Two-year-old Jada Justice of Portage, Indiana has been missing now for a week. But you wouldn’t know it from watching national television news shows.

The child, a black toddler, was last seen last Tuesday when her cousin said she left the child alone in a car at a Gary, Indiana, convenience store while she went inside.

Justice is now listed on the Web site for the Center for Missing and Exploited Children and on the "America’s Most Wanted" Web site. Television stations, radio stations and newspapers around Gary and Chicago have followed the story and shown photos of Justice with numbers to call to alert authorities if she is spotted.

But unlike the recent cases of Kaylee Anthony of Orange County, Florida and Haleigh Cummings of Satsuma, Florida, the search for Jada has not received the same kind of national attention.

“Unfortunately, in cases like this, it’s not until someone writes about the fact that there is no national attention that they start doing stories,” said Eric Deggans, media and television critic at the St. Petersburg Times.

Gary, Indiana is technically part of the Chicago media market, which is actually larger than the markets where others have lived whose cases of either abduction or exploitation were featured prominently on national television, Deggans said. Major networks often pick up stories from their affiliates in those markets and develop national stories.

“If there were reporters who cared about this, they could be all over it,” Deggans told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Yanick Rice Lamb, associate professor at Howard University and editorial director for Heart & Soul magazine, said missing children cases are something that people care about, regardless of color.

“People are concerned about their children and their children’s safety. This is something people can relate to,” Lamb told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

There are a couple of factors that can go into a decision on whether or not to give a story national news coverage, she said.

“Who are the decision makers? How great is the public outcry? The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” she said.

Also, more than 40 years after the Kerner Commission Report pointed to the impact of a lack of newsroom diversity on coverage in urban communities, there still are issues in our nation’s newsrooms, Lamb said.

While the case has not received lots of national attention, Gary Police Commander Anthony Titus said he is getting strong support from local and federal law enforcement agencies.

Representatives from the FBI, U.S. attorney’s office and local district attorney’s office met Monday to discuss the search and investigation, Titus said Monday evening.
 
“We have some work going on tonight, and if they don’t turn up anything, we’ll be back out in the morning,” Titus told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

“Our goal is to get Jada back home and to see if there is anything criminal involved in her disappearance,” he said.

Angelica Castillo, 18, told police Jada was missing when she returned to the car after buying a gallon of milk.

Family members said they are suspicious about the way Castillo told authorities the child went missing.

Melissa Swiontek, Justice's mother, said, "I don't know. I don't know what to feel. I don't know. I feel there are so many speculations, there's so many things. I feel like I'm going to find her. I mean, I do feel like she can't be gone ... like this is not even happening."

Titus said the search for Jada has been ongoing. “Anytime we’re out, we’ve got helicopters. We’ve got bodies on the ground,” he said.
 
Interviews and pictures have been posted on YouTube.com, and the Center for Missing and Exploited Children has developed fliers that family members and friends have been distributing in the Gary area.

“All I .....

Please Login or Register to post comments on this article

Close Comment  |   Read More Comments Hide More Comments

Comments * :

Please do not enter the HTML tags(Maximum 600 characters).

Anyone find it strange that there is an FBI contact with the article, but this little girl is not on the FBI's missing persons list, even after a week of being missing??

by   
Lichelle75
June 25, 2009, 11:34 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have they found Jada yet? I am very concerned about this child. I would like to know if this baby had been found. If this was my child it would kill me. This is the number one reason why I would not let anyone keep my children. You can replace a job but you can't replace your child. I pray this child is found unharmed.

by   
KATHYGABRIEL
June 25, 2009, 8:30 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jada's story was on Nacy Grace this week. I also live in Louisiana. It is not getting as much coverage as Caley Anthony, but Nancy did have this story on her show.

by   
Honeyluvbr
June 25, 2009, 6:21 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jada's story was on Nacy Grace this week. It is not getting as much coverage a Caley Anthony, but nancy did have ithe story on her show.

by   
Honeyluvbr
June 25, 2009, 6:19 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is thefirst I have heard about this and I live in the Mid-West. This is not even on the MSN web-page.

by   
Lanx
June 24, 2009, 5:11 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----U mean, Nancy Grace is not all uopn this?????

by   
Rubinisk
June 24, 2009, 3:33 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just got word that the Missing Ohio girl was found
Haylee Donathan, 4, was found alive Tuesday with her mother and a fugitive sex offender.
• Missing Ohio girl found with mom, sex offender

by   
Shadygrady
June 24, 2009, 12:49 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is too bad that for whatever reason the national media does not treat ALL stories of missing children the same. Thank you Tom Joyner for your role in bringing these issues to the forefront. I did notice after hearing you comment on your morning show Tuesday, June 23; Nancy Grace had the story on her show that night. I only wonder if you had not commented would she have researched and got the info. We have come a long way in this country but we still have some work to do on total equality.

by   
Wlcross1
June 24, 2009, 8:50 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I live in Louisiana. I have seen this child's picture. Someone is showing..The family needs to be more vocal, especially, the immediate family.

by   
Chaffers
June 23, 2009, 10:06 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOM JOYNER WAS RIGHT YOU HAVE GOT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THESE PEOPLE. YOU GUYS DID IT. GOD BLESS BABY JADA. PLEASE.KEEP HER SAFE SHE IS INNOCENT . SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING ,SHE JUST NEEDS TO COME HOME.

