Thoughts about the initial LE response:
Think about how different it could have been: (a) If CB had not seen HB with the unidentified man. It would have been a missing persons case. LE would have responded, but not with the same urgency. (b) If CB had not noticed the blood. He might have hesitated to call his mother or 911. The LE search might have been delayed for quite a while. (c) If the neighbor had not heard a scream. Again, the LE search might have been delayed for quite a while. (d) If CB had not been at home. It might have been hours before HB was reported missing.
The 911 call. The blood. The unidentified man. The fact that CB could verify that HB was gone. All of this convinced LE to respond immediately. LE had a good idea that an abduction had, in fact, just taken place. That no car was seen probably led them to believe also that there was a good chance HB and her abductor were on foot. So, if they responded quickly, they had a good chance to find (and rescue) HB.
But they did not find her. I have to believe, then, that the abductor restrained HB, placed her in his trunk (perhaps), and left the immediate area. Even though LE responded as quickly as they could, it was not quick enough. HB and her abductor were gone. I do not blame LE at all. Had the abductor taken HB into the woods, raped and killed her there, LE might have caught up to him. But, again, I think he got out of the area quickly, taking HB with him.
Think about how different it could have been: (a) If CB had not seen HB with the unidentified man. It would have been a missing persons case. LE would have responded, but not with the same urgency. (b) If CB had not noticed the blood. He might have hesitated to call his mother or 911. The LE search might have been delayed for quite a while. (c) If the neighbor had not heard a scream. Again, the LE search might have been delayed for quite a while. (d) If CB had not been at home. It might have been hours before HB was reported missing.
The 911 call. The blood. The unidentified man. The fact that CB could verify that HB was gone. All of this convinced LE to respond immediately. LE had a good idea that an abduction had, in fact, just taken place. That no car was seen probably led them to believe also that there was a good chance HB and her abductor were on foot. So, if they responded quickly, they had a good chance to find (and rescue) HB.
But they did not find her. I have to believe, then, that the abductor restrained HB, placed her in his trunk (perhaps), and left the immediate area. Even though LE responded as quickly as they could, it was not quick enough. HB and her abductor were gone. I do not blame LE at all. Had the abductor taken HB into the woods, raped and killed her there, LE might have caught up to him. But, again, I think he got out of the area quickly, taking HB with him.