UPDATE: Missing girl, 5, found dead

In North Carolina, police are looking for the body of 5-year-old Shaniya Davis, a little girl who has been missing since Nov. 10. Her mother is now in jail, accused of human trafficking and felony child abuse -- the child was apparently prostituted. More here from the Charlotte Observer.

UPDATE: Police say they've found the girl's body.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Searching and Man in a Mission

UPDATE: Where is Carol Thomas?

Excelsior Springs says the case is now being treated as a real kidnapping. They're looking for Carol A. Thomas, 23, who lives near Excelsior. She's about 5 feet 5, 125 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt.

Witnesses told police that they saw three men assault Thomas and force her into the trunk of a car about 9:30 p.m. on S. Myrtle Street in Excelsior Springs. The three men then fled from the scene in a red Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix with license plate number ME4 Z4N.

The car was found near Missouri routes C and D east of Lawson, Mo. The area is primarily fields, although there is a small remote cemetery nearby, Reno said.

“The car was completely burned out,” Reno said. “There was not much left. However, there were no human remains in the car.” Police searched the area but didn’t find anyone.

Anyone with information is asked to call Excelsior Springs police at 816-630-2000 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477).

Missing baby found alive under baby-sitter's bed, Fla. police say

It's been five days since 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick was reported missing. The little girl was found in a box under the baby sitter's bed, surrounded by other items so that police wouldn't find her. Only they did, and now she's in protective custody. The sitter, her husband and -- surprisingly -- the baby's own mother are all expected to face charges, though authorities aren't explaining the motive yet.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Golfer!

Escape from Kansas City!

Lord, there is too much craziness to summarize here. Basically, a New York TV anchorman and his wife visit Kansas City a few days after he was on trial for allegedly beating her -- and she changed her testimony to say the beating was actually from a "mysterious day laborer." The trip does not go well.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, AMNewsboy!

Where is Mohua Roychowdhury?

Just a reminder: The family of Mohua Roychowdhury is still trying to find the 28-year-old KCK woman.They're asking anyone who might have seen Mohua to call the KCK police at 913-573-6084 or the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477). She disappeared about a month ago.

Mohua is 5 feet 5 and 140 pounds. Her family says that she has a bipolar disorder and did not appear for a doctor's visit. Nobody has seen her car, a 2001 silver Ford Focus with Kansas tag 428-AZR. She enjoys books and frequents the Plaza area, where she visits the library and the bookstore. She's between jobs and has been actively seeking work.

Where is Kiara Watson?

Nick Sloan at the Kansan has a piece about a KCK family trying to track down their 17-year-old daughter.

UPDATED: Where are Everett and Bernice Smith?

Kansas has issued a Silver Alert for Everett and Bernice Smith, a Leavenworth County couple who were last seen about 1 this morning near I-70 and 18th Street in KCK, Dawn Bormann reports. The Smiths are both 86 years old. A relative spoke with them about 9:10 p.m. and called police about 10:30 p.m. They were driving a 1995 brown Chevrolet Silverado with Kansas license plate QQV 080. Snip:

Everett Smith is about 6 feet tall, weighs 220 pounds and has gray hair and blue eyes. His wife is 4 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 125 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call local police or the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office at 913-682-5724.

UPDATED: The Star's reporting they've been found, and they're OK.

Why some runaways stay missing

The New York Times has a big story here about homeless teens -- runaways, to be specific. It's fascinating (and sad) to see how they survive without adults. One of the sadder facts in the article: Police aren't looking for a lot of these kids because, well, nobody cared to report them missing.

Federal statistics indicate that in more than three-quarters of runaway cases, parents or caretakers have not reported the child missing, often because they are angry about a fight or would simply prefer to see a problem child leave the house. Experts say some parents fear that involving the police will get them or their children into trouble or put their custody at risk.

And in 16 percent of cases, the local police failed to enter the information into the federal database, as required under federal law, according to a review of federal data by The New York Times.

New York's "Jane Doe" has a name

Two weeks ago, an apparently amnesiac teenager was found in a New York City shelter. Now? Police say that her relatives, based in Washington state, are on their way to claim her. (Someone in Maryland recognized her from a TV report and called the authorities.) We know she's 18, but the police haven't released her name. I saw a few stories wondering if the girl might be Kara Kopetsky, the missing Belton teenager, but the photos don't really look that similar.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, JUNGLE JIM!

