Fifth year anniversary of missing Jacksonville, Fl boys

This message was received last night from the Aunt of missing Mark Degner.  Bryan Hayes and Mark Degner were last seen on February 10, 2005 in Jacksonville, Fl.

All,

Tomorrow is Wednesday, February 10, 2010…which seems like a typical
mid week day to most but not for my family along with the Cummings
family and more…it marks the anniversary date that they disappeared
and haven’t been seen since.

Tomorrow is my nephew’s (Mark Degner) 5th year anniversary date of his
disappearance, we still have no clues, no leads and no answers. If you
all would please circle this email to everyone you know letting them
know that these children are still missing and help us keep there faces
out there I would greatly appreciate it.

Having a missing loved one is the hardest thing a family can face. I
know with God, hope and our communities keeping awareness out there will
be the key to bringing our missing loved ones home. Please keep them in
your prayers that they are safe and return home soon.

*Attached is a updated progression picture of my Nephew (Mark) along
with friend Bryan Hayes missing since February 10, 2005* below is a link
to our story.

Thanks again,
Tanya Nhiev

Without a trace

Mark Degner and Bryan Hayes update CNN

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Missing child in Orange Park Florida

A child has been reported missing near Jacksonville, Fl. Somer Renee Thompson is listed at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as Endangered Missing but not as an AMBER Alert.

Somer was last seen walking near her school on the afternoon of October 19, 2009. She was last seen with her hair in a ponytail tied with a red bow, wearing a maroon sweatsuit with a pink stripe, and a black tee shirt. She was carrying a purple Hannah Montana backpack and lunchbox.

Authorities search for missing Orange Park girl
 

 

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing 7-year-old girl in the Grove Park neighborhood of Orange Park.
The child’s mother reported that the girl had not returned home from school Monday.
 
Summer Renee Thompson was last seen wearing a cranberry colored jumpsuit with pink-striped sleeves. She is 3-foot-5, weighs 65 pounds abd has brown hair in a pony tail. 
She was walking home from school near West Gano Avenue and Debarry Avenue with her sister and friends but separted from them about 2:45 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or (904) 264-6512.

Clay County Sheriff, Rick Beseler is now stating that a blue Nissan Sentra or SUV (conflicting statements in the internal report) occupied by two hispanic males and a women attempted to lure a child into their car approximately ten days ago in the same area. They are seeking information but are not sure if the incident is related to her disappearance.

There was no mention if the public had previously been made aware of this event. At this time there are no organized public searches being conducted by volunteers. The only searches are those by law enforcement.

Update 10-20-09: An AMBER Alert has been activated for her however she is listed at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement FDLE AMBER Alert site.

America’s Most Wanted (AMW) posted information concerning Somer. According to local news reports, Sean originally sent the two siblings to go “find” her. The mother was reported to have flagged down an officer not to have driven to the Sheriff’s Office.

Somer left school at 2:50 p.m. that Monday, and was walking home from school with her twin brother, her 10-year-old sister, and some friends when she ran ahead of the group, toward her home.

Somer’s siblings arrived home safely at about 3:05 p.m. without her and no one has seen her since.
 

Their mother’s friend, Sean Patton, was at the house and asked the children where Somer was and they said she walked off.

  

Sean and the kids searched for Somer for an hour. when Somer’s mother called, Sean told her Somer had not made it home.

She left work immediately and stopped at the Sheriff’s Office on the way home to report her daughter missing.

Detectives in southern Ga are reported to be searching a Landfill. They are believed to be searching for a body. Another missing child with ties to Georgia is Haleigh Cummings. Her birth mother Crystal Sheffield lives in Baker County Ga.

FOLKSTON, GA — The search for Somer Thompson is now involving a landfill in Georgia.

An official with Waste Management has confirmed to First Coast News that officials, including those from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, are searching through the Chesser Island Landfill near Folkston, and they are looking for a body.

It is not confirmed now what body they are looking for, but Clay County does have investigators on the scene.

