A 16-year-oldgirl has been missing for more than a week in Portsmouth, Virginia, and growing frustration surrounds the lack of national attention.
Mirakle Elainea Smith vanishedonAugust 13, 2025, yet there has been no Amber Alert, no widespread media coverage, and no visible urgency from authorities. Officials have warned that her physicalsafety is in danger, raising alarm among advocates who say her case underscores systemic failures in how missing Blackchildren are treated in America.
Smith was last seen in Portsmouth, though law enforcement has released few details about the circumstances of her disappearance, including who she may have been with or whether surveillance footage exists. Her family and community members are now pleading for answers, fearing that valuable time has already been lost.
The lack of a high-profile response has sparked outrage online, where many are asking:
- Why has there been no Amber Alert?
- Why has lawenforcement provided so little information?
- Why do missing cases involving young Black girls receive significantly less coverage than others?
Advocates stress that every hour counts in cases of missing children. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), publicawareness campaigns and rapid media alerts can play a critical role in recovering at-risk youth…