Before She Disappeared

Early in the story, Frankie ruminates on the disadvantages experienced by women from marginalized groups who become victims of crimes. She observes that people like Angelique and Livia and Lani Whitehorse are made invisible and marginalized by law enforcement. For example, the reservation police dismiss Lani Whitehorse as a runaway who abandoned her child. Police are similarly dismissive of Angelique, a dark-skinned immigrant from a poor community, and Emmanuel has to struggle to keep his sister’s disappearance in the forefront of public memory. Livia is invisible to society, a girl whose own family didn’t report her missing for fear of the police.

Frankie focuses her efforts on these young women, who are too easily dismissed by a society that does not see their value. Having been marginalized herself, she wants them to be seen and valued by someone who knows they matter.

Livia illustrates the experience of an intelligent and talented girl who lacks socioeconomic advantage. Livia’s mother and brother didn’t report her disappearance because JJ’s drug dealing put his freedom and family’s economic stability at risk. Despite her teacher’s attempts to help Livia envision a future outside her community, Livia believes such fantasizing is a waste. She is pragmatic and focused on her immediate needs because she has no feasible recourse to leave the socio-economic situation she was born into.