by   
Debbiedelight
June 23, 2009, 8:19 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTER READING THE ARTICLE HERE TODAY,I SPENT THE MORNING SENDING OUT E-MAILS TO EVERY NATIONAL NEWS STATION ESPECIALLY NANCY GRACE AND THE CNN FAMILY. I HAVE NEVER FELT THIS PASSIONATE ABOUT A CAUSE . THANK -YOU JESUS TONIGHT NANCY GRACE AIRED BABY JADA'S STORY,AND HER MOTHER WAS ON THE PROGRAM,IT IS SO AMAZING. THERE IS ALSO A $10,000 REWARD

by   
Debbiedelight
June 23, 2009, 8:12 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You won't see this one on Nancy Grace. I pray the little girl gets found safe and alive

by   
Rozzyt
June 23, 2009, 2:20 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AS MENTIONED EARLIER BY ANOTHER READER, PLEASE LOG IN TO CNN / NANCY GRACE..SHE HAS NOW POSTED A SURVEY WONDERING WHY WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE STORY...THIS IS OUR TIME TO VOICE OUR OPINIONS. ITS A SHAME THAT THE ATTENTION WAS BROUGHT TO CNN AFTER THE FACT OF BEING BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS QUESTIONING ITS MEDIA ABSENCE

by   
Vysimmons
June 23, 2009, 1:28 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A

by   
Vysimmons
June 23, 2009, 1:22 pm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I LIVE IN TOLEDO OHIO AND WE JUST HAD A MISSING WHITE 4-YEAR-OLD FROM MONROE MICHIGAN THAT WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS. THERE WERE VOLUNTEERS FROM BOTH OHIO AND MICHIGAN WHO SEARCHED FOR HER FOR MONTHS. SHE WAS FINALLY FOUND IN A RIVER INCASED IN CEMENT..SAD STORY YES..BUT IT REALLY HURTS TO HEAR THAT A BEAUTIFUL LIL BLACK GIRL CAN GO MISSING AND NO ONE HEARS ABOUT IT...WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?

by   
Briley06
June 23, 2009, 10:46 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok....Now where the hell is Nancey Grace when you need her? Oh wait.....she's still on CNN
b!tching about Kaylee and this little girl (Kaylee) has been dead for how long now, for months!!!! This is ridiculous. This only proves that main stream media don't give a damn about black people unless it has something to do with murder, or being falsely accused of abducting white children. SMH

by   
Tjlistener2
June 23, 2009, 10:21 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was no Amber alert b'cause police not sure that someone actually kidnapped her. The cousin & her boyfriend's story is suspect for many reasons; so police have no Amber Alert details to issue to the public.

by   
Ksun
June 23, 2009, 10:17 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE GO TO CNN.COM AND CLICK CONTACT US .YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS TO NANCY GRACE AND ALL OF THE CNN FAMILY. THEY NEED TO HERE FROM ALL OF YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS INFO ON PLEASE. I'M JUST ANOTHER FRIGHTEND MOM!

by   
Debbiedelight
June 23, 2009, 10:00 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The National Media should be ashame, they are picking and choosing on the basis of color which missing child is more important. To say the least you have to be a true idiot to leave a child in a car anywhere and especially in Gary Indiana. I will pray for this child and her family...

by   
Rbellie98
June 23, 2009, 9:38 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope this baby is found safe and unharm, I think there is more to this story then the young lade is telling. The truth will come out soon. Prays to the family.

by   
Johnsonj2
June 23, 2009, 8:56 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MY GOODNESS ,I'M SORRY FOR THE FAMILY'S LOSS AND I HOPE THE BABY IS FOUND UNHARMED. WHAT HAPPEND TO THE AMBER ALERT. I WILL DEFINETLY SEND NANCY GRACE AN E-MAIL.

by   
Debbiedelight
June 23, 2009, 8:31 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What a Beautiful young girl! May God Bless this family and we 're all praying for a safe return.

by   
Keepinon
June 23, 2009, 7:58 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My prayers to the family. This should be a national call across the country. Let find this black baby girl. The person who took her must be punish for the least kidnap of a child.

by   
Curtishooks
June 23, 2009, 7:50 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have herard nothing about thislittle girl. I am going to send Nancy Grace an email. She is still talking about Caylee Anthony but no one has mentioned this little girl. I will keep her and her family in my prayers, this is so sad and I agree, my kids are a lot older and I still don't leave them in the car alone unless I can see the car and I tell them to LOCK THE DOORS!

by   
Lynnken
June 23, 2009, 7:48 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If the family members are suspicious of the way Castillo gave the account of the way the child went missing they may be on to something. Maybe she was never in the car to begin with. People in the Chicago community were saying that when they first heard about it. Why didn't she lock the doors.

by   
Natsoh69
June 23, 2009, 6:19 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aunts, neices, cousins, play mama's, baby mama's, mama's, sisters, we can't keep leaving these babies in cars, while we run in stores, nail shops, beauty shops, WIC offices, public aid offices, etc. It only takes a second and your life can change in an INSTANT. If you are just running in somewhere and coming out real quick then take the child with you.

by   
Natsoh69
June 23, 2009, 6:11 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I will say this and it is not placing blame. When something happens to a loved one and the police are called into the situation we can't blame the police or the media because what has been done has been done. Sometimes the amount of media coverage can make the abductor harm the person. It only takes a second for a perpetrator to grab a child. The damage is already done. All that media coverage didn't bring Kaylee Anderson back or thousands of other non black kids back. Media coverage doesn't comfort a mother's heart.

by   
Natsoh69
June 23, 2009, 6:03 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is sad. My heart goes out to the family.

by   
Natsoh69
June 23, 2009, 5:56 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is sad. My heart goes out to the family.

by   
Natsoh69
June 23, 2009, 5:56 am
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------