IA IA - Elizabeth Collins, 8, & Lyric Cook, 10, Evansdale, 13 July 2012 - #1

[interface7]

Many thanks to those who can transcribe the presser for those of us still trapped at work.

watch presser live here: http://wcfcourier.com/twitter-updat...tml_7502e29a-ce9a-11e1-80bf-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[nursebeeme]

Didn't LE say they have searched the lake and are satisfied they arent there?

imo

the article I just linked said they are draining it to be 100 per cent certain.. so it would seem that they are not completely satisfied that they are not there until they drain the lake

 

[CHERIE.T]

But, didn't we hear that the girls were good swimmers ? I could swear I read that.I think a family member said it... MOO

Yes, that was said liz.b.

 

[Jules71]

today drain lake
dropping 3 inches per hour
takes approx 3 days (last time)
low level cedar river
not take that long
grates/screens nothing can get thru
LE monitoring lake until it is drained

no other new info
ppl are still calling in

 

[interface7]

Lake is draining. 3 inches per hour. Last time they did this it took 3 days.

Grates on the drains...so nothing of any big size can get through.

Making contact with people in cars and houses.

LE wants anyone to call if they think they saw them on 7/13/2012.

No more info at this time......

 

[necco]

dragging the lake finished. lake being drained. 3 inches per hour. last time took 3 days. grates to prevent anything from getting out with the water. LE canvassing. if you saw them, call the PD. no other knew info.

I'm the slowest!

 

[nikkiw319]

Well, we just went over to the spot on the trail near where the bikes were found. There is police tape blocking the trail from where the inside fence starts, so we couldn't get down to the narrowest part. I took some pics, nothing much to see though, except how the trail narrows there and goes into a tight, tunnel-like spot.

We also checked out the pump house. There has clearly been lots of activity around this spot, and the driveway is more visible than I remember. From the building (which is no bigger than a small garage), we could see the lake through the trees. We could barely see the trail as well. There is no spot in the driveway that we could not see/be seen from Arbutus, and the police station is about one block away as well.

We went to the park, which is across the lake from where the bikes were found, and could see, across the lake, a vehicle parked near the rock jetty, and more police tape blocking the trail there. There were police- uniformed and otherwise - at the park, some people who seemed to be maintaining a vigil (lawnchairs, cooler, etc) seated near the lake's edge, reporters and news trucks, and other onlookers.

We just got home to see they are draining the lake. The scenario of someone taking them while parked in that pump-house driveway seems much less likely having looked closer - the undergrowth is thick but the woods really aren't, so you wouldn't have the sense of being out of sight at that spot.

I don't like seeing some reports that the girls went missing after riding to the lake, since nobody knows that they actually rode to the lake. But, given Occam's Razor, I suppose finding the bikes there, etc, means it is the most-likely scenario.

Draining the lake is a wise idea. They actually just drained it about two years ago, after the major floods in the area essentially wiped out any decent fishing, etc, and it had taken a year or so to slowly re-fill. We saw the police in our neighbor's backyard when we were at the park, so we came home but have not seen any LE since.

Part of me is hoping they find something in the lake, part of me is hoping they do not.

A large part of me wishes they would find something in the lake. I hate to think these girls have died but if it were the case, I'd rather it be in the water than to be harmed by someone. I also fear for our community and I'll be honest and say that I'd feel much better knowing they wern't abducted.
I wonder how much of that wooded area though has been been trampeled down though considering there have been hundereds of searchers scouring that area for three days.

Didn't LE say they have searched the lake and are satisfied they arent there?

imo

The article from the courier that I linked this morning said they have dragged the entire lake as well as sent divers in and were confident the girls were not there. Considering how easy it is to just drain the lake though, its probably the best idea just to drain it and be sure. I think the lake is their only idea at this point considering where the bikes were found. It'd would have been hard for someone to take them against their will from there just as it would have been odd to ditch their bikes there if they had picked these girls up elsewhere. I just wish we could narrow down a last sighting to know if they ever biked to the lake. I fear, either way, that if they were taken, they went willingly. Weither it be under threat, familiar person, or whatever, I don't believe they put up a fight. Elizabeth would have had to have lost a shoe if there was a struggle.

 

[Jules71]

4:00 news briefs each day until conclusion

if they find something in the lake they will call a pc

 

[nursebeeme]

http://www.kwwl.com/

link to live coverage here as well

 

[Jules71]

calls they are getting:
clothing along road
officers checking out

nothing to indicate foul play

 

[nikkiw319]

Is there a way to watch HLN live online tonight?
We are a cable free house

 

[StacyMarie83]

watching presser....just wanted to state that JVM is taking this national tonight @ 6 central time.

I'm from IL...it has been SHORTLY covered by abc7, wgn, etc...just very short stories, unfortunately!!!

 

[Pensfan]

The sheriff stated that they still don't have a description of what the girls were wearing. Grandma saw the kids behind the store that day. What's up with that? Was there not any parental interaction with these little girls the day they disappeared?

 

[Jules71]

Nothing on clothing description

LE has been to their houses - talked to parents they have been cooperative
asked to look thru clothing - nothing they can tell us

LE will have a meeting this evening

5 acre lake
hot & dry cedar river is low so will not take as long to drain

cell phone was inoperable - but could listen to music and play games
should be able to make 911 calls with it

officers stopping cars to get info at multiple locations in evansdale
probably will continue

video footage has been obtained all avenues have been looked into

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Did anyone see the two girls riding the trail close to the lake?

Did they often ride this same trail?

HLN said the grandmother or one of the parents said the girls didnt like to get dirty or their shoes messed up.

I dont think either one went into the lake.

IMO

 

[Jules71]

Park patrol car at location at lake - cordoned off

drainage pipe has a grate - no way person could get down in pipes

 

[RoseWhite]

The more I think about, the less I believe they went swimming. Everyone is right- there would be shoes and stuff and if they happened to sneak out their bathing suits then their clothes would be there.

I think they were offered something by someone they are familiar with and left with them. It's too hard to abduct two girls at once, and why would you if you didn't know them? You'd want an easier target.

Ugh, this makes me sick.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

The sheriff stated that they still don't have a description of what the girls were wearing. Grandma saw the kids behind the store that day. What's up with that? Was there not any parental interaction with these little girls the day they disappeared?

From what was said on HLN the parents were busy that day and that is why the grandmother was keeping them.

IMO

 

[Jules71]

they have gone into northern part of black hawk county to check

24x7 LE will continue

LE will be stationed at the lake

 

[Pensfan]

I wished someone had asked the sheriff about the tracking or cadaver dogs that were supposedly out there.