Search Suspended For Fla. Girl (Jessica Lunsford)

Fox News ^ | March 1, 2005 | AP

[MisterRepublican]

HOMOSASSA, Fla. — The full-scale search for a missing 9-year-old girl ended its final day as law enforcement officers turned to child abduction experts for help.

Investigators and hundreds of volunteer searchers have uncovered little evidence during five days of scouring the rural area where Jessica Lunsford disappeared, and the full-scale search was suspended Monday afternoon.

"To continue this, we would be spinning our wheels," said Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy.

Instead, law enforcement officers were turning to 20 experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to help crack the case. They planned to focus on a three-quarter mile radius area around Jessica's home.

Jessica's father described the change as a second phase of the investigation. After making a plea for her safe return while choking back tears, he expressed confidence that his daughter would come home.

"Just drop her off. I'll come get her," Mark Lunsford answered when asked what he would say to whoever had Jessica. "I know whoever has got Jessie, they have to have a heart."

He also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. "It's been overwhelming, the people that have shown up," he said. "It makes me feel real good to know everyone's trying to help me out."

Lunsford said he remains convinced that his daughter did not leave home voluntarily even though authorities have uncovered no evidence she was abducted. He said it's unlikely Jessica was lured away.

"She just didn't go with strangers," Lunsford said. He said authorities also are looking for a stuffed purple dolphin missing from his daughter's room.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I fear the story is fading from the spotlight of the press. Sad. Michael Jackson and even Scott Petersen (still) warrant the air time, it seems.

I am still praying for a happy ending to this sad story.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

Yes,it is sad that it is fading from the news,when they should concentrate on missing children's cases longer,to help find the missing.

I will join you in prayer for a happy ending.

[Netizen]

It might not be on the news much because there is nothing to report. They have no evidence that an abduction took place. They have nothing to report. What should they do? I think if they have anything new to report that they will. Jackson has a court case going.

[Mrs.Nooseman]

After reading all the replies again,I have to make an observation about the Alarmclock going off.

My kids both have an Alarm clock and they are equipped with a snooze button and my kids tend to hit that snooze button at least 2 or 3 times before rolling out of bed.

I guess what I am trying to say,that if Jessica had such an Alarm clock,the father might not have thought anything of it until he got out of the shower and went to make sure that she didn't fall back into a deep sleep.

I had to this with my son before,because he hit the snooze button to many times and was almost late getting up.

Just a suggestion.

[Netizen]

Once the alarm clock goes off in our house people are expected to get up. No hitting the snooze, its a bad habit to get into. If my son isn't up in a couple of minutes, I tell him, its time to get up and turn the light on in the room. Just like my mother used to do. It works prett well. Another good way is to place the alarm clock where you have to get out of bed to turn it off.

I would think that walking through the house and preparing for a shower is enough time to realize the person hasn't hit the snooze.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

You are right.

Perhaps I am expecting too much coverage for something more than 500 miles away.
(Michael Jackson still bores me though. Wake me when it's over.)

Does it seem to you that they may know what happened and it is just a matter of time until it breaks?

It is so strange.

---

Varina,

Is there anything new to report which may not have made it to the national level yet??

[spectre]

"They have nothing to report".

Very quiet. Almost too quiet. Oh well, I can get some work done today :~)

Please report any new information you get, Netizen. We won't forget her.

sw

[Netizen]

Does it seem to you that they may know what happened and it is just a matter of time until it breaks?

Yes, I think there may be things LE is not telling us.

[Netizen]

Yeah, I thought it was quiet too but realized they must not have anything new.

[varina davis]

Not much new on the local scene. I've heard they are fine-combing the immediate area, family and friends. I really don't think they would have called off the volunteer search if they thought she was very far from home. Also in the news here are the Dollar couple, with added charges now about torturing their children. Area is sure in the limelight -- in a not so good way.

[checkitall]

I missed the news about the dollars ,supposedly they made statments? Did they state WHY they tortued those children or the reasons they felt they did not and were not guilty of these charges....

Back to JESSICA ......yes the alarm clock is real interesting ..no way would anyone leave an alarm clock sounding off that long ,well not in my house anyway.

I saw someone post at Jessica's site ....They stated aome interesting conclussions...They said the door was shut to her room ....I don't know if that is fact ,but if the door was shut , why was it shut? Did Jessica shut the door ? Did an abductor shut the door ? Did the abductor have her in arm and was able to shut door if abductor was carrying her ...??

Did she go out willingly ,sneak out and if she did ,did she shut the door herself ,,,was she taken from a window and the door was never touched? That DOOR if it was shut when father came home ....tells ALOT!

[Netizen]

That BEDROOM door IS another interesting point.

Going out the window wouldn't be that easy or quiet. The glass and screen would need to be removed or slid up and those little pinch things are a pain for adults. I doubt that Jessica could have worked them. To go out the window would mean that an adult would need to help her, or at least a considerably older person and it would need to be from the INSIDE.

Something else about the DOOR. The same can be said of the FRONT DOOR. If the perp is carrying her out how did they manage to close the bedroom and front doors?

If she walked out on her own and was coached on closing the bedroom door, youd think they would have coached her to relock the front door before closing it.

I'd like to see a floor plan of this mobile home.

[varina davis]

IMHO, she was not carried out of her home. I have a hunch she quietly walked out with someone she trusted and knew very well. Also have a hunch that some folks might be in agonizing states of denial. Strictly speculation.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

varina
Check your Freep Mail in about 5 minutes, please

[Andy'smom]

"If the perp is carrying her out how did they manage to close the bedroom and front doors?"


Good point. You are right, she weighs 70 pounds. So she either was lured out or there were 2 people involved?

[gimme1ibertee]

The statement that "many people" did not believe her early on is conjecture.She was convincing enough to inspire people to pull together a volunteer group to hand out flyers and search for the elusive "black man". Furthermore, I did not say that she passed a polygraph test.If I made that inference,my apologies.
(For what it's worth...I didn't believe her,mainly because despite her wailing and carrying on for the cameras,she never shed a tear.Her eyes were dry as a bone and not at all swollen,and none of that telltale nasal tone when she talked....a by-product of crying.)

[Netizen]

Good point. You are right, she weighs 70 pounds. So she either was lured out or there were 2 people involved?

One man could carry her. Then go back in to close the doors. Grandpa might not be able to carry her though.

[cyncooper]

Once the alarm clock goes off in our house people are expected to get up. No hitting the snooze, its a bad habit to get into. If my son isn't up in a couple of minutes, I tell him, its time to get up and turn the light on in the room. Just like my mother used to do. It works prett well. Another good way is to place the alarm clock where you have to get out of bed to turn it off.

I would think that walking through the house and preparing for a shower is enough time to realize the person hasn't hit the snooze.

That's interesting, however, hitting the snooze is not some kind of vice. We use it and intentionally set the alarm for earlier than we want to get up so we can gradually awaken.

BTW, do we know it was a buzzing alarm and not the radio, as in clock radio? When ours go off, even though it's the radio, we refer to it as "the alarm going off". I don't follow this story closely enough to know if it was definitively stated or not.

[Netizen]

As far as I know it has been clarified, like other things. Doesn't really matter. Alarm or radio, both could awaken others that are trying to sleep, so it seems the father should have checked as to why the noise wasn't stopped.

I wonder if LE have checked the drains like they did at OJ's house. Anybody know?

[Netizen]

That should have been hasn't been clarified.