Hyenas

Having a missing loved one places ordinary people, families left behind to cope, with a lifelong burden.  In our case it’s our son, he was 16 and vanished.

Most of the time journalists are responsible taking time to speak with family and if possible, police.

Without reiterating the details of the case, because it is well documented, I want to talk about the sharks out there.

We families become ‘prey’ for would be bloggers and podcasters who run amok with pen or keyboard without fact checking.  Ripping the skin off those left behind with heartless abandon, creating more theories, more fodder for gossip. One ‘distorted fact’ becomes part of the fabric of the story and as such creates more misinformation for the next amateur.  The sad part? It is out of our control.  I google my son’s name and a zillion random things come up.

It is especially disappointing when I am told someone is writing about my son and I ask them to please stick to the facts, just to find out they have created yet more baseless theories.

Our son is an urban legend. In the public domain and fair game. We are victims without any protection or recourse.