Oh, my heart hurts. Police seem to have pulled back on the search for missing Colorado 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway. Instead this morning they're calling for people to pay attention to an FBI profile (yes, Criminal Minds is real y'all) of the suspect they think snatched the fourth grader on her walk to school a week ago.
It certainly puts the whole "we found a body while searching for Jessica Ridgeway" story in perspective, doesn't it? Westminster police have told us that they can't confirm that body found is related to Jessica's disappearance, but it's more than a little chilling that the plea to help find the kidnapper wasn't accompanied by yet another plea to get Jessica's face out there, isn't it?
At the very least it means the police in Westminster aren't satisfied with the response they've gotten from appealing to people with the use of Jessica's face. At the very worst, well ... I don't know if I want to go there. We know what the worst is, and it really is the worst thought imaginable in a missing child case.
Call me a cynic. Or just call me a realist. We all know about the crucial 48 hour-window in searches like this. But all cops were able to come up with in that time was Jessica's backpack, found in a town 6 miles from her house.
We're now a full week out from the morning she left home to walk to school, and there's no good news for us. Just this: the FBI has described the guy who likely abducted Jessica. They're key points:
1. He may suddenly miss work our scheduled appointments.
2. He may leave town suddenly.
3. He may show a sudden change in drug or alcohol usage.
4. He may attempt to change his appearance, even changing his vehicle.
No offense to the FBI. They know their stuff, but it's all rather vague. Not nearly as solid as say, a picture of a little girl who we can look clearly at and say "hey, I saw her!" or "nope, never saw her."
So there must be some reason why the cops have moved from "let's find Jessica, here's her photo" to "let's find this shadowy figure who dared steal a little girl away from her family."
I'm hoping that all this is is another means of getting Jessica home. But sadly, we can't be so sure.
Does the sudden focus on the suspect instead of Jessica give you an uneasy feeling? Do you think you know this guy? Will you share the information about him?
Image via Westminster Police
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Comments 12
There is a kidnapping and sudden release of an 11 year old girl in Wyoming and no one is even talking about a possible connection. I don't get it. In Wyoming they have a description of the suspect and his vehicle. I just don't get why no one is noticing the similiarities of these cases.
kidnapping is scary you have to watch over your shoulder at all times be armed with a cell
I think they are looking for a serial killer.
I'm sorry but those 'key points' from the profile could also match anyone going through a mid-life crisis or anyone just out of a bad break up.
I think the police are giving those key points because I think they suspect she knew the person or it was someone in the community who knew her and that her mother slept all day. Or someone who's been watching her for sometime. If it is her body they found, they knew the community well enough to know where to put the body that was discreet, but also where they knew it would be found. I agree with MomLily though. I think this may be a serial killer or someone who wants to be. It has a very "Lovely Bones" feel to the whole thing. I look up the details of this case several times a day and pray that it's not her body they found. I wish this poor little girl could just come home like the little girl in Wyoming.
The body is that of Jessica. The DNA is now back. This will be a huge manhunt here in Colorado. We have a vicious predator loose here in Colorado.