Searching for Nevaeh

MONROE, Mich. - A shrine of stuffed animals and missing posters adorned a tree in the Charlotte Arms Apartments Tuesday evening in Monroe, Mich., the last place anyone saw Nevaeh Buchanan Sunday evening.

But the apartment complex wasn't bustling with activity, as it has been so much recently.

Just down the road, hundreds of people gathered at 6 p.m. -- over 48 hours after the 5-year-old disappeared.

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AMBER ALERT

Active AMBER Alerts
National Center for Missing Exploited Children Web site

 

Name: Nevaeh (nuh-VAY-uh) Amyah Buchanan
Age: 5
Height: 3-foot-8-inches
Weight: 45 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Clothing: Red, white and blue striped shirt, knee length blue jeans.

If you have information, call 9-1-1 or (734) 243-7070

 

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They came with jackets, bug spray and flashlights, ready to spend all night looking if they have to.

They were seen passing out fliers as vehicles left a K-Mart parking lot, one of the many places they canvassed in search for Nevaeh.

There has been no trace of the Monroe girl despite the involvement of a multi-jurisdictional task force, that includes Monroe Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff, the FBI, Michigan State Police, a private investigator, and the Detroit Police Department.

While their goal is the same, each person has their own unique reason for being here.

"I just lost a son two months ago," said Phyllis Fortner, one of the many volunteers. "I can feel the hurt for these people, so I thought we'd come out and go look as much as we can."

"I have a 5-year-old girl at home, and I can't imagine what it would be like to lose her," said Jennifer Hutchinson. "So I can only imagine a mother's pain."

"It's kind of sad to see that someone would kidnap a 5-year-old girl," said 9-year-old Jalen Lucio. "I mean, who would do that?"

Nearly a dozen teams of volunteers fanned out and searched backyards, parks, and wooded areas around the Charlotte Arms Apartments.

"Our family thanks everybody from the bottom of their hearts for all their help and everything, and hopefully there's a good outcome with this tonight," said Michael Buchanan, Nevaeh's uncle.

An initial $500 reward offered has ballooned to $2,500.

WJBK FOX 2 Detroit reported Tuesday evening that Monroe police confirmed a hunting knife was found with human blood on it, a possible clue in the case.

According to the report, the knife belongs to George Kennedy, a 39-year-old convicted sex offender and boyfriend of Nevaeh's mother, Jennifer Buchanan. It was found in his tackle box and has been taken to the Michigan Police crime lab for tests, FOX 2 is reporting.

As well, WTTE FOX 28 Columbus reported Tuesday that a girl matching the description of Nevaeh was spotted in the Columbus region Monday. She was reportedly shopping with a woman on Memorial Day.

The FBI said it received a tip that she was seen at the Easton Town Center, an outdoor retail and entertainment center. The FBI said the tipster told authorities that Nevaeh was in the company of a heavy-set white female who appeared to be in her 50s.

The FBI said the woman allegedly told a store clerk that the little girl's name was Nevaeh. The FBI said it won't release the name of the store the sighting came from, but believes the tips are credible.

Columbus authorities said the woman with Nevaeh paid cash for her purchases.

Monroe County Sheriff Tilman Crutchfield will host a news conference Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. and will update the public and regional media on the status of the ongoing investigation.
 

(Barrett Andrews, WTTE and WJBK contributed to this report)