So, I watched the press conference with the police in the Jessica Ridgeway case. After last night's discovery of a body, I thought this morning would be the police confirming it to be Jessica. Instead, they totally threw everyone for a loop and said that they will continue searching for her body. Then what or who is the body they discovered last night? Sources have told news outlets that it is Jessica, but maybe they are fearing some kind of serial thing going on? The police also said that Jessica's school would continue to be in lockdown. I guess they are really afraid there is someone out there targeting kids. That must also mean they are not really taking the tip seriously that someone saw Jessica in Maine in a car with Colorado plates.
Regardless of whether this turns out to be Jessica or not, let's keep in mind that a body was found and someone somewhere has lost a daughter/son, brother/sister, etc.
ReplyDeleteI wondered why they weren't saying it was Jessica's body. I figure it's too far decomposed, meaning it is not her, or something has been done to disfigure her body so she is not visually identifiable as Jessica. That would mean they are erring on the side of caution and saying they don't know (since they don't) and don't want people to stop looking for her in the meantime.
ReplyDeleteI think if the family is ruled out, and it sounds like they are, then it is a given that this is a serial killer. Whether it this is the first victim ever or the tenth, no way someone just does this once without something or someone stopping them.
Awful, whoever it is, may their soul rest peacefully.
ReplyDeleteThey could also be concerned about the other girl from Wyoming, or something like that. A serial concern, if you will. Or, maybe they just said they thought it could be her to try to draw out the perpetrator. You know, return to the scene of the crime, sort of thing. I just don't want to believe they may have found her, just her body. I really want to believe she's alive.
ReplyDeleteThank you for following this, Enty
ReplyDeleteA few weeks or months ago, a man tried to abuduct another girl in Wyoming, but she got away. The police are trying to see if its connected. This is so sad, I was kind of dreading waking up because I didn't want to see reports that its her dead body. But if its not her body, its still someone elses.
ReplyDeleteI'm confused - I thought on GMA they did say it was her body? (I might have mis-heard, as I typically 'watch' GMA while running around the house trying to get ready for work)
ReplyDeleteNothing about this case is a given. Does anyone really think the cops are going to come right out with everything they know or suspect to the public? How stupid would that be? This is an investigation, and they need to play their cards close to the vest until they have someone in custody. If the body found was Jessica, or related to her case somehow, they need to keep details to themselves as long as they can to avoid scaring off suspects. We all want to know what happened to her, but if keeping secrets helps get her back or helps to bust whoever is responsible, I'm all for waiting.
ReplyDeleteOf course I can't think of one right now, but how many movies or crime novels or Law and Order's have u seen where the cops plant a fake story in the news to force the suspect to make an error?
ReplyDeleteI have seen it done in real cases. The media acts all excited about being given important information and are really being used to get movement out of the case.
DeleteIt's a pretty cool tactic @mischievous. I wish I could keep one of the criminal profilers in my purse and he could analyze every person in my life lol
DeleteAgreed Meg.
ReplyDeleteIt is simply heartbreaking,so tragic, my heart goes out to her family and the many people taking part in the search.
ReplyDeleteIn something like 90% of these cases it's family or someone at least known to the family and not some random drive by stranger so I imagine the cops are playing things close to their chest to keep any suspects off guard. I hope it works and they catch the sicko that did this whoever they are.
ReplyDeleteI love her face in that picture and want her to be ok. It makes me sad to think that she is probably not coming home. I can only imagine how her mom must feel, the school, everyone who probably feels responsible for not getting the info to the police sooner. How tragic for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI fell really bad about this case. My heart goes out to the family. But why is it that the majority of all missing persons cases (not just children) are not of color. Do white people only go missing?
ReplyDeleteBe careful @mymama I made the same observation on the last post about this and nearly got my tongue ripped out. But yeah, I only see white missing kids on national news. I might see a blurb about a kid with a tinge of color on local news, but never national. A Hispanic girl age 12 disappeared god maybe a decade ago now in the town next to me and I don't think they ever mentioned her in Wyoming.
