Posted on 11/07/2007 11:31:44 AM PST by Luke Skyfreeper
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Rowan Ford, 9, has been missing from her home in Stella since Friday evening. If you have any information about her, please call the Newton County Sheriff's Office at 451-8300 or 451-4242. COURTESY PHOTO |
Foul play is suspected in the disappearance of a 9-year-old Stella girl who has been missing from her home since late Friday night.
Rowan Ford, 9, was reported missing at 6:50 p.m. Saturday by her mother and step-father Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said Sunday afternoon. The girl was last seen at her home at 777 Grove St. in Stella at 10:45 p.m. Friday night.
Copeland said the mother, Colleen Spears, last saw the girl at about 8:30 p.m. Friday when she kissed her goodnight before leaving for work at Wal-Mart in Jane.
Copeland said the stepfather, David Spears, and two friends remained at the home until about 10:45 p.m. when they left the home after David Spears checked on the girl, who was still asleep.
"They leave the house unlocked and left a 9-year-old girl by herself," Copeland said. "They cruise around a while, then took one guy home in Wheaton. The other guy brought the step-dad back home around midnight. He failed to check on the girl at that time."
Around 1:30 a.m., Copeland said, David Spears called his mother to ask if he could borrow her car to go somewhere.
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"She comes over, gives him the car and goes into the living room, failing to check on the girl," the sheriff said. "About 7 he returns and again fails to check on the girl."
Colleen Spears came home from work at about 9 a.m. and notices something amiss. Usually, on Saturday mornings, the girl greets her mother. But this past Saturday, there was no hug or kiss, no shout of elation that Mom was home.
"She checked the girl's bedroom, and she was not there," said Copeland. "She woke her husband up - he's a very sound sleeper - and he told her she may have gone to a girlfriend's house in the night, he didn't know.
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"They hope she's at a girlfriend's house, and waited all day Saturday for her to call. She doesn't," Copeland said.
The couple then began searching for the girl, notifying the sheriff's department of her disappearance shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday night.
"The mother is extremely cooperative with us. She's real distraught over his missing daughter," said Copeland. "The step-dad, he's not cooperating very well. From our investigation, we have every reason to believe foul play is involved. We don't have a suspect at this minute, but we haven't eliminated anyone from being a suspect, either."
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Deputies and volunteers were out Sunday searching on foot and on four-wheelers. A group of volunteers were out on horseback looking for the missing girl, while Stella residents fanned out to help. A Missouri State Highway Patrol helicopter took to the skies to aid in the search, Copeland said. Tracking dogs were able to follow the girl's scent to outside the home, but the trail then stops, as if she entered a motor vehicle at that point, Copeland said.
"We started in the house and yard, then broadened our search to the city of Stella, then broadened it to other wooded areas," the sheriff said. "The helicopter was able to search a large, large area.
"We have no reason to think she's out wandering around. This little girl was asleep in bed and within an hour and 15 minutes later, she was abducted? The odds are big for that kind of stuff."
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The search was discontinued late Sunday because of darkness, and was to begin anew this morning. Copeland was in meetings this morning and could not be reached for comment. A sheriff's department spokeswoman saisd the search continues today for the missing girl.
Miss Ford is described as being 3-feet 11-inches tall and weighing 62 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Authorities are uncertain what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Newton County Sheriff's Office at (417) 451-8300.
Thanks for all your work. It’s interesting background but nothing incriminating. It simply reinforces what has been said here about the family this poor child was a part of.
They've been married about 3 years.
So woman aged around 40, who has a 6-year-old daughter, marries a young guy who's 22.
Not a good idea. Just not a good idea.
I can understand if you're 40ish and single, for whatever reason, and have a 6-year-old to support, a 22-year-old guy who pays attention to you could be a very attractive proposition. But very poor judgment. She had to have known, for example, that he had a propensity to drink...
Still, it paints a fuller picture...
Sure does. So does the fact that some of his statements about his activities didn't come out until later (as indicated in later articles linked to on this thread). And the fact the sheriff suggested he not stay at home is very telling.
This guy has a lot of 'splainin' to do shortly.
I wonder how he looks in orange? Personally, I have a feeling he’s likely to be wearing it for a very long time.
I think it’ll become him. He should wear it proudly...up until the time the others get hold of him for his pedophilia.
But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. There’s a lot of insinuation but no proof yet. I’d rather give the guy his due until the police make an announcement. As someone else has said, it’s happened before that the likely suspect has been proven innocent. It could well happen here (don’t ask me if I really believe that, though).
Yep, a dysfunctional one.
The arrest I mentioned in my area, earlier post to you is a child molester from Utah. Good news this creep was busted.
Ping so I can find/follow up on later. Interested to see how this turns out.
Interesting. Thanks for the update.
Yes, we're getting ahead of ourselves. And the only evidence is circumstantial. Officially, we don't even have a crime yet. And yes, suspects with all of the apparent evidence pointing toward them have been proven innocent. And yes, that could happen here as well.
But I think you and I both know we're looking at pretty slim odds.
I know, but I’m just trying to keep on an even keel until more is known. I recall the Jessica Lunsford murder case. A buddy who’s a retired sheriff and who retired to the area was involved in the case peripherally. He was really upset over the way the authorities handled the investigation. I know at the time I had the dad pegged but it turned out to be a neighbor, John Couhey, who proved to be the murderer.
I guess I still hold back in my judgment now after that. You never know.
http://www.dailystatesman.com/story/1289435.html
Here’s the article
My computer is running slowwwwwwwwwwww. Grrrrr
I guess I still hold back in my judgment now after that. You never know.
It's true. You do never know.
ping
Wow, how time distorts...
Nope! Haven't been able to find a pic. I did give it a shot, tho...
I suspect step-dad discouraged the mom from calling the cops til after crucial hours had passed. especially if he told her a bogus story how the girl “may have gone to a friend’s house”.
You’ve done a great job keeping us updated. I pray this child will be found safe but it doesn’t look promising at this point.
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