The cost of searching for Kyron

[Haeve]

Ok, I understand all your points, but, have you ever seen this in the case of a missing child where a dollar amount is made public on the specific case?

I personally do not care what the amount is, I just want to know if this is another "strange" thing in this case.. or if it is "norm". I have only really read about 3 cases on WS (Haleigh Cummings, Roger Ellison & Wileys Angel) none of those cases involved telling the amount an investigation has cost the public so far.

I don't want you question to get ignored in the general discussion, but I don't know--I really haven't been a follower of missing child cases until this one. In my limited experience it certainly does seem stranger than normal (if there is such a thing in missing child cases).

Oregon is also a strange state (something in the water?). We tend to do things differently here. But I think the strangeness of the monetary angle in the Oregonian story is independent of the strangeness of the investigation in general and of the actions of the people involved. Now if for some reason the sheriff had brought up money before the newspaper did, then I might think that it had something to do with the overall strangeness of the case. Am I making sense?

 

[Haeve]

Please name a missing childs case where the dollar amount spent was given to the public.

All I am trying to find out if this is normal practice of a missing child case...

Along with what I said above, I don't think this is normal practice. It's just a function of the time and place of this particular investigation--a state with a terrible budget crisis and an especially agressive and Pulitzer hungry/investigative journalism-oriented regional newspaper.

 

[AbbieNormal]

Please name a missing childs case where the dollar amount spent was given to the public.

All I am trying to find out if this is normal practice of a missing child case...

Tim Miller spent over $750k looking for Caylee. I don't know how much the county spent before he was called in.

 

[AbbieNormal]

IMO people who want to risk their lives with activities like climbing Mt Hood should be charged a fee up front for doing so which would go into a SAR pot of money to help offset rescue costs. JMO

 

[lightlady]

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jun/14/cowell-task-force-reduces-hours-u-but/
Mackenzie Cowell, cost of $326.000 I remember there was some outrage at the time about the police releasing the cost.

 

[Tuffy]

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jun/14/cowell-task-force-reduces-hours-u-but/
Mackenzie Cowell, cost of $326.000 I remember there was some outrage at the time about the police releasing the cost.

Wow, and the reason for making the amount public was to explain why they were scaling back on the investigation. I hope that's not what they're getting at here.

 

[Chili Fries]

The Sheriff is an elected official so realizing he has a political life probably fits into him addressing this issue. I'm not trying to be too cynical, undoubtedly he has taken this investigation to heart and the emotion he has shown is sincere, but I think being a politician plays a big part in him putting the financial issue at the forefront of his press conference and interview. Especially given the other comments in this thread about general public search and rescue expenditure concerns and cash strapped departments.

 

[Kimster]

Please name a missing childs case where the dollar amount spent was given to the public.

All I am trying to find out if this is normal practice of a missing child case...

Isn't there a link to what PCSO spent to find Haleigh somewhere? I'll look for it when I can which won't be until after the holiday. If someone wants to look, the article is talking about Haleigh's room at PCSO.

Honestly, I think the press printed this just because government spending and the Oregon budget deficit is a HUGE issue in Oregon right now.

 

[cluciano63]

I know that where I live, the cost of the search would have come up by now. This state, too, is in incredible disarray financially and also have the issue of often having to search for lost hikers, etc...and cost always comes up. I think it would come up even more so in this type of a case where there are so many questions and many people believe that this is somehow a family/custodial matter. Calling it criminal does not automatically mean that Kyron has been harmed, to many people, as it would still be a crime if he was taken and stashed (which I do not believe has happened BTW.)

Anf the sheriff also has the voters to think of, on both sides; he is taking responsibilty for the cost at the same time appeasing those who think no dollar amount is too great.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Has Tim Miller offered to help in the search for Kyron or has assistance from Equuseach been requested? I haven't read the "searches" thread, so I'm not familiar with everyone that's been involved.

 

[Trident]

Has Tim Miller offered to help in the search for Kyron or has assistance from Equuseach been requested? I haven't read the "searches" thread, so I'm not familiar with everyone that's been involved.

Since LE and the parents have stated they believe Kyron is alive, why would they request help from Tim Miller? I realize he does hunt for missing, alive persons, but with the close-to-the vest, no comment stance taken by LE and the family, PCs only on Friday attitude, I see no chance of Tim Miller being asked to come. Would be nice if he came in, but I have no hope of that.

MY OPINION ONLY

 

[RoughlyCollie]

LE may believe Kyron is alive, but a competent investigation would not ignore the possibility that he is not.

A competent investigation would not put all of its eggs in one basket at this stage of the game.

 

[citigirl]

Look, I am going to put myself out on a limb and say $300,000 does not seem like a lot of money for a massive, 4-week long search. I am not a wealthy person by anyone's standards. I think it is fine for the sheriff to let everyone know where the county stands financially--I am sure the total cost this last week is ten times that amount, with the FBI and other agencies involved.

What surprised me about the interview was that I did not feel the sheriff supported the family as much as the family supported the sheriff the day before.

 

[sofia76]

The reality is that even with hundreds and hundreds of volunteers, this is costing them a huge amount of money. My children are priceless - but could I go penniless trying to bring one of them home when I still had others to feed, house, clothe? Could I neglect my other children for years and years in the hopes of finding the other one? This is all part of what makes a missing child a tragedy - financial and emotional resources are finite, and there aren't any easy answers.

 

[oxymoran]

Notice when he held the press conference...2pm Pacific Time on the Friday before a long weekend...perhaps calculated to minimize media coverage of what is clearly a no-win political topic.

Its tough to be an elected official of a cash-strapped agency. Makes you wonder why the investigators have been so quick to turn down outside search support. It will be interesting to see if they change their position going forward.

 

[Ms Suzanne]

This makes me very sad and bothers me very much.There should never be a price on a missing child.

 

[Trident]

This makes me very sad and bothers me very much.There should never be a price on a missing child.

ITA, but in many cases of missing children the only price paid is the suffering of the parents - they get minimal, if any media exposure. That's why I'm astonished at team Kaine's exclusion of any media resource.

 

[sofia76]

This makes me very sad and bothers me very much.There should never be a price on a missing child.

I think the way that it works is that in the beginning, the idea is that no price is too high for a living child. But as time goes on and the statistical likelihood increases that the child is dead, the value comes down. That is the sad truth. Otherwise, we'd be spending $300,000/month on Oregon children who have been missing since the 1960s.

 

[RoughlyCollie]

Otherwise, we'd be spending $300,000/month on Oregon children who have been missing since the 1960s.

It is scary, how many missing children (and adults) have never been found over the decades.

 

[Haeve]

The Sheriff is an elected official so realizing he has a political life probably fits into him addressing this issue. I'm not trying to be too cynical, undoubtedly he has taken this investigation to heart and the emotion he has shown is sincere, but I think being a politician plays a big part in him putting the financial issue at the forefront of his press conference and interview. Especially given the other comments in this thread about general public search and rescue expenditure concerns and cash strapped departments.

Again, the reporter brought up costs first. Maybe the sheriff would have brought it up anyway, but who knows. It is a good reminder, however, that MCS is an elected position.