I was the same age as Jacob when he was kidnapped & I remember vividly the attention brought to his disappearance. I was 9 when Vicky disappeared and only heard about it through people who knew the family, then once her boys started going to my school.
I was born & raised in Alexandria. I grew up extremely privileged, on par with the same advantages as the Wetterlings. (who lived about 45 minutes from Alex.) I met the Sungaard boys at a parochial school, after they were living with their grandparents full time.
As someone who knew the Wetterlings (thru friends) and the Sungaards (thru Vicki's boys & parents), I believe Vicki's disappearance did not receive the same attention as Jacob's for a few reasons:
1) age - Vicki was 23, Jacob was 11 - as we know, cases involving minors are reported on more by mainstream media
2) circumstances - Vicki was last seen with people she knew, while Jacob was abducted/kidnapped by a stranger
3) socioeconomics - as unfortunate as it is, cases involving individuals who came from fewer economic resources rarely garnish the same attention as those coming from wealthier backgrounds. It disgusts me that this dichotomy exists but it would be foolish to dismiss this reality. The Wetterlings were (still very much are) financially in a completely different "class" than the Sungaards.
4) investigative agencies - from what I understand, no one outside of the Alexandria Police Dept & the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, has investigated Vicky's disappearance (besides, perhaps privately-funded organizations or private individuals). Wetterling's disappearance as a minor, with witnesses to a stranger-abduction, received immediate assistance from the FBI, as well as other State of MN resources.
IMO
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