I'm thinking people are confusing rows of corn about 18" apart running parallel to the road; with end rows, that run square to the road. Plants are a couple inches apart in each row. Each row is about 18" apart. Looking "down the end rows" is vastly different from trying to look through the rows. The location that Sierah, Bless her, was found; is in the corner of a field; which typically has less robust plants. It has of course been trampled by the LE and Fire crews. I think we need to move past this corn stuff and give it a rest for a while.
From my own limited exposure to fields of feed corn (12 years living smack dab in the middle of it) I know that people who aren't familiar with it, generally don't get what you're trying to say when you're explaining things. My kids played in it *all the time* when it was particularly high - like now - until harvest which in s. Ontario is usually in October/November (depending on conditions).
Only because I lived in corn country, I know the first row of plants closest to the roads (or even laneway) are almost always shorter & kind of puny compared to the rows 4-5 layers deep.
Only because I know that, I'd know if I were walking or driving by, I'd know that it'd be pretty easy to see people or bikes or *something* 3-4 rows in from the road.
Only because I had to go in there and find the kids (it was a game, they always left markers for themselves but it was a while before I figured it out, the little geniuses, lol) do I know what corn stalks do to bare arms. It's not a pleasant experience, to be sure.
The kids were short & figured out how to maneuver the stalks like Corn Ninjas without getting the lacerations (for the most part). Much taller adults (like JDW) who didn't spend much time darting through corn, wouldn't be as fortunate.
Just a few random thoughts. FWIW.