OK, I was trying to read through all the posts before I said anything again, but I am afraid I will forget what I want to say.
I do not believe for one second that Billie has any idea where Hailey is or what, if anything, has happened to her. She is becoming more and more desperate as time goes by.
As far as MB is concerned, I will not badmouth her. She is still a child herself. However, I do agree with other posters here that maybe she does know something.... teenagers are known to blow things (such as how bad they have it) out of proportion. If MB really thought Hailey was unhappy, then could she have helped her (or thought that she was helping her) by covering for her leaving? I have no idea if I am even on the right track here - but if it is something like this, then at least the chances of Hailey being found safe are greatly increased. I would have liked for LE to see if the tracking dogs could pick up a scent of Hailey and MB where the woman spotted them walking.
No matter what the circumstances that lead to Hailey coming home safe, I am holding on to that scenario as hard as I can. As is Billie, and I'm sure, the rest of her family.
I completely understand MB's mom wanting to protect her. But personally (and I can only speak for myself, and what I would have done), if a child was missing, and it was reported that the missing child had said she was coming to MY house - no matter how good of friends that child was with my child - I would have been grilling my child like crazy to see if she had ANY idea of what was going on, I would have been in contact with the missing child's mother to offer any support I could, and under no circumstances would I have tried to in any way badmouth the missing child or her family, or start any type of rumors about them.
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2011/jan/08/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
As far as Donna Byerley who had so much to say about Hailey's 'volatile home life' and that Hailey lived with her on and off... and whatever else she was spouting in the above article - well I want to know why the reporter took what she said at face value, why he wouldn't attempt to verify anything that she said, or even dig a little to see if she was in any way credible before he made that public. Did he check the credibility of any of his sources in that article? The article was so poorly written that it is hard for me to believe anyone would put much stock in it anyway.
Some of you have given me advice to not get caught up in the rumor mill, and I am really trying, but it is hard when something just reaches out and slaps you in the face like this article did. Again, in MOO, many people are just talking to hear themselves speak....
And the thought crossed my mind also about the whole TES standby issue (which I am sure at least some of you have thought also) - maybe LE truely does have a stong lead and is confident of finding Hailey alive, which is why they let locals search. Lots of people mentioned locals destroying evidence unintentionally while searching, while TES would not. Perhaps LE know that there is no evidence out in the fields to be destroyed. God, I hope this is the case. But I with they would give Billie some hope if it is true.
And of course, I forgot half of what I wanted to say. But my main point is the same as it always has been: Hailey is missing. Getting her home safe is the priority. Billie is beside herself with worry and needs Hailey back home.