Reachelle Marie Smith, 3, Missing Since 5/17/06 Minot,N.D.

[Jute]

I received an Amber Alert on my cell yesterday; when I searched the site, I couldn't find anything, but my search skills are not the best. I did verify, on Snopes and HoaxSlayer, that the Amber Alert is old but legit.

Here is the information-the little girl disappeared about two years ago, but if the story isn't here, I'd like to add it. Would someone else check to see if it's here and I just didn't find it? Thanks!

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/graphics/reachelle.jpg

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/missing/reachelle.asp



Commentary:
The information in the above message is true. Reachelle Marie Smith went missing from her Minot North Dakota home on May 17th 2006.

Authorities believed that Reachelle, who was three years old when the abduction occurred, was taken by Leigh Cowen who lived with the girl's aunt and legal guardian. Cowan at first told told the girl's aunt that she was staying with her mother but this proved to be untrue and police issued an Amber Alert. On the 22nd May Cowan's body was found inside a van at the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. He apparently committed suicide in the van via carbon monoxide poisoning.

However, there was no evidence that Reachelle had been inside the van and an extensive search of the wildlife refuge found no trace of the child.

Subsequent searches have revealed no new leads in the case. If you have any information about the whereabouts of Reachelle, please contact the FBI or local police.

Update: February 2008
In early 2008, I began receiving submissions about a new, abridged version of the Reachelle Marie Smith message. An example of the newer version is included below:
IF YOUR CHILD WAS MISSING WOULDN'T YOU PRAY THAT EVERYONE PASSED THIS EMAIL ON!!!!! DO THE RIGHT THING AND LOOK AND FORWARD!?

Missing Girl from North Dakota !!!!!!!!!!

You never know where this email could end up and I'm not going to stop passing this one around if it means a little girl can be found!!!

Please spread this picture far and wide..... You just never know.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/images/reachelle2.jpg

BEFORE YOU SKIP THIS, LOOK AT THE CHILD. DO IT AGAIN. NOW SEND IT TO ALL IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. IT TAKES 10 SECONDS. PEOPLE ARE MISSING HER AND SHE WANTS TO BE HOME. DO SOMETHING GOOD.

Unfortunately, the new version omits important details about the case, including the child's name and police contact details. A recipient who has no prior knowledge of the case would have no way of knowing who the child is or if the case described is genuine. Because many such "missing child" emails turn out to contain false information, some recipients have dismissed the new version of the email as just another hoax.

This illustrates a real problem with such missing person emails. They tend to mutate as they travel. False or misleading information can be added, or, as in this case, important facts can be removed. In other cases, they continue to circulate needlessly long after the missing person has been located.

It is therefore important to check the facts before forwarding any missing person email. If you receive the new, abridged version of the Reachelle Smith email, please take a moment to add the child's name and a link to the FBI fact sheet about the case before forwarding the message.

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/reachelle-smith-missing.shtml

(I received the updated email.)

[Roamer]

Why don't you just add it to the Missing Children thread, Jute, since it's an update and not an Amber Alert.

[ReddCurrlz]

absolutely. add her.
another precious soul - when will this violence end.

[KittyMom]

I can't remember her name but I remember this child. She was 3. A male friend of the mom and aunt was seen with her. He committed suicide in his car near a lake. The mom and aunt acted really strange.

[Blessed]

I remember Reachelle's case . . .

Always thought there was something quirky about the mom and aunt. Alot of people believed Reachelle had been passed to her mom as her aunt had custody but mom denied that was the case. IIRC, they called Reachelle "Peanut". I think about her often . . .

[KittyMom]

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=1044761&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US

REACHELLE SMITH

[Faith]

Please be looking out for this beautiful little three-year-old girl. She’s been missing since May under suspicious circumstances.

http://www.merrimusings.mu.nu/wp-content/images/Reachelle%20Smith.jpg

UPDATE: Additional information (thanks, Linda!): The suspect that they believe had abducted Reachelle was found dead - an apparent suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning. Here’s another somewhat recent article discussing the search efforts for Reachelle and more about the case.
From the Center for Missing and Exploited Children site:

DOB: Sep 10, 2002
Age Now: 3
Sex: Female
Missing Date: May 16, 2006
Race: White
Hair Color: Lt. Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 3′4″ (102 cm)
Weight: 40 lbs (18 kg)
Missing City: MINOT

