It actually doesn't sound like a question at all, but rather an 'Easter Egg' - it's a way of saying something, of providing information without being direct about it. It's like they're leaving the public a clue, and in the process, probably making the family nervous - nervous enough to maybe make a mistake...
This article seems to be based on LE's specific responses to specific questions about this case and yet the questions themselves are not present in the article.
For instance: This quote from Pekin Police Deputy Chief Don Baxter
“I can’t say what the family’s level of concern is. I would hope it is high,” Baxter said http://www.1470wmbd.com/police-still-receiving-tips-bee-jr/
Seems to be in response to a question. It doesn't read like something LE would volunteer without prompting by SOMETHING. So my question is - what was the specific question from the reporter which prompted that particular response?
Irritating that we are left with that concerning quote but not what elicited it in the first place. In this instance, I think knowning the exact question might shed a lot more light on the answer given.