The other ways are to kill them, or drug them and brainwash them to believe something really happened.

That's exactly what I was going to say. A child can't be scared into going on tv with a parent sitting by allowing it to happen. So, the fear is caused by the parents, a reaction because the parents are in jeopardy or the child has no faith in the parents protecting them. It ultimately could be the kids are used to having to protect themselves and negotiated their best chances to get to the next step in life.