Missing State : ND
Missing Country: United States

http://bamapachyderm.com/archives/2006/07/10/re-post-missing-child-reachelle-marie-smith/

[Faith]

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/missing.gif

May 17, 2006
Minot, North Dakota

REACHELLE SMITH

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r1.jpghttp://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r2.jpg

DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth: September 10, 2002 Place of Birth: Unknown
Sex: Female Hair: Brown
Height: 3'6" Eyes: Brown
Weight: 40 pounds Race: White

THE DETAILS

Reachelle Smith is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was last seen at her residence in Minot, North Dakota, by her guardian at approximately 1 a.m. on May 17, 2006. When the guardian awoke the next morning and found Reachelle gone, the guardian's male roommate stated that Reachelle would be spending a few days with his mother, with whom the child has a grandmother-type relationship.

On May 22, the guardian awoke to find the roommate missing, along with her own van. She called police to report the missing child and roommate. The roommate was later found dead in the van, by an apparent suicide, outside of Minot. Reachelle was not inside the van.

REWARD

The FBI is offering a reward for information regarding the disappearance of Reachelle Smith.
Individuals with information concerning this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the nearest FBI Office or local law enforcement agency. For any possible sighting outside the United States, contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate.

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r.htm

[Gaia_fwtr]

The latest article written May 2008 is at http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/514959.html

We also have 4 pages of articles and posters at From Whispers To Roars . This is the thread link if anyone would like to read them. http://fromwhisperstor.6.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=11701&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=reachelle+smith&start=0

I just cant believe they havent found a trace of Reachelle. The world today........just unreal. Prayers for this sweet little girl. :1222423:

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r1.jpghttp://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r2.jpg
DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth: September 10, 2002 Place of Birth: Unknown
Sex: Female Hair: Brown
Height: 3'6" Eyes: Brown
Weight: 40 pounds Race: White

THE DETAILS
Reachelle Smith is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was last seen at her residence in Minot, North Dakota, by her guardian at approximately 1 a.m. on May 17, 2006. When the guardian awoke the next morning and found Reachelle gone, the guardian's male roommate stated that Reachelle would be spending a few days with his mother, with whom the child has a grandmother-type relationship.

On May 22, the guardian awoke to find the roommate missing, along with her own van. She called police to report the missing child and roommate. The roommate was later found dead in the van, by an apparent suicide, outside of Minot. Reachelle was not inside the van.

REWARD

The FBI is offering a reward for information regarding the disappearance of Reachelle Smith.

Individuals with information concerning this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the nearest FBI Office or local law enforcement agency. For any possible sighting outside the United States, contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate.

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196831,00.html
3-Year-Old Girl Missing, South Dakota Suspect Found Dead
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

The search for a missing 3-year-old girl resumed Wednesday after the body of the man who authorities suspected took her was found following an apparent suicide.

Leigh Cowen, 22, was found Tuesday inside a van on a gravel road at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Police Capt. Al Hanson said. Cowen appeared to have killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning, Hanson said.

There was no trace of Reachelle Smith, who was last seen the night of May 16 when she was put to bed at her home.

Authorities said Cowen lived with the girl's aunt, who is her legal guardian. He had told the woman that the 3-year-old was staying with his mother. Police later learned that Cowen's mother did not know the girl's whereabouts and issued an Amber Alert.

Reachelle's mother and aunt tearfully pleaded Wednesday for her safe return. They said the girl has asthma and needs treatment for it.

"Right now, we just want her back," her mother, Samantha Smith said, crying.

State officials said Cowen was on probation for theft of property in Ward County and had failed to report in as required. A warrant was issued last month for his arrest on charges of violating his probation.

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=38883
Cops: No Signs Of Reachelle Smith Where Man's Body Was Found

Leigh Cowen was found dead inside a van in Minot, N.D. Police say he may have killed himself.

Cops in Minot, N.D., are now searching for new clues that will lead them to Reachelle Smith. Investigators say they initially thought the little girl may have been traveling with 22-year-old Leigh Cowen. But any hopes of finding the 3-year-old with him vanished when cops found Cowen's dead body following what appeared to be a suicide.

Unfortunately, the discovery of Cowen's body didn't shed any light on where Reachelle might be. But that doesn't mean investigators are giving up. As of May 26th, a force of 200 searchers continued the mission to find the little girl.

Search teams scoured parks, a local river and a city landfill in hopes of finding clues. The National Guard also joined the search.

