Even In Death, Cuteness Rules

In the first Minneapolis homicide of 2008, a four-year old was allegedly beaten to death by a relative who was taking care of him.

Some of the basics of the crime, according to police accounts and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, are these: Carla Poole of north Minneapolis is charged with second degree murder in the death of her cousin's son Demond Keith Reed. Police believe Reed was fatally beaten and stuffed in the closet for days after he soiled his pants, an act allegedly witnessed by Poole's children. She was taking care of Reed while his father was serving time in Chicago for a probation violation.

This could have been written off by the local media as just another tale of the mean streets of north Minneapolis. Had this taken place in, say, Burnsville, politicians would be expressing outrage and pass anti-crime bills named "Demond's Law", just like they did for Dru Sjodin. But since Reed was African-American, that's not likely to happen.

Since this happens to be sweeps month, when local TV stations trot out their best programming to get more viewers and charge more for advertising, the news departments fell all over themselves to cover this story. Because Demond Keith Reed wasn't just any four-year old crime victim. He was a cute and cuddly four-year old crime victim.

There are, unfortunately, cases of child abuse and neglect that sometimes leads to death every year. Ask any social worker. Not all of the victims are as photogenic as Reed, but if you watch local TV news long enough, you'd be forgiven if you thought they're the only kind that exist.

The media's obsession with pretty people in peril isn't limited to children, of course. Cable news, unless there is a disaster or a presidential campaign to cover, fills its time keeping viewers up to date on the disappearance of Natalee Holloway or the travails of Britney Spears. Neither of them would be considered plain Janes.

Crime victims come in all shapes, sizes and colors. But unless you're young, attractive and (more often than not) white, you're just another statistic. It's all for ratings, don't you know. Gotta lock in that 18-49 female demographic, and the hell with everyone else.

A funeral service will be held on Monday for Demond Keith Reed. He'll never know if his death had made a difference, or if he was just used for ratings fodder.