Hi, everyone. This is my first post on a case besides The Springfield Three. I'm from Shelby North Carolina and attended Fallston Elementary School from August 1999 - June 2005. I lived about fifteen minutes away from where Asha disappeared, and also rode the same bus she did. I didn't know her personally but knew of her, and I have a memory of her sitting a few seats in front of me on the bus with her head turned talking to another student. I was in kindergarten at the time, so I obviously don't remember much about her disappearance when it initially happened but grew up hearing about it, and the many clues and tips they found over the years. The location they found her backpack is baffling to me because it's so far away from where she was supposedly spotted. The storage shed she ate her candy in as well is also odd to me, because of how far away from the road it is. I believe she could have been groomed by someone at Fallston school. Don't get me wrong, I had many wonderful teachers during my time there, but there were also adults, that even as a child, made me feel uncomfortable to be around at that School. The Dr.Seuss book also makes me think it could have been taking directly by an adult from the Library without it being checked out. At the time, there were no security codes in the books, and the librarian would simply stamp the slip in the back of the book. There were also two ways into the library, one right by the librarian's counter, and another off to the back where anyone could leave without being spotted. There was also an emergency exit protected by an automatic fire alarm. The N.K.O.T.B shirt seems like something a teenager would have worn at the time. If she did go to that barn, my guess would be that she had to have been there before. I don't like pointing the finger towards her stepfather, but his actions do seem questionable in regards to him emphasizing she took her book bag when making the initial 911 call. I don't understand why she wouldn't take her coat. It's cold here in Shebly during February, especially back then. We always had late snowstorms back then. The eyewitness could also be wrong, or perhaps someone else was walking that night. Her billboard is still standing where she was supposedly last seen. I pass by it all the time and wonder what happened that night, and how a 9-year-old disappeared in the middle of the night. Shelby is very rural, and highway 18 doesn't have a lot of lighting along the way. Sadly, I do not think she's still alive. I wish she was, but in this case, it seems like this mystery will only be solved if someone comes forward. Again, not accusing anyone directly, but there were weird people who taught at Fallston. All of this is just my opinion, but I hope this case gets solved someday.