But following the weekend search, police say the search is taking a new turn -- things are starting to wind down in the search for little Reachelle. Investigators say the fact that they've received few new leads is putting a damper on their mission.

Reachelle Smith was last seen at her house on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at about 10:30 p.m., when she was put to bed. She is about 3' feet tall and weighs about 40 pounds. She has brown eyes and straight, light brown hair.

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/167443.asp
Oct 1 2007 7:29PM
KXMCTV Minot
It was May of 2006 when then three-year-old Reachelle Smith went missing.

Massive searches were conducted...all finding nothing, except for a piece of evidence, that instead of pointing toward Reachelle, entered even more frustration into the case.

Perry Olson has more on the status of the case...

(Perry Olson - KX News) When this van was found on the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge a few days after an Amber Alert was issued for Reachelle Smith it was perhaps the best tool in finding Reachelle. The van had been driven by Leigh Cowan...the last person known to be with Reachelle he was found with it...dead...a suicide.

(Capt. Al Hanson - Minot Police Department) "We had hoped there was a note or something that would explain some things and help us narrow the scope of the search but that didn't happen."


During those first few days after the Amber Alert in the case, officials did numerous searches...and used other investigative tools trying to find the smily three year old.

(Capt. Hanson) "In the two day period we visited every sex offender in the Minot area unannounced and that is something that we didn't talk about in the public but it was something that we did. There are multiple binders of people we talked to and things that we did."


Captain Hanson says he was pleased with the massive response to the case and even though it hasn't been solved, it was attacked the right way.

(Capt. Hanson) "All in all, I'm very happy with how things went. You will always second guess...but without any direction, you know..."


Without that direction it has been hard to make gains in the case. Leads are few and far between now...but it still is at the forefront of everyone's mind at the Minot Police Department...

(Capt. Hanson) "You may have noticed when you walked in here the large banner that hangs outside our door. There isn't a day that we don't think about it. It would be nice for the family to have the closure to know exactly what happened and to do what needs to be done to put closure to the case."

Perry Olson, KX News.

If Reachelle is alive somewhere she would have celebrated her fifth birthday on September 10th her second birthday missed.

Captain Hanson says in the future, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children may release of a photo of what Reachelle would now look like but it is still too early for that tool to be of any use.
http://www.kxmb.com/UserFiles/7/10/1/large_tbn_3_2007-10-1-newsmin6-3935512500000029014.jpg

[nicky]

www.snopes.com/inboxer/missing/reachelle.asp

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/9859.asp
May 24 2006 12:00AM
http://www.ap.org
Associated Press

Minot, N.D. - Searchers locked arms and walked through a wildlife refuge north of here for signs of a missing 3-year-old girl, after the body of a man believed to have been with her was found in a van nearby.

The search was to resume Wednesday for 3-year-old Reachelle Smith, at the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Ward County Sheriff Vern Erck said.

Minot Police Capt. Al Hanson said the body of Leigh Cowen, 22, was found inside a van on a gravel road at the refuge Tuesday. Hanson said Cowen appeared to have killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. He said authorities could find no trace of the girl, who was last seen the night of May 16.

"We absolutely felt like we had to do a grid search since the van and the body was found here, Erck said. The search was called off about 9 p.m. Tuesday. It was a tough effort, with searchers battling wood ticks and heat, he said.

"We're hoping to get more people out here, and we'll have gone over this refuge with a fine-toothed comb," the sheriff said. The National Guard may be available to help, he said.

Reachelle Smith was put to bed at about 10:30 p.m. on May 16 at her home in Minot, Minot Police Sgt. Winston Black said. The following day she was gone, he said.

The Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Reachelle after she was reported missing Monday by her aunt.

Authorities had thought the child was with Cowen, a man who had been living with her aunt, the child's legal guardian. Police said his mother sometimes looked after Reachelle in Minot.

Police said Cowen first said the girl had been staying with his mother, but they found out his mother had moved to Derby, Kan., within the past few days. When Cowen turned up missing, they thought he might have taken Reachelle and headed for Kansas.

The van in which his body was found was taken to the Police Department for a more thorough search.

State officials said Cowen was on probation for theft of property in Ward County and was being supervised in Fargo when he failed to report in as required. A warrant was issued last month for his arrest on charges of violating his probation.

Reachelle Smith is described as white, about 3-foot-4 and weighs about 40 pounds, authorities said. She has brown eyes and straight, light brown hair

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/9879.asp
May 24 2006 12:00AM
Associated Press
Minot, N.D. (AP) _ The mother and aunt of three-year-old Reachelle Smith pleaded today for her safe return.

