I agree with you. And I'll up the ante.
On the Today Show, they were talking about how there are around 2,000 people who are reported missing every day.
So there were on average 1,999 other people they could have chosen to profile. That Klaaskids could have helped in their case.
And this case would languish in the backwaters with only the parents and and a overworked police force investigating, at least.
I always wonder about which cases get national media attention and which ones don't.
It seems to me this one was based on the "looks" of the victim.
Being an all American teenaged cheerleader, which may or may not be true.
Yet, it turns those ideas on their head when you read her "tweets".
And then to top it off, you are forced to look the other way when
an RSOs daughter is missing.
You have to accept him as "a victim".
Because this didn't happen to someone else's daughter, this time.
There are a lot of things about this case that are there to make you uncomfortable. To make your world view turn upside down.
To have her items missing both sound like product placement ads.
To wit: The beloved Samsung Galaxy Android Phone and the equally
beloved, Juicy Couture Bags.
I don't know what this says about where we are as a society.
But, it does make me wonder about the 1,199 kids and adults
that I will never hear about, while this case is a media darling.
I hope she is found safe.
I hope they all are, whoever, wherever, they are.
I'm going to call that bet and not because I think I have a better hand than you, but mostly to make sure we get all the cards onto the table. I think the better argument here is not why is this case receiving national attention but why aren't the others. I know its semantics but it is a distinguishable point. There are so many people that go missing and many times it is well after the fact that somebody bothers to make a report. You can read through MP websites and then look for more information online, but often times there is no information to find. Also, you said it yourself, this case does have some odd circumstances and that is a large part of why this story has wings.
I believe that the national media prefers when there is a story they can run with inside of the original story. I think you mentioned many reasons that this case has garnered more attention than others, but I think that social media goes hand in hand with today's media. How many of the TV shows or other forms of media are interactive now? If you think John doe is guilty, text to X number, if he is not guilty text to Y number. Is it plausible that producers of these shows watch closely to see what current issues are trending out in the social media world?
I think there are other factors at work as well, such as how media sponsorship are a main way for the network to make money. If the show becomes less popular, they will naturally lose more money. Take this website as an example, I did not come here to be offered ads for Groupons or AT&T phone service, but we all know why they are there. Essentially, our ability to share our thoughts here or to gain information from watching TV and etc..., is being brought to us by <insert product here>.
My last thoughts on this topic would be that 2000+ people may go missing every day in the USA (2,000x365= 730,000), but that certainly does not mean that 2000+ are potentially abducted and in imminent danger each day. I really do not see ANY reason why Sierra's case shouldn't receive all the attention it is getting and as time goes by the outlook becomes worse and worse.
This is from the NCMEC-
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2810
The U.S. Department of Justice reports
797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.
203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.
58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.
115 children were the victims of stereotypical kidnapping. (These crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.)