ND ND - Reachelle Smith, 3, Minot, 16 May 2006

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

mom3dd said:
I wouldn't assume anyone sent in a picture or that the police check NCMEC I just read about a runaway found dead and they didn't go thru missing in their own area she was identified by a news cast picture seen by a friend.
Click to expand...
Good grief! :doh: You would think that in this, the age of computers, that would be the first thing that they would do when they find someone - have a central database and put the information in immediately!
 
Well from personal experince the police do not for the most part take missing person reports seriously. You can't blame them with so much drama going on out there. But the young woman in the slot above Reachelle (Katie Mowery) is an example. IMO
 
I think you're very right about that, mom. You'd think that when the child is merely a toddler, however, that they'd take it much more seriously and get the information out there far and wide.
 
I would think that they would check out all missing little kids right away. It probably isn't Reachelle. I really believe that she is still alive and that someone knows exactally where she is.
 
Minot Daily News

... Keller said the most recent lead that the department physically followed up on came from a less-than-orthodox source.

“An individual’s brother had a dream that a little girl was put into a drain on their farmstead,” he said. The farm in question is located northeast of Minot, in McHenry County, Keller said. “We did go up and check that. It’s an old well – it has a pipe sticking out of the ground. We didn’t see anything suspicious...”

"I’m not going to discount any of that (psychic) stuff, but so far none of those leads have come out...”

With the passage of nearly a year, Reachelle’s biological mother, Samantha Smith, has moved to Arizona, but remains very involved in the case, according to Sgt. Jason Sundbakken of the Minot Police Department. He said he also maintains contact with Leigh Cowen’s mother in Kansas, as well as family members of Reachelle’s biological father in Colorado...

Anyone who may have information relating to the case is asked to contact the Minot Police Department at 852-0111. (I believe that the area code is 701.)

More at link ...
 
http://www.kxmc.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=43262

This is a link (that may already be up, im not sure, I didn't see it) about Reachelle being missing a year. At the bottom of the article, there are two posters making the 1st and 3rd coments, one says she's the aunt, one says she's the mom. I'm leaning tword this not being true because some of the stuff said, what do you guys think?
 
Minot Daily News

... “Always in the back of my mind is Reachelle Smith, and now Knutson, too,” (the police chief) said. “Those two unsolved cases are always at the back of my mind, and I push those detectives for a conclusion on these things. I don’t think it’s me personally as the chief of police — it just happens to be the circumstances that were dealt to the department during this time.

“Hopefully in the near future we’ll have some good news, and bring some closure to these two cases.”
 
Angels_Not_Forgotten said:
http://www.kxmc.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=43262

This is a link (that may already be up, im not sure, I didn't see it) about Reachelle being missing a year. At the bottom of the article, there are two posters making the 1st and 3rd coments, one says she's the aunt, one says she's the mom. I'm leaning tword this not being true because some of the stuff said, what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
I didn't notice this post until I posted just now.

I don't know what to think about those comments. I'm thinking that it's not impossible that it's the real family of Reachelle. On the one hand, they didn't really say anything that could be construed as damaging to the investigation but on the other hand they said things that are well known to all of us following this case. I'm on the fence about whether or not it's really them.

I wish something would happen in this case. Sadly, I think that this is one that might never be solved.
 
I haven't forgotten this little girl. Such a sweetheart. I still think that she is alright and living with someone that Leigh chose for her. I don't believe that Leigh did anything to Rachelle and I'm not sure that he committed suicide either. I think that the bio mom may know where her daughter is. I remember at one point Leigh told someone that he helped the bio mom get Reachelle. I think that the bio mom might have changed her mind about her sister raising Reachelle but it is highly doubtful that the sister would have handed Reachelle over to the bio mom after raising her for over 3 years. The bio mom is married and her husband is in the service. I might be wrong but a lot of us share the same feelings.
 