Stephanie and Samantha Smith joined law enforcement officials at a news conference in Minot while northwest of the city, the search for the child continued.

Ward County Sheriff Vern Erck says more than 200 people are out searching the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge north of Minot for Reachelle, who's been missing for a week.

The search resumed this morning, in the area at the refuge where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found yesterday in a van.

Authorities believe Cowen may have taken Reachelle, but they've found no sign of her. They think Cowen killed himself.

Reachelle's mother and aunt say she has asthma and needs treatment.

They were in tears at the news conference this morning, and took no questions. Samantha Smith, the girl's mother said, ``Right now, we just want her back.''

Today's search is being conducted by people on foot, horseback and in all-terrain vehicles.

Sheriff Vern Erck says the refuge itself covers 32-thousand acres, but authorities are concentrating on about 500 acres. He says one National Guard unit is helping in the search and another one is expected.

The search also includes 40 all-terrain vehicles and about 15 horseback riders from nearby McHenry County.

Erck says they're looking along trails where the van was found. He says the terrain is rough

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/9954.asp
May 25 2006 12:00AM
http://www.kxmb.com/
The effort to find three-year-old Reachelle Smith continues after a search of a wildlife refuge north of Minot turned up nothing.

A dive team combed a river near the child's Minot home but also found no clues.

Reachelle has been missing more than a week. Her mother and aunt have issued a public plea for her safe return. (more at link)

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/9968.asp
Minot Police say they're looking to drain part of a river, search a park and check the city landfill as they continue searching for three-year-old Reachelle Smith.

Captain Al Hanson says police are interested in a section of the Souris River close to the girl's house. He also says police continue to check out other leads.

He says a search of Minot's Roosevelt Park is planned this afternoon with volunteers, because Reachelle had gone there occasionally. He says officials also plan to search the city landfill. (more at link)

[nicky]

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=190634997

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/10035.asp
Police check with experts as search continues for 3-year-old email to a friend
Minot, N.D. - Police say they have spoken with FBI behavioral scientists as well as psychics in their search for 3-year-old Reachelle Smith.

The search for the child continued Friday in her home neighborhood. She was last seen the night of May 16.

Police Capt. Al Hanson said investigators had a conference call with FBI behavioral scientists for about an hour to discuss the case and sent them tapes from interviews "to pore through and see if there's anything that they think we've missed."

"We've got some dogs in, we're going to try to bring some more dogs in, just to double, triple check," Hanson said. "We have two experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children here, helping us. Of course, the behavioral scientists - we're reaching out to anything and everything that we can think of."

Psychics have given general suggestions, such as water or tall grass, he said, and all leads are checked out.

Hanson said he still hopes to find Reachelle alive.

"I'd be lying if I said we didn't think the possibility exists that she could be dead, because we're searching garbage dumps and rivers and such, but we want to cover all our bases," he said. "I still think there's a possibility that she's alive."

Crews sifted through garbage in the city landfill on Thursday and began drawing down the Mouse River channel near the girl's home. The landfill search turned up no sign of her. Hanson said the drawdown of the river channel would take a couple of days.

A search Thursday of Roosevelt Park in central Minot also came up empty, Hanson said. About 20 off-duty police officers volunteered to search the park, he said.

The Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge was searched earlier, after the body of Leigh Cowen, 22, was found in a van there Tuesday. Authorities suspected he had taken Reachelle. They said he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning, but there was no sign of the child.

Reachelle Smith was put to bed at about 10:30 p.m. on May 16 at her home in Minot and was missing the next day, police said. She lived with her aunt, Stephanie Smith, who was her legal guardian, police said. Her and her mother, Samantha Smith, have said she has asthma and needs treatment.

Police suspicions centered on Cowen after he told Stephanie Smith that Reachelle was with his mother, who had sometimes cared for the girl, and then disappeared, Hanson said. Police later learned that Cowen's mother did not know the girl's whereabouts and issued an Amber Alert.

"Mr. Cowen gave an explanation to the custodial mother and that was, in her mind, enough to go on until he disappeared and the vehicle disappeared. She started to question that and followed up," Hanson said.

Cowen's mother has been questioned several times in Kansas, Hanson said. "We have no reason to believe that she's involved," he said.

