Kelsey Smith, 18, Overland Park Kansas(BODY FOUND)

[LilPuma]

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. —  Police were working leads Monday looking for a break that would lead to information regarding the fate of a Kansas teen missing since Saturday.

Meanwhile, the family of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith offered a $5,000 reward for information about her whereabouts.

Police have gotten tips from people who might have seen Smith, who disappeared Saturday night near a shopping mall, said Overland Park Police Capt. Tom Fredrickson. Other tips about a car like hers or a suspicious incident have also come in, but a lot of the leads haven't panned out, he said.

"Please call the Overland Park police or the TIPS Hotline and let us know where she is at," Greg Smith, Kelsey's father, told KMBC-TV. "We just want our baby back, that's all."

Officials are trying to establish Smith's whereabouts between 7:10 p.m., when she left a Target store, and 9:15 p.m., when her vehicle was found parked outside the Macy's at Oak Park Mall.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,277813,00.html


My prayers are with Kelsey, her family and friends, and those searching for her.  

[Mere]

Teen's Abduction Caught on Tape....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,278054,00.html

[pdh3]

This does not sound good. How very very disturbing, that they have tape of her abduction.

I feel for her family and friends.

[Blonde]

Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2007

** Video of Kelsey Smith (no sound, .wmv file) **

VIDEO RELEASED OF MISSING GIRL, KELSEY SMITH

Police have released a video of a missing girl making purchases at a Target store just before 7 p.m. Saturday, June 2.

 
 
Kelsey Smith, 18  
Kelsey Smith, 18, has been missing since she made those purchases Saturday. She was last seen leaving the Target store just south of Oak Park Mall at 7 p.m.

Smith was expected to drive directly home from the Target store but never made it.

The video is available here (no sound, .wmv file).

Smith was last seen wearing a pink tank top, black shorts and possibly sandals. She is 5 feet six inches tall, weighs 120 pounds and has long brown hair and brown eyes.

She was driving a 1987 two-door Buick Regal with Kansas plates WOZ965. Photographs of her car are below.


Anyone who may have seen Smith or her vehicle between 7 and 10 p.m. June 2 is encouraged to contact the Overland Park Police Department at 913/895-6300 or call the TIPS hotline at 816/474-TIPS.

###

Contacts: Officer Jim Weaver, executive officer/OPPD, 913/327-6937; or Captain Tom Fredrickson, 913/895-6947

 
Kelsey Smith's car - side view  Kelsey's car - front view  

http://www.opkansas.org/_Res/News/Press_Releases/missing.cfm

[MsVada]

Hi Blonde

Nice to see you here.


I hope they find her soon.  It is terrible, but at least they have some video to go by.....

[LilPuma]

Klaasend has posted that Red told her Tim Miller and TES will be heading to Kansas to help search.  

Kelsey's father was on television saying that most likely someone saw Kelsey being abducted and may not have realized it was an abduction, not just a quarrel or something.  They're asking people to call police if they remember seeing anything.  This happened in a busy parking lot during daylight!  

There is a person of interest.  They're showing the videotape and Fuhrman is saying that as he leaves the store, he is looking around, scanning the area, not focused on heading to his car as most customers would do.

[Mere]

Wednesday, June 6, 2004......Fox News Article.....

"Following over 300 Leads....."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,278338,00.html

[Mere]

Family Website....with pictures of "person of interest" and the truck he is believed to be driving.  If this person lives in the area, the pictures are clear enough to be identified....I hope someone turns him in soon....

http://www.findkelsey.com/

[Easywriter]

This sure doesn't look good.  I think it would be better for a woman to scream at the top of her lungs and run as hard as she could even if a person was threatening them with a weapon.  Being forced into a vehicle more often than not means someone is going to go through hell and worse.

[Sleeks]

Morning Monkeys.  They just had her parents on GMA (Good Morning America) this morning.  

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3249158&GMA=true

They were also offering helpful tips to women walking to their cars alone.
They should keep their keys out.  NOT be on the cell phone or listening to IPods, etc.  I think in this day and age we are living in that is some good common sense advice that should be passed along to all.  When we are unaware that puts us in a terrible (often tragic) position.

I hope this young woman is found SAFE SOON.

[Blonde]

My Thoughts are :
Kelsey's father was a Cop, this kid in the white shirt looks like he is looking for her as a target.
Kelsey being abducted  may not have been random, but revenge.
Her Dad my have arrested a friend of his.
This was planed, JMO

Hello Ms.DarthVada,  it's nice to be back

[Sam]

Morning Monkeys.  They just had her parents on GMA (Good Morning America) this morning.  

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3249158&GMA=true

They were also offering helpful tips to women walking to their cars alone.
They should keep their keys out.  NOT be on the cell phone or listening to IPods, etc.  I think in this day and age we are living in that is some good common sense advice that should be passed along to all.  When we are unaware that puts us in a terrible (often tragic) position.

I hope this young woman is found SAFE SOON.

[/b]Another tip I have always heard is to have your car keys in your hands but if someone is trying to force you into your own car is to throw the car keys as far away as possible. Along with screaming at the top of your lungs

[MsVada]

Sleeks & Blonde

You both are so right about what you say.  She could have very well been a revenge target.  I also am glad to see the reminders of safety for women walking to their cars.  WE all need to be reminded often.  

I wasn't a bit surprised to read in an msnbc article that her sister said that Kelsey would fight until her body wouldn't allow it. I surely hope they can locate her soon and am comforted to know that Tim Miller & team are on their way

[Mere]

Fox news report....240 officers doing grid search of area where cell phone last reported according to cell towers....one hour after kidnapping....8 p.m. on Saturday....
sort of rough area...brush, trees, lake, etc.....near intersecting roadways....
Fox giving regular coverage....News conference scheduled for 1 p.m.

[LilPuma]

There's a press conference on the news now.  A police officer is talking about what they know and asking for help.  He says they're getting lots of help from other LE in the area.  He says they have 500 leads but they're asking for people to call if they think they have any info.  Lots of volunteers looking around the lake where there were two cell phone "pings" Saturday night.  

I said yesterday that I had a feeling it was someone she knew.  I still believe that.  Family and friends may believe she had no enemies but there are a lot of mentally disturbed people out there who don't show signs of the hurtful, dishonest, or criminal behavior they're capable of.

[pdh3]

I think you're right LilPuma. The guy on the tape looks like he could be in her circle of aquaintences, just going by his age and the way he looks. If I didn't know that he was connected to a young woman's disappearance, I'd see nothing alarming about him. He looks like most college- age kids I see in Target all the time.

I'm just really afraid that this won't have a positive outcome.

[Sleeks]

Well fellow monkeys - now I don't know what to think according to the link below - Greg Smith said none of her family recognize this person.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/06/missing.teen.ap/index.html

I am starting to wish some of these evil people would go "missing."  Leave the rest of the world alone.

[Mere]

Fox reporting that body of young girl found...also that the body is that of Kelsey Smith....this is so sad.

[Sleeks]

CNN is reporting a body found near lake where pings from cell phone occured.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/13453443/detail.html?cnn=yes

I really hope this is not her, but it really doesn't look good.  

[LilPuma]

There's supposed to be a press conference at 5:00 EDT, which is a few minutes away.  

I was so hoping that she was taken by nut case who would keep her alive for awhile and she would be found.  I've got FOX on now to see if they've confirmed that it's Kelsey.  

My prayers are with her family and friends.