The Petito Story

[wadesworld]

A social worker likely would have been able to handle it far more effectively.

No kidding.

[Babybluejeans]

If only a social worker with a yellow light on her car showed up at the scene.

Agreed. That cop did not handle it especially well.

[MuggsyB]

From the blip I saw I do think a mental health professional should have been called.  It sure appears the police handled this situation very poorly. 

[Uncle Rico]

From the blip I saw I do think a mental health professional should have been called.  It sure appears the police handled this situation very poorly.

Agreed

[Jockey]

Good thread while it lasted.

I could not help but mock all of the angst here. Typical "missing young white women syndrome".

It is sad when someone is murdered. That murder should not be used as "sport" or "entertainment". Women are murdered everyday in this country. Native women in the west are murdered with nary a mention of their name. Black women are murdered every day that we never hear about. Same for white women. It' seems kinda sick to only pay attention when a cute girl is killed.

The one time that we need the All Lives Matter people, they are MIA.

[dgies9156]

Rule number 1 is if the cops want to know something, the only response is, "why do you ask?" More often than not, they won't tell you anything or give some crappy and vague explanation.

Rule number 2 is speaking to a cop without a lawyer present is a bad idea no matter what they want. No good can come out if it, regardless of the circumstance.

Some police officers are really incredible and take their jobs to protect and serve VERY seriously. They deserve our admiration. But too many are borderline buffoons on a power trip. Those guys scare the heck out of me.

[warriorchick]

From the blip I saw I do think a mental health professional should have been called.  It sure appears the police handled this situation very poorly.

Because the sheriff's department in the Middle of Nowhere, Utah, has clinical psychologists on call 24/7 that can get there as quickly as the cops to handle the situation?

You Monday Morning quarterbacks fascinate me.
While we are at it, they should have had cameras all over the entire National Park, including inside the couple's van, so that the police could review footage and see what had actually happened.

[MuggsyB]

I could not help but mock all of the angst here. Typical "missing young white women syndrome".

It is sad when someone is murdered. That murder should not be used as "sport" or "entertainment". Women are murdered everyday in this country. Native women in the west are murdered with nary a mention of their name. Black women are murdered every day that we never hear about. Same for white women. It' seems kinda sick to only pay attention when a cute girl is killed.

The one time that we need the All Lives Matter people, they are MIA.

If there was a bowl of white rice in front of you would you create a narrative and make it a discussion about race?

[wadesworld]

I could not help but mock all of the angst here. Typical "missing young white women syndrome".

It is sad when someone is murdered. That murder should not be used as "sport" or "entertainment". Women are murdered everyday in this country. Native women in the west are murdered with nary a mention of their name. Black women are murdered every day that we never hear about. Same for white women. It' seems kinda sick to only pay attention when a cute girl is killed.

The one time that we need the All Lives Matter people, they are MIA.

While there are a number of missing women who deserve just as much attention, I think it's less about being a cute white woman and more to do with there being a missing woman and a fiancé on the run after being pulled over for a domestic violence issue.

Frankly, missing people should be on national news more often, not less.  Look what happens when they are.  People become more aware of the case and find something they didn't even know they had on camera, which leads to a body being found.  And I wouldn't be surprised if it also helps in finding her murderer.

[Warriors4ever]

Nope a large part of the vast coverage is indeed about her being a cute young white woman, added to it being in a vast national park area. In fact the first coverage I saw was on local media on the Wyoming TripAdvisor forum, the regulars tend to post about missing people in hopes some travelers will be on the lookout.
I'm not saying she shouldn't have gotten it; I would agree that more coverage of these situations  is needed.

[Pakuni]

Because the sheriff's department in the Middle of Nowhere, Utah, has clinical psychologists on call 24/7 that can get there as quickly as the cops to handle the situation?.

Why shouldn't a sheriff's department have access to a social worker or domestic violence counselor 24/7? It's actually not at all unusual.
And the "get there as quickly as the cops" is a false choice. Why would the counselor need to get there faster than the cop? The cop gets there first to make sure everybody is safe and no one needs to be taken into custody. The counselor can, by phone if necessary, then speak with the people involved and consult with the officer on appropriate next steps.
You're making it sound way more difficult and complicated than it actually is.

[MuggsyB]

While there are a number of missing women who deserve just as much attention, I think it's less about being a cute white woman and more to do with there being a missing woman and a fiancé on the run after being pulled over for a domestic violence issue.