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/10079.asp
Search continues for missing Minot girl email to a friend

Minot, N.D. - Searchers looking for a missing 3-year-old girl revisited a wildlife refuge northwest of here as well as the area around the girl's home, but police said the search was scaled back as leads continued to dry up.

Reachelle Smith has not been seen since the night of May 16. Hundreds of people have been searching for days on the ground, in the air and in the Mouse River. Police Capt. Al Hanson said only about three dozen people were searching on Saturday, and only on the ground.

Three bloodhounds also were brought in from southern North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota, but had not found anything at midday, he said.

"We completed a neighborhood canvas for the fourth time with no positive results," Hanson said. "We want to double- and triple-check to make sure we haven't missed anything."

Authorities also finished draining a section of the river near the girl's home "as far down as we can get it," Hanson said. "The dogs were run past that this morning."

Searchers on Saturday also returned to the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, where the body of Leigh Cowen, 22, was found in a van Tuesday. Authorities say he knew Reachelle's family and they suspected he had taken the girl.

They said he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. Hanson said Cowen had made previous attempts at suicide, though not in Minot. The captain said Cowen moved to Minot to live with Stephanie Smith, Reachelle's aunt and legal guardian.

Cowen had grown up with Smith and Samantha Smith, the girl's biological mother, Hanson said. He said Cowen had told Stephanie Smith that he was Reachelle's father, which she accepted until Cowen disappeared with the van.

Cowen's mother has been questioned several times in Kansas and authorities say they do not believe she is involved in the girl's disappearance.

Hanson said other people were being interviewed on Saturday, but he declined to say who they were.

An account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank for people to donate toward a reward fund for information.

Hanson said leads called in to police are starting to dwindle, but authorities still hope to find Reachelle alive.

"Obviously, the longer things go on, statistically the less likely it is to be a search operation," he said. "But you're always going to have to hold out some hope."

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/10090.asp

Minot, N.D. - Searchers looking for a missing 3-year-old girl began winding down their efforts on Saturday, after bloodhounds failed to turn up any trace of Reachelle Smith.

Police Capt. Al Hanson said any new leads would be checked out, but "we've had virtually no leads coming in," he said. "(The search) has pretty much been shut down."

Searches might resume in the coming days, but nothing was scheduled Sunday, Hanson said.

Reachelle has not been seen since the night of May 16. Hundreds of people have been searching for days on the ground, in the air and in the Mouse River. Hanson said only about three dozen people searched on Saturday, and only on the ground.

They revisited a wildlife refuge northwest of Minot as well as the area around the girl's home. Three bloodhounds were brought in from southern North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota.

"We completed a neighborhood canvas for the fourth time with no positive results," Hanson said. "We want to double- and triple-check to make sure we haven't missed anything."

Authorities also finished draining a section of the river near the girl's home "as far down as we can get it," Hanson said. "The dogs were run past that this morning."

Searchers on Saturday also returned to the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, where the body of Leigh Cowen, 22, was found in a van Tuesday. Authorities say he knew Reachelle's family and they suspected he had taken the girl.

They said he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning. Hanson said Cowen had made previous attempts at suicide, though not in Minot. The captain said Cowen moved to Minot to live with Stephanie Smith, Reachelle's aunt and legal guardian.

Cowen had grown up with Smith and Samantha Smith, the girl's biological mother, Hanson said. He said Cowen had told Stephanie Smith that he was Reachelle's father, which she accepted until Cowen disappeared with the van.

Cowen's mother has been questioned several times in Kansas, and authorities say they do not believe she is involved in the girl's disappearance.

Hanson said other people were being interviewed on Saturday, but he declined to say who they were.

An account has been set up at Wells Fargo Bank for people to donate toward a reward fund for information.

Police on Saturday also asked area residents to check sheds, bushes and vehicles on their property. Hanson said authorities still hope to find Reachelle alive.

"Obviously, the longer things go on, statistically the less likely it is to be a search operation," he said. "But you're always going to have to hold out some hope."

[nicky]

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/still-unsolved-the-reachelle-smith-mystery/172546762

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/10108.asp
Leads Starting to "Dry Up"
May 28 2006 12:00AM
http://www.kxmc.com/
(AP) _ The search for a missing three-year-old Minot girl has ``pretty much been shut down.''

That's according to police Captain Al Hanson. He says if there are any new leads, they will be checked out.

Reachelle Smith has not been seen since the night of May 16th.

