The Ongoing Search for Answers — A 'Missing in America' Panel

December 5, 2025

AI Summary

5 min read

In June 1995, six-year-old Morgan Nick was kidnapped while catching fireflies after a baseball game in Alma, Arkansas. Her mother Colleen was one block from the police department, and multiple agencies responded immediately. But there was no social media, no cell phone tracking, no way to get Morgan's face on television for more than twelve hours. "At one point someone got a fax machine hooked up so that it would fax continually so that Morgan's flyer would be faxed out," Colleen recalled. Three decades later, the technology has transformed, but the fundamental struggle for families of the missing remains agonizingly similar.

This panel, assembled for Dateline's Missing in America series, brought together family members, advocates, and a retired detective to discuss what they have learned through years of searching. The conversation revealed a system that often fails the missing and their families, the uneven application of resources depending on race and jurisdiction, and the exhausting burden placed on loved ones to act as investigators, media liaisons, and advocates.

The 48-Hour Myth and Law Enforcement's Mixed Response

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What you'll learn

1 (00:01) **Episode Introduction & Panel Setup** - Josh Mankowitz introduces a special panel discussion with family members, advocates, and a former detective about the search for missing loved ones.
2 (04:12) **The First 48 Hours: Waiting vs. Acting** - Panelists describe the critical initial period after a disappearance, including the harmful "wait 48 hours" myth.
3 (06:11) **Why Law Enforcement Struggles with Missing Persons** - Nan Trogden explains systemic issues within police departments regarding missing persons cases.
4 (08:55) **Taking Action: Rachel's Grassroots Campaign for Tyler** - Rachel Barth describes how she and friends immediately mobilized to find Tyler Goodrich without waiting for law enforcement.
5 (11:11) **The Role of Media and Race in Missing Persons Cases** - Discussion on how media pressure and racial bias affect law enforcement response.
6 (14:30) **Resources Families Wish They Had Early On** - Panelists reflect on tools and knowledge that could have made a difference in their searches.
7 (17:49) **The Alexis Ware Act and the Burden on Families** - Travis Ware discusses proposed legislation to transfer cold cases to the FBI after 12 months.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

For years, Dateline’s 'Missing in America' series has highlighted the stories of the missing and the families who won’t stop searching for their loved ones. Now, four seasons into the podcast — and for the 12th anniversary of the digital series — we’ve brought together some of the people we’ve met along the way for a candid, emotional conversation. You’ll hear from family members like Travis Ware and Sue Quackenbush, from loved ones-turned-advocates like Rachel Barth and Colleen Nick, from retired detective Nan Trogdon, and from MMIWP advocate Raven Payment. Together, they share what they’ve learned in their ongoing fight for answers and offer guidance for others walking the same difficult path.

Learn more about the cases mentioned in this podcast.

The Disappearance of Alexis Ware: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/dateline-missing-america-podcast-covers-january-2022-disappearance-alexis-ware-n1297966

The Disappearance of Danielle Lopez: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/dateline-missing-in-america-podcast/danielle-lopez-disappearance-new-jersey-rcna211887

The Morgan Nick Case: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/cold-case-spotlight/mother-missing-morgan-nick-still-fighting-bring-her-home-fbi-n1283729

The Disappearance of Kent Jacobs: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/dateline-missing-in-america-podcast/dateline-missing-america-podcast-covers-march-2002-disappearance-kent-rcna87155

The Tyler Goodrich Case: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/dateline-missing-in-america-podcast/dateline-missing-america-podcast-covers-november-2023-disappearance-ty-rcna163022

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