Brittanee Marie Drexel, missing since 4/25/09 from Myrtle Beach, SC

[John Anthony]

Shelle,

They were all staying with the same group they just changed hotels.  They were trying to get out of MB quickly but as far as I know MBPD kept them till Monday morning to review the brief questioning they performed then they kids left.  They knew Dawn was inbound.

[Shelle]

Shelle,

They were all staying with the same group they just changed hotels.  They were trying to get out of MB quickly but as far as I know MBPD kept them till Monday morning to review the brief questioning they performed then they kids left.  They knew Dawn was inbound.

Thank you for clarifying the hotel situation

[Lovinlife]

http://www.thesunnews.com/news/local/story/949982.html

Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2009
Missing Brittanee Drexel's family still hunting for answers
By Kurt Knapek - kknapek@thesunnews.com

In the hours following her daughter's disappearance, Dawn Drexel said she wanted answers to several questions, most importantly "Where is Brittanee?" and "Who is searching for her?"

When 17-year-old Brittanee Marie Drexel disappeared April 25, many of her family members and friends made the 800-mile trip from Rochester, N.Y., to Myrtle Beach to learn those answers from police.

"They were working on tips and leads," Dawn Drexel said. "They were doing what their protocol follows."

     Donna Yuliano (from left) of Parsippany, NJ takes missing person posters and gives a donation to the grandparents of missing NY teenager Brittanee Drexel, Carol Wagner and Alan Wagner, of Rockport, NY, outside Wal-Mart in Surfside Beach Sunday afternoon. The money collected this weekend will go toward helping to print flyers and paying for hotel, gas and meal expenses for the team of people searching for Drexel. The Wagner's first came to Myrtle Beach on April 27, 2009 to search for their granddaughter. They have not left the area since then. "We are trying our best to stay here until at least we know something, have some closure. It's just to hard to leave without her," said Carol Wagner. Sabree Hill for the Sun News
 Searching for Brittanee Drexel

  While the search for Brittanee Drexel was widely publicized, even drawing national media attention, her disappearance is just one of the 141 cases of missing persons between the ages of 15 and 25 reported so far this year in Horry County. Thirty-nine cases have been reported this year in Georgetown County and 55 in Brunswick County N.C., according to the FBI National Crime Information Center.

None of the disappearances is considered suspicious, and many of the cases are now considered closed because the people were located, officials said. The numbers demonstrate the fine line investigators must tread when called on to find older teens and young adults. Those cases can be the most challenging because it can be time consuming to determine if the missing person has simply run away from home, investigators said.

For law enforcement officials, each case is unique but their response must follow specific guidelines.

"Each case deserves its own special treatment," said Capt. David Knipes, spokesman for the Myrtle Beach Police Department. "Every situation is different because you are dealing with different circumstances and different individuals."

The first 24 to 48 hours are crucial in a search for a missing person, Knipes said.

Officers try to interview witnesses who last spoke to the missing person while the memories are fresh in their minds. Authorities gather a photo of the person and obtain any security videos of where he or she was last seen.

Officers must quickly determine the person's mental status, health issues, and recent relationships with friends and family members to determine what route to take.

"It's not like the old days when you had to wait for 24 hours before police would go looking," Knipes said. "Those first 48 hours are a crucial time to get out there before the case goes cold."

When a case is considered suspicious, the subject's name immediately is placed into an FBI missing persons database.

Family members or police officials can also notify the CUE Center for Missing Persons in Wilmington, N.C., which has 1,852 open cases across the country as of June 17.

"With Brittanee, we hit the ground running because there was hope, and there still is, that she could be alive," said Monica Caison, founder of CUE. "Finding her was vital immediately."

Police and CUE officials said it can be difficult to deal with friends and family members of a missing person in the hours following a disappearance.

"You just try to tell family members that there are people out there looking for them," Caison said. "They need to know that they are not alone, that there are people looking for them."

Myrtle Beach police detective Vincent Dorio said the hours following Brittanee Drexel's disappearance were "overwhelming" because officers were trying to interview people at the scene, and others who had left Myrtle Beach to return to New York.

