Missing: Nice Lede/Nut Graf Combos

You had some nice examples of summarizing in the lede and expanding in the nut graf. This was a basic lede with an effective nut graf:

In the past year, a total of 57,152 men, women and children were reported missing in the state of Michigan and 9,000 remain missing.

These 57,152 people went missing for a variety of reason. Some were kid-runaways, others were people trying to run away from debts or running away with lovers.

The lede is hooked on the who (57,000-plus people), what (went missing), when (in the past year), where (in Michigan).

Then, the nut graf expands on that by introducing the why (for a variety of reasons). That's what we mean by expanding on the lede: you're offering greater detail and additional contextual perspectives to help people better understand the lede. You're not simply repeating the lede, using different words.

One problem here is that you repeat your data set in each graf: 57,152. I'd consider leaving it out of the nut graf and just referring to "These people ...." No need to repeat it.

This next one was a bit wordy, but worked:

Last year in Michigan alone, a total of 57,152 people were reported being missing. Men, women, and children disappeared from their families; some of them never making it back home.

Of that total number of people that were reported missing in Michigan at one time or another, 48,384 of those missing individuals sooner or later reappeared or were found or otherwise recovered.

But still nearly 9,000 people remain missing, and that unfortunately seems to be a typical number for a year’s total annual figures for the state of Michigan.

“I’ve worked around missing persons for the past 10 years, and it’s rare finding someone after more than a year,” said Sgt. Manuel Cortez of East Lansing’s police department.

Here, the nut graf actually extends over two grafs. In the same way some ledes extend to two or three grafs, sometimes nut grafs do the same. The lede offers the most crucial data set; how many people went missing. The nut grafs detail that data set, specifying how many were found and how many are still gone.

There's something else here that you did out of instinct but that's also a good habit we have yet to discuss: at the end of the lede/nut graf sequence, you took the most telling quote to support the point of the lede and nut graf, and added it as your highlight quote.

And ideally, that's what you want to do: start with a lede, then a nut graf, then a telling quote that best sums up your story. Then you launch into the chronology or blow-by-blow or inverted pyramid.

This next lede is centered on context; in this case the contrast between perception and reality:

Murder, kidnapping, and foul play: these gruesome words have falsely earned a popular association with the term missing person. In reality, the words runaway, deadbeat parent, and debt evader paint a more accurate portrait of the thousands of individuals reported missing in Michigan every year.

A staggering 57,152 men, women, and children were reported missing in Michigan this past year. The majority, 48,384 of the missing individuals fortunately reappeared or were otherwise recovered. However, a disturbing number of 9,000 remain missing; a number that is typical for a years total annual figures in Michigan.

Although there is often a natural connotation of foul play when a person is reported missing, police estimate that the true crime victims total no more than 100 in number and perhaps are as few as 40 or 50.

“We find a lot of people disappear because they’ve got troubles, want to leave them behind and start over again,” said Sgt. Manuel Cortez of the East Lansing Police Department.

First, the lede highlights the conflict. Then, the first nut graf provides overall numbers that define the problem of missing people before the second nut graf gives a number that supports why perception is not reality. And again, you end that package with a telling quote.

This next lede went beyond what was happening, and was centered on why:

Divorce, debt, crime, disease and abandonment are among the many reasons why Michigan’s toll of missing persons skyrocketed over 57,000 people last year alone.

I think it perfectly fits the best definition of a basic lede, in that it has what the reader needs to know about a story. If they read nothing else, they know the context and exactly what this story is about and in what direction it's going.

The problem I have with it is the use of the word "skyrocketing." That word indicates something is growing. You have indications that the number is high, but not whether it's gotten higher as of late or if it's always been high. You don't have justification for using that word. Make sure your use of language is clearly supported by the facts.