Child missing in Australia

[MyLifeNow20]

In the news. Cant stop thinking about it. Poor child and her family x

The police have just offered a $1 million reward for information.

Not to judge someone in an awful situation but these type of press conferences often give clues to what has happened

That's what happened following the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain. Everyone 'knew' that her mother, Lindy, must be guilty, mainly based on her not seeming like they thought a grieving mother should.

It took 32 years to clear Linda's name.

OK, that was NT, not WA, but following that case Australia is the last place I'd expect the public to still believe that demeanour at a press conference is in any way reliable

@RancidOldHag Demeanor very often does show guilt, however in this case I don't think there's anything to suggest that Cleo's parents had anything to do with her disappearance.

As I said upthread, rural Australians do tend to be quite laidback and I think that can be misinterpreted by people who are not familiar with rural Australians.

Also Cleo's parents had grown up in the area and they probably felt quite safe there, so assumed that Cleo had wandered off, rather than anything sinister in the beginning.

@MrsCardone

The problem is, these areas are so vast. How on earth do you look for someone? There was a case a few years ago where two men were killed on farmland. It was 2 years before the farm owner stumbled upon them.

Specialist search teams (including Aboriginal bush trackers), plus extensive use of drones.

They set up a search area based on the distance they thought Cleo could cover on foot if she had wandered. There's a comment early in the thread about his they will keep searching that area until they are sure she isn't in it. They they will consider other scenarios including the 'nightmare' one

Homicide detectives are already alongside the missing person enquiry. And police are hinting that other items are missing from the tent (by their refusal to comment on what they are)

So sad. Please let her be found safe and well!

Demeanor very often does show guilt

It does not reliably show guilt.

Also it's something that is very susceptible to confirmation bias. The public remembers the cases where guilty people looked 'bad' and draws the wrong inference that 'I knew it'

That leads to them condemning people who don't come across right.

Lindy Chamberlain was absolutely pilloried by the public, because she looked 'bad' and did not fit the idea of what a distressed mother should look like.

People, especially those in Australia, learned from that.

It is simply not reliable

And leads to dreadful comments about the families, whilst making no difference to the actual investigation.

Pice are now calling it an abduction and offering $1million reward.

*Police

www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-21/cleo-smith-reward-offered-for-missing-girl-carnarvon-info/100556756

Recently updated news article, including confirmation from police that police believe Cleo was taken from the tent.

There are reportedly up to 20 registered sex offenders living near where she was taken from. It is giving off a William Tyrell vibe in the press here in Australia atm.

Was there no outcome with William Tyrell?

I'm praying for a Shannon Matthews type scenario here - that Cleo is safe and well with a relative, that the delay in calling the police was to give the relative time to take her away, that the whole situation was dreamed up to get money or publicity or something.

This really is the best case scenario isn't it. I hope for the same outcome. There any lots of family photos in the media. Have these been taken from social media or issued by the family?

I think you might find Australian MSM better sources than the DM

The 'body language' stuff is tasteless in the extreme

@WaltzingToWalsingham

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10109897/Cleo-Smith-Body-language-experts-talk-Ellie-Smith-Jake-Gliddon-interview-WA.html

Sorry for referring to the Daily Mail link again, but if they're correct that there was a four hour delay in calling the police, then I do find that quite surprising.

I misplaced my ten-year-old once, so considerably older than Cleo, and we were in my home town, so an area that she was familiar with. I ran around like crazy checking all the places I thought she might be, and then called the police after about 45 mins of fruitless searching. Thankfully it was just a misunderstanding and she was found safe and well. But waiting four hours? For a missing four-year-old, who has disappeared in the night in an unfamiliar location and near water, blowholes and, presumably, snakes and other hazards? It just seems almost unfathomable.

I'm praying for a Shannon Matthews type scenario here - that Cleo is safe and well with a relative, that the delay in calling the police was to give the relative time to take her away, that the whole situation was dreamed up to get money or publicity or something.

Where does it say the waited 4 hours?

In the UK there have been multiple instances of press conferences highlighting the behaviour of guilty people

That's what I meant about confirmation bias. Though perhaps post-hoc rationalisation might be a better term

If you see people who are later shown to be guilty acting a way that's off, you'll remember and think you're smart to have spotted it. All the other times when you've thought 'that's odd' but it's led to nothing will be forgotten.

Hi all, and thanks for the many reports.
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@Windows01

How would someone have know which tent and bedroom pod to go to in such a remote location in the middle of the night. Sounds so far fetched, I realise it has actually happened but it's very baffling.

Other people were staying there too, they weren't there alone. Perhaps they were being watched during the day .

@gingercatsparky They didn’t arrive until 6.30 pm.

@WaltzingBetty On the time line photo, number 4

@PeggyGa

Was there no outcome with William Tyrell?

He's still missing.

How sad , let’s hope they find her.

[quote MrsCardone]@gingercatsparky They didn’t arrive until 6.30 pm.[/quote]
Ok watched from 6.30

[quote WaltzingToWalsingham]@WaltzingBetty On the time line photo, number 4[/quote]
Thanks