Found Deceased VT - Rebecca Ball, 17, Middlebury, Addison Co., 29 Mar 2023

[GuyfromCanada]

Multiple agencies including the Vermont State Police are assisting the Middlebury Police Department in searching for a missing teenager.

Rebecca Ball, 17, of Middlebury was last seen at about 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, 2023, near the southern end of Wright Park and the TAM trailhead in the vicinity of Seymour Street Extension, Pinewood Road and Jackson Lane in Middlebury. She is reported to have walked away following an appointment in the area.

Her disappearance is not considered suspicious, but there are concerns for her welfare.

Rebecca is white, 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 104 pounds, and has blue eyes and short, light-brown hair. She was last seen wearing a red plaid shirt, a green plaid necktie, skinny dark pants, and brown boots. A photo of her taken on the day of her disappearance is attached to this release.

Search efforts involving the Middlebury Police Department began after she was reported missing Wednesday and continued Thursday. The Middlebury Police Department contacted the Vermont State Police on Thursday afternoon and requested assistance. VSP responded with assets including the Search and Rescue Team, K-9 Unit and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program. Friday, VSP’s Underwater Recovery Team also is joining the search effort.

Other agencies assisting the Middlebury Police Department in the operation include the Addison County Sheriff’s Department, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Middlebury and Weybridge fire departments, New England K9 Search and Rescue, and the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team.

Anyone who has information on Rebecca’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Middlebury Police Department at 802-388-3191 or the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks at 802-388-4919. Anonymous tips also may be provided by visiting https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

The state police and Middlebury police will provide updates as the search continues.

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Multiple agencies, VSP assisting the Middlebury Police in searching for a missing teenager | Vermont Business Magazine

vermontbiz.com

 

[Lyanna]

Police search for missing Middlebury teen

Multiple agencies across Vermont are looking for a missing teen last seen on Wednesday.

www.wcax.com

Worrying about water searches. Hoping Rebecca will be found soon ♥

Moo

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Police search for missing Middlebury teen

Multiple agencies across Vermont are looking for a missing teen last seen on Wednesday.

www.wcax.com

Worrying about water searches. Hoping Rebecca will be found soon ♥

Moo

From the link:

“She’s got no phone with her, she’s got no winter coat. She’s in clothes she was wearing to school that day so we’re concerned about exposure to the weather. Trying to find her, it’s pretty imperative because of the nature of her personality. She does not want to be found,” said Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley.

Police say Ball has autism and could be afraid of people she doesn’t know. She is described as 5-foot-4, with blue eyes and short light brown hair. She was last seen wearing a red plaid shirt and green tie.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Police update:

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UPDATE 6:25PM Friday, March 31, 2023:

Crews have covered approximately 900 acres in Middlebury overnight and during the day Friday as part of the search for missing teenager Rebecca Ball. She has not been located. Efforts are winding down for the day, with some limited searching taking place overnight. Crews will resume the search on Saturday.

Local residents are encouraged to look inside any outbuildings and vehicles on their properties. Anyone who has information on Ball’s whereabouts is asked to call the Middlebury Police Department at 802-388-3191 or the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks at 802-388-4919, or leave an anonymous tip on VSP’s website at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Search continues for missing Middlebury teen

Police say Rebecca Lynn Ball was last seen on Wednesday, at around 4 p.m. near Jackson Lane in Middlebury.

www.wcax.com

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police say Rebecca Lynn Ball was last seen on Wednesday, at around 4 p.m. near Jackson Lane in Middlebury.

On Saturday, state and local police searched north of Wright Park, behind the high school and middle school.

Although nothing turned up from the search... Middlebury police say they will keep looking for her, even after state police have exhausted all reasonable places.

“Vermont State Police search and rescue team and with counter parts from New England K-9 search and rescue have been continuing with an exhaustive search. It has turned up nothing, unfortunately, so they’re continuing as we speak,” said Sgt. Jason Covey with Middlebury Police.

