I Just Need an Ear... - Decorah,IA

Updated on July 16, 2012
R.B. asks from Decorah, IA
14 answers

Ok.. I just need to get this out.. other than to those I'm close to because we all are feeling the same way and talking circles with each other.

I'm sitting here bawling my eyes out right now! We just found out that the FBI and local police have canceled any further organized civilian searches for these little girls that SO many of us are holding dear to our hearts! They have gave no other explanation other than they feel they have covered enough grounds as of now. NO THEY HAVEN'T! Because Elizabeth and Lyric are not home or even found!! They feel the heat may cause more problems than do good with searchers out searching. Ok I get it... we had a few people have to go to the hospital because of heat exhaustion that was searching. BUT if these people are having this happen, by God's grace, if these girls are out there alive still ( I know unfortunately we are loosing hope.. but haven't lost it!) think what they are going through!!

There are still so many people who are willing to help look and as word spreads there will be more people. I know people where I live ( 2 1/2 hours away from where they are) who don't even know the girls or their family who got ahold of us because they seen on friends of my facebook pages the girls are missing are planning on going down in the morning... one with horses and a couple with atv's in case they can be used. What about anyone else to is just finding out and want to help? Now they are going to get turned away?!?

My husband and I went down Friday to a friends funeral ( its really been an emotional weekend!!).. while there we got the call that our other friends daughter was missing. They said the police was still doing an official search and no civilians were allowed to help. We called home to tell our oldest we weren't coming home and had my dad keep an eye on the kids until we knew more. At 10pm we got the call that police were now letting civilians search. We ( and so many close friends and family) went and got/ bought flashlights and was out all night searching. We stopped Sat. morning at 3am to get some sleep. (some pushed forward with out even going home to sleep) We got up Sat and was right back at the now organized search. We searched for 10 hours ourselves with the organized search!! Then they stopped the search at 6pm because of the heat... We went to the candle light prayer, went back out on our own for several more hours looking until midnight. Went back out this morning for 3 1/2 more hours of searching.

We had to come home to our 5 children ( oh my God it felt SO good to hug them all!). It was so incredibly hard to pull ourselves away from there to come home. It was so hard to leave knowing a friend of ours daughter still wasn't coming home and the guilt of knowing we were able to hug all of ours was really h*** o* both of us.

I know I'm not the only one out there who has put in some really long hours searching, before it really even hit the news. Sadly the only thing we are left with is only more questions, blistered feet, sunburns, cuts and scratches, our bodies hurting with every step we are taking from all of the searching but pushing on because who knows what we will find with that next step and horribly saddened heavy hearts because we didn't find anything with that last step... all for them to say stop the search!!

I'm so sorry and thank you for listening... it just really feels like a slap in the face to me and to all of us who have put so much into it trying our hardest to find them and they stop after 2 days of organized searching coming up empty handed and not one clue or lead to getting us closer to having Drew and Heather's baby girl and niece back home where they need to be!

I have stayed so strong for my husband and all of his friends this weekend... I think I just completely lost it!

I just honestly don't get it... why would they stop the organized search when people are so willing to keep looking?

Please please keep Elizabeth and Lyric and their family in your thoughts and prayers!

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So What Happened?

Thank you Gramma. I hope there is a reason why, other than the reasons they gave. Even if it is for the worst. Not to be negitive but atleast most importantly the family will have some answers one way or another. In this case no news doesn't mean good news :(

Like I said I just needed to get it all out... what I was feeling. I seen this morning that it has hit national news! That is wonderful!!

One and done, we just thought an orginized search would still have been better while looking for evidence... there was police/ emt/ some leader for if any possible evidence was found the group stopped and it was collected properly... with out these people with the search groups, it could be contaminated by civilians collecting themselves. Personally we thought it better to be able to have the areas combed through and checked off instead of people wondering everywhere blindly and possibly messing up evidence... but yes I understand where you are coming from.

There is going to be a live updating at 11am today. Hopefully they will give some more insight. Hopefully its not just because of the heat.

I just finally had a melt down and breaking point and you got to hear it before I thought everything out and filtered my thinking.

All of your support has been wonderful and has been passed on letting the families know! Thank you agian. Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today, I know I will be :)

Featured Answers

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

There are so many things to consider. It's not a slap in the face at all nor is it "suspicious." It's an acknowledgment that this is a new stage in the investigation. With the FBI involved, and with the updates to the article I posted the other day, it looks like they believe it's more and more likely these girls were abducted. They said so straight out.