UPDATE: MO girl, 9, missing in Cole County

There still hasn't been any sign of Elizabeth Olten, the girl who disappeared Wednesday night while walking home from a friend's house. Searchers spent yesterday searching the woods near St. Martins, based on cellphone data showing that Olten's phone had been there at one point. Authorities say they don't have any evidence of foul play -- Mom believes the girl was grabbed, though. Dad is serving time in prison right now, but officials don't think Olten's disappearance is related to his criminal record.

UPDATED: Unfortunately, Olten was found dead, deeper in the woods, earlier today. Police say they've got another juvenile as a person of interest -- no name or age available yet.

Photo via AP

MO girl, 9, missing in Cole County

Authorities are searching for Elizabeth Olten, who disappeared last night while walking home from a friend's house. The case is from the St. Martins in Cole County. A search last night found nothing and was scheduled to resume this morning.

UPDATE: Still no sign of the little girl, but authorities are searching the woods, where her cellphone was last "located" by its service provider. Still no proof that foul play was involved. (Other than a little girl disappearing overnight ... OK, I'll be quiet now.)

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Kathy!

The boy who wasn't taken

Twenty years ago, a masked man stepped from the brush along a Minnesota road and kidnapped an 11-year-old named Jacob Wetterling at gunpoint. Jacob's best friend, Aaron Larson, was with him -- they were riding home from the video store. But Aaron and Jacob's brother, who was there also, weren't taken. Twenty years later, the missing boy has never been found. The Star-Tribune has a powerful story here about Larson and how losing his friend has haunted him for the past two decades.

"I have guilt being the last one with Jacob. I was the last person to see him. There was a 50-50 chance he'd take me. And you always ask, 'What if the stars had been out? What if we never had been out?' "

Here's a Wikipedia entry on the case. (Which is where the photo of Wetterling came from, too.)

Where is Mohua Roychowdhury?

It's been almost a month since Mohua Roychowdhury, a 28-year-old woman from KCK, last contacted her family, father Anil Roychowdhury said. Her family has already contacted police, but they are worried that something might have happened to her. They're asking anyone who might have seen Mohua to call the KCK police at 913-573-6084 or the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477).

Mohua is 5 feet 5 and 140 pounds. Her family says that she has a bipolar disorder and did not appear for a doctor's visit. Her bank account hasn't seen any activity since she disappeared, her father said. Nor has anybody seen her car, a 2001 silver Ford Focus with Kansas tag 428-AZR. She enjoys books and frequents the Plaza area, where she visits the library and the bookstore. She's between jobs and has been actively seeking work.

Why reading is bad for kids

In Austin, an 11-year-old boy ran away from home after he read a prize-winning book, "My Side of the Mountain," about a boy who disappears into the mountains. The Texas kid got bored and came home after half a day. He had apparently left a goodbye note:

The 11-year-old also asked his parents not to make it a "big public thing" and signed it, "Sincerly and with all the love in my heart, Bacio Notzon." ... "P.P.S. I've been kind of planning this for years, I hope you understand," the note said.

PHOTO: Jaycee Dugard in "People"

From AP: In this image released Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, by People Magazine, the cover of the magazine is shown with Jaycee Dugard. Dugard was 11 when police say she was abducted outside her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991, she is now 29. Dugard decided to release photos to People magazine as a way to "share her joy with the world" and show how well she's doing. (AP Photo/People Magazine)

From James: ABC News has a piece here showing how the photos of Dugard match up with the "age-progression composites" that investigators did, back when she was missing, to show what she might look like.

Where is Jesse Ross?

The case of Jesse Ross -- a UMKC student who disappeared almost three years ago during a trip to Chicago -- gets a little attention from Investigation Discovery blogger Dave Lohr here. Longtime readers should be familiar with the details, but it's good to know other people are trying to keep the case out there.

Where is Mohua Roychowdry?