A prayer vigil for Rebecca will be held Sunday night at 7:30 pm... outside of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on the Middlebury town green.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Search teams continued efforts throughout the day on Saturday. Rebecca Ball has not been located. Extensive searching has been completed throughout the area and has involved personnel from the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, New England K9 Search and Rescue, and the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team. Today, search crews continued both ground-based activities and utilized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assess areas from the air. These efforts have been supplemented by volunteers from the community.

The investigation into the circumstances of this matter remains ongoing by Middlebury Police Department, and there will be limited continued search efforts going forward. While there is not a plan to deploy specially trained crews tomorrow, they remain available to assist as needed.

The ongoing investigation has identified the possibility that Ball may be evading efforts to be located. Local residents are encouraged to continue to check inside any outbuildings and vehicles on their properties. Should anyone have a possible sighting of Ball or have information on Ball’s whereabouts is asked to call the Middlebury Police Department at 802-388-3191 or the Vermont State Police New Haven Barracks at 802-388-4919, or leave an anonymous tip on VSP’s website at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Update: Search continues for missing Middlebury teenager

STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY VERMONT STATE POLICE CASE#: 23B5001125 (VSP) / 23MB000888 (Middlebury PD) ...

vtstatepolice.blogspot.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Sunday evening, community members gathered at St. Stephens Episcopal Church to hold a candlelight vigil for the teen.

More than 50 people lit candles and said prayers in hopes that Ball will be found.

“Our team is not giving up. We ramped up our efforts when Vermont State Police said that they could not provide us any more assistance. We will work with her. Whatever’s going on, let’s fix it. We will work on it together. She is not alone,” said Dora Soberal, a search team volunteer.

“She’s more than welcome to come home. It’s not going to be any different from any of the other times she came home when stuff like this has happened. I’m not mad, just get home,” said Daniel Ball, Rebecca’s father.

Vigil held for missing Vermont teen; search to continue Monday

Sunday evening, community members gathered at St. Stephens Episcopal Church to hold a candlelight vigil for the teen.

www.wcax.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Sunday night’s vigil was largely an opportunity for the community to share their angst and a common goal of finding Ball — a Middlebury Union High School senior — safe and sound. Those sentiments were beautifully synthesized in a brief address by the Rev. Paul V. Olsson of St. Stephen’s.

“It’s amazing to see so many of you here because you care so much for this young woman,” Olsson told the crowd from his makeshift pulpit, a granite slab fronting Triangle Park.

“We hold up (this) light in sure and certain hope and wish we could see Rebecca safe and sound and warm and sheltered again, with her family and her friends and all who love her,” he said. “More than anything, our hope this evening is that she be returned safely to her home. Her father, Daniel Ball and her mother, Jean Thayer, want to thank all of you who have been so vigilant searching and showing support to them as well.”

Olsson called Ball “a special person,” who joined the St. Stephen’s flock around two months ago.

“We have been slowly getting to know her,” he said. “We are hoping against all hope today, that all of this will be a positive resolution and that she might be brought home safely.”

Middlebury Police Chief Tom Hanley summarized the latest on Rebecca in a Monday morning email exchange with the Independent. He noted she left a Counseling Service of Addison County appointment during the afternoon of Wednesday, March 29, leaving her jacket, cell phone and water bottle behind. She was reported missing about an hour and a half later, triggering a search of Wright Park that evening by MPD officers, according to Hanley.

“As far as we can determine, she has no access to protective clothing, food or water and has not been administered prescribed medication in six days,” Hanley said.

Officials have also been probing what Hanley called possible “areas of refuge,” including buses, containers and other structures — some of them within the TAM surrounding MUHS and Middlebury Union Middle School.

“Other than her last reported sighting in Wright Park about 0.5 to 0.75 of a mile north of the Wright Park entrance by a walker, there has been no evidence of her presence found,” Hanley said. “The search team reported footwear impressions near the northern exit to the park that may be similar to the footwear she was wearing.”
administered prescribed medication in six days,” Hanley said.

Hundreds gather in search for missing MUHS student | Addison Independent

www.addisonindependent.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Rebecca Ball in the clothes she was last seen wearing.

