the "everything is wonderful" public statements, and anything which brings further focus on this.

I've said for a while that this family did half the kidnappers job for him by conditioning the girl in a very fundamentalist view of mormonism - and my gut is telling me that they're relying on their religion again to make everything perfect again. They're expecting God to restore this girl's psyche, naivete, and innocence, and want Him to make everyone forget - but they're making yet another foolish error.

I'm not happy, but they will pay a price in terms of their relationship with Elizabeth - if not now, then a few years from now. Playing ostrich is nice, but sometimes, you have to gain street smarts. If they're still in that home, they need to move out quietly. Duck the press. Keep the cameras away.