Landfills searched as part of Somer Thompson disappearance investigation

ORANGE PARK — Clay County officials are searching two landfills, as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 7-year-old Somer Renee Thompson.

Mary Justino, a spokeswoman for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, said Rosemary Hill landfill near Green Cove Springs and the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, Ga., were targeted by investigators.

Trash from the neighborhood where Somer’s family lived is taken to Rosemary Hill, then transferred to the Georgia landfill. Justino said the searches are a “precautionary measure” and are not based on a tip or a lead in the case.

County Manager Fritz Behring said Rosemary Hill was searched Tuesday. Investigators are at the Folkston landfill today.

 
Child’s Body Found In S.E. Georgia Landfill
Clay County Sheriff ‘Fears’ It Is Body Of 7-Year-Old Somer Thompson

 

ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Clay County authorities report that the body of a small child was found in a landfill near Folkston, Ga., where Orange Park’s garbage is dumped.

“We hope and pray that it’s not the body of Somer, but the garbage that was in that area was collected from Orange Park,” Beseler said. “We hope and pray that it’s not the body of Somer, but the garbage that was in that area was collected from Orange Park,” Beseler said.

Clay County detectives found the body about 3:30 p.m. at a the Chesser Island Landfill in Charlton County.

Officials have not positively identified the body however, Somer’s mother stated earlier in the day there was a birthmark visible on one of her legs. The lower extremeties of the discovered body were able to be seen by authorities according to reports.

An autopsy is scheduled for today in Georgia.

Somer’s father: Birthmark on body found in landfill matches daughter’s

 
The legs of a child were found protruding from garbage picked up in Clay County and transferred to the Chesser Island Road Landfill in Folkston, Ga., said Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler.

While no positive identification has been made, Somer’s father Samuel Thompson said detectives had identified a circular birthmark on his daughter’s shin.

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beesler has confirmed the body found is that of missing Somer Thompson.

Detective Recognized for Urging Search that Led to Somer

ORANGE PARK, FL — The idea of searching the Georgia Landfill, where Somer Thompson was found, came from Clay County Sheriff Detective Bruce Owens.

 

A vacant house is being searched at 1080 Gano Dr by FDLE which is the last known sighting of Somer by witnesses. On the map, B is her school, A is 1080 Gano and C is her home.

Related Post: CART National Certification

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Endangered Runaway Brittanee Drexel

Why did it take until Tuesday afternoon to enter Brittanee Drexel as a missing child at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)? Shouldn’t she have been entered into the NCMEC database once she was entered into the FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computers? It would seem it would have been the ideal time to obtain a waiver from her parent or guardian, so it was on file at the NCMEC giving them permission to disseminate her photograph, if that is the reason for the delay.

According to SCNow.com:  

Police entered Drexel’s description into the National Crime Information Center database on Sunday.

 

On the NCMEC site they have tips of what to do should your child “runaway”. Some of them are:

Make sure law enforcement enters your child’s name and description into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) databases. Law-enforcement agencies across the country have access to NCIC. This information will not give your child a record with law enforcement, but it may aid in his or her safe return.

If your local law-enforcement agency won’t enter information about your child into NCIC’s databases, the FBI will. The Missing Children Act of 1982 mandates this. Contact your nearest FBI field office for help.

If your local law-enforcement agency won’t enter information about your child into NCIC’s databases, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will. The Missing Children Act of 1982 mandates this. Contact your nearest FBI field office for help.

Remember no matter what you have been told, there is no law requiring a waiting period for reporting a child, who is younger than 21, to law enforcement or for entry into NCIC. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (Pub. L. No. 109-248) mandates entry must be made by law enforcement into NCIC’s Missing Person File within 2 hours’ receipt of a report of a missing or abducted child.

Make sure that law enforcement passes on the necessary information about your child to the missing-child clearinghouse within your state or territory.

If you have not done so,report your missing child to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Staff members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist. Ask about other missing-child organizations throughout the United States that may assist in the search.