DeleteGlad I'm not the only one concerned about this. I think the people who get upset about this topic are in a state of denial regarding race relation in this country.
DeleteNothing gets resolved if we don't discuss it openly so if someone wants to sweep something under the rug it's a sign he likes things the way it is.
DeleteThere was a case last year out of Arizona. Her family screamed about her not getting enough coverage, because she was not white. She was getting a bit of national news, but it wasn't enough for the family. In the end, it turns out it was her own mother who killed her.
DeleteWhere I live- its usually NOT a white child that has gone missing. Just last week a 10 year old african american boy went missing (found safe with his bio mom) and it was all over the news. Nationally, yes they focus on white kids but that should never be the case.
DeleteOne of Dave Chapelle comedy specials mentioned an interesting case. The day Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped, an african american girl was also kidnapped, fought back and escaped and was home to see her story on TV. I'm so glad both girls were found (eventually) safe but I don't remember hearing anything about the girl who escaped. The Chapelle comedy special was titled "killing them softly" I believe.
Please don't bring race into it, @MyMamasChild.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? It's a valid question.
DeleteIt's a matter of coverage. When cases 'go National' on the news, there is longstanding observation about the types of missing persons who get attention.
DeleteLoads of cases never get well covered.
Yup. It seems like people of color fall into the category of "loads of cases never get well covered". The racial inequality in the media in this country is just so unfair. It makes me sad. Why shouldn't little asian or hispanic missing girls be provided the same national coverage. Their families are just as heart broken.
DeleteI'm with you two. We need to talk about this MORE!
DeleteActually race does factor into what cases get national press exposure and those that don't. While the race card does get pulled on some issues unfairly, abduction cases aren't one of them. Scholarly conversations have touched upon this problem in recent years. In many cases of crimes against women, you will also notice beautiful people getting coverage. Or when something bad happens to someone, it always amazes me how many comments say but " she was so pretty" like" ugly" people deserve the misfortune.
Delete@cindy - There were reports this morning that "sources close to the case" said the body was hers. But they're unconfirmed reports and nothing is a given until the police announce it. They have stressed that they are still looking for her, so who knows.
ReplyDeleteThey had a tip from Maine that someone saw in a blue station wagon, and it was just reported that a blue car similar to that description was found abondoned in New Hampshire
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why this story is big news. Surely she isn't the only child to go missing recently? I just don't get why I should be so concerned about a child in Colorado, when I live nowhere near it. It sounds heartless, but if this is meant to be a warning about crime on the increase -- something that *does* affect me -- then report on *that* story. Otherwise, this is a local news case that shouldn't be getting such national attention.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you @seachica! What am I going to do in Connecticut other than panic?
DeleteHave you guys ever watched Americas Most Wanted? 99% of the time the people on that show are found in states outside of their home state. It's pretty much just about getting the word out there
DeleteThank you Caitlin. I bet John Walsh, host of the show, who's poor son was murdered was glad when news bulletins went out and they not only found his son but his murderers. And if you're child went missing you would want EVERYONE from America to China on alert for your kid. I didn't understand either until i became a mother.
DeleteDear Jah,
ReplyDeleteWhere, oh where are the scary dark ghosts who come up out of the sewers to take the bad guys away?
I'll come back as one of those when I die, roaming the Earth slaying sick perverts worldwide.
right now I'd start with the Taliban fucks who shot a little girl in the head. Then straight over to the President of Syria.
I will be very, very busy.
Oh my gosh, WOW! It does sound like they're not releasing too much info..
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll have to watch some Nancy Grace tonight.
Jessica and her family are still in my heart. So sad.
If I was this mama I would want to just lie down and die. What kind of world do we live in when sick fucks can go victim shopping on any city street and then throw their victims away like a piece of trash when they've finished torturing them.
