Cierra Swodeck Is Missing

 

 

Cierra Swodeck, of Lawrence, Kansas, is seventeen years old and was last seen on October 6. She was in foster care in Russell, Kansas, and it was "reported" to her natural mother that a "friend"drove Cierra from Russell to Topeka. It has been almost twenty days since this young lady has been seen by anyone who knows her. That's long time for a seventeen your old to be missing.

 

There are some questions that do not appear to have been addressed by the media in Cierra's case. First; why did law enforcement and the media wait until over two weeks had elapsed to publicize this case? Second; why isn't law enforcement airing this case? Why isn't social services doing more about it? Why is the natural mother, whose parental rights had been suspended by the foster care system, the only person who cares enough about Cierra to pass out flyers, talk to the media, and look for her? Third; Where were the foster parents when Cierra went missing, and what is their timeline on October 6? When a child or an adult is missing, and is being held against his or her will, if the missing person is going to be murdered, it usually happens within the first three hours. Two and a half weeks is way too long of a time to wait to give the case attention. Social Services and the foster parents also have a share of responsibility in this; the taxpayers should not have to think that child protective services will snatch children from parents who love them, place them in living situations hundreds of miles away from home, and not lift a finger, or a phone, when children disappear. There is a Marshall County Kansas foster parent who allows foster children to drink and drive drunk, and even though the police are required by law to arrest any child in DCF custody caught drinking, they never bother.....so it comes as no surprise, here, when law enforcement takes twenty days to start publicizing a foster child's missing persons' case. And, of course,  what were those foster parents doing on October 6, did Cierra have a cell phone, and why did they not have enough control over the goings-on in their state approved foster home to ensure that Cierra did not leave without asking? Finally, did Cierra really go to Topeka with a friend?

 

Anyone with information about Cierra or her whereabouts should call the number to the Russell County Sheriff's office on the poster above.