Posted on 03/01/2005 6:28:07 AM PST by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Continued prayers for this little girl and her family.
The hubby was saying this is so strange. When a child is abducted from their home, it's always strange. I cannot imagine the pain her family is going through right now.
I just pray she's still alive.
Continued prayers and a HUGE prayer for a MIRACLE!!
I thought the news reported that the father entered the home and heard her alarm going and when he went into her room, found her missing. I also read on one of these threads that he entered the home, took a shower and it was after getting out of the shower that he heard the alarm going and entered her room to find her missing.
Anyone know which of the above scenarios is true?
Yes, prayers for a miracle for this family.
Hey!! I heard about 3 different stories. I've heard the two you mentioned and then I heard that he was sleeping over at his girlfriend's house and then came home.
Nonetheless, we just need to keep praying.
Freep me is you must but I don't trust the father............................ I don't know why but he spends too much time in front of the cameras.
I'm remembering that Elizabeth Smart didn't turn up for almost 10 months.
Prayers that Jessica will turn up safe and sound.
....the mother showed up on FOX news last night.
What struck me is how calm the grandmother seemed the first time I saw her. She was talking about putting the girl to bed the night before and she just seemed to have it so pulled together. Maybe it's the shock just putting her on autopilot? I think there is always some suspicion about the family in these cases (must make it even more horrible for innocent families) but it's tough to know how people would react to such a devastating event. I guess every family's reaction is going to seem peculiar in some way. It's just not an event anyone can understand. And so sad about the girl's mother essentially having abandoned her; I heard that she was so estranged she didn't even recognize her daughter's photo. You just have to hope this little girl didn't meet up with someone via the Internet... though I hope police would quickly have been able to determine if that is the case?
If he did it, he's playing up the part of mournful father really nice.
Someone had posted on another thread that they came up with a pedophile that lived behind her house. I also felt they would find her sooner. I could not imagine how I would react either I would have to be medicated I know that for sure.
That would be part of the first scenario. I heard he was with buddies, then his girlfriend. Who knows. I was just wondering when he first heard the alarm. When he walked into the home or was the alarm not going when he got home and only went off while he was in the shower?
As far as I know the FBI hasn't ruled anyone out yet.
From one of the articles I read, the mother spoke with the daughter once a week by phone and it was the father that would not let the mother see the daughter. The mother is now remarried and has a 5 year old son. She didn't recognize her daughter because her ex husband never sent her an updated picture!
So did Susan Smith. I'm not saying he did it, but I'm not ruling him out yet.
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