From KCKPD:The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit is requesting assistance from the public in locating the person pictured below. Mohua Roychowdry, Asian female, DOB 03/12/1981 has been missing since September 25, 2009 when her mother last spoke to her by telephone. Her 2001 silver Ford Focus with Kansas tag 428-AZR is also missing. Mohua is currently undergoing treatment for Bi-Polar disorder. (She is 5 feet 5, 140 pounds.)

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit is encouraging anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Mohua to please call 913-573-6084 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Where is Timothy Drisko?

From KCPD: Timothy Drisko, WM, 5’10, 185lbs, brown hair, blue eyes, 53 years old He is from Colorado and in Kansas City on family business. He was last seen in the I-29 and Barry Road Corridor on 10-03-2009 and has not been seen or heard from since. Family is concerned for his safety. Anyone with information in regard to his whereabouts is asked to call the Missing Person Unit at 816-234-5136.

UPDATED: He's been found, and he's OK.

Where is Dana Bruce?

At Crime Scene Investigations, a blog covering southwest Missouri, there's a post about Dana Bruce, a woman who disappeared about a year ago from Sedalia. There's also a special site dedicated to the investigation here.

“It’s like they disappeared off the face of the Earth”

Joe Lambe has an update on the case of Bob and Mary Lou Black, a missing elderly couple from Atchison County. About three weeks have passed since the authorities issued a Silver Alert for the Blacks, and authorities are worried about their chances of being found. Bob has diabetes and apparently did not take his insulin with him wherever they were headed. Mary, meanwhile, has Alzheimer's disease.

UPDATE: Where is Keighley Ann Alyea?

Alyea, an 18-year-old college student, has been missing since last Tuesday, Overland Park police report. Authorities worried that she might be in danger. Over the weekend, Overland Park released several alerts on the case, including photos of Alyea's vehicle, which has since been located. Her 1993 dark green Mazda 626 was found in the 6200 block of Marty.

There was also this update from Sunday:

Police said over the weekend that they wanted to interview a 22-year-old man. They found him Sunday after his car broke down at Interstate 70 and 18th Street Expressway.

Police talked to the man, whose relationship to Alyea was not disclosed, to see whether he had any useful information, but Overland Park Police Public Information Officer Jim Weaver declined to provide details of the interview.

Alyea is 5 feet 1 inch tall and 113 pounds.

Here's a page on Alyea's case at missingexploited.com.

UPDATE: Where is Keighley Ann Alyea?

MORE FROM THE STAR: Overland Park police continued today to push for the public's help in locating missing teenager Keighley Ann Alyea. They want to find Sean M. Merritt, 22, who has had addresses in Kansas City, Kan.; Baldwin City, Kan.; Grandview; and Olathe.

He is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches and 155 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. He is known to drive a 1996 gold Cadillac, with Kansas license 236 AVM. Police also released photos of Alyea's car, a dark green four-door Mazda 626 with Kansas license plate 198-BOV.

Alyea, an 18-year-old college student, has been missing since midnight Tuesday. Authorities fear she may be in danger. She is listed as a missing/possibly endangered person. Police describe her as 5 feet 1 inch tall and 113 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Alyea or Merritt is asked to call the Overland Park police at 913-895-6300 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

THE PREVIOUS REPORT CAN BE SEEN AFTER THE JUMP ...

How Jay Leno and a beat-up Cadillac saved a missing teen's life

The Lincoln Journal-Star has a nice story here about a missing teen with Down syndrome, James Andrews, who took shelter in an unlocked 1990 Cadillac because he remembered Jay Leno saying another lost kid had done something similar. After James was found, he and his mom went back to the car and left a thank-you note and a box of chocolates. (The Caddy belongs to a long-haul trucker.) Snip:

Here's what the thank you said: "Dear owner of the Catalacc, thak you for your car. It was very cold, and your car was wram. Jamie"

Wrote Jamie's mom: "Dear Car Owner, you probably save my son's life. Thanks from my whole heart, Amy Svoboda"

Missing person located

KCPD says that Epsibari Nkeeh, reported missing on Monday, has been found at a local hospital, in good condition.

Pregnant 12-year-old missing in North Carolina

She disappeared on the same weekend that she was supposed to give birth, along with her adoptive dad and younger sister.