Middlebury Police Sgt. Jason Covey said that authorities believe Ball, who is autistic, may have left the appointment feeling dysregulated. “It sounds like maybe she didn't really want to be at (the appointment),” Covey said. “It’s not uncharacteristic of her to seek space to cool down, which was our understanding of how this began.”

Community members continue to search for missing Middlebury teen

Rebecca Ball, who is white with blue eyes and short light-brown hair, was last seen around 4 p.m. March 29 while walking in Middlebury.

vtdigger.org

 

[realanastasia]

“She’s more than welcome to come home. It’s not going to be any different from any of the other times she came home when stuff like this has happened. I’m not mad, just get home,” said Daniel Ball, Rebecca’s father.

Vigil held for missing Vermont teen; search to continue Monday

Sunday evening, community members gathered at St. Stephens Episcopal Church to hold a candlelight vigil for the teen.

www.wcax.com

I’m sure it’s challenging, and even frustrating, to have a child who repeatedly runs away from home (I’m inferring this from the father’s reference to “the other times she came home when stuff like this has happened”), but I’m sort of surprised that the father’s appeal to his missing daughter boils down to, “I’m not mad, just come home” rather than “I love you, you’ve done nothing wrong, we’ll figure this out” etc. which is, IMO, more common in the public appeals made by other parents to their missing children.

I am not criticizing the father, to be clear—who among us could say for sure what kind of public appeal we’d make to our own children if we were in the same terrible position he is?—but I do feel somewhat concerned by the statement’s implication that RB might be reluctant to return home primarily due to her fear that her father might be angry with her, and what kind of consequences she might face at home if she came back.

 

[Erutan]

Scary.

It doesn't sound as though she's 'hiding out' at a friend's place, either ?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

WEYBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) - After a week-long search, Vermont State Police announced missing Middlebury teen Rebecca Ball was found dead in Weybridge Tuesday afternoon.

Police say a canine search team located the 17-year-old’s body in a wooded area on the west side of Otter Creek north of Belden Falls just before 4:30 p.m.

An autopsy will be performed in Burlington to determine the cause and nature of death. The death is not considered suspicious.

Missing Middlebury teen found dead

After a weeklong search, police say missing Middlebury teen Rebecca Ball has been found dead.

www.wcax.com

 

[GuyfromCanada]

This is horrible. May Rebecca rest in peace.

 

[Erutan]

WEYBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) - After a week-long search, Vermont State Police announced missing Middlebury teen Rebecca Ball was found dead in Weybridge Tuesday afternoon.

Police say a canine search team located the 17-year-old’s body in a wooded area on the west side of Otter Creek north of Belden Falls just before 4:30 p.m.

An autopsy will be performed in Burlington to determine the cause and nature of death. The death is not considered suspicious.

Missing Middlebury teen found dead

After a weeklong search, police say missing Middlebury teen Rebecca Ball has been found dead.

www.wcax.com

Oh, no !
So sorry to hear this.


Am guessing possible exposure and lack of her meds ?
A person can survive for a week without food in some cases, but it sounds like she needed her meds and succumbed to hypothermia ?


Rest in gentle peace, Rebecca.
My condolences to her loved ones.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

sad....

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Missing Middlebury Teen Died of Hypothermia, Death Certificate Says

Rebecca-Lynn Ball, a 17-year-old from Middlebury who was missing for six days before she was found dead in the woods on April 4, succumbed to...

www.sevendaysvt.com

July 31

Rebecca-Lynn Ball, a 17-year-old from Middlebury who was missing for six days before she was found dead in the woods on April 4, succumbed to hypothermia, according to her death certificate.

"Exposure to cold environment” was listed as a contributing factor on the certificate, which the state Department of Health released on Monday.

***********
Money raised from a GoFundMe page created after Ball’s death was used to pay for her funeral and headstone, and to establish a scholarship fund in her name. According to the page, a Middlebury student received a $1,000 scholarship in Ball's memory in June.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On Thursday, the Chief Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was hypothermia due to environmental exposure from being outside in the cold.

The death was labeled an accident.

Police determine cause of death for missing Middlebury teen

The body of 17-year-old Rebecca Ball was found on the night of April 3 in a wooded area in Weybridge. She was last seen on March 29.

www.mynbc5.com