She has complained that the number of searchers that the PCSD takes out is too few and there should be more. She has also supported the claims that the PCSD is more interested in what she's doing than they are in putting effort into finding Serenity. All the while, her focus seems to be getting interviews with family members so she can report her 'bombshells'. The bio parents haven't had contact with her since she was a toddler and had no idea where she was. Not sure why anyone would think they would have any useful information. Adoptive mom and her husband haven't seen her in years and also didn't know she was at the children's home. If they had any useful info, the PCSD would know about it by now. Adoptive dad and his wife want nothing to do with the senator. They had no reason to abduct her---if they wanted to take her, they just had to go there and take her home. Yet the senator and the people on her site are constantly bad mouthing them and claiming they don't want the 'truth' to come out. These interviews are more for sensationalism than they are to be helpful.
I don't know what she actually doing to 'get the word out'. The PCSD put out the flyers and contacted the Center for Missing and Exploited Children--not her. She went on the Nancy Grace pod cast and gave out a bunch of misinformation. She said an Amber Alert should have been issued ---obviously she doesn't even know the criteria. She said the temps were in the 50s when she went missing and it was 'sweatshirt weather. Wrong. And then there was her statement about Serenity wearing sneakers when she went missing, when the poster on the senator's own site even said she was wearing black boots. The boot issue is the only thing she's admitted she got wrong.
Regarding the search she organized, it's been reported, and I believe there's a video, of her passing out cupcakes and speaking with reporters who wanted to interview her, but she, herself, never went on the search. I know she's made the claim she went out searching with her family but as far as I know, she's only said that once. If she's been out searching, why hasn't she made any videos, like the PCSD makes each time they conduct a search? For someone who likes to make videos as much as she does, one would think she would have recorded at least one of her search efforts and told authorities so they could log the area on their grid. Haven't seen on the PCSD page any information about her being out there searching--- and they give frequent updates about Serenity. The only video of the area that she's posted is one she made of the distance from the home to the road where Serenity disappeared.
I've seen other sites people have started for missing people/children. I have never seen anyone EVER post a glamour shot of themselves on these sites, let alone post them on a regular basis, like she does. Sometimes it's twice a week. Who does that??????? She has more glamour shots of herself posted than she does of Serenity. All I see her doing is stirring the pot to get attention -----for herself. There are people and groups who used to support her and have announced they no longer support her because of her attention seeking tactics for herself. So what is she actually doing? Well, she's telling her followers to be on the look out for Serenity and to hang posters. Other than that, I don't know of anything. Oh--- and she started a fundraiser for reward money. Reward money? If anyone abducted her, which I highly doubt, does anyone really think they'd give her back for a couple thousand bucks? Has any abductor ever returned a child to get a pittance of a reward? Has anyone ever NOT called in when they spotted a missing child, because there was no reward money being offered?
Here's what I think she should do: Go away. She's not doing anything that's worthwhile anyway. She's not keeping Serenity's name out there---she's keeping her own name (and images) out there.
Too bad a reputable reporter like Maria Guerrero isn't covering this case.
Let me repeat - I am not a "supporter", as you labelled her followers. But neither I am a critic. I'm going to start with your summary first because I think it is the most important. You said she should "go away". I couldn't disagree more. We are talking about a missing child here. ANY publicity is better than no publicity, and the senator's publicity isn't as bad as you paint it. I've seen too many cases that simply went silent, with nobody saying anything. At least she is saying things.
As to your points, I agree with a few, and disagree with a few. I don't agree with everything the senator has done necessarily. I agree with you that interviewing the birth parents was basically a waste of time with there being no real chance of garnering any useful information. I disagree, however, with you with regards to the adoptive mom who hasn't seen Serenity is some time. It hasn't been through lack of trying, apparently. I initially took that same view - where has she been? But the fault seems to have been deeper, a major communications breakdown between her and her ex. I think the reason the adoptive father and his wife refuse to talk to the senator is because they don't want that generally known. It brought into question as to why Serenity was even put in the Home in the first place, and why wasn't the adoptive mother notified, as she should have been. But that's all background story. And nobody is suggesting any of the parents had any part in Serenity's disappearance.
Getting attention for herself? Based on what? She has stated time and again that she isn't getting a thing out of this, she just wants Serenity found. If anything, it has hurt her political standing, but she reiterates that it really is secondary to finding Serenity. I think you are too harsh there. Why is it that she can't get the word out without it seeming like an "attention seeking tactic"?
No, not all of her information has been correct. But you are painting that darker than it is as well. For example, regarding the Amber alert, she does know the criteria. She was questioning the criteria itself. And that is why she supports the "Serenity alert" which fits for missing children that don't fit the criteria.
Just because you don't know what she is doing to get the word out, doesn't mean she isn't doing anything. I believe that she has been in contact agencies, for example.
Your claim that it is all a "glamour shot" is silly. Many many many agencies and causes have people that have stepped forward to become spokespeople, and championed the cause. Often famous celebrities. The senator is championing the cause of finding Serenity. I just don't see that as wrong or a bad thing, especially when nobody else is out there trying to spread the word for this missing child.
And yes, she went out a number of times, especially early on before the searches were as organized as they are now, and spent hours personally searching for Serenity. Why should she make videos of that? You are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You criticize her for making videos in order to get what latest news she has out - when otherwise we are told very little - but at the same time you criticize her for NOT making a video when she was out searching? You can't have it both ways. Her focus when out searching was in doing her best to find Serenity, and that didn't need a video. She didn't call the news crews and say "Look at me, I'm out looking for Serenity".
As for the search she organized, she served as coordinator for the search teams, which is every bit as important. I don't get why that is a sticking point for you.
This seems like a no-win situation. People criticize LE for NOT updating the public regularly, and you are criticizing the senator for attempting to do just that. I'd rather have the information. I'd rather have her shouting every day on the internet trying to get the word out, trying to have more eyes keeping a look out for Serenity, than to have nobody doing anything, and having another missing child simply vanish with nobody the wiser.
I don't agree with everything she is doing, but no matter how you look at it, her efforts are bringing more attention on Serenity - even if you don't know what those efforts are. And to me, even though I don't agree with all her methods, having her bringing attention to Serenity's case, getting the word out, is far more valuable than simply having her "go away".
