Eaton "Disappearance" Newsworthy?

Posted by Tim
Filed in City
July 9, 2007

20070709_eaton.jpg
Did anyone else catch the headline on page A7 of today's Globe and Mail? Leading off the Toronto section is an article chronicling the "disappearance" of 15 year old Verity Eaton, a distant relative of Toronto's storied Eaton family. What at first appears to be a dramatic kidnapping or runaway story quickly unravels to something that seems to be playing out as girl spending weekend with her boyfriend without parents' permission.

Now, I'm not one to condone 15 year old kids running away for the weekend without their parents permission, and I certainly hope no harm comes to young Ms. Eaton, but I can't help to shake my head that the Globe's editorial team felt this story deserved the attention they gave it. Was it a slow news day or is Canada's National Newspaper simply still pandering (or infatuated) with Toronto's elite.

Go read the article and decide for yourself.

David E on July 10, 2007 at 6:07 AM

It's hard to believe that this would be considered news. The Globe and Mail usually wouldn't do reporting like this. The National Post would and the Sun. The G&M, never.
This is in the same league as National Post's type of article that ends up being a stealth commercial or platform for a specific interest. But that's the Post. That's to be expected of them. That's why their circulation is diminishing and has been doing so for the last 4 or 5 years.

paul on July 10, 2007 at 9:32 AM

There's nothing wrong with printing stories about famous (or semi-famous, or somehow related to famous) people. If the girl doesn't coem back again, and disappears for real, other news organizations will be criticized for sleeping on the story. front page is perhaps a bit overboard, though

rytoid on July 10, 2007 at 10:06 AM

A7 is hardly the front page. While it's not totally uncommon for 15 year olds to date older people, the girl's a minor and both people are missing. It's a shame that every missing kid doesn't get their shot in the newspaper, though.

Steve on July 10, 2007 at 10:23 AM

Everyone, STOP what you are doing right now and find this girl. After all, they would do the same for you. Right?
Little "Veruca" is probably laughing at all of this while her boyfriend snorts lines off her ass.

brokenengine on July 10, 2007 at 12:03 PM

Verity Eaton = Canadian paris Hilton? At least, The Globe hopes(really really please o h please, God I never ask for much PLEASE) hopes so.

AT on July 10, 2007 at 12:37 PM

My first attempt at a comment resulted in a diatribe longer than I want to post. 170 words can be summed up in one sentence: Mr. Eaton appears to have his head up his ass.
(Surely he can find a doctor in Forest Hill to remove it for him.)

Adam Sobolak on July 10, 2007 at 8:59 PM

Well, TBH, they might also remember the fate of Nancy Eaton in the 1980s...

Verity Eaton on July 11, 2007 at 7:29 PM

I think that too big a deal was made out of my dissapearance.  My father acted irrationally, and wasted a lot of people's time. No one understood the reason of my dissapearance, especially not the newspapers. Reading those articles made me cringe.

m on July 12, 2007 at 12:58 AM

verity didnt deserve for an aticle written about her in the newspaper. its just the globe and mail trying to get attention from the eaton family. had it been you or i there would be a small notice about a missing child in the classified section. gimme a break. give ver. a break. she phoned and said she was fine. so therefore she was. the articles were unneeded, so was the drama.

John on July 13, 2007 at 12:24 AM

Emo kids these days...

Noah on July 13, 2007 at 2:39 AM

Everyone, STOP what you are doing right now and find this girl. After all, they would do the same for you. Right?
Little "Veruca" is probably laughing at all of this while her boyfriend snorts lines off her ass.

Verity Eaton = Canadian paris Hilton? At least, The Globe hopes(really really please o h please, God I never ask for much PLEASE) hopes so.

My first attempt at a comment resulted in a diatribe longer than I want to post. 170 words can be summed up in one sentence: Mr. Eaton appears to have his head up his ass.
(Surely he can find a doctor in Forest Hill to remove it for him.)

Emo kids these days...