Frankly, missing people should be on national news more often, not less.  Look what happens when they are.  People become more aware of the case and find something they didn't even know they had on camera, which leads to a body being found.  And I wouldn't be surprised if it also helps in finding her murderer.

If these people were Black or Asian, and the exact same thing happened, with their pictures and videos all over social media, and they were simultaneously missing, you don't think the media would cover it or be interested?  I think you're right, missing person cases should be covered more, not less.  I just think the reasons why one case is covered vs another has a lot to do with the variables to consider, including the known details of the situation.

[Jockey]

While there are a number of missing women who deserve just as much attention, I think it's less about being a cute white woman and more to do with there being a missing woman and a fiancé on the run after being pulled over for a domestic violence issue.

Frankly, missing people should be on national news more often, not less. Look what happens when they are.  People become more aware of the case and find something they didn't even know they had on camera, which leads to a body being found.  And I wouldn't be surprised if it also helps in finding her murderer.

I totally agree. It should be about all women. Not just attractive women. That was the total point of my mini-rant.

[MuggsyB]

I totally agree. It should be about all women. Not just attractive women. That was the total point of my mini-rant.

When someone is attractive it's going to get more attention.  Whether they're a victim, a murderer, or everything in between.

[The Sultan]

When someone is attractive it's going to get more attention.  Whether they're a victim, a murderer, or everything in between.

Right.  That's why he said "should."

[Jay Bee]

I noticed in the video she was not wearing a mask.

[MuggsyB]

Right.  That's why he said "should."

Look, there's a reason more people watch giant panda and koala videos than sea slug videos.  It's a fact of life.  All I'm saying is if these people were  a different race, and we knew all the same details, it would be covered similarly.  There are many missing person cases where we have scant information.

[jficke13]

Rule number 1 is if the cops want to know something, the only response is, "why do you ask?" More often than not, they won't tell you anything or give some crappy and vague explanation.

Rule number 2 is speaking to a cop without a lawyer present is a bad idea no matter what they want. No good can come out if it, regardless of the circumstance.

Some police officers are really incredible and take their jobs to protect and serve VERY seriously. They deserve our admiration. But too many are borderline buffoons on a power trip. Those guys scare the heck out of me.

I'm very skeptical of your Rule Number 1. Your attorney can pose that question for you and will be much, much, better equipped to do so.

Rule Number 2 should be Rule Number 1.

[The Sultan]

Look, there's a reason more people watch giant panda and koala videos than sea slug videos.  It's a fact of life.  All I'm saying is if these people were  a different race, and we all knew all the same details, it would be covered similarly.  There are many missing person cases where we have scant information.

Yeah, I think you are being a little naive about that.

[Uncle Rico]

I noticed in the video she was not wearing a mask.

She was vaccinated

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Because the sheriff's department in the Middle of Nowhere, Utah, has clinical psychologists on call 24/7 that can get there as quickly as the cops to handle the situation?

You Monday Morning quarterbacks fascinate me.
While we are at it, they should have had cameras all over the entire National Park, including inside the couple's van, so that the police could review footage and see what had actually happened.

I work with a few different police and sheriff departments. A few of them could be described as "middle of nowhere" Texas. Several of them have developed relationships with counselors so that they do have counselors on call 24/7. Others are actively trying to develop those relationships. I think it would be beneficial to all departments and is a realistic goal.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I work with a few different police and sheriff departments. A few of them could be described as "middle of nowhere" Texas. Several of them have developed relationships with counselors so that they do have counselors on call 24/7. Others are actively trying to develop those relationships. I think it would be beneficial to all departments and is a realistic goal.

It sounds like there was a resource officer called in ("visitor and resource protection ranger") who at least provided some sort of counseling and urged the victim to reevaluate her relationship.

https://news.yahoo.com/arches-national-park-ranger-warned-153530619.html

[withoutbias]

If only a social worker with a yellow light on her car showed up at the scene.

First smart thing ZFB's ever said on Scoop and it's him being sarcastic in an effort to make fun of the left.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

First smart thing ZFB's ever said on Scoop and it's him being sarcastic in an effort to make fun of the left.

A spectacular fail, although I do give it a 10 on the Hypocrisy scale coming as it did from someone that said he had mental health challenges in the past.

[jsglow]

What's interesting about the story for me has nothing to do with the age, attractiveness, or color of the individuals involved.  What interesting for me is the unique set of circumstances surrounding their cross-country trip, the special circumstances that existed enabling him to avoid suspicion for literally weeks, and lastly, the way modern social media 'solved' the case to the point of where it's at today.

Someone has a different take?  Fine.  Don't particularly care.