Gabby Petito case example of ‘missing white woman syndrome,’ experts say

Good Morning America

KATIE KINDELAN

Wed, September 22, 2021, 10:30 PM·6 min read

In the two weeks since Gabby Petito went missing while on a cross-country trip with her boyfriend, her story has gained national attention.

Petito’s case has made news headlines and gone viral online, with people everywhere trying to find clues and solve the case themselves. Adding to the intrigue in Petito’s case is the large social media footprint she left behind as she documented her travels cross-country with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie.

Officials confirmed Tuesday that a body found over the weekend near Grand Teton National Park belongs to 22-year-old Petito, but the national fascination with the case continues, as authorities search for Laundrie, currently a person of interest in the case.

It is a fascination that families of other missing people, particularly women of color, say they wish was turned to their own loved ones’ cases.

“Everybody who is missing loved ones is saying, ‘Why wasn’t my case done that like?'” said Paula Cosey Hill. “It’s very hard because it takes you back to when your child went missing.”