The story surrounding Celeste Rivas’ tragic death has all the hallmark signs of a desperate media frenzy. Here’s a young woman found dead, dressed in “soaked, insect-covered” clothing—a detail that paints a grisly picture. Yet, when it comes to how this news is delivered, you better believe networks like CNN and NBC are pushing their own narrative agendas. Are they focusing on the failure of police work or the societal issues surrounding crime and safety? No. Instead, they sensationalize the shocking imagery without offering any critical follow-up analysis on who or what could have led to Rivas’ death.

Corporate media loves a good buzzword—“soiled garments” sound scandalous, but what’s scandalous is their failure to ask hard questions. Where is the focus on potential negligence from law enforcement, as indicated by the inability to complete a critical comparison? It’s as if they’re too busy painting a dramatic picture to hold the powerful to account.

While they crassly parade the details for views, we should be questioning the systemic failures that allow such tragedies to recur. Instead of engaging in the real societal conversations, they bury the headlines in sensationalism. Rivas deserves justice, not media exploitation, yet here we are instead watching networks profit off her horrific end. Where’s the outrage over that?