Searches this week have been done on the ground and in the air. Hanson says today's search was only on the ground. And there were fewer people out searching.

Three bloodhounds brought in last night helped out. Hanson says the search was in a number of areas, including around the girl's home and at a wildlife refuge northwest of Minot.

That was where the body of 22-year-old Leigh Cowen was found in a van Tuesday. Authorities say he knew Reachelle's family and they suspected he had taken the girl.

The area had been searched previously but Hanson says leads are starting to dry up.

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/43262.asp
Reachelle Smith turns 4 years old watch the video
Sep 10 2006 11:36PM
KXMBTV Bismarck
Today is Reachelle Smith's fourth birthday.

Reachelle is the Minot girl who was last seen in Mid-May and has since been the subject of weeks of searching.

And that searching will resume in the next couple weeks.

Reachelle's mother Samantha Smith says a search dog owner from South Dakota will be making another trip to the Minot area soon to comb more areas in search of clues.

It'll be the third trip to the region for the dog-handler.

And his lack of success in finding anything related to Reachelle has her mother encouraged.

(Samantha Smith, Reachelle's Mother) "Him not finding anything has been...has been a joy. But it's been hard. It's a joy because it doesn't point to she's dead, but it's hard because she's still not home."


Samantha says she hopes Reachelle will be found soon and hopes especially that her daughter's birthday is being remembered by whomever has her.

"We don't know if they're giving her a good birthday party. We don't know if she'll get any presents, or a hug, or anything. And that's the hardest part for us is just not knowing."

Minot Police and Ward County deputies say previous searches for Reachelle have turned up nothing.

They also say there are no new leads in the case

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/59456.asp
KXMCTV Minot
Five months have passed since Reachelle Smith disappeared. She would have celebrated her fourth birthday in those missing weeks.

Now, authorities have returned to the site where her suspected abductor took his own life....... the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge.

There, the recovered old ground, looking for any sign of the missing Minot child.

Abby Wuellner has more.

Spring has turned to summer, and summer to fall in the months since anyone last saw Reachelle Smith, but still law enforcement officers continue to pursue her case...

(Cpt. Todd Keller, Ward Co. Sheriff Dpt.) "The sheriff wanted us to come back before the winter months, before everything was covered with snow, and do another search."


Today, searchers from the Ward County Sheriff's Department, the Minot Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation retraced their steps at the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge...

Where on May 23, authorities found the body of Leigh Cowen, the man believed responsible for the girl's disappearance.

Nearby, yellow tape still hangs on branches where they found things he left before he committed suicide.

Sgt. Larry Hubbard was among those who found the items in initial searches.

(Sgt. Larry Hubbard, Ward Co. Sheriff's Dpt.) "We've done numerous searches. i was out here the first day when we did the initial search."


But since then, he says other than the color of the leaves, little has changed.

(Sgt. Hubbard) "You can see the line a lot better with the foliage change, and a lot of the leaves off the trees, but still it's difficult walking with the steepness of the hills."


No new leads prompted this search. Rather, previous search parties weren't able to re-cover the whole area several months ago.

And as the 14 man search wrapped up this afternoon, those involved say they found nothing new pertaining to the case of the little girl...but added they don't intend to stop searches altogether.

(Sgt. Hubbard) "It's frustrating. You know, we want to have some kind of closure to the case one way or the other, whether we find Reachelle or have a different type of closure. Everybody would like to have closure."


So as fall turns to winter, and snow covers the leaves that now crunch underfoot, they'll continue to look for Reachelleand seek some closure in this case.

At the Upper Souris Wildlife Refuge, Abby Wuellner, KX News.

In the next few weeks, Reachelle's family will have a dog-search recover the ground yet again.

Authorities are also asking that hunters be on the look-out for any sign of the little girl. watch the video

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.kxmb.com/t/reachelle-smith/123973.asp
One year later, missing girl's mother not giving up hope

MINOT, N.D. (AP) It's been a year today since three-year-old Reachelle Smith disappeared from her Minot home. Massive search efforts have turned up no trace of the little girl known as "Peanut." The girl's mother, Samantha Smith-Duncan, says she has not given up hope of finding the girl alive.

Reachelle turned four years old in September. She was last seen at her Minot home on May 16th, 2006.

Authorities thought she was with 22-year-old Leigh Cowen, who had claimed to be her father. He was found dead on the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Minot in late May.

Authorities said he killed himself. But there was no sign of Reachelle.

