Missing "Children"

[UltraShy]

Today I noticed a weekly ad paper that includes a message from the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children.

This one is looking for a "girl" who disappeared back in 1974 at age 17. She's now 52. Am I the only one to think that putting out such ads is a serious waste of resources?

I think we can reasonably assume that she's most likely been dead for 35 years or doesn't want to be found.

Don't they have any actual kids to find instead of a "girl" who's old enough to be a grandmother by now? Perhaps they can check for her name on the AARP membership list.

[pointy]

Not sure what they were thinking when they posted that ad. Perhaps they have come across a lead recently that renewed interest in her case. I'd find that understandable. Anyway, looking at their website, all the children featured have been reported missing recently.

http://www.missingkids.com/missingki...eCountry=en_US
^ Warning: reality can be depressing.

[rincewind]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

This one is looking for a "girl" who disappeared back in 1974 at age 17. She's now 52. Am I the only one to think that putting out such ads is a serious waste of resources?

I agree it's unlikely to produce a result, but how exactly is an advert in a weekly newspaper a "serious waste of resources"?

[Amocholes]

Her family wants closure. They don't know what happened to her and probably never will but they haven't given up.

[UltraShy]

I only posted that example because over the years I've seen so many examples of "missing children" who are ridiculously old and it always struck me as silly to still be looking after decades.

If one hasn't solved a case in 35 years I rather doubt it will ever be solved. There has to be some point at which one gives up. She disappeared before I turned 1 and I'm noticeably older than most SAS members.

[Kelly]

That's kind of heartless, Karl.

Have a nice day,
Kelly

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by Kelly

That's kind of heartless, Karl.

Have a nice day,
Kelly

Kelly, the case is older than you are.

Would you set any time limit? You call giving up after 35 years heartless. Do you keep going at 50 years? 75 years? 100 years?

[Kelly]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

Kelly, the case is older than you are.

Would you set any time limit? You call giving up after 35 years heartless. Do you keep going at 50 years? 75 years? 100 years?

I don't understand your point. "It hasn't been solved, so why bother solving it?" Why bother solving anything? Your examples are outrageous. I could easily argue the opposite and use smaller time frames.

Have some compassion.

Have a nice day,
Kelly

[pyramidsong]

Karl, I can only speak for myself, but if it were someone I loved I would never give up looking. Never.

[Mr. Frostie]

I don't know why this guy picks the most trivial things to get outraged about. Here's three words that should put an end to this discussion: Jaycee Lee Dugard.

I think we can reasonably assume that she's most likely been dead for 35 years or doesn't want to be found.

Sure, blame it on the victim. She wanted to be kidnapped. Ever heard of Stockholm syndrome?

[BeNice]

I kind of see what you're getting at. When those little things come in the mail, usually on the back of some advertisement, I always look at them and think of how much different the person must look now. Occasionally there will be an age-progressed photo, but even those can't really help much.

[millenniumman75]

Somebody found their child after 36 years. That's 1973. It happens.

I could be a missing and exploited child.

[Still Waters]

I'm a mom and I can say for sure I would keep looking for the rest of my life. Not knowing must be the worst thing of all. Just the chance that someone might have the smallest bit of information or that this could trigger a memory that could lead to information would mean everything to me. It's the only reason I'd want to continue living,the hope that I could find out something,anything at all.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by millenniumman75

Somebody found their child after 36 years. That's 1973. It happens.

I could be a missing and exploited child.

Yes, John, it's theoretically possible that you were abducted from your biological parents as an infant and your abductors created an elaborate hoax to make it appear that you were actually their biological baby and your life with your "parents" has all been a pack of lies. I assume you have never done DNA tests to disprove this remote theoretical possibility.

Of course, that's vastly different from the facts of this case. This girl went missing at age 17. Unlike abducting an infant who lacks the awareness to know and recall that they were abducted, a 17-year-old is within 365 days of legally being an adult. A 17-year-old will very likely notice if they are abducted. If someone goes missing at 17 and isn't found within the next 35 years it most likely suggests they are either dead or intentionally do not want to be found. While other explanations are certainly possible, dead or wanting to disappear certainly top the list as most likely.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Frostie

I don't know why this guy picks the most trivial things to get outraged about.

I'm not outraged by it. I just think it's pointless to keep looking after such a very long time.

I've been on SAS for 7 years -- guess I'm running out of stuff to discuss.

Please, somebody, post some new topic that has never before been covered on SAS so we can discuss that. Not easy to come up with new ground, is it?

[pyramidsong]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

I'm not outraged by it. I just think it's pointless to keep looking after such a very long time.

I've been on SAS for 7 years -- guess I'm running out of stuff to discuss.

Please, somebody, post some new topic that has never before been covered on SAS so we can discuss that. Not easy to come up with new ground, is it?

How about the joys of pulling the wings off flies or stealing lollipops from sick children?

[millenniumman75]

For the sake of the missing and exploited, please chill everybody.

[UltraShy]

Originally Posted by Drella

Is that a challenge? Because I can take that on.

Hi Drella. It's been so long since I've seen you around that I thought you were gone for good. Nice to have you back.

And, yes, it is a challenge. Take it on and show us what you've got. Finding a topic that is both acceptable for discussion on SAS and has not yet been discussed is exceedingly hard. Good luck, Drella.

[Micronian]

Originally Posted by UltraShy

Today I noticed a weekly ad paper that includes a message from the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children.

This one is looking for a "girl" who disappeared back in 1974 at age 17. She's now 52. Am I the only one to think that putting out such ads is a serious waste of resources?

I think we can reasonably assume that she's most likely been dead for 35 years or doesn't want to be found.

Don't they have any actual kids to find instead of a "girl" who's old enough to be a grandmother by now? Perhaps they can check for her name on the AARP membership list.

Capitalism: If you got money, you can make it happen.
Obviously the person who is searching has the means and desire to keep looking and posting stuff on the paper...as unlikely as the case may be.

I know this isn't 100% related but, my uncle's wife ran away with their son when he was less than one year old, and was never heard from again. My uncle never stopped searching and he actually found his son after 18+ years. So...you shouldn't ever give up.

[LoneLioness]

I just think they should be concentrating more on kids that have been abducted in the past 5 years as they're more likely to be found do to these ads.