Press Conference
24th August 2022.
Sheriff - I would just like to quickly cover the context of this case, and I know I do it every time, but we may have some new listeners and some people just kind of tuning into this thing, as it's huge. So since the evening of July 27, 2021, the Fruitland Police Department, the Idaho State Police, the FBI, Idaho law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies across the country have investigated the disappearance of, then 5 yr. old, Michael Vaughan. We haven't stopped, everyday we have unfinished business and our investigation remains very, very active. We know that Michael Joseph Vaughn was last seen near his residence on SW 9th St at approximately 6:30 PM on Tuesday, July 27th of 2021. Law enforcement received the first 911 call at approximately 7:21 PM., and we issued an endangered missing person alert to the area and to area residents seeking the community to help be on the look out. Information was sent to the law enforcement, nationwide, through the National Crime Information Centre regarding Michael's disappearance and he was entered into the State of Idaho Missing Persons Clearing House and National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
The Fruitland Police Department, Payette Police Department, Payette County Sheriff's Office and over 100 law enforcement officers from federal and state local agencies converged on our small town of Fruitland that night. Physical search efforts were conducted by experts from the Idaho Fish and Game, The Idaho Mountain Search and Rescue, National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, both Fruitland and Fire departments and immense citizen help. Our search included over 3000 acres of farm ground, 29 miles of riverbank along the Snake River, 250 residential homes, outbuildings, septic tanks, garbage cans, vehicles, irrigation ditches and drain canals. We used fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, sophisticated drones. We used boats, sonar, specialised K9's, kayaks and paragliders. We served over 30 search warrants and we continue to review hundreds of hours of security and other data and we've logged 10s of thousands of hours as we continue to work this case. Our department has processed over 1200 leads, many of which we've been able to clear, many of which we are still working on. We've had a lot of law enforcement across the entire country and internationally help us chase down some of these leads. I'd like to note, that after a year long thorough investigation, the family is not a focus of our investigation at this point. They are continuing to fully cooperate with us in all of our efforts from the investigation standpoint.
Today as members of this community we continue to agonise with the family, and we continue to dedicate our resources to bringing Michael home safely. We believe that the continued distribution of this story will generate more attention and more tips and help us get this thing, get some resolution to this case. So there's no tip that's too small or benign that we won't investigate. With the help of Taneya (?) with the Idaho State Police were excited to partner with the Washington State Patrols Homeward bound programme, and Kam-Way transportation, to carry Michaels information across the country on semi trailers like the one I have behind me. We know that exposure along the interstates and highways and the roads of this country will help bring new leads and potentially help us bring Michael home safely. So at this time I'd like to introduce Kerry Gordon. She's with the Washington State Patrol and she's going to be talking a bit about the homeward bound programme and our exciting new partnership.
Kerry - Thank you chief. As the chief mentioned, I work for the Washington State Patrol, I manage the Missing Persons Clearing House, and I'm the Amber Alert coordinator for Washington state. I'm essentially Taneya's counterpart in Washington. So the homeward bound programme was actually started by the late Trooper Renee Paget. She sadly lost a battle with blood cancer a couple of years ago, but this programme was Renee's vision and it was brought to fruition in 2006 with, then, Gordon Transportation and with Gordon the programme featured at one time there were 27 children featured in the programme. And each child had between three and five trailers travelling around the country with Gordan at the time. So, a lot of exposure for these cases and a lot of tips and a lot of new information generated for these cases for law enforcement, and that's our goal. So, I'm here to continue with Renee's passion and so we're very excited to be able to partner with Idaho and bring some more attention to Michael's case and to help his family spread the word and get information out about Michael. So, to us, the important part of this entire programme is the coordination of partnerships that we have with all of the various law enforcement agencies that are represented up here, as well as Idaho State Police, the National Centre for Missing Exploited Children, and our various states clearinghouses that border your state here. The trailers behind me are going to be seen by millions of travellers on highways around the country and so imagine how many eyes are going to see this trailer as it travels throughout its journey. And this is one of what will be eventually three trailers that will feature Michael. And Kam, who's going to speak right after me here shortly, and his company have committed to this programme for as long as it takes and for as many trailers as we need to bring attention to these missing child cases around the country. It's a fantastic partnership. We're very proud of what we're doing and I just want to ensure the families and law enforcement that we are not going to stop. That is what we do. That is why we do what we do every single day. I've been doing this particular job for 10 years. I've been with the patrol for 31 years and this is the most important job I've ever had. And the importance is that these are our children, these are kids and they are our most valuable asset that we have in our communities and we need to make sure that we provide them with the most attention that we can give them and bring them home to their families, who are waiting for them every single day, every minute. So, I'd like to introduce Kam Sihota. He is the owner of Kam-Way transportation and he has been a very valuable partner to me and I also want to recognise Kam's wife, Harneet(?), who is not here today, but she's been my logistics contact and to help me get these trailers on the road and to get them at events like this today. So, Kam.
Kam - Thank you, Kerry. Thank you, chief. Kam-Way transportation is a trucking company and freight brokers based up in Blaine, Washington, and since we started the company in 2008, we've always been centred around giving back to the communities we serve and when the opportunity to be part of the Homeward Bound programme was presented to us, that it was an amazing opportunity and something that really aligned with our values as a company. Moving freight and moving trucks down the road is something we do on a day in day out basis, but being able to do a little more, a little extra, give families hope, bring awareness through featuring children on the side of our trailers is something that's near and dear to myself, my wife, my other partner, our whole company. We think it's an amazing cause and we bring additional hope and we think that there's.. through this awareness that we can assist these different agencies that are working very hard to try to to help the families and bring kids home. So we're really, really excited to be part of this and we just hope it gives everybody, you know, it's a big world. We're all parents. And anything that we can do, anything we can do to bring awareness, anything we can do to bring hope to these families is, I think, worth its weight in gold. So, we're very thankful to be here today and be part of this programme and we want to thank everybody for coming out and the media too, to bring additional awareness to this and Idaho State Patrol and Fruitland Police Department and all the other agencies mentioned, Washington State Patrol, for doing this and going above and beyond. So thank you.