Smith-Duncan says she believes her daughter is still alive and somebody is hiding her. She says Cowen likely took the child but gave the little girl to an accomplice.

Minot Police Sergeant Jason SundBakken is the lead investigator in the case. He says police have no evidence to back that theory or any other theory.

He says the case has created many more questions than answers.

[Mysticalmom]

http://theyreourchildren.blogspot.com/2007/05/missing-child-reachelle-smith.html
Missing Child: REACHELLE SMITH
The story of little Reachelle Smith may be a confusing one, and it was a confusing story long before she disappeared from her home early one morning last May.
The story begins in 2002, when Reachelle's mother, a teenager who didn't feel ready to care for a baby, gave custody of Raechelle to her sister, Stephanie. Stephanie was the one who raised Raechelle for the next three years... until the night of May 16, 2006.
Stephanie apparently had a roommate, Leigh Cowan, a man who had known Reachelle all her life. In fact, Leigh usually claimed that Reachelle was his daughter, and had even convinced his own mother that Reachelle was his. (After Reachelle went missing, DNA tests proved that Leigh was not actually Reachelle's father.) Leigh had recently been charged with theft, and was on probation. He had missed a meeting with his probation officer, and knew that there was a warrant out for his arrest, and that he could face up to eighteen months in prison if he was caught. He had even taken pictures of Reachelle, so that he could bring the pictures with him when he went to prison.
When Stephanie woke up on May 17 and saw that Reachelle was not in the house, Leigh told her that his mother, who lived near by, had come and picked up the child to stay with her for a few days. Stephanie didn't find this surprising. After all, Leigh thought of himself as Reachelle's father, and Leigh's mother believed herself to be Reachelle's grandmother.
Days passed. Stephanie began to ask Leigh how long his mother was planning to keep Reachelle for. She began to suggest that it was time for the three-year-old to be brought home. Leigh had various excuses, including that his mother's car had broken down and so she was unable to bring Reachelle home, that his mother and Reachelle were going off on some activity that day, etc.
On one of the days, Leigh's mother actually came to Stephanie's house. When Stephanie asked her where Reachelle was, Leigh's mother looked at her strangely, and seemed confused by the question. Leigh asked to speak privately with his mother. Unbeknownst to Stephanie, Leigh told his mother that he was covering for Reachelle's birth mother, Samantha, who he said had taken Reachelle to South Dakota. (That turned out to not be true!)
On the 22nd, Stephanie woke up to find that her van was missing, and Leigh was gone as well. Stephanie went to where Leigh's mother lived, hoping to find Leigh, the missing van, and Reachelle, there. But instead, she found that Leigh's mother had actually moved away the week before. Stephanie then called the police, and reported Reachelle as missing. It was believed that Leigh had taken Reachelle, and perhaps was traveling with the child, in the stolen van, to where some of his relatives lived.
But then, in a bizarre twist of events, Leigh was found dead. Aparently he had driven the van to a near by wildlife refuge, and committed suicide. Reachelle was still no where to be found.
Since then, word about her disappearance has been passed around the Internet... and for a while, people believed that her story was an urban legend and that Reachelle Smith didn't really exist. (Although why someone would make up a missing child case and pass it around the Internet is beyond me... but apparently it does happen!)
Do a search on Reachelle's name on the Internet, and you will find all sorts of message boards where arm-chair detectives have posted their thoughts about Reachelle's family. Most seem to think that Leigh was responsible for Reachelle's disappearance, and that he committed suicide either out of guilt, or to cover something up. Others have criticized Reachelle's aunt for not calling the police sooner, and for letting a "strange man" spend time with Reachelle. Some have suggested that Stephanie or Samantha had something to do with the disappearance. When making these assumptions, people often point out Reachelle's unusual living situation as a reason.
But I've lived a pretty unusual life myself, and I can tell you from experience that people are different everywhere. It is not so unusual for a young mother to give custody of her baby to her sister or another relative. It is not so unusual for there to be more than one possibility about who a child's father is... and it is not so unusual for one person, who really wants to be father, to latch on to the idea that he really is. It is not even so unusual for a parent to not immediately call the police when one family member tells her that another family member has taken the child for a visit for a while.
What is unusual is for a three-year-old to vanish without a trace... and that is what we should all concentrate on... finding Reachelle. She's four now, and has been missing for over a year. Please look at her picture, and pray for her safe return. You can view her "missing child" poster here.

