Why are some people treated differently than others?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (54391)
February 5, 2026 9:27pm CST
Son and I were discussing the mother of Savannah Guthrie, Nancy, who was apparently abducted from her home on Jan. 31, 2026. Police found blood at the scene proven to be Nancy's. Someone messed with her security system. There is no forced entry. And no one knows where Nancy Guthrie, an 84 year old woman with a pacemaker and a heart condition, and limited walking abilities, is right now.
As most of us know if we follow any news at all, many people disappear. Most usually handled by local law enforcements, who call in additional help if they feel it's warranted. I'm NOT saying that Nancy Guthrie isn't worthy, or a special lady, or that she doesn't need help.
Trump sent the FBI, and they are offering $50,000 reward for any information leading to the location of Nancy. Yes, I know she has a famous daughter. No argument there. But think about all the people who go missing and are never found, or found too late to save--and that happens all over the world, not just here in the US. Where is the FBI for these people? Why do for one or two, but not for others? It should not happen just because a person has a famous family member--or should it? Aren't we all the same in importance?
Yes, I hope they find her well and safe. I don't feel it's a likely scenario, but I hope they do.
What makes one person more important than another in cases similar to this one?
11 people like this
8 responses
@Deepizzaguy (118026)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
16h
I guess it is the amount of money in their bank account.
3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (54391)
•
15h
Or, the fact that Savannah is famous...the extra help should be available to anyone in need of it, not just celebrities, but then that's just my opinion.
3 people like this
@Fleura (33807)
• United Kingdom
12h
Well I guess if we're talking about people who just 'go missing' there is a difference. If someone is reported missing they could have just walked out and decided to absent themselves for whatever reason, you can't really send the FBI after them. In this case there was definite evidence something violent had happened.
2 people like this
@Fleura (33807)
• United Kingdom
11h
@MarieCoyle But were those people violently abducted?
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (54391)
•
11h
@Fleura
One I can think of was violently abducted, and killed. Someone sent a letter to the police department that stated where the body was nearly two months later, in a wooded, rural area. No answers, no additional investigations, nothing. 13 years ago, I knew the family well. Another woman in the same area went out to her porch in 2021 and simply vanished, no one can find her, either. She left her dog, her belongings, her phone, everything. No sign of her at all, no traces, and no extra attention from any sources outside of Illinois, Just like the other one. There's more, these are just two.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (54391)
•
11h
I can think of several missing persons cases right here in my state that have been missing a long time, no clues, nothing solved. They never go past local law enforcement.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (54391)
•
11h
I hope that they find her, too. It’s obvious her family loves her very much.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (492593)
• Italy
11h
@MarieCoyle She is not young. May be she got confused and went out. If police found blood, may be she fell.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (54391)
•
11h
@LadyDuck They did state that she had no cognitive issues, her only issues were her heart and some mobility problems--she used a cane.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (88523)
• United States
4h
I'm sure it's getting all this attention because her daughter is famous. Guess that makes it newsworthy. It's a sad story to hear about and since it's been days I'm sure it's not gong to have a happy ending.
@indahwow (79)
• Yogyakarta, Indonesia
4h
I think this is a fair and important question to ask. It’s not about jealousy or minimizing one specific case, but about consistency and fairness. Every missing person has a family that’s terrified, desperate for answers, and hoping their loved one will be found alive.
The FBI usually gets involved when there are certain legal factors, like interstate issues or serious threats. But we also can’t ignore the role that public attention and media pressure play. When someone has a well-known family member, the case naturally becomes national news, and the response tends to escalate more quickly.
That’s where the discomfort comes in. Not because one life is more valuable than another, but because the system often responds differently based on visibility. There are many missing people who are just as vulnerable, just as elderly or ill, yet never receive the same level of resources or urgency.
Ideally, cases like this should spark a broader conversation about how missing persons cases are handled overall. The goal isn’t to take attention away from anyone, but to ask why that level of effort isn’t more evenly applied.
At the end of the day, every person matters. Concern for one case doesn’t have to come at the expense of concern for all the others.
@JudyEv (370923)
• Rockingham, Australia
9h
I understand totally what you are saying. There are so many of these inconsistencies in how people are treated. No wonder there are lots of chips on lots of shoulders.