Unfortunately, that means that any evidence of the abduction could have been destroyed by well-meaning civilian searchers. It would also mean that whoever is responsible could have been joining in on the search to see what people know and be part of the whole thing and establish alibis. People should keep up the search in other ways, though. Keep their faces in the media. The more people that know this story the better. Don't let it drop from the news. Keep talking. Set up a Facebook page. Keep it all going.

Those girls, those cousins, will be found.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

That actually means they have a solid lead that the girls are elsewhere.

As far as not allowing civilian help to begin with... I would (at a guess) think they brought in cadaver dogs and heat sensors (those are GREAT at night) and wanted civilians out of the way so as not to mess up their readings. Then allowed in civilians more to look for evidence that would otherwise be missed (aka neither dead, nor giving off a heat signatiure... like a kid hiding in a cave or culvert).

Law Enforcement allows civilian searches to continue for weeks and longer if they have no leads.

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B..

answers from Dallas on

You know, the public isn't privy to all the details of an investigation. This IS an investigation. And people can plain ruin an investigation, while doing a very good thing. Law enforcement has reasons for this, and unfortunately they can't disclose those reasons. Trust me, law enforcement doesn't just stop caring about two little girls missing. THEY know what they are doing, and why. They don't need to public to know.

The FBI being involved is a good thing. They have MORE resources then local law enforcement. However, when they come into town...it is THEIR investigation, and they close it off from everyone else in the public.

6 moms found this helpful

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I won't stop praying until they are home and safe.

And civilians can still search, but will have to organize the searches themselves. Someone from the community needs to step up and take charge and organize the searches, and searchers will have to go by the book or risk being ordered not to search.

There's a reason they've stopped, there always is, and I don't want to speculate. They may have information they're not releasing to the media and public as of yet because it could jeopardize their case. And, truthfully, the FBI does not get involved unless there is proof someone has been taken across state lines, so with so little information on Elizabeth's and Lyric's disappearance I'm surprised they have been involved at all.

God knows where these 2 girls are, my prayer is that He will keep them safe and free from harm until they are returned home safe and sound.

4 moms found this helpful
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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

The authorities aren't banning. I ilia a for no good reason. Civilia s are out looking for someONE. They're looking for someTHING--evidence. And hundreds of people traipsing around destroying evidence isn't what they need right now.

3 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

R.:

They are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope this means that they have a lead the girls are elsewhere and are focusing that way.

Most times the police don't give up that easily. Not without good reason.

I posted on my facebook wall last night. I know it's been shared a few times.

Prayers!!

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M.M.

answers from Dallas on

This story is at the national level now. GMA is featuring it this morning and it is on NBCBws.com. The NBCNews.com article gives a little explanation on why they have halted the civilian search. I hope this national attention helps with the search.

Still sending my prayers and hope... Thank you for the updates.

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J.S.

answers from Tampa on

for the FBI to have stopped the volunteers search is a bit suspicious. They usually allow it for quite sometime, which I would think means they do not want anyone messing up evidence that has actually been "found" leading them elsewhere. Also, like someone else already said, (and not to get hopes up), usually the FBI only works a case when a child is taken across state lines. Odd. I will say many prayers....................

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J.T.

answers from New York on

I will say a prayer for all of you invloved...

God Bless!

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L.F.

answers from Chicago on

I am so sorry! This must be so incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking. I will keep praying that Elizabeth and Lyric will be found safe and sound. I can't imagine what their parents must be going through.

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

We have not stopped thinking about these girls, their families and the community.
I noticed 2 more of my FB friends posted the info on their pages, they are from Iowa and still have family up there.

I am sending you all strength and keeping up the hope.

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D..

answers from Charlotte on

R., there's nothing I can say that would make you feel better, I know, but I just want to send you hugs and positive thoughts. I'm saying prayers for both the girls, and for you and the family members.

Dawn

2 moms found this helpful
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K.

answers from Chicago on

No matter where they are God is holding Elizabeth and Lyric in the plan of His hand.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Please don't give up hope. Look at Elizabeth Smart and Stacy Duggard. They weren't found for years!

I know it doesn't make sense to you, but the authorities really do know what they're doing. There is probably some reason they are stopping that they are not sharing with folks right now. I think the best course of action is a lot of prayer!

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