The Underreporting of Missing Black Children

Photo Credit: The Where are they? Podcast

In the midst of the turmoil and chaos that has shaken this county, the United States has another devastating phenomenon taking place: the underreporting of missing black children.

Almost everyone has heard of the Jaycee Dugard story, right?

Or Elizabeth Smart?

But what about Erica Heather Smith? Or Janteyl Johnson?

Black children make up approximately 14% of all children in the United States. Yet, 37% of all missing children cases are made up of black children. Shouldn’t it logically stand to reason that we would hear more about missing black children, simply because there are statistically more of them?

Now, the question as to why there are a disproportionate number of black missing children is not an easy one to answer, and is deserving of an article in and of itself.

This is also not an opinion piece. Regardless of what your opinion is on the current race relations status in America, the fact remains that 37% of all missing children cases are black children.

News media is often criticized for their coverage- or lack thereof- of missing black…