ReplyDeleteWhere's Dexter when you need him?
I ask myself that Question every day.
DeleteThey found a car matching the description, with CO plates, here in Portsmouth this am. I pray this girl is alive.
ReplyDeletei send all my love to that little girl, wherever she is.
ReplyDeleteA little girl from Satsuma disappeared some years ago. You would be amazed at how many people have reported seeing her over the years although coverage has slacked off the past year or so except on the anniversary. I might add that her "stepmom" whom was supposed to be watching her has always been the prime suspect but it's never been proven.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if this little girl was found safe and well though.
i won't comment on the race points brought up b/c all the previous posts in this thread sum it up beautifully.
ReplyDeleteand seachica, i'm willing to place good money on the fact that if this was YOUR precious little one, your view would be quite different. you'd be incredibly grateful to those in far away places who cared enough to be on the look-out, no matter how remote the chance of her being in their area.
reading your post is a good reminder to me to check myself and never allow my humanness to delve to those levels of indifference.
Slow clap for you Pookie. Slow clap buddy.
Deleteon a slightly different note, anyone know what ever happened to the two missing cousins from MO this past summer???
ReplyDeleteThe thought of where these kids could be, and what they are going through haunts me to no end. So much so, that I hope that this body is that of this Ridgeway.
Missing child cases tear at my heart, even those far away from me...but if my seeing/hearing about the case might help -- no matter how remote the possibility -- I want to have the information. Even if it only helps the family by knowing the word is being spread, I want to know. Anyway, it's a good opportunity to start discussions with my own kids about the dangers of strangers/kidnapping, and what to do if they were ever in that position.
ReplyDeleteAnd PS, I want to know no matter what color the child is. Spread the word, save lives!
I think they are taking the Maine tip seriously Enty. Our local news (NH) reports there is an abandoned car in Portsmouth which borders Maine.
ReplyDeleteoops, damn happy trigger finger with the enter button...anyway, they are looking at this car as possibly being tied to her disappearance
ReplyDeleteIt is sort of weird that the vehicle was spotted in connection with her, and then abandoned. Why else, possibly, would it be abandoned if it WASN'T connected? That being said, has anyone heard any more about the body they found? Why would they be looking at the vehicle if they found the body? Oh, I hope she's still alive.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Boston and our local news just ran a teaser about some car they had found having clues to a missing Colorado girl.
ReplyDeleteI would love if papers ran stories on all missing people, different people each week. Everyone is important and race and looks do come into it, sadly.
ReplyDeleteoh my god. Here's a link about the "body" they found :(((((((((((((((((((
ReplyDeleteHunt for 10-year-old Colorado girl turns up dismembered body
The car spotted in Maine/abandoned in NH isn't connected to Jessica's disappearance. :(
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/218400/2/Police-say-vehicle-spotted-in-Maine-not-connected-to-missing-Colorado-girl
this case just pulls at my heart. the picture of her holding her doll brought me to tears. i literally wake up at night worrying about her, and her family, and the sicko that took her taking another child.
ReplyDeletetoday i hugged my kids so long they asked what was wrong. its just so awful. and what will the parents of jessica's friends tell them? this is the most horrible crime i've ever hear of against a child.
Omama, the missing cousins were from Iowa, right outside of Waterloo, Iowa, not MO. Unless there were two such cases.
ReplyDeleteThose girls are still missing.
I feel sick about the people who have wondered here why we should care about this news story. (Oh gee, is crime going up? Well now i should be worried) When it's your baby, you would sell your soul to get the word out and hope your little one is recovered. This little angel won't be coming home
ReplyDeletehttp://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/jessica-ridgeway-body-officially-identified-223205825--abc-news-topstories.html
I didn't know where else to post.
ReplyDeleteJessica rest in peace.
How can I be so angry and devastated for someone elses child?
I hope the person that did this, rots in hell.
Ugh, I want to scream!!!!!!