Searching for updates on another missing teen, Kara Kopetsky  is listed at the NCMEC as Endangered Missing. She has been missing since May 4, 2007.

Teen argued with teacher, left school and vanished

When Kara didn’t come home from school as usual, her family — mother Rhonda, stepfather Jim and stepbrother Thomas — grew worried. They filed a missing persons report later that afternoon.

Police told them they believed Kara was a runaway, and that she’d come back on her own in a few days.

Other children  last seen walking to or from school are Mark Degner and Bryan Hayes  last seen in Jacksonville, Fl. on Feb 10, 2005 and Amber Dubois  last seen on Feb 13, 2009.

Update 05-05-09: When hearing of a Texas based non-profit group in Myrtle Beach to help in the search for Brittanee you may think it is Texas Equusearch who recently helped search for Caylee Anthony in Florida but you would be mistaken as there are members of another Texas based group the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children.

“We’re still looking for her,” Knipes said. “She could be a runaway, a missing person or an abduction. We don’t have a label on it.”

Also Monday, two representatives from the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children arrived in Myrtle Beach to assist in the search, according to Bob Walcutt, executive director. The Texas-based group’s mission statement is to “prevent abductions and runaways and to recover missing children by fostering a Triangle of Trust among law enforcement, community and a missing child’s family.”

Update 05-06-09: Crime Stoppers offers reward up to $1000 in Brittanee Drexel disappearance

The public is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers if they, or someone they know, have any information regarding the disappearance of Brittanee Drexel, or of any other crimes, by phone at 1-888-274-6372 (1-888-CRIME-SC), or on the web at http://www.5541111.com. Anonymous text tips can be sent to Crimes Stoppers by starting a new text message to CRIMES (274637), and mark the beginning of the message with “CSL”. All contact remains anonymous and tipsters could earn a reward up to $1000.

Update 05-09-09: N.Y. pastor offers additional $10,000 for info on missing teen

An Albany, N.Y., pastor has offered to pitch in $10,000 of his own money to up the reward for information regarding Brittanee Drexel, a missing 17-year-old from Rochester, N.Y.

Pastor Charles Muller of Victory Christian Church said he regularly works with teens in his community through mission centers and anti-violence projects. However, when he read about Drexel, who went missing April 25 during a trip to Myrtle Beach, it hit close to home.

Update 05-14-09: Police Investigate Possible Sighting of Missing New York Teen Who Vanished in Myrtle Beach

Police are investigating a possible sighting at a gas station of missing New York teen Brittanee Drexel, who disappeared while on spring break in Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach Capt. David Knipes said detectives are reviewing surveillance camera footage from a Scotchman convenience store at a gas station in Socastee, S.C., after a woman fitting 17-year-old Drexel’s description was reported to have been there Thursday morning.

The Brittanee look-alike used the ATM about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, left the station’s store and then drove away in a red Dodge Stratus with New York license plates, Knipes said.

The vehicle’s plate number is EJS-9543.

Update 05-15-09: Police Determine Look-Alike Is Not Missing New York Teen Who Vanished in Myrtle Beach

Update 06-03-09: Brittanee Drexel Update

In five weeks of searching, there has been no sign of Brittanee Drexel. There have been dozens of leads and sightings. None have panned out.

Brittanee’s mother, Dawn Drexel, has been in South Carolina since the beginning. She is determined as ever, but she told News 10NBC by phone Wednesday she’s emotionally spent.

“This is very, very difficult because you don’t know, you just don’t know if she’s still here with us…or she’s not….But we’re trying to keep hopeful that we can find her still,” Drexel said.

Drexel has traveled to Charleston and points in between, talking to people, handing out flyers. This weekend, Brittanee’s story will air on “America’s Most Wanted.” That gives Dawn Drexel hope.

“I’m trying to get her on national television and keep her face out there so if somebody did see something or heard something, that they would come forward.”

Related Post:

Rochester girl missing in Myrtle Beach

Missing 14-year-old Escondido girl

Endangered and Missing ages 12-13

Holding out hope

$50,000 reward for Kara Kopetsky soon to end

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Missing child in Jacksonville, Fl.

