DEXTER, Maine — A Harmony woman told police in Dexter that she may have seen a missing 10-year-old girl from Colorado on Sunday.
The woman was on Spring Street at about 4 p.m. Sunday and said she saw a light blue Buick Century station wagon with Colorado plates heading north.
The woman said she “saw a female about 10 years old in the back seat that looked a lot like Jessica Ridgeway,” Dexter police Sgt. Alan Grinnell said Wednesday morning. “She called us on Tuesday after seeing the Amber Alert on her computer.”
Grinnell said Dexter police have been in touch with authorities in Westminster, Colo., where the girl was last seen on Friday morning. Dexter police have also alerted other police agencies to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
The witness told police that the station wagon has a roof rack and five-spoke wheels.
Ridgeway was last seen leaving her home to meet friends at a park on Friday morning. She never arrived at school.
Because Jessica’s mother, Sarah Ridgeway, works nights, she missed the call from the school about Jessica’s absence and didn’t realize she was missing for nearly eight hours.
On Sunday, her backpack and water bottle were found on a sidewalk about six miles north of her Westminster home. The contents of the bag were sent to a police DNA crime lab for analysis.
Divers were searching ponds near her home while police and residents have been searching for the fifth-grader.
More than 800 volunteers turned out for Saturday’s search, and at least 300 leads have been called in to a tip line.
On Wednesday, police were investigating whether an abduction in Cody, Wyo., could be linked to Ridgeway’s disappearance.
A man lured an 11-year-old girl into his vehicle on Monday. He told the girl he needed help looking for his puppy. The girl was found by hunters after being released four hours later.
Jessica’s mother, Sarah Ridgeway of Westminster, and her father, Jeremiah Bryant of Independence, Mo., issued their first public call for help finding their daughter in a television interview Tuesday.
“I want her to come walking back through that door,” Sarah Ridgeway told KUSA-TV in Denver. “I need her to come walking back through that door.”
Police are asking the public to notice Jessica’s distinguishing characteristics — a small gap between her two front teeth and a sore on the top of her nose below where her glasses sit. They say she may not be wearing glasses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ok why didn’t she get the plate number????
its ok not many colorado plates around here. check around milo he was heading that way not fooling
When did you see a vehicle that matched the description ? You should call it in, if you think you saw the same vehicle.
yes because there are no other turns between Dexter and Milo. Some people say the dumbest things
Because she saw the vehicle on Sunday and did not realize there was an Amber Alert until Tuesday… do you write down every plate you see with a kid in it?
Dose not want to get invould
this is a little girls life at stake
I haven’t read where the father is from, just that he didn’t live in Colorado.
The Father lives in Independance MO and has been on the media asking for help.
Thanks!
Hopefully the police have alerted all of the boarder crossings so if it is her the abductor can’t take her into Canada. I’m sure they’ve thought of that but you never know.
Thats a 2150 mile trip in 3 days. Estimated driving time is 38 hrs. If she was taken around 8am that leaves 56 hrs later she was spotted in Dexter. That leaves 18hrs to eat, sleep and use the toilet. Obviously don’t want to speed with a kidnapped kid in the car as you don’t take the chance of being pulled over. That’s a bit out there…but you never know.
I agree it’s possible, but not very likely based on the timeline.
Only takes 47.5 Hours to drive from Wash. D.C. to San Francisco. 66, 81, 40 to Barstow then Northeast. Made that trip several times.
What does that have to do with Westminster, CO to Dexter, ME?
Andy, That is an average of 60 MPH without any stops. (3000/60=50) and it takes 50 hours at that speed. I agree it can be done, but do you really want to speed with a kidnapped child in your car?
Every on wants come to Maine to meet your GOV
You insert a political remark into a newspaper article about a missing child. Really?
For endless factual reasons, all supported by direct evidence, I have almost unlimited faith in Penobscot County law enforcement agencies…particularly Dexter… and next to no faith in all but one Piscataquis County law enforcement agencies…that being Dover-Foxcroft. If she was in that supposed Colorado car on Sunday and the car was northbound on Spring Street, it is my hope that the vehicle and the girl are in D-F for that reason alone. Or even better, still in Dexter.
