Missing 5-Year-Old Jhessye ShockleyThere are several striking similarities between the disappearances of 10-month-old baby Lisa Irwin and 5-year-old Jhessye Shockley. Both children are girls, both were last seen in their homes. Lisa has been missing for over a week, Jhessye has been missing for nearly a week. Police investigating both cases have been challenged by strings of dead-end tips and a lack of evidence in general. The mothers of both Lisa and Jhessye have made tearful televised pleas for their children's safe return.
Right about now you may be wondering why you haven't heard more about Jhessye Shockley, or maybe even why you haven't heard of her at all, when Lisa Irwin's story has been plastered all over the news.
The fact of the matter is, you probably haven't heard much about Jhessye Shockley because of the one striking difference between her and Lisa Irwin:
Lisa Irwin is white. Jhessye Shockley is black.
I know it's a hard and ugly truth to swallow, representative of a reality we don't want to believe exists anymore. But sadly, nothing else explains why the country is currently obsessed with finding Lisa Irwin and largely unaware that Jhessye Shockley is even lost.
We know everything there is to know about Lisa Irwin's mother, Deborah Bradley, from the details of her divorce to what she had to drink the night Lisa vanished. Meanwhile, Jhessye Shockley's mother was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2006 for "injury to a child" and deemed a "threat to the well-being of her children," and no one seems to know or care how or why she got out of jail early.
Jhessye's three siblings are now in the custody of Child Protective Services, while Lisa Irwin's two brothers are at home, being sheltered from the press.
The main thing, one might argue, is that both girls return home safely, not how much attention their individual cases get. But when it comes to missing children, often the higher profile a disappearance, the higher the likelihood that child will be found.
The situation is already tragic. Now it's tragically unjust.
Do you think Jhessye Shockley's race is the reason why she isn't getting as much attention as Lisa Irwin?
Image via Glendale, AZ Police Department
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Comments 1117
This isn't about race, and if you live in AZ as I do you absolutely know about this. Perhaps it's because this child is in AZ that nobody cares? The only thing the press wants to talk about pertaining to AZ is immigration. Perhaps THAT is more likely why it isn't national news, ever think of that?
As to why this muther got out of jail early: Does anybody really not know why? It's because she's the muther. Our culture still can't/won't wrap it's head around the fact that women can and do hurt their children, much more often than men do actually.
it happens all the time and all the country people are in denial if you believe otherwise and it so bad that police say they have to beg tv stations for any help in finding these children.
I hope this isn't the case but it is possible. But I think its one story being blown up on the tv at a time. Even if its a white,black or Hispanic child missing. There was alot of attention on a missing Hispanic child recently. I don't think its due to race. at least I hope it's not.
I haven't heard about either one until cafemom so I believe it has nothing to do with race at all but I hope they find those little girls
That is a bunch of bull and even you know it. Quit stirring the racism pot. The Lisa girl is getting more attention because there is a "rich benefactor" helping out with a huge reward being offered. It's about money, not race. Not that you need to know or would care, but I am concerned for BOTH girls. It's "reporters" like you that keep the hate going and because of this, I'm done with this rag!
@ Lore Itsfrenchbetch
wow you have some serious issuses..talking about my "white privilage"..ridiculious!
HMM one of the biggest cases last fall was the Shaniya Davis case...she was a 5 year old little black girl. It was all over the news.
I think it depends on the situation, depends on where it takes place, depends on if police really do think its an outside kidnapping or actually a cover up from the start. I know the in the babies case they did not think it was a cover up or even think it was the parents at all to begin with. With this 5 year old you mention her mother was a suspect from the first second I am sure..obviously since they took her other kids.
There are likely dozens of children who went missing last week, of many races and backgrounds who are not recieving the same publicity as Lisa Irwin. I certainly hope thye find all of them.