I do hope she is found safe and sound

[2shoes]

poor familys

Excellent point wannabe.

I feel like crying for her poor mother

Yes, it's interesting about the family background and how it might be seen. It's quite fragmented, too, isn't it? Some of the brothers and sisters live with the estranged father. Perhaps it doesn't correspond to some media perception of what Headline Abductions should be like.

THat said, at least nobody's yet 'blaming' the poor mother for letting her child walk home from school (perfectly reasonably, in my opinion).

they'd better not blame her for letting her child walk home from school, loads od kids walk

agree with namechange, why isn't this getting more publicity?

These days it's only a matter of time before the poor parents are 'found fault with' for one thing or another.... It's becoming part of our media culture to be so down on parents.

don't totally agree with you (remembering the McCanns leaving 3 youngsters alone but seeming to be beyond reproach)

Actually I did wonder re the child walking to school, not in terms of her parents being at fault, but the news artacle said that she didn't normally walk to/from school alone, so wonder why this time was different?

If she was planning to run away, could it be that she had persuaded her mum to let her walk? In which case her mum must be going through hell.

and i do wonder why there aren't countless threads and posts here on mumsnet about this case a la the maddy one!?

Maybe as it's not so heavily covered in the media, but maybe because people who post on here find it harder to identify with?

Why do you think that DWP?

Though I must say I too am surprised at the lack of discussion about it on here.

agree devilinpremark!

most posters on Mn are most closely like the McCanns and not much like the family of missing Shannon, I wonder if thats why they don't identify with this family of the missing girl

do you think that is the case or cos Madeline was much much younger?
This girl's poor mother. My eldest ran away fro 4 hours once and I think I died inside as the hours ticked by. Then 6 months later she ran away for good but did tell me where she was. It still killed me (and still does)
That mum is ina hideous nightmare

Ah I see what you mean - hadn't thought of that.
I just keep praying we hear good news soon.

TheDevilWearsPrimark good point but i was shocked that there was no mention on here about it.

Hmmm maybe it is a reflection on the MN demographic after all.

This is so

She's a year older than dsd.

Ithink its wrong that this is'nt getting more publicity, yes there is a strong possibility that she has run away but any one could have got hold of her by now.

I just hope she is found safe and well.

Perhaps the parents can't face being on the tv and giving press conferences all the time?
Its been on our news a lot we are in Lancs.

I do think te fact that she is (a) slightly older, (b) in England and (c) considered a run away is a lot to do with why the coverage on the media is a little less hyped. I don't think the fact that her family are not "middle class doctors" has anything to do with it though.

IS she considered a runaway though? I thought that this was just one of several options and they are not ruling any out.
If she is a runaway and someone is sheltering her they should be locked up for aiding and abetting or wasting police time etc.

I saw this on the news. That poor poor mother - did you see her eyes? That woman is heartbroken...as you would be, obviously. I think the media are not all over this because it is seen as a runaway rather than an abduction - do you have any idea how many children run away from home every year? It is outragious that it is not given a lot of time. We should be seeing their faces so we know if we spot one.

Many kids run away without ever making it onto the news at all.

I think it is almost more important to highlight the plight of a runaway than it is to highlight a child that has been abducted.

I realize I am going to get slated for this, but...

If a child is abducted by a stranger there is almost no chance that that child will be found alive after the 1st 24 hours. But a child that runs away may be found, and helped. So why is the runaway less signifficant?

And i absolutely believe that the status of the child's family has everything to do with how much media coverage they receive. Madeleine mccann's disappearance made world news, for months. And yet a child disappeared in spain a few weeks ago, and even though it was briefly reported on the news that's all anyone has heard about it. Her family were not doctors, and don't have a media spokesperson or a wealthy backer.

Yes but a Spanish girl is never going to make the same headline news here in the UK as a British girl. Simple as the British girl is "closer to home."

BBC news -

'But why had he not seen his daughter for more than six months?

"A lot of problems with family and stuff like that," he said. "My cars kept breaking down, money and all that kind of thing." '

no wonder she missed her dad and wanted to see him. I do hope she's OK. As long as theres no abuse/neglect i just wish grown ups could get over themselves and at least try and be civil so their children don't feel torn.

Part of the difference in coverage is because the McCann story was such a simple, strong narrative - it was a classic 'it could be me' playing to our darkest fears of a stranger abducting our child. And it was summer time, wasn't it, where there is much less news around.

This case is much more complex. Poor kid.

Really hope she is safe. Poor mother

did they find the child who went missing in spain?