In Drexel's case, police were able to quickly determine that the teen was not a runaway, Dorio said.

Plus, officers learned that Drexel was dealing with depression, which added to the urgency of locating her.

"It only took a few hours to change from 'This is a missing persons case and we have to hunt her down pretty quick' to 'This is serious,'" Dorio said. "This is not a kid hiding at the beach to stay away from mom. She just stopped all communication immediately, which wasn't the norm for her."

Police often receive calls about missing children who turn up at a friend's or neighbor's house the next day, said Sgt. Robert Kegler, spokesman for Horry County police.

"A lot of times parents will come out and tell you the child has left without permission," Kegler said. "If that happens, they are a runaway. But you are likely to get as much [police] response to a recovery of a 5-year-old who went missing from a backyard as you would a 16-year-old who snuck out to see his girlfriend. No two incidents are the same."

Law enforcement officials also said they must balance the priority of finding a missing person with giving up patrols in other areas, Knipes said.

"It can also depend on the time of year," Knipes said. "If it's December and nothing is going on, you can devote more resources to handle one case."

Dawn Drexel said local police made her feel like Brittanee's case was important and that officials were "very supportive" in the hours after her daughter's disappearance.

"They had police looking on Ocean Boulevard right away," Dawn Drexel said. "In Brittanee's case, they had quite a few people working on it."

Three officers in Myrtle Beach are continuing to monitor the case and follow up any potential leads they receive.

"We talk to the police every day, or every other day," Dawn Drexel said.

The family is also still searching and placing signs in the area. They held a fundraiser in Mount Pleasant last weekend. The money collected will go toward helping to print fliers and paying for hotel, gas and meal expenses for the team of people searching for Drexel.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Myrtle Beach Police Department at 918-1382 or 918-1952.

Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward for anyone with information leading to finding Drexel. Call 888-274-6372.

[always 1]

Thank you for posting the updates.

[Lovinlife]

Thank you for posting the updates.

Not many updates to post 

We have not forgotten you, Brittanee!

[always 1]

Thinking about you today Brittanee.

[John Anthony]

Dawn is home probably for good unless she makes small trips back to MB.  Dawns parents are still in MB.  Huge fundraiser in Roc this weekend.  Dawn also has 2 lawyers one in NY one in SC....

[CarolynV]

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1012970.shtml?cat=566

[always 1]

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1012970.shtml?cat=566

Wonderful news, thankyou Carolyn!!!!

[Lovinlife]

Yes, thank you CarolynV!

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1012970.shtml?cat=566

Posted at: 07/05/2009 4:29 PM | WHEC.com
Updated at: 07/06/2009 9:07 AM
By: Berkeley Brean

  |   Print Story

Possible break in Brittanee Drexel search
News 10NBC has learned that there could be a break in the search for Chili missing teen Brittanee Drexel. Her mother, Dawn Drexel, told us Sunday that police in South Carolina, "Do have some leads they're working on right now. But that's all I can disclose."

"I think we're very close," she went on to say. Dawn still agonizes over her missing daughter and it gets worse over holidays.

"Yesterday was really hard because Brittanee was usually with us on the 4th of July and the fireworks and all that and she's not here," Drexel said.

Brittanee Drexel disappeared over spring break in Myrtle Beach, S.C. She's been missing for 10 weeks.

On Sunday, her soccer team, the Churchville Razz, held a fundraising soccer game at Marina Auto Stadium. Brittanee's sister wore her number 2 and the players literally had it in their hearts.

"It's just really hard to believe she's gone," said teammate Erin Skelly. "And we think, oh no, she's not gone. She'll be back and then you look down at your shirt where the heart is, and it's like, yeah, she's really gone."

"The girls on our team, it's the same. They think about her everyday and hope that she gets back here," assistant coach Sabrina Veltre said. "We just, we miss her."

