09-09-2013, 10:10 AM
UPDATE: Authorities Searching for Missing Watson Girl
Published on September 8 2013 12:54 pm
Last Updated on September 9 2013 8:58 am
Written by Wayne Moran
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Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages for instant updates.
A 7-year old girl is missing from Watson, and authorities are asking for help in locating her.
The Effingham County Sheriff's Department say they're searching for 7-year old Willow Long of Watson. Police tell us the girl walked away from her home on Circle Drive in Watson Sunday morning, and has not been seen since.
Willow is approximately 4-foot tall, and has shoulder-length red hair. She was last seen wearing a long purple shirt, oversize like a nightgown.
If you have seen Willow, or know of her location, please call the Effingham County Sheriff's Department at (217) 342-2101.
Throughout the afternoon Sunday, authorities have been searching the area, coordinating from the Watson Fire Station. Over 400 volunteers have turned out, and are being utilized in a grid-search pattern within a radius of 20 square-miles from Long's home. Volunteers were on hold for a time, so as to not interfere with police dogs, and as an Illinois State Police plane and Air Evac helicopter used thermal imaging to search for the girl.
8AM UPDATE: Effingham County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Paul Kuhns says there is still no evidence of foul play. Searchers have now covered an 8-square mile radius from Long's home, and found nothing. Authorities are also going door to door in areas that were previously searched. Kuhns encoraged those in rural area to check their outbuildings. Kuhns said, "if anything is found out of place, a toy that might be in a different spot than they remember it being, please phone the Sheriff's office at 217-342-2101". When asked about the length of the search, Kuhns aknowledged, "time is not our friend".
Firefighter J.R. Niemann asked that any video shot in this area Sunday, should be taken to the Sheriff's department. He said people that shot video may have been filming one thing, but they may have captured something that might be beneficial to police in locating the missing Willow Long, now approaching the 24-hour period since she's been seen.
Volunteers should report to the Watson Civic Center, located one block east of the fire station. People wishing to donate items like bottled water and other supplies to help searchers, should take items to the Watson Civic Center.
1AM MONDAY UPDATE: Volunteers have been recalled, with nothing found. Dive teams have completed searching a pond that was reported to have footprints "all the way around it", but didn't find anything. Teams have moved on to another pond. Officials will continue to search throughout the night.
IMPORTANT: Volunteers will need to report to the Watson Civic Center in the morning, NOT the fire station. Volunteers may begin to arrive at 6am, but it should be noted that busses will not arive until around 7:30, after they have dropped off kids at school Monday morning. Unit 40 sent out an update Sunday evening advising that school would be in session in the district, and that counselors would be on hand at Southside Grade School for students and teachers. Many of the teachers and faculty from Southside School were on hand and involved in the search Sunday evening for Willow.
Air searches using a thermal imaging system are about to resume in the area, and officials again urge against private citizens searching for Long on their own, as false-positives will only slow the search process.
We will be back with updates when officials return from overnight searches at 6am. Be sure to monitor our Facebook and Twitter pages (linked above) for additional updates.
11:30PM UPDATE: Authorities say they will call in all volunteers at 1am. Police will resume air searches at 1:30am using thermal imaging. Public volunteers may report back at 6am to the Watson Civic Center. Through the night, officials will continue to search in teams for Willow, using ATVs, patrol vehicles and foot searches.
Effingham County Sheriff John Monnet also confirmed that Effingham County Dive Rescue has been dispatched to a pond north of Watson that has "small footprints all the way around it". Search dogs did not hit on these footprints, but Monnet said the pond will be searched in the continued effort to locate the 7-year old Long, who walked away from her residence more than 12 hours ago.
Below is video from a press conference ealier this evening. We apologize for the delay in getting it online, internet speeds in Watson are an issue.
10PM UPDATE: Authorities tell us they are about to begin a search north of Chaparral Subdivision, in grid-formation, based on earlier tracking dogs indications of possible northern travel by Long. They also tell us they have enough side-by-side's and 4-wheelers.
A large crowd still remains at the Watson Fire Station, with many of them waiting to be dispatched on 4-wheelers and side-by-sides. Horse teams are also set to begin searching.
8:30PM UPDATE: Effingham County Sheriff John Monnet said, "We don't feel there's foul play, that she just walked off. We're gonna continue until we find her". The Sheriff said, however, "it's been quite a time since she's been missing, and time is not a good thing." Monnet said Willow's mother Cierra Deryke was feeling ill, and was in bed. She got up once to check on Willow and her 3-year old brother, and they were watching TV. She got up later and Willow was gone. She asked her son where Willow was, and the boy pointed toward the front door.
