There isn't a lot of good news for the parents of Alanna Gallagher right now. Their 6-year-old daughter was murdered and left covered in a tarp in the middle of the street and now their polyamorous relationship is splashed all over the news, drawing judgment and criticism on top of the grief. But new news about a red pickup truck police have been looking for since Alanna's body was found represents a break in the case that is as close to good news as it can get for Carl and Laura Gallagher and Alanna's biological father, Miles McDaniel.
Police announced they were looking for a truck, red with a splotch of green paint, right around the time that Alanna was identified to the media. So far there's been no indication that it's turned up, at least not after her murder.
But a father from Fort Worth, Texas, about 14 miles from the Gallaghers' home in Saginaw, has come forward to say he saw a truck that fits that description. Andy Acuna claims the truck's driver approached his two young daughters about a month before Alanna's body was found and tried to lure them to him. Fortunately dad was watching, and he scared the truck driver off (although not before getting a plate number).
Good news for the Acuna girls.
But could this be good news for the Gallaghers and McDaniel?
A real lead? Solid evidence that someone out there has been approaching little girls?
It's depressing to think like this, but the truth is any evidence that points away from the family and onto someone else is good for them.
Police haven't said they are suspects, but they've also declined to rule out anyone in this case. Which means these three parents (technically Laura and Carl are married but McDaniel is Alanna's biological father and all three are in a relationship with one another) are living under a cloud of suspicion. If they didn't kill their daughter (and by no means am I accusing them), how much worse must that make grieving their child's death?
What do you make of this break in the case?
Image via Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr