Coverage of Missing Persons - The Journal Sentinal highlights the case of a missing African-American girl from Milwaukee whose case has not reached the public outside of Wisconsin and compares it to the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart from an upper-class neighborhood in Salt Lake City. While there are certainly disparities in the ways these cases are being covered, I'm more interested in why these cases are national news at all. What is it that makes people across the nation want to learn more about cases that, while tragic, mostly only have a local impact? Look at the case of Jon Benet Ramsey, as well as that of Elizabeth Smart, and I would argue that the answer is not just about race, it's about wealth. Hiring a publicity machine makes sure that the maximum number of viewers learn about the case is something that not every family can afford. And while I think viewers genuinely care about the fate of the girl, it's also an opportunity to see the cracks that occur within a "perfect" family living in a 6,600-square-foot house with seven bedrooms and an indoor racquetball court. Could that be why people latch onto such a story and want to keep abreast of the latest developments?