Monnet said Long was wearing a lavendar oversize shirt, bearing the "Betty Boop" emblem. Authorities think she might have gone barefoot. Monnet said tracking dog seemed to indicate she may have traveled toward Effingham, perhaps along the railroad tracks.
7:30PM UPDATE: At approximately 8pm, authorities say they will begin changing their search pattern. Volunteers had been heading out in teams, being transported on flatbed trucks, vans and pickup trucks. This will change to a more surgical type of search at dusk. IMPORTANT: INDIVIDUAL SEARCHERS ARE ASKED TO STOP, and report instead to the Watson Fire Station for deployment, as the use of FLIER (forward looking infared radar) will begin. Any individuals out searching on their own may be spotted by this radar, and search teams will respond those "hits" on the radar, slowing the search for the girl.
6:30PM UPDATE: Authorities tell us 10 ATVs with thermal imaging from MABAS fire divisions are en route toassist in the coming night search. Volunteers are still being accepted and requested, and those turning out will need to be equipped for rougher terrain, and lights for night searches.
Searches from the air continue as well, with the ARCH helicopter from St. Louis taking 30-minute turns with the helicopter from Air Evac, searching a 1⁄2 x 1 mile area, working counter-clockwise from Long's home.
There are numerous people searching on horseback as well, and Cumberland Search and Rescue is sending more horses to assist.
Arcola Fire Department (part of MABAS) has arrived with a light tower.
Effingham County EMA has been notified and is en route.
Effingham City Police Department has personnel on scene assisting in the search.
The Red Cross is on scene providing food and water to volunteers and officials. Individuals have also been donating bottled water and other items to assist volunteers.
Below is a second photo of Willow, without her glasses. When Willow left home this morning, her mother says she didn't take her glasses.
We have all read too many stories that start off like this, sadly they all seem to have the same results. This is an hour from me.http://youtu.be/GMWhqyQ5QuQ Tried to share the video, guess I do not know how to do it. Mother woke up that morning not felling well and went back to bed. Her 3 yr old and Willow, 7 were watching tv. When mother woke up, 3 yr old still watching tv was asked where was Willow, he pointed to front door.
Published on September 8 2013 12:54 pm
Last Updated on September 9 2013 8:58 am
Written by Wayne Moran
SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES
Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages for instant updates.
A 7-year old girl is missing from Watson, and authorities are asking for help in locating her.
The Effingham County Sheriff's Department say they're searching for 7-year old Willow Long of Watson. Police tell us the girl walked away from her home on Circle Drive in Watson Sunday morning, and has not been seen since.
Willow is approximately 4-foot tall, and has shoulder-length red hair. She was last seen wearing a long purple shirt, oversize like a nightgown.
If you have seen Willow, or know of her location, please call the Effingham County Sheriff's Department at (217) 342-2101.
Throughout the afternoon Sunday, authorities have been searching the area, coordinating from the Watson Fire Station. Over 400 volunteers have turned out, and are being utilized in a grid-search pattern within a radius of 20 square-miles from Long's home. Volunteers were on hold for a time, so as to not interfere with police dogs, and as an Illinois State Police plane and Air Evac helicopter used thermal imaging to search for the girl.
8AM UPDATE: Effingham County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Paul Kuhns says there is still no evidence of foul play. Searchers have now covered an 8-square mile radius from Long's home, and found nothing. Authorities are also going door to door in areas that were previously searched. Kuhns encoraged those in rural area to check their outbuildings. Kuhns said, "if anything is found out of place, a toy that might be in a different spot than they remember it being, please phone the Sheriff's office at 217-342-2101". When asked about the length of the search, Kuhns aknowledged, "time is not our friend".
Firefighter J.R. Niemann asked that any video shot in this area Sunday, should be taken to the Sheriff's department. He said people that shot video may have been filming one thing, but they may have captured something that might be beneficial to police in locating the missing Willow Long, now approaching the 24-hour period since she's been seen.
Volunteers should report to the Watson Civic Center, located one block east of the fire station. People wishing to donate items like bottled water and other supplies to help searchers, should take items to the Watson Civic Center.
1AM MONDAY UPDATE: Volunteers have been recalled, with nothing found. Dive teams have completed searching a pond that was reported to have footprints "all the way around it", but didn't find anything. Teams have moved on to another pond. Officials will continue to search throughout the night.
