The question of whether race plays a role in how the media covers a missing person case comes up often, and it's worth discussing. In a Facebook post @Lyngay wonders why I'm "shocked" at the lack of media interest surrounding Janteyl Johnson's disappearance. I'm not shocked. I'm troubled by it and have been writing about this problem for several years. I will never understand why Janteyl's case was overlooked. What I do believe is that her story is an opportunity to further advance the conversation about how we, the media, can do a better job covering stories of missing minority children and adults and making sure they aren't ignored. My job is to ask questions such as: how does a 15-year-old pregnant child mysteriously vanish, and seven years later, we know very little about her disappearance? What about the older guys she was talking to that day? What about the baby's father? Has he ever helped to look for her? Isn't he concerned about his child? Did the fact that Janteyl was immediately labeled a runaway and was said to have possibly left on her own with an older man lead to unfair assumptions about her? Of course, it did! But here's the deal, even if she did leave on her own, she was a pregnant child traveling with some older guy. That should've been enough for the media to cover this case the way Lacy Peterson, Elizabeth Smart, and Natalie Holloway were covered. Why was Janteyl ignored? If she had been from a different neighborhood or the suburbs would she have been ignored? You decide. Many families of missing people of color will be the first ones to tell you how they've experienced the lack of media interest in their loved ones stories. I believe that's what @Lyngay is trying to point out in her post. The lack of media coverage of missing minority children and adults is a problem that's long been addressed by experts at organizations like The Black and Missing Foundation and in articles like this one by The Denver Post. An example of the disparity in media coverage was evident in 2002 when California mom-to-be Laci Peterson vanished. Laci's disappearance was top news locally and nationally for months, and rightfully so. Sadly, her body and that of her baby were later found in the San Francisco Bay. Her husband Scott Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 2004. But what about Evelyn Hernandez? Have you heard of her? Five months before Laci Peterson vanished the Salvadoran immigrant, who was also pregnant, disappeared along with her five-year-old son. Like Laci, Evelyn's remains were also found in the San Francisco Bay, but Evelyn's story was ignored by the media for months. That's not all. Evelyn's five-year-old son has never been found. According to published reports, Herman Aguilera, the father of her unborn child, who was married to someone else at the time, has long been suspected in their disappearance, but police have made no arrests. Their case remains unsolved. Cases like those of Evelyn Hernandez and Janteyl Johnson are reminders that a person's race and social status shouldn't determine if they are worthy of media coverage. It's well known that coordinated efforts between law enforcement and the media are crucial in all missing person cases, especially during those first critical hours. When a 15-year-old pregnant teen can simply fall off the face of the earth, without answers and without the public knowing, should concern every single one of us. Janteyl Johnson's case should have all of us asking ourselves: What if this happened to my daughter?
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As many of you know, Janteyl Johnson's story was recently featured on The Vanished Podcast, a weekly show that covers cases of missing kids and adults from around the country. If you're not familiar with it, I encourage you to check it out. The show's executive producer and host, Marissa Jones, does an outstanding job shedding light on cases that don't get media coverage. Marissa tells me that Janteyl's story has been one the most popular she's featured on her show so far. I'm not surprised given that not many people know about Janteyl Johnson. As I've stated in the past, Janteyl's disappearance did not generate the kind of media attention that other high-profile cases have received such as those of Laci Peterson, Natalee Holloway, and most recently Elizabeth Thomas, the Tennessee 15-year-old allegedly kidnapped by her 50-year-old teacher. Many people posted comments after the podcast aired. One of those comments stood out. A person who goes by the name "Gina" wonders why I didn't mention the name of the alleged father of Janteyl's baby. "Gina" also had this to say about Janteyl's family: First, as far as releasing the name of the man alleged to be the father of Janteyl's baby, let's not forget that New Castle County Police have not identified any suspects in her disappearance. At this point it remains an open missing person case. Even though this individual was questioned and considered an investigative lead, no charges have been filed against anyone. As far as the Johnson family, just like other families of missing children, they too are dealing with the nightmare of not knowing what happened to their daughter and grandchild. Keep in mind, seven years have passed with no answers. This family was out there in the middle of winter searching for their daughter when she vanished, and that's when they really needed the media's help. Anyone who's ever covered a missing person's case or has watched America's Most Wanted or any other similar show, knows very well that the first few hours are the most critical when a child disappears. It's during those first hours that the media's role is crucial to get information out to the public. The reality is that the more time that goes by the more difficult these cases are to solve. Also, let's not forget the fact that missing black and Hispanic kids are often not covered by the media. That's a reality. Many experts have addressed