This statement scares me. My daughter is African American and the most beautiful little girl in the world. I would hate to think that if something happened to her that people wouldn't care.
That said, I think it is also an affluence thing as well. This is Cleveland. Crimes happen every day there. I am sure the woman dispatcher did have her switchboard lighting up with several other urgent calls as well-shootings, robberies, etc...and that's why she seemed to give Amanda the bums rush.
Also, there is the element of "this shouldn't happen here." When we hear of things happening in the "inner city" we think, well, that's par for the course. Gangs, drugs, poverty, etc... There is also the element of people believing that girls of this age are runaways, especially of these means.
When an affluent child goes missing from a quiet neighborhood, it shocks people. They don't think a child would just run away from a beautiful home. Yet for some reason, I think when people here of "city cases" they almost resign themselves to thinking it happens all the time.
I am just so happy these girls were found safe and I hope they can heal from this horrible chapter of their lives.