David Robinson and Gabby Petito’s father, Joseph Petito, will lead a search for Robinson's missing son April 12, according to posts on X, formerly Twitter.
Daniel Robinson went missing in Buckeye in June 2021. Nearly a month later, police found the 24-year-old's abandoned car, and later a skull, which was curiously not ID'd as Daniel's.
His father, David Robinson, has spent years trying to find his missing son, a Black man, and pleading with local law enforcement officials to conduct more investigations.
Robinson also felt his son’s disappearance, even local Arizona coverage, was dwarfed by the disappearance and death of Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old White woman.
Gabby Petito’s father agreed.
“You start looking at stories that go mainstream, and they always seem to look the same — and that needs to change,” Joseph Petito told People magazine in November. “Everyone deserves the same attention, and every story deserves the same type of assistance.”
Petito said the term “missing White woman syndrome” initially irked him but has come to realize it’s a real phenomenon. Spurred by the realization, he told news outlets in December that he plans to take a trip to Buckeye in the spring to raise awareness about the plight.
That day will come April 12, according to a post he made on X.
According to PleaseHelpFindDaniel.com, the search will meet at Sun Valley Parkway and West Rosewood Avenue in Buckeye starting at 6:45 a.m. Volunteers can sign up to help at PleaseHelpFindDaniel.com. There will also be a sign-in sheet at the search.
Buckeye police said they'd have a presence at the search but didn’t offer whether they’d provide any resources.
Michael McDaniel can be reached at [email protected]. We invite our readers to submit their civil comments or opinions on this or any issue. Email [email protected].