this issue including the Black and Missing Foundation and the co-founder of The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, John Walsh. Just because Janteyl's story didn't air daily on the nightly news doesn't mean her family wasn't out there looking for her, and it certainly doesn't mean they're not out there now still hoping and praying for their daughter's safe return. The Johnsons did speak to the one and only media outlet who acknowledged their existence at the time. And more recently they've allowed our crew to document their heartbreaking journey. To say: "Did they forget, this is not about them?" is harsh. The Johnsons know very well the pain and torture of having their child ripped away from them because they live this nightmare daily, and they're incredibly grateful to those who have, over the years, stepped up to help them keep Janteyl's story in the public eye. After Janteyl's story aired on The Vanished Podcast, her mom, Kyma Johnson, sent me an email stating her gratitude for showing interest in her daughter's case. She also explained her sadness and frustration with how they've been criticized by some for not knowing how to navigate the system to keep their story out there. Some people, she says, have even made them feel like they didn't do enough to prevent their daughter's disappearance. Can you imagine? The only people who should be blamed are those who know what happened to Janteyl and are refusing to come forward. So to conclude this post, how about we keep the focus on encouraging people to contact authorities if they have information about Janteyl's whereabouts? The Johnsons are victims of a cruel and twisted reality that no family should ever have to endure. Let's try putting ourselves in their shoes. Call the New Castle County Police at 302-573-2800 or 1-800-THE LOST
Sept. 8, 2016 marks Janteyl Johnson's 22nd birthday. Her brother Prennis, wanted to share a poem he wrote for Janteyl shortly after she vanished in 2010. He wants her to know how much he loves and misses her. Me and her was like the twin towers.
We stood together through rough times. We stood strong. We were created close to each other and were together for years creating memories. Been through all the storms and tough winds, but she was struck fiercely and caused damage to others. Becauz of it, now I'm falling tremendously, awaiting for the time we are built together again to create history. I miss u so much Puff. By: Claudia Rivero When someone disappears investigators usually focus on the people closest to the missing person including family members, significant others, and friends. In Janteyl Johnson's case, since she was five months pregnant when she vanished in 2010, the focus was on her boyfriend; the individual she identified to her family as the father of her baby. He was considered a person of interest at one point and was questioned by the New Castle County Police but to no avail. The NCCPD has released few details about Janteyl's case other than to say that they believe she ran away, possibly with an older man. According to the Johnson family, the man Janteyl said was the father of her baby was the last person who contacted her the afternoon she disappeared. So who is this older man? As I've mentioned previously, I'm not identifying the individual since he hasn't been named a suspect in this case. According to the Johnson family, they reached out to this man when Janteyl disappeared. They reportedly asked him if he knew anything about their daughter's whereabouts, they posted flyers of Janteyl in his neighborhood, they knocked on doors, they reached out to his family, but nothing. Fast forward to 2013. According to court records, this individual was arrested for domestic violence involving the mother of one of his children. Court records detail the vicious attack against the young woman for which he was facing five years in prison but was instead sentenced to two years probation and ordered to stay away from the victim. It was a negotiated plea deal in which both parties, with input from the victim, agreed to 18 months probation. The judge, however, extended the sentence to 24 months. If...IF... this same individual was allegedly the last person who possibly had contact with Janteyl Johnson then it raises even more questions about her disappearance given the nature of his actions in 2013. But according to Robert Lowery Jr., VP of the Missing Children Division at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the biggest challenge investigators face is the lack of concrete evidence in Janteyl's case. "Police, of course, have looked at a number of leads regarding that individual, and I’m certain if they can locate him it would be very important for him to give us information about where Janteyl may be,” Lowery said. He also adds that it's important to keep an open mind. “It’s always possible that she wasn’t with that person, and that has to be considered as well.” Were there other older men that Janteyl was in contact with? Yes, according to investigators. While there are no definitive answers in Janteyl's disappearance, it seems logical to go back to the person who allegedly last contacted her and who she identified to her family as the father of her child, especially if the same individual has a history of violence against women. If you know anything about Janteyl Johnson's disappearance contact The New Castle County Police Department at (302) 395-8172. by: Claudia Rivero
It’s something no parent ever wants to think about, but knowing what steps to take if you’re child disappears could make a huge difference in those first critical hours. This is a link to a guide issued by The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, which is part of the Department of Justice, and was created by a group of parents whose children disappeared. They share crucial tips of what to do and not do if your child goes missing. |
AUTHOREmmy Award winning reporter Claudia Rivero. Categories |