Sheriff - Thanks Kam. So, I would just like to follow up. Kam - I just want to tell you how thankful we are and grateful for your continued generosity and your involvement in this case. I appreciate your longstanding partnership with Homeward bound and it's an incredible programme and I think it's really going to help us. And I can't thank you enough.
To the Vaughn family - This has been an extremely long and emotional road. You don't walk that road alone, right? So I could never fathom how you and your family have suffered. However, I assure you that the Fruitland Police Department will continue to earnestly investigate this case. And everyone here today is a part of your community, and a part of your family. We will never stop looking. You need to know that. And so with that I'll take a few questions if you guys have any for me.
Reporter - Can you elaborate on where the trucks will be travelling?
Sheriff - I think I'll defer that to Kerry or Kam.
Kam - So, the trucks will be travelling all over the USA and Canada, but our primary routes are the Western seven states and so this particular unit is on its way to Denver, Colorado after our unveiling today and will probably come back through Idaho again from Denver back to Washington.
Reporter - Also you said, I believe Kerry said that this look here is going to be on 3 trailers for now?
Kam - Yes.
Reporter - Is this unique? Do other transportation companies do this in the US, that we're aware of or is this a unique operation?
Kam - I don't think any other companies do it, or of any scale that we're aware of, but we think that it's a wonderful idea and it's good to get the word out and we're going to continue, as Kerry mentioned, to spread the word and commit 100% to the programme.
Reporter - And I have one more actually. So is this the first time Kam that you have done this? or have you worked on other cases before as well?
Kam - So, right now there's 15 trailers, including this one trailer, that are with seven different children that are featured right now. And then in the next month there will be two more trailers that feature Michaels picture. They'll be two more trailers that are an exact replica to this.
Reporter - How many years have you been doing this for?
Kam - We started this in 2018, I believe and we'll be happy to continue to expand the program.
Reporter - Are these trailers going to carry typical cargo or are these dedicated to getting the message out?
Kam - No, our company mainly specialises in food and retail. Right now this trailer is full of ice cream, it's destined to Denver, Colorado. So, we carry all kinds of different food stuff and retail products.
Reporter - This is to the chief - So, if you're partnering with them to get Michael's face across the US, is that because you believe that Michael was taken somewhere outside of Idaho?
Chief - I think the best answer for that is - we don't know where Michael is at this point. So, could he be out of state? Yes. So, I think the best way to get Michaels information out there is definitely going to be on these forms of transport that travel from state to state, potentially into other countries.
Reporter - I don't know if you can speak to this, but there's been rumours that Michael scent was traced near the freeway. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
Sheriff - I'm not going to comment on that.
Reporter - And at this time, what is the latest message to the public? what's the latest you want the public to know as the search continues?
Sheriff - You know, as we continue this search, the public just needs to know that we want them to be aware and vigilant. I mean, we're still receiving tips on a daily basis. I mean, everyday we're getting new tips and so we do know that the message is getting out there. I just want them to remain vigilant. The last thing we want is for, you know, for the coverage of this case to fall off, because Michael's still out there and somebody knows something. Somebody knows something, either information has been omitted or there just not bringing it forward. So I would continue to encourage those people that have any idea, or have any information that may lead us to the safe return, that they bring that information forward. The reward stands, still active. So I'll leave it at that. Any other questions?
Reporter - Is there a solid lead right now that you're actively working that looks promising to you?
Chief - You know, I hate to be so cagey with my answers, but it is a criminal investigation. I will just tell you that there are a multitude of plausible leads, so... and it's just something that... it's a painstaking task and we're in here every single day, every single day we're working this case so.
Reporter - Is there any way that you can publicly confirm that Michael was not in any (
inaudible) when he went missing or can you not speak to that?
Sheriff - You know, I'm just not going to talk about the details of our investigation.
Sheriff - So real quick, if we don't have anymore questions, I did want to just take a brief moment and allow Brandi to make a brief statement. I believe she has something that she would like to say. So I think we'll just take a moment and do that.
Brandi - Thank you all for being here today for Michael and our family. This is amazing and beautiful (
looks at the trailer with Michael's image), and we want to thank all of you. All of you, the officer's, all of the agencies. You guy's...you keep working so hard, and we're gonna get him home. We're not gonna stop. We're gonna find him. And every outside agency that's helping - thank you, it's a blessing.
To whoever has Michael, or knows anything and has information about Michael - Please, please come forward. We need him home. We need our baby. Please.
Thank you to the community and extended communities that continue to support our family, and law enforcement, all of the agencies that are helping to bring Michael home. They stand strong, and they stand with us, and we stand with them. So if you're seeing this -Please. If you know something, please, if you know anything, please say something. You can be anonymous, there's so many avenues. Please everyone, help us get Michael home.
And Monkey - I Love you, baby. You're coming home. None of us are going to give up, I promise.
Thank you all for being here today.
Sheriff - Thank you, Brandi. So with that, if we don't have anymore questions I'm going to go ahead and conclude. Thank you. Appreciate you all.