PinkyPoo said:
I thought they found his body......am I wrong about that?
(sorry, I didn't follow this case the last 6 months or so.)
Click to expand...


Yes, they did find his body. He was in the aunt's van in some reserve or something like that. There was a hose leading from the exhust into the car. I just have suspicions about his death and whether it was a suicide or not. I've talked with his sister and mother and learned a few things. I know that Leigh loved that little girl like his own and I'll never believe that he did anything to her. The aunt who was raising Reachelle has changed her story a few times and it is my belief that if you are telling the truth you never need to change your story to where it doesn't even sound like the orginial story.

I do know that Leigh had threatened to commit suicide a couple other times and he always left a note for family. No note this time. Other things don't add up either.

Reachelle may never be found but I will always believe that Leigh knew where she was and that it is a great possibility that Reachelle's bio mom does too.
 
I still wonder where this little one is...
I think she is lost though, most likely dead. So sad. How could a bio mom / sister / family just "lose" a kid like that?? They just didn't care about her...
 
Police Chief Jeff Balentine says authorities are still looking for clues in the May 2006 disappearance of then 3-year-old Reachelle Smith.

"I've asked BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) to come in in February or March and organize a task force to re-go through all the evidence, statements, re-interview people," he said. "We're going to try to solve that case. We have to."

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/12/09/news/state/144151.txt
 
Rle7 said:
Police Chief Jeff Balentine says authorities are still looking for clues in the May 2006 disappearance of then 3-year-old Reachelle Smith.

"I've asked BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) to come in in February or March and organize a task force to re-go through all the evidence, statements, re-interview people," he said. "We're going to try to solve that case. We have to."

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/12/09/news/state/144151.txt
Click to expand...


I haven't forgotten this little girl. Personally, I think LE need to take a closer look within the family. Remember when Reachelle was supposed to be with Leigh's mother...Leigh told her that he had taken Reachelle there late in the evening? That sister didn't even check on that baby for close to a week. In truth Leigh's mom barely knew Reachelle..they thought she belonged to Leigh but she didn't. My point is that the sister raising Reachelle didn't even check on her...call to say "hi honey" or anything. Come to find out Reachelle hadn't even been taken there...Leigh's mom had moved to another state.

I've also always wondered if the bio mother..sister didn't decide that she wanted her baby back now that she was married, etc. and if Leigh didn't help her get Reachelle out of there. I wonder where the bio mom is now?
 
Nearly two years after her disappearance, investigators are still baffled by the case of little Reachelle Marie Smith.

Reachelle was 3 when she was last seen in the apartment where she lived with her mother, Stephanie Smith, and her mother’s live-in acquaintance Leigh Cowen.

Reachelle was last seen at around 10:30 p.m. on May 16, 2006, when she was put to bed by Cowen. Her case has garnered national attention, having been featured on Fox’s America’s Most Wanted and CBS’ “Without a Trace” and “The Morning Show.” But sadly, as time goes by, that national attention is slowly fading.

“After a couple of years, all that will slow down a little bit,” said Sgt. Jason Sundbakken, who heads the investigation of the case at the Minot Police Department. “The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Lost Child Network and all these other agencies are involved in this. They’re always keeping their ear to the ground and trying to help us out with things. That’s always appreciated,” he said Wednesday.

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/514959.html?nav=5010
 
I still believe Reachelle is alive and that someone close to her knows exactly where she is.
 
 
KFYR-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Kentucky Girl Resembles Missing Minot Girl

A girl that looks exactly like Reachelle Smith was found in Kentucky on May 15th.

While authorities have determined this girl is not Reachelle, this new lead breathes life into a case that has been open for two years...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

DNASolves

Who is DeKalb County John Doe (2022)?

Members online

... and 67 more.
Total: 2,404 (members: 68, guests: 2,336)

Online statistics

Members online
68
Guests online
2,336
Total visitors
2,404
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
601,856
Messages
18,130,790
Members
231,162
Latest member
Kaffro
Back
Top