here are some of their explanations I found:
BARBARA (V/O) The note said, 'We have your daughter in our possession.' It demanded 118-thousand dollars in ransom, threatened that JonBenet would be beheaded, and warned the Ramseys that they were being watched.
BARBARA WALTERS The note said if you do anything-if police come, if FBI come-your daughter will die. You called 9-1-1.
JOHN RAMSEY Yes I did.(PAUSE) It would have been impossible to sit there and wait by ourselves.
BARBARA WALTERS You also called friends to come over. Was that wise?
JOHN RAMSEY Your daughter is gone…
PATSY RAMSEY [OVERLAP] We were desperate&desperate.
JOHN RAMSEY She's in the hands of a madman, and, and you reach out for any help you can get. Um. (PAUSE)
If I have a regret it's I didn't get more help...that morning.
http://thewebsafe.tripod.com/03172000ramseyonbarbarawalters.htm
COURIC: The ransom note left by the supposed kidnapper ran three pages long and demanded a very specific sum of money. Not a million dollars, or $ 10 million, but just $ 118,000. It was signed mysteriously with the initials "S.B.T.C." What struck you about this ransom note as you read the words?
Mr. RAMSEY: Very brutal talk about, 'You will not see your daughter alive if you don't follow our instructions. She will be beheaded.'
Ms. RAMSEY: Well, then you realize right away that you're totally helpless, and you need, you need help. You need to call 911. And that's what we did.
COURIC: The note had some very specific warnings, as you well know. Quote, "If we catch you talking to a stray dog, she dies." It also says you were under constant scrutiny. Did that make you nervous to call the police, to call your friends?
Mr. RAMSEY: No, we had to do something. It never crossed my mind to not call for help.
http://thewebsafe.tripod.com/03202000ramseytodaypt1.htm