ANTHONY THOMAS - 11 yo - Washington DC

Jun. 7 2010 - 4:45 pm | 5,128 views | 0 recommendations | 15 comments

Two missing boys, two different races, two types of coverage

By SARA LIBBY


Anthony Thomas, photo via DC Police


I first heard rumblings about a missing 11-year-old boy in Washington D.C. when I checked my Twitter feed first thing this morning. After a bit of searching, I found the Washington Post headline buried toward the bottom of the page – despite a mention in the story that Anthony Thomas “is now considered a critical missing person” – a frightening admission by the police that the boy might be in terrible danger.
I was surprised then – though I now realize I shouldn’t have been – to see a story about a missing young boy other than Anthony Thomas plastered across the top slot on People magazine’s website. There, the mag sounds the alarm for 7-year-old Kyron Horman, who never made it back to his Portland, Ore., home after attending his elementary school class. Certainly no publication has the resources or the space to cover each youngster who goes missing – but given their similar ages, the times at which they disappeared, and the relative mystery surrounding both – wouldn’t it make sense for People to mention both boys?

Kyron Horman, photo via FBI


Since they didn’t, it’s legitimate to assume that race might have played a role in the coverage. People is notorious for covering the cases of missing white women – Natalee Holloway, Caylee Anthony, Madeleine McCann, Laci Peterson, etc. – in exhausting and excruciating detail, while women with similar stories like Mitrice Richardson get far less coverage (Richardson made a People magazine cover, but shared it with a group of other missing persons, while white women like Holloway received their own covers – sometimes more than once).
I certainly hope that both Anthony Thomas and Kyron Horman both make it home safely and securely, and as soon as humanly possible. But even if they do, it’s possible that Thomas might already be the victim of a documented media bias that heaps concern on white people in peril, and ignores or downplays stories involving people of color who also go missing.

Anthony Thomas and Kyron Horman: Two Missing Boys Demonstrate Disparity in Coverage

By Jeff Mays on Jun 8th 2010 4:08PM
Filed under: News, Race and Civil Rights

Anthony Thomas is considered a critically missing child from Washington, D.C. That means police think he is in severe danger. He was last seen Saturday on a D.C. street.

Kyron Horman was last seen by his stepmother at his Portland, Ore., school as he walked back to his classroom, after a science fair. He never returned home and police also have strong concerns for his safety.

Both cases are potentially heart-breaking tragedies. It is a scary and sad experience anytime a child goes missing.

Type Horman and Thomas' name in to Google, though, and the results are equally as frightening. Thomas' case was reported as a brief in the Washington Post and some local television stations. He was also featured as the weekly Black and Missing person here on Aol. Black Voices.
http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/06/08/anthony-thomas-and-kyron-horman/

June 8, 2010
UPDATE Missing Person: Anthony Thomas Located


The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a critical missing person identified as 11-year-old Anthony Thomas. He was last seen in the 100 block of Ivanhoe Street, SW on Saturday, June 5, 2010 at approximately 3:00 pm.



Anthony Thomas is described as a very light complexioned black male, 5’ 1” in height, weighing approximately 110 pounds, with brown eyes, black hair with a Mohawk hair style, and has a thin build. He was last seen wearing a white shirt with unknown color of pants.



Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Anthony Thomas is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or Youth Investigations Division (202) 576-6768.

• UPDATED: June 8, 2010
  

The missing person identified as 11-year-old Anthony Thomas has been located.

https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130507213641761#!/group.php?gid=130507213641761&v=wall