I can see the point that SK is making to be fair. Children do go missing on a daily basis never to be seen again. It's certainly odd how certain cases capture the attention of the public and the media whereas others don't.
The murder of Rachell Nickell on Clapham Common generated massive publicity whereas the brutal murder of Samantha Bisset and her 4 year old daughter, carried out by the same killer, hardly raised an eyebrow. How can that be?
Some cases for whatever reason just seem to court publicity. The brutal murder of 6 year old JonBenet Ramsay in America, mirrors much of what has occurred with the Madeleine McCann abduction. Once again, the senior investigator formed the opinion that the father was abusing JonBenet and had probably killed her to silence her. She was originally reported missing and although the police searched the family home they were unable to locate her body. The family later discovered her body in the wine cellar after the police had left. It's worth reading up on this case because it shows how vital resources which should be used to catch the killer end up focusing on the innocent parents simply because the senior investigator has a ' hunch.' Subsequent leaks to the press which had to have come from the police painted the Ramsay's as an odd couple and persons of interest, when in actual fact they were severely traumatised that their daughter had been brutally murdered in the family home. It took many years before the police accepted that they got it wrong and a new enquiry lead by a fresh pair of eyes finally got a breakthrough when DNA from an unknown male was recovered from her underwear and clothing. The Ramsays had to put up with years of whispers and abuse just because the senior investigator adopted a tunnel vision mindset.
This certainly wouldn't happen in the UK, nor France for that matter, where an examining magistrate is appointed to oversee all major police investigations.