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Is this really a tragedy? Maybe. Is this a newsworthy trend? Before we all go off into an emotional tizzy, I'd like to remind Freepers of a couple of things: Black church burnings and last year's prize for making the news more fantastic than it really was - shark attacks. (I'd also like to point out that the local Fox affiliate, Fox2, sensationalizes all of their local "Breaking News" coverage. I know, I still watch them despite their drift into yellow journalism). So, let's hope they find the little girl, safe and sound and let's also wait until the facts are in before we decide whether there is an actual epidemic - of child abductions or of sloppy, tabloid-style reporting.

On the scene, live from St. Louis...

We don't know if it's a tragedy, but we do know that the first few hours are critical and that if anyone in the area see's anything, it could make a difference.

A surprising statistic here.

From what I can gather there are about 100 stranger abductions of children per year at this time. A few years ago it was about 300 per year.

So basically if the media continues in this pattern we should hear about a new child abduction frenzy every 3 days or so.

Which in some ways can become a deterent to other would be freaks. Especially if Avila gets the death penalty.

You don't think this is a reflection of today's society? When I was this girl's age, I could play outdoors with my friends, in Washington DC no less, without fear of being kidnapped or killed. Something is happening and I consider these reports as wake-up alarms!

Agreed we can wait for the facts, but if these facts follow the current trend, its time to start castrating and jailing pedophiles. Zero Tolerance must be the policy.

I have a question, Is this not a big enough problem that the Governement or Bush should not at least take a stand or at least comment on it? I beleieve Sheriff Carona from Orange County was in D.C this morning at the Bush address.

I mean how many little kids have to be abducted before someone steps forward and says that we as a society and as a species will not tolerate this behavior?

This has been bothering me alot lately here folks, I dont just mean casually concerned either. I believe that something must happen. I think one conviction of child sexual contact or assault should result in life imprisonment with their balls in a glass jar next to their cot.

IF the child sexual assault results in death of the child as in Samanthas case, it should be immediate bullet to the head. Or as one freeper posted earlier this week, put the perp in an electric chair in the courtroom, jury finds him guilty, they throw the switch and electrocute them on the spot. How much is too much? How many children to die is not enough to make a stand?

Yes I have a new baby girl at home and I am freaking out on this sh!t.

"Is this really a tragedy? Maybe."

I don't know how the others feel here, but everytime a child is abducted it is a tragedy. We may not hear of every single case because that would mean they would have to have a "Missing Child TV" show to keep us updated due to the large volume of abducted children that go unreported by TV everyday.

Hopefully, since the media got this information out so quickly to the public, as they did with Samantha Runnion, this little girl will be found, safe and sound, unlike Samantha Runnion. I am watching an interview right now with the mother and father? of this little girl. It is truly heartbreaking.

Freepers are good people..we are not "tabloid" seekers, at least not the ones that I know.

So, even though you may be doubtful as to whether this is real news or tabloid news, I know you are wishing for a happy outcome in this case. She was in the kitchen one minute, gone the next. Let's just hope for the moment that LEO's can find her, and then we can decide how it should be reported.

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!