 The vehicle described by these eyewitnesses was consistently described as being a Mercury model.Prior to the implementation of the task force, and despite protests from the girls' parents, several investigators initially assigned to the case theorized the sisters had either run away from home or were voluntarily staying with boyfriends.Although the sisters were front-page news by December 31, their disappearance would only be seriously considered as a missing persons case—and thus appropriately treated as such—by investigators after approximately one week had passed without family and friends receiving any form of contact from either girl.