A child in Jacksonville, Fl. is reported to authorities as missing on Sunday night so why does it take until Tuesday night before police ask for the public’s help? She isn’t listed at the NCMEC as a missing child.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville police on Tuesday evening asked for the public’s help to find a missing 13-year-old girl. Authorities said, Tatiana Ballenger was last seen Sunday on the Northside of Jacksonville. According to her parents, Tatiana has diminished mental capabilities and is in need of medication.

Note: Thursday is her 14^th birthday.

Missing Teen Girl Found On Westside
Girl Found On Her 14th Birthday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Four days after her parents said their daughter disappeared from their Northside home, police have located the now-14-year-old girl.

Tatiana Ballenger was found in an abandoned home on the Westside Thursday afternoon — her 14th birthday

In southwest Florida, a 6-year-old with diminished mental capacity, Adji Desir, remains missing after disappearing on January 10, 2009.

Many in Jacksonville recall the disappearances of  Mark Degner & Bryan Hayes. They were  last seen on February 10, 2005.

In Greenwich, NY. the search continues for missing Jaliek Rainwalker.

An Alabama 13-year-old,  Haleigh Culwell, and her mother were last seen on June 21, 2007.

Fourteen year-old Amber Dubois went missing on February 13, 2009 in Escondido, CA. and has not been seen since.

Related posts:

 Missing 14-year-old Escondido girl

Missing Jaliek Rainwalker

 Endangered and Missing ages 12-13

Still missing in Alabama

 A missing child in south Fl

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Missing or Exploited?

The same Jacksonville, Florida based company, Showbiz Promotions, who brought you the Michael Vick dog chew toys, recently attempted to market the “Caylee Sunshine Doll”  as a tribute to murdered Caylee Anthony.  It was immediately viewed by many to be in extremely poor taste.

Sales Suspended of Caylee Doll Made as ‘Tribute’ to Murdered Florida Girl

A Florida company said it is halting planned sales of a wide-eyed doll called Caylee that was made as a “tribute” to a murdered Orlando girl with the same name.

The Jacksonville-based Showbiz Promotions was going to offer the “Inspirational Caylee Sunshine Doll,” named after 2-year-old Caylee Anthony, for $29.99 starting at noon Tuesday.

Initially, their site left you with a strong impression they would be donating a portion of the proceeds to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. However, the NCMEC quickly issued a statement disavowing any interest in receiving a donation.

STATEMENT REGARDING THE CAYLEE ANTHONY DOLL

Ernie Allen, President of NCMEC stated, “This effort is outrageous and attempts to exploit the tragic murder of a child for personal benefit. We would like the general public to understand that we are not involved in these efforts.”

As a matter of policy the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children does not accept funds from the sale of any products that feature missing, murdered, recovered, or sexually exploited children. NCMEC does not and will not ever be associated with any attempt to commercialize or raise money in connection with the victimization of any child.

 

 

The last sentence appears to be in conflict with a link on their own site promoting a golf tournament; presumably a fund raising event.

Annual NCMEC Golf Tournament & Auction

In the photo there appears to be a missing child poster being held. Unless it is a sample, not involving an actual missing child, then it would seem to be an attempt to raise money in connection with the victimization of a child. Conversely, if it is an actual missing child and the goal was to publicize the disappearance, why not link to them on the site?

Update 04-10-09: On their website on March 5^th Showbiz Promotions claims to have donated $5,000 to the NCMEC however, they acknowledge receipt of $10 on March 12^th.

On January 29^th the NCMEC in a statement indicated they would receive no monies from them. The article doesn’t mention if the $10 had been returned. Is the NCMEC concerned the donation wasn’t for the $5,000 or that they received any donation at all based on the earlier statement?

Fla. attorney general sues maker of Vick chew toy

The lawsuit also claims the company sold a doll named for slain toddler Caylee Anthony and promised to give proceeds to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The lawsuit says only $10 has been donated.

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