IMPORTANT: Volunteers will need to report to the Watson Civic Center in the morning, NOT the fire station. Volunteers may begin to arrive at 6am, but it should be noted that busses will not arive until around 7:30, after they have dropped off kids at school Monday morning. Unit 40 sent out an update Sunday evening advising that school would be in session in the district, and that counselors would be on hand at Southside Grade School for students and teachers. Many of the teachers and faculty from Southside School were on hand and involved in the search Sunday evening for Willow.
Air searches using a thermal imaging system are about to resume in the area, and officials again urge against private citizens searching for Long on their own, as false-positives will only slow the search process.
We will be back with updates when officials return from overnight searches at 6am. Be sure to monitor our Facebook and Twitter pages (linked above) for additional updates.
11:30PM UPDATE: Authorities say they will call in all volunteers at 1am. Police will resume air searches at 1:30am using thermal imaging. Public volunteers may report back at 6am to the Watson Civic Center. Through the night, officials will continue to search in teams for Willow, using ATVs, patrol vehicles and foot searches.
Effingham County Sheriff John Monnet also confirmed that Effingham County Dive Rescue has been dispatched to a pond north of Watson that has "small footprints all the way around it". Search dogs did not hit on these footprints, but Monnet said the pond will be searched in the continued effort to locate the 7-year old Long, who walked away from her residence more than 12 hours ago.
Below is video from a press conference ealier this evening. We apologize for the delay in getting it online, internet speeds in Watson are an issue.
10PM UPDATE: Authorities tell us they are about to begin a search north of Chaparral Subdivision, in grid-formation, based on earlier tracking dogs indications of possible northern travel by Long. They also tell us they have enough side-by-side's and 4-wheelers.
A large crowd still remains at the Watson Fire Station, with many of them waiting to be dispatched on 4-wheelers and side-by-sides. Horse teams are also set to begin searching.
8:30PM UPDATE: Effingham County Sheriff John Monnet said, "We don't feel there's foul play, that she just walked off. We're gonna continue until we find her". The Sheriff said, however, "it's been quite a time since she's been missing, and time is not a good thing." Monnet said Willow's mother Cierra Deryke was feeling ill, and was in bed. She got up once to check on Willow and her 3-year old brother, and they were watching TV. She got up later and Willow was gone. She asked her son where Willow was, and the boy pointed toward the front door.
Monnet said Long was wearing a lavendar oversize shirt, bearing the "Betty Boop" emblem. Authorities think she might have gone barefoot. Monnet said tracking dog seemed to indicate she may have traveled toward Effingham, perhaps along the railroad tracks.
7:30PM UPDATE: At approximately 8pm, authorities say they will begin changing their search pattern. Volunteers had been heading out in teams, being transported on flatbed trucks, vans and pickup trucks. This will change to a more surgical type of search at dusk. IMPORTANT: INDIVIDUAL SEARCHERS ARE ASKED TO STOP, and report instead to the Watson Fire Station for deployment, as the use of FLIER (forward looking infared radar) will begin. Any individuals out searching on their own may be spotted by this radar, and search teams will respond those "hits" on the radar, slowing the search for the girl.
6:30PM UPDATE: Authorities tell us 10 ATVs with thermal imaging from MABAS fire divisions are en route toassist in the coming night search. Volunteers are still being accepted and requested, and those turning out will need to be equipped for rougher terrain, and lights for night searches.
Searches from the air continue as well, with the ARCH helicopter from St. Louis taking 30-minute turns with the helicopter from Air Evac, searching a 1⁄2 x 1 mile area, working counter-clockwise from Long's home.
There are numerous people searching on horseback as well, and Cumberland Search and Rescue is sending more horses to assist.
Arcola Fire Department (part of MABAS) has arrived with a light tower.
Effingham County EMA has been notified and is en route.
Effingham City Police Department has personnel on scene assisting in the search.
The Red Cross is on scene providing food and water to volunteers and officials. Individuals have also been donating bottled water and other items to assist volunteers.
Below is a second photo of Willow, without her glasses. When Willow left home this morning, her mother says she didn't take her glasses.
We have all read too many stories that start off like this, sadly they all seem to have the same results. This is an hour from me.http://youtu.be/GMWhqyQ5QuQ Tried to share the video, guess I do not know how to do it. Mother woke up that morning not felling well and went back to bed. Her 3 yr old and Willow, 7 were watching tv. When mother woke up, 3 yr old still watching tv was asked where was Willow, he pointed to front door.