Wrong Poster, Terri Horman

Terri Horman, sometime step parent of missing Kyron Horman, who disappeared at age seven from his school in Portland, Oregon, has made headlines again. Kyron went missing in 2010, and June 4 will mark the four year anniversary of this horrible event, and his former stepmother has finally put up a few posters with Kyron's picture on them. After four years. Yeah. (eye-rolley here)

There are several problems with Terri posters. First of all, she's a little late. Kyron has been missing for four years, and if he is still alive, he could not possibly resemble the seven year old in his pictures anymore. The gesture not only would have been more meaningful, but would have been more helpful, had she done it when Kyron first needed to be recognized and found. And in Roseburg, Oregon, where Terri lives, there was not anywhere near as much attention to Kyron's case as there was in Portland, from where he disappeared. For that reason, posters would actually have been informative and helpful in Roseburg.

The second problem with Terri's posters is that they mention that Kyron was seen with an "unknown man". Four years after the fact, any "unknown" persons are extemporaneous details inasmuch as the general public is concerned. If Terri Horman had any information that law enforcement lacked about any unidentified witnesses, she should have given that information to law enforcement at the moment police were first called. She should also have passed her polygraphs, given factual statements about her whereabouts that day, and communicated truthfully with Kyron's teacher, using a pen and a piece of paper, about any medical appointments Kyron may or may not have had. The purpose of a picture of a missing persons poster is photo recognition. The general public is not charged with the task of solving the crime. If it happens to look as if Terri's story, or Terri's five or six stories, are lacking in sincerity and truthful detail, she should address that with law enforcement.

The third problem with these posters preferred by Terri Horman is that they give out the wrong contact information. The best way to get the correct contact information and picture on a missing person flyer is to use the flyers and posters given out and posted by law enforcement, or use the ones produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

A poster with correct contact information.