Challenging it — raising questions, expressing doubt — would have required going against an established consensus in a way that is psychologically difficult and socially costly.

Third, Bourdin’s own management of the deception.

He was consistently performing, consistently explaining away inconsistencies, consistently deploying the trafficking narrative as a shield against specific questioning.

The sustained quality of his performance was part of what made detection difficult.

Fourth, the absence of a motivated investigative actor.

Parker became the motivated skeptic, but he was external to the official channels.

The official channels — law enforcement, social services, immigration — were not oriented toward skeptical investigation of a supposedly returned missing child.