I don't know who the hell you all think you are, but until you know someone, you should keep your mouths closed. "Veruca" having lines done off her ass? Verity Hilton? Honestly, it wasn't a big deal, and the press sucks. So back off, because that sure as hell isn't what she deserves.

Alex F. on July 13, 2007 at 3:39 AM

Keep your damn mouths shut, Verity already feels bad enough without people who dont even know her bad mouthing her.

Anonymous on July 13, 2007 at 11:01 AM

"I think that too big a deal was made out of my disappearance.  My father acted irrationally, and wasted a lot of people's time. No one understood the reason of my disappearance, especially not the newspapers. Reading those articles made me cringe."

You are right, Verity. Your disappearance shouldn't have even been reported on the side of a milk carton. It's just that your family pulled some strings to get you this special search and rescue treatment, which is quite disgusting. 

On the  upside, this unfair privilege has turned you into a famous goth nutcase with little chance of ever succeeding and has completely embarrassed your family. 

chanel on July 13, 2007 at 11:36 AM

for those who dont know verity, you cant possibly read that article and think you know whats going on. you have no right to make assumptions thats shes spoiled rotten ect. ect.

because you have no idea.

 

Verity Eaton on July 13, 2007 at 12:40 PM

Also to add,

I'm not related to The Eaton Family that the papers claimed I was.

And, I wasn't with some 19 year old, or a boyfriend of that matter.

Basically, the article was all bullshit. And I definately don't think I'm newsworthy.  I'm just a pathetic little girl who was scared to go home.

John on July 13, 2007 at 4:01 PM

No you're a failure.  Wear some normal clothes and stop looking for attention.  And get some self-confidence.

Elise on July 13, 2007 at 9:25 PM

this is really amazing, how kids immature actions end up wasting everyones time. really verity grow up. your parents are ethier eventually going to kick you to the curb or you will die of a overdose at this rate, showing how pointless you're existance is becommin. take all this as a second chance to redeem yourself. There are ACTUAL teenage girls missing that need this attention more then you. and personally, I really find it hard to beileve that you feel sorry about this considering you're facebook seems to be making a joke out of the matter.  All and all the next time you think its smart to leave your house without telling your parents, at least leave a note. for some strange cosmic reason people actually love and care about you.

longcat on July 14, 2007 at 10:35 AM

verity eaton is a spoiled kid who is selfish. the best thing that can happen to her is for one of her parents to die. then only will she understand how bad life can get, pathetic little bitch.?

c on July 14, 2007 at 10:27 PM

ahahahahaha...........................lame.

andi on August 11, 2007 at 10:02 PM

hi there, im verity's cousin, and im 15 too. she's related on my dad's side. when my parents told me verity ran away from home, i got really worried and upset. i knew that she was sort of gothic, but i was ok with it because she's also really nice and she's pretty funny once you get to know her. so, pleaaaaase don't try to judge her personallity because you'll probably be wrong. I know that her parents only contacted the newspapers because they were worried and wanted to do whatever they could find her. That makes sense to me, i would probably try to do the same thing if my kid was missing somewhere in Toronto. I'm suprised that they ended up actually putting it in the paper, but whatever. Either way don't blame Verity, she didn't ask anybody to write an article about her. and her parents were only trying to find their kid.
verity, if you read this, which you probably won't cuz you're at camp right now, i just want to say "hello" cuz i havn't seen you since like last christmas lol, and next time if your upset about something, please don't run away! it scared me to death and i think your brother really missed you too, even though we knew you were probably just at a friend's house or something.
we love you
andi

jason on August 11, 2007 at 10:46 PM

I agree with Andi, weather or not she really is her cousin. Although it isn't really newsworthy, it's not her fault they put it in the papers. And she and her family don't deserve to have some of these nasty things you people have said about them. I have to say though, running away is an extramly selfish thing to do. Verity should realise that she has a family who love and care about her. She probably thought the articals were embarassing, her family probably thought the articals would help bring her home.
Verity, next time you have a problem, just sit down with your parents and talk about it. Running away won't solve anything.

Add a Comment

Name: Email: URL:
Comment: