Another Missing Child

FOXNews Alert

[Reborn]

Sorry, I don't buy swimming in the Meramec from Valley Park downstream anytime, much less early in the AM. Have you looked at that water closely.

I live about 5 minutes away from Valley Park and the River. No one I know swims in the Meramec. YUK!!

[mommya]

I dunno how much interest you all have in the moment to moment developments in this case - but let me tell you - I live in the local news coverage area - and it is amazing to me how much of this I am seeing on the TV - FOX 2 has their helicopter up and can zero in so close on what is happening below - it's incredible to me - we see stuff before the parents know about it - I don't know if it's a good thing bit it is fascinating to me.

[Atsilvquodi]

please post updates and info as you have/see it.

[A Citizen Reporter]

Local KSDK Channel 5 is reporting divers in the water are asking for cameras. Canine units are also on scene. KSDK has reported nothing about an APB.

[stlnative]

They have 2 men they are talking to. They showed the police picking up a white dirty piece of cloth right next to the river. If this kid is the Meramec River, it will probably take them some time to find her body.

[johnb838]

>> Constant reporting and sensationalizing also invites
>> copycats.

Yes this is troubling me... could the coverage of poor little Samantha have actually made someone want to go out and do it themself? Don't answer that.

Actually I think that the media is just on this right now the way they were on the school shootings there for a while even though violence in schools had dropped. This has been a constant problem as we all know, it's just usually been handled locally. Poor little Elizabeth has been pretty much bumped from view, not to even mention the two girls in Portland last March. Here in Houston there's been no sign of little Laura Ayala for a year and everybody would love to know what happened to her. Just means the animals successfully hid the bodies I guess.

[stlnative]

Check out Channel 2...

[Atsilvquodi]

was it a children's nightgown?

[Reborn]

Yes, the local channels are talking about how low the Meramec is right now. Therefore, if any evidence is there it will not be carried off quickly. Good point. I know that some areas got a little bit of rain today, but many other areas didn't.

[Chi-Town Lady]

"Isn't it about time that we brought back public hangings for the convicted perps? I really don't believe that anything else is going to get the point across."

I think they should put them on TV so EVERYONE who choses to watch throughout our country can. Maybe if a few of these "wannabe's" see what their fate is they'll think twice before committing such a heinous act.

[mommya]

The open air scent dogs will go in boats along the river - they are more local dogs trained by folks who assist in investigations - so far I don't think they've hit on anything. The tracking dogs have arrived from the prison - they went into the house and sniffed to get a scent I think - and they made everyone disperse - away from the home - so the dogs can get a good clean scent on the parents (I guess cuz they slept with the girl) - then they will release the dogs.

[MassExodus]

I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing the other day.

In Boston one of the radio guys was suggesting just that, "Well, we do it to pets, why not our children ?"

[FOMTY]

Does anybody know if the rate of child abduction by strangers has actually increased? Everyone asserts that it has ("When I was a kid it was safe-my kids have to be in lockdown"), but does anyone have the numbers?

These "it used to be safe" people also don't say how old they are. I am 24. If I would have had a daughter at age 18 she would be 6, a little younger than Danielle Van Dam. I was 6 in 1983, and kids used to roam around pretty freely then as I did when I was a little older. The violent crime rate is down from 1983, so I would guess that child abduction is down too, but I don't know. I don't think it has increased tremendous extent this year.

Last summer it was shark attacks. Remember? It later came out that falling coconuts kill more people than sharks, but the media had a field day. Weekly World News said the shark attacks were orchestrated by Castro.

Obviously you should protect your kids from abduction but it may save more kids if the media ran PSA's about how to avoid household accidents and played up every pool drowing, etc.

[stlnative]

Put it is very muddy... and there is alot things in that river she can get hooked up on.

[stlnative]

Put = But

[November]

My prayers for this little girls safe return. My heart is still bleeding for Samantha Runnion and family. I really cried my eyes out last night while watching Erin Runnion in her interview on CNN. I pray that little Cassy is safe and is found quickly.

A Mom.

[spectre]

Oh great. Now we have a 39 homeless man who lives under a bridge who JUST HAPPENS to have a picture of the little girl next to where he sleeps.

Gee, wonder just who could have put it there...duh.

sw

[stlnative]

How many are you in the STL area? (I am from STL, but live across the river from Perryville, MO now)

[buffyt]

Is this really a tragedy? Maybe. Is this a newsworthy trend? As the mother of two sons and one daughter, this is the worst possible tragedy I could ever imagine! My oldest is 21 but when he was in 3rd grade he was missing for a few hours and I still remember the horror! We lived in LA at the time, too. When I found him I was SO HAPPY!!!! I can close my eyes and remember the whole incident in detail, every parents' worst nightmare!

[foolish-one]

Hence my cynicism. If they really were big, important stories, not just self-serving, ratings-generating SENSATIONALIZED stories, how did they get "bumbed from view"? Why aren't they still being reported on? Sorry. Hope it doesn't rub off on anyone else here.