[Mysticalmom]

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=190634997
My space for Reachelle

[Mysticalmom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CNQr-JJbdo&feature=related
You tube for Reachel Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p4N1nP4nrQ

[sarahhod]

Amber Alert: Missing North Dakota girl

Posted: Jan 21, 2009 04:47 PM

http://www.wvva.com/global/story.asp?s=9708432



http://i40.tinypic.com/1zwjjva.jpg
Bluefield (WVVA)- Reachelle Marie Smith has been reported missing in the North Dakota area, and her family is asking people all over the country to help in her safe return.

Reachelle Smith celebrated her sixth birthday September 10, 2008 and answers to the nickname 'peanut'. If you have any information in this little girl's disappearance, contact your local law enforcement agency.

[nanabillie]

I can't find anything new on Reachelle.

[Faith]

I just heard on HLN that the man suspected of kidnapping Reachelle is now dead. They are giving out Reachelle's info again in hopes someone has seen her or may know where she is..

[nanabillie]

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith

FBI Missing: Reachelle Marie Smith
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| July 14, 2009 at 12:13 pm

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//36/e/36e2782e9d4d514711efb5a775048107.jpg FBI Missing: REACHELLE MARIE SMITH | Photo 02

see larger image http://www.nowpublic.com/sites/all/themes/nova/default/images/1px.gif (http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith-photo-02)

http://www.nowpublic.com/sites/all/themes/nova/default/images/1px.gif (http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith#right)http://www.nowpublic.com/sites/all/themes/nova/default/images/1px.gif (http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith#left)

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//d6/3/d63852ac019831cb56979046689d4b82.jpg (http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith-photo-02)
http://media.nowpublic.net/images//f8/a/f8abc01be925714df0f01f12a83c91c9.jpg (http://www.nowpublic.com/world/fbi-missing-reachelle-marie-smith-1)

POSTER
May 17, 2006
Minot, North Dakota
REACHELLE SMITH DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth:September 10, 2002
Place of Birth:Unknown
Sex:Female
Hair:Brown
Height:3'6"
Eyes:Brown
Weight:40 pounds
Race:White
THE DETAILS
Reachelle Smith is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was last seen at her residence in Minot, North Dakota, by her guardian at approximately 1 a.m. on May 17, 2006. When the guardian awoke the next morning and found Reachelle gone, the guardian's male roommate stated that Reachelle would be spending a few days with his mother, with whom the child has a grandmother-type relationship.
On May 22, the guardian awoke to find the roommate missing, along with her own van. She called police to report the missing child and roommate. The roommate was later found dead in the van, by an apparent suicide, outside of Minot. Reachelle was not inside the van.
REWARD
The FBI is offering a reward for information regarding the disappearance of Reachelle Smith.

Individuals with information concerning this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the nearest FBI Office (http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm) or local law enforcement agency. For any possible sighting outside the United States, contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate (http://www.fbi.gov/contact/legat/legat.htm).
Source: fbi.gov (http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/smith_r.htm)

[nanabillie]

http://missingyouorg.com/?p=603

Reachelle Marie Smith is missing from Minot, North Dakota.

http://missingyouorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4962_1155524975881_1460425521_30397925_2548974_n1-203x300.jpg (http://missingyouorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4962_1155524975881_1460425521_30397925_2548974_n1. jpg)

Cops in Minot, N.D., are now searching for new clues that will lead them to Reachelle Smith. Investigators say they initially thought the little girl may have been traveling with 22-year-old Leigh Cowen. But any hopes of finding the 3-year-old with him vanished when cops found Cowen’s dead body following what appeared to be a suicide.

Unfortunately, the discovery of Cowen’s body didn’t shed any light on where Reachelle might be. But that doesn’t mean investigators are giving up. As of May 26th, a force of 200 searchers continued the mission to find the little girl.

Search teams scoured parks, a local river and a city landfill in hopes of finding clues. The National Guard also joined the search.
But following the weekend search, police say the search is taking a new turn — things are starting to wind down in the search for little Reachelle. Investigators say the fact that they’ve received few new leads is putting a damper on their mission.

Reachelle Smith was last seen at her house on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at about 10:30 p.m., when she was put to bed. She is about 3′ feet tall and weighs about 40 pounds. She has brown eyes and straight, light brown hair.

Reachelle Smith is missing under suspicious circumstances. She was last seen at her residence in Minot, North Dakota, by her guardian at approximately 1 a.