Dawn Drexel says she appreciates the support. It helps her fight on to find her daughter.
"I'm not giving up on my daughter. I love her way too much to give up on her," Drexel said.

Dawn says she still has a private investigator working in South Carolina. Drexel has returned home to start working again. She says she has no immediate plans to go back south unless her daughter is found. But again, Drexel says police are working on new leads.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=10651810
Search continues for missing NY teen
Posted: Jul 06, 2009 5:38 PM Updated: Jul 06, 2009 8:13 PM

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - She's been gone for over two months, but her family says they're still not giving up home.

17-year-old Brittanee Drexel went missing back in April while vacationing with friends in Myrtle Beach. Drexel's grandparents say there was a possible sighting of Drexel a few days ago near Wilmington, NC.

However, Myrtle Beach Police say they have nothing substantial in this case at this time.

In the meantime, Brittanee's grandparents, Al and Carol Wagner, continued the search for their grandaughter, preparing for a benefit Saturday afternoon at the Beaver Bar in Murrell's Inlet.

"It's been close to 10 weeks now," said Carol. "It seems like an eternity, but I know Brittanee's out there and I hope she hears that Grandma and Grandpa are still waiting for her."

The family says they are exhausting all resources to find Drexel, even saying that Drexel's mother has gone to a psychic to try and find clues about where her daughter might be.

[Lovinlife]

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S1021897.shtml?cat=565

Posted at: 07/10/2009 9:30 AM | WHEC.com
Updated at: 07/10/2009 11:04 AM


Meeting set to assist search for Brittanee Drexel
This article is reposted with permission from News 10NBC’s affiliate (WMBF) in South Carolina

MYRTLE BEACH, SC - Officials in Myrtle Beach and Georgetown and Charleston counties are meeting Friday to help in the search for a 17-year-old New Yorker who disappeared in April.

Brittanee Drexel, of Rochester, NY, was last seen April 25. Investigators searched throughout Myrtle Beach and south into Charleston County along the Santee River and Coastal Reserve.

The meeting will be at 1 p.m. at the Myrtle Beach Police Department Annex near the old Air Force Base. Officials say the meeting is to share thoughts and get investigators from each jurisdiction on the same page.

A benefit for the missing teen is planned for 1-6 p.m. Saturday at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet. Brittanee's grandparents, Al and Carol Wagner, are trying to keep the girl in the public eye after there was a possible sighting last week near Wilmington, NC.

"It's been close to 10 weeks now," Carol said. "It seems like an eternity, but I know Brittanee's out there, and I hope she hears that Grandma and Grandpa are still waiting for her."

Drexel was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach after meeting up with friends from her hometown.  Drexel was in Myrtle Beach on spring break, against the will of her mother.

Contact was lost with Drexel and family in New York on Saturday evening, when authorities say she disappeared.

Police say a number of leads surface on her whereabouts, but have led to a dead end.

CrimeStoppers is encouraging anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Drexel to contact the agency at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

[Lovinlife]

http://www.wmbfnews.com/global/story.asp?s=10705766

Police: Still no new leads in search for Brittanee Drexel
Posted: Jul 10, 2009 10:46 AM EDT
Updated: Jul 10, 2009 7:41 PM EDT
    MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Officials in Myrtle Beach, Georgetown and Charleston counties met Friday to help in the search for a 17-year-old New Yorker who disappeared in April.

Brittanee Drexel, of Rochester, NY, was last seen April 25. Investigators searched throughout Myrtle Beach and south into Charleston County along the Santee River and Coastal Reserve.

Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Georgetown County officials met to talk about the search, and where to move on from here. Officials say they get about three new tips a day in this case, but still have nothing new that they consider significant.

"Maybe one of the investigators says something that really sparks something and puts the pieces of the puzzle together," explained Sgt. Joey Crosby of the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

A benefit for the missing teen is planned for 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet. Brittanee's grandparents, Al and Carol Wagner, are trying to keep the girl in the public eye after there was a possible sighting last week near Wilmington, NC.

