Dad Pleads for Missing Daughter's Return Before He Deploys to Irak

Clutching a flier for his missing 11-year-old daughter, Lindsey Baum’s father pleaded for her safe return as he faces deploying to Iraq without knowing her fate. Scott Baum, on leave from the Tennessee National Guard, looked into the cameras of several Seattle television news crews and asked for any helpful information to be brought forward.

“Please bring my daughter home,” he said. “I’m fixing to deploy to Iraq and tomorrow is her birthday.”

Lindsey Baum, a Girl Scout and “Twilight” fan, disappeared late June 26 while making the short walk from her friend’s house to her home in McCleary. Despite hundreds of officers, searchers and volunteers combing the town of 1,500 people, no evidence has been found to explain her disappearance.

Grays Harbor Undersheriff Rick Scott said the father has offered investigators as much information as possible throughout the search, both from Tennessee and since arriving in McCleary last Friday.

Scott Baum had last seen his daughter about a year ago. He now faces deployment in the coming weeks, but hopes to see Lindsey before he leaves.

Searchers made a “big push” Monday, Undersheriff Scott said, re-canvasing outlying areas of town and the nearby Straddleline Off-Road Vehicle Park. They hoped new moisture on the ground would help bring out faint scents, but discovered no new trails.

“We’re a long way from throwing in the towel,” he said.

From the beginning, investigators had considered whether Lindsey might try making her way to her father in Tennessee, Scott said. But it would be almost impossible for such a young girl to travel that far without help or getting noticed.

Scott said the small size of McCleary makes it “highly unlikely” Lindsey is still in town, but authorities have sent photos and information on the 4-foot-9, brown-haired girl to agencies nationwide.

“The word’s out,” he said. “Not just in Washington, but throughout the country.”

No ground search was expected today, but detectives continue to pursue any possible leads, including the increasing likelihood that she may have been abducted. Her computer has also been analyzed, but no new information turned up.

The upcoming McCleary Bear Festival offers investigators another chance to talk to people and spread information on Lindsey’s disappearance. Despite concerns about thinning law enforcement resources on the 11th day of searching, Scott said investigators will remain dedicated to bringing the girl back to her family.

“We’ll have officers in McCleary until Lindsey is found,” he said.

For now though, her birthday passes as a solemn affair. Her family gathered from across the country, but missing its center and any reason to celebrate.

With a light rain coming down Monday, Scott Baum stared into the television cameras and asked anyone with information to call authorities.

“I would love nothing more than to see my daughter before I go,” he said, holding up the flier. “Please bring my daughter home before I have to leave.”

This entry was posted on July 8, 2009 at 12:25 pm and is filed under .Other News, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.