You “… have almost unlimited faith in Penobscot County law enforcement agencies”? Even Sheriff Glenn Ross who alerted Bob Carlson the police were on to him? Including D.A.Almy who believes that short sentences are corrections enough for child rapists
Guess I won’t be placing much faith in your posts from now on.
This makes me want to go out driving around all over Northern Maine. But unfortunately, we don’t live near that area. We will be keeping an eye out along the coast though. You never know. I hope this little girl is found safe. Good eyes in Dexter to see the Amber Alert and remember. Of course, Colorado plates are not something you see often around here. If it’s not the little girl, some tourist could be in for a very interesting leaf peeping vacation. But better that than sorry.
It always amazes me when something like this turns out not to be a false alarm. I have enough trouble recognizing people I’ve met before when I encounter them face-to-face at the supermarket, much less matching a digital photo I’ve seen once with the face of a complete stranger seen in the back of a passing car.
http://kdvr.com/2012/10/10/police-girl-matching-jessica-ridgeways-description-spotted-in-maine/DEXTER, Maine — Police in the state of Maine say they have received multiple reports that a girl matching the description of missing Westminster 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway has been spotted in a pair of small towns in the country’s northeastern-most state.
I hope they find you Jessica – alive. I pray that a pedophile has not taken you, and that you are brought back to your family to be a little girl again. I hope that you are not scarred for life – and that whoever has taken you has a conscience to do the right thing. She has a family who loves her and misses her – do these people ever think of anyone but themselves when they take like this?
Just heard from a friend in CO that a body has been found in a park and is likely this little girl. How tragic.
OH NO!!!! I so hope the report is wrong! Not that I want some other family to have lost a loved one, but because I want this little girl to be safe!
I just found this link. So sad :o(
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/jessica-ridgeway/report-body-found-in-arvada-open-space-that-missing-10-year-old-girl-jessica-ridgeway
False alarm? plus update? :
“Cops and CourtsBody found, Westy PD won’t say whether it is Jessica RidgewayBy RJ Sangosti, Kieran Nicholson and Joey BunchThe Denver PostPosted: 10/10/2012 07:22:11 PM MDT”
http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_21744590/fbi-agents-comb-partidge-park-open-space-westy?source=most_viewed#axzz28ynUxnpK
I pray she is found safe and in good health ! The part that really upsets me is the fact that when caught, the person or persons responsible will be treated better than a person caught not wearing there seat belt! Kidnappers, gang members, rapist, murders and drug dealers etc. know that when or if they are caught the worst thing that will happen to them is they will be sent to a place where they will receive free health care, free dental and a free education if wanted, while enjoying many more luxuries payed for by the hard working, honest, lower and middle class people who can’t afford many of these same things for themselves! In America criminals are protected like they are an endangered species and have more rights than victims!
It was reported on the news this morning that police in Colorado have found a body that may be Jessica Ridgeway. It will take time to identify the body, but usually when police find a corpse, that corpse is usually identified as the one they’re looking for. As for Jessica being spotted in Dexter, I don’t see how that’s possible. The vehicle with Colorado plates and the girl in the back may resemble her, but that could all just be a coincidence. We’ll just have to wait to see how it all plays out.
It was reported on the news this morning that police in Colorado have found a body that may be Jessica Ridgeway. It will take time to identify the body, but usually when police find a corpse, that corpse is usually identified as the one they’re looking for. As for Jessica being spotted in Dexter, I don’t see how that’s possible. The vehicle with Colorado plates and the girl in the back may resemble her, but that could all just be a coincidence. We’ll just have to wait to see how it all plays out.
The car seen in Dexter has been located in Portsmouth, NH and has been identified as belonging to a woman who just moved to the area with her daughter from Colorado. No connection to Jessica Ridgeway. http://fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121012/GJNEWS_01/121019616