"It's been close to 10 weeks now," Carol said. "It seems like an eternity, but I know Brittanee's out there, and I hope she hears that Grandma and Grandpa are still waiting for her."

Drexel was last seen in the area of 11th Avenue South and 20th Avenue South in Myrtle Beach after meeting up with friends from her hometown.  Drexel was in Myrtle Beach on spring break, against the will of her mother.

Contact was lost with Drexel and family in New York on Saturday evening, when authorities say she disappeared.

Police say a number of leads surface on her whereabouts, but have led to a dead end.

CrimeStoppers is encouraging anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Drexel to contact the agency at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

[Red]

Myrtle Beach Police Say Glimmer of Hope in the Case of a Missing Brittanee Drexel

http://missingexploited.com/2009/07/12/myrtle-beach-police-say-glimmer-of-hope-in-the-case-of-a-missing-brittanee-drexel/

A veteran Myrtle Beach Police Officer says that there is a glimmer of hope in the case of missing 17 year old Brittanee Drexel. Sgt. Joey Crosby believes Brittanee Drexel may still be alive and stated that there are “intimate” parts of the investigation that are different from other missing person cases they have worked on; however, would not provide details.

more ...

[califmom]

Myrtle Beach Police Say Glimmer of Hope in the Case of a Missing Brittanee Drexel

http://missingexploited.com/2009/07/12/myrtle-beach-police-say-glimmer-of-hope-in-the-case-of-a-missing-brittanee-drexel/

A veteran Myrtle Beach Police Officer says that there is a glimmer of hope in the case of missing 17 year old Brittanee Drexel. Sgt. Joey Crosby believes Brittanee Drexel may still be alive and stated that there are “intimate” parts of the investigation that are different from other missing person cases they have worked on; however, would not provide details.

more ...

Thanks, Red.  Good news, I hope!!

I wonder what that means (the part in red), though.  I don't think I have ever read a quote like that before. 

[califmom]

  Prayers for Brittanee to come home safe!! 

[Sister]

  Prayers for Brittanee to come home safe!! 

Amen and Amen.

[can]

Myrtle Beach Police Say Glimmer of Hope in the Case of a Missing Brittanee Drexel

http://missingexploited.com/2009/07/12/myrtle-beach-police-say-glimmer-of-hope-in-the-case-of-a-missing-brittanee-drexel/

A veteran Myrtle Beach Police Officer says that there is a glimmer of hope in the case of missing 17 year old Brittanee Drexel. Sgt. Joey Crosby believes Brittanee Drexel may still be alive and stated that there are “intimate” parts of the investigation that are different from other missing person cases they have worked on; however, would not provide details.

more ...

Thanks, Red.  Good news, I hope!!

I wonder what that means (the part in red), though.  I don't think I have ever read a quote like that before. 

Hi califmom - that was an interesting thing for him to say, wonder if it was a "message" to someone.  Hope she is found safe and sound.

[MunkeyMunk]

Myrtle Beach Police Say Glimmer of Hope in the Case of a Missing Brittanee Drexel

http://missingexploited.com/2009/07/12/myrtle-beach-police-say-glimmer-of-hope-in-the-case-of-a-missing-brittanee-drexel/

A veteran Myrtle Beach Police Officer says that there is a glimmer of hope in the case of missing 17 year old Brittanee Drexel. Sgt. Joey Crosby believes Brittanee Drexel may still be alive and stated that there are “intimate” parts of the investigation that are different from other missing person cases they have worked on; however, would not provide details.

more ...

Thanks, Red.  Good news, I hope!!

I wonder what that means (the part in red), though.  I don't think I have ever read a quote like that before. 

Hi califmom - that was an interesting thing for him to say, wonder if it was a "message" to someone.  Hope she is found safe and sound.

Oh, I hope this brings something positive . I have been reading (lurking) all day on SM and sooo many children need our help!!!

[Monkey with Class]

Unbelievable that there is no progress on this liuttle girl.   It is nearly impossible for someone to just vanish without being seen on camera these days.  Amazing.  We need to find her.