Search for Minn. brothers enters 3rd day

Associated Press ^ | Friday, November 24, 2006

[Peace4EarthNow]

RED LAKE, Minn. - Dozens of trained searchers were taking to woods, lakes and air Friday to hunt for two young brothers who disappeared from an American Indian reservation two days earlier.

The FBI offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Tristan Anthony White, 4, and Avery Lee Stately, 2.

The boys were reported missing Wednesday from the Walking Shield area of the remote, heavily wooded Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota, the FBI said.

Their parents said they had been playing outside their home before they disappeared, Tribal Chairman Floyd "Buck" Jourdain Jr. said.

"They were out there one minute, and (then) they didn't hear them or see them," Jourdain said.

FBI spokesman Paul McCabe said it was too soon to tell if the boys wandered away or if a crime had been committed. "At this point, there's nothing to indicate either way," he said.

Temperatures, which fell to 25 degrees overnight, were expected to reach the mid-40s on Friday.

Since the boys disappeared, at least 300 volunteers have combed the forest on foot, horseback and four-wheelers. Small planes were to search overhead Friday, and a sheriff's dive team was planning to check lakes, although two days of ground searching had found no telltale breaks in the ice where the boys may have slipped in, McCabe said.

"The response from the Red Lake nation has been overwhelming," McCabe said.

Many volunteers put aside holiday plans to help Thursday.

"It's not been a very joyous Thanksgiving here," Jourdain said.

The disappearance came less than two years after 16-year-old Jeff Weise killed his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend on the reservation March 21, 2005, then went to the high school and killed seven more people, including a teacher and a security guard, before killing himself.

[Peace4EarthNow]

I couldn't find any pictures of Tristan.

Sorry if this was posted before ~ I did a search, but didn't come up with anything.

Prayers up for these 2 precious little angels ~ I truly pray they'll be found soon.

[Tall_Texan]

I hope they are both found alive and safe.

On a separate note, I remember when brothers usually had the same surname. How times have changed...

[Brad’s Gramma]

Logan's Prayer Warriors....

[CindyDawg]

Praying for them.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

More pics....

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_326221148.html

[Dubya]

Praying for them to be found safe.

[Peace4EarthNow]

There's Tristan ~

And both of them together....

Thanks very much for the tip, ButThreeLeftsDo & Brad's Gramma.

[lysie]

Praying.

[BallyBill]

Wonder why a $20,000 reward for boys that just wandered off? I guess if it is in a wilderness area it would help attract volunteers, but reward money seems strange if no crime is suspected.

They'll be in my thoughts, that's for sure.

[Peace4EarthNow]

More information from the WCCO website, including a description of the children's clothing (towards the end):

---

Dozens of trained searchers took to the woods, lakes and air Friday as the search continued for two young brothers who went missing two days earlier from the remote Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Alicia White -- the mother of Tristan Anthony White, 4, and Avery Lee Stately, 2 -- appealed for anyone who knows or has seen anything to come forward.

"They were just playing outside the last time I seen then, just playing outside. ... And that's the last time I seen them," she told reporters late Friday afternoon.

FBI Special Agent Paul McCabe said authorities have mounted a two-pronged investigation, trying to determine whether the boys wandered off or if foul play was involved. "We don't have any information that would lead us either way," he said.

White said Tristan has a medical condition that requires medication and he didn't take it Wednesday morning. She said he "loves water" and had wandered off before, "but we always found him. This is the first time we didn't find him."

Avery is "the sweetest little boy, just lovey-dovey" and would follow his brother anywhere, the mother said.

The boys' older brother, Lamont White, 8, stood with his mother at the news conference. The family also has twin 1-year-old girls.

"I just want to tank all the volunteers and law enforcement centers and all the people that are helping to find my grandsons," said the boys' grandfather, Myron Jones. "I'm praying for the best."

But the family also acknowledged that they were preparing for the worst, given that it's been cold and that searchers have found nothing. They said the boys probably would have turned up if they were still in the area.

The FBI offered a $20,000 reward on Friday for information about the boys, who disappeared from a yard in the heavily wooded Walking Shield area of the town of Red Lake between 9:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m. Wednesday. It also created a special tip line for information about the case: (866) 333-4969.

Temperatures reached the mid 40s in the area Friday afternoon with lows in the low to mid 20s expected early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

McCabe said Friday's search began with the growing group of professionals who have been gathering in the heavily wooded reservation with hopes of finding the boys.

Dive teams equipped with underwater cameras went out Friday to check lakes and ponds near where the boys disappeared, although McCabe said ground searches had found no telltale breaks in the ice where the boys may have slipped in.

Aircraft, including several small unmanned airplanes equipped with cameras brought in by the FBI, searched from overhead, while federal, state and local law enforcement officers were on the ground. A rapid-response team of retired law enforcement officers from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children arrived Thursday, McCabe said.

Since the boys disappeared, hundreds of volunteers on foot, horseback and four-wheelers also have combed the surrounding forest.

"The response from the Red Lake nation has been overwhelming," McCabe said.

The boys, both American Indian, have short brown hair and brown eyes.

Tristan was described as 3-feet-6 and wearing a dark blue Spider-man jacket with yellow trim, Levis jeans and black and gray winter boots. Avery was described as 2-feet tall and wearing a gray pullover sweat shirt that says "Timberland" on the front, faded Levis jeans and Spider-man tennis shoes.

The reservation differs from most reservations around the state in that the FBI has primary law enforcement jurisdiction on it.

The boys disappeared less than two years after 16-year-old Jeff Weise killed his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend on the reservation on March 21, 2005, then went to the high school and killed seven more people, including a teacher and a security guard, before killing himself.

[Brad’s Gramma]

BTTT

[Mercat]

I hope I'm wrong but something ain't right here.

[Texagirl4W]

Heavnely Father, protect these precious boys. Watch of the people searching for them. God bless this family.

[Tribune7]

prayer bump

[CindyDawg]

The oldest is dressed heavy. The baby?

[Fairview]

Interesting. The mother says that Tristan has just wandered off before, "but we always found him." I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the sound of that. If he was in the habit of wandering off, why was she leaving him outside unsupervised?

[BlessedBeGod]

Prayers on the way.

[M0sby]

Praying here for sure!

[Txsleuth]

Thank you....an 8 year old, 4 year old, 2 year old, and twin girls, one year old.

I didn't see any note about a father....do you know??

Could this be the father coming for one of them?

[Txsleuth]

My thoughts immediately was ...why would a 4 and 2 year old be unsupervised...then you read the story, and there are 1 year old twin girls...

Prayers for the little boys...I hope they are found safe...and KEPT safe, if found.