If you're woman who fears getting lost this summer, here's a sure-fire hint that will help you get found again: Be white. And oh yeah, while you're lost, it doesn't much hurt to be young and maybe even blond. But if you really expect the sort of around-the-clock media coverage bestowed upon professional disappearing acts like Jennifer Wilbanks, the so-called missing bride of Georgia, your best bet is to be TV-star pretty as well.
That way, news directors across the country will beat a path to the doors of your ex-boyfriends, high school teachers, parents and anyone else that may help make your disappearance a national obsession.
Although the disproportionate amount of media attention paid to the nation's missing pretty white girls would make most of us realize how little chance a black, Hispanic or even average-looking woman has of being found alive, this fact was apparently lost on Melvin Figueroa. The Philadelphia man has been hard at work lobbying TV news outlets to make at least a cursory mention of the disappearance of his daughter LaToyia, who was last seen July 18.
LaToyia, 24, was five months pregnant, has a 7-year-old daughter and bears the unfortunate distinction of not looking like one of those chirpy little white women whose every distress seems to make news directors salivate.
So instead of having her face plastered across TV screens and newspapers like Natalee Holloway, the missing white teenager who disappeared in May in Aruba, Ms. Figueroa's relatives have made do by passing out leaflets near her Philadelphia neighborhood.
They've printed T-shirts bearing her likeness and asked local politicians for help.
The family has even raised a $100,000 reward, which they're offering for information leading to Ms. Figueroa's recovery, but it's unwise for these folks to hold their breath waiting for results.
After being chastised for ignoring the story, executives in the newsroom at CNN did relent and give the story lip service on July 27. But without the suntanned sex appeal of a Laci Peterson, it was unlikely that much air time would be devoted to Ms. Figueroa's case.
An article in the June issue of Essence magazine noted how, "when black women disappear, the media silence can be deafening." This was an astute observation, but not exactly breaking news.
For that, LaToyia would have to dye her hair and her skin.
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LaToyia Figueroa, 24, is described as a 5-foot-2, 130-pound pregnant black female with long brown hair, brown eyes and a wrist tattoo that says "Angel." Anyone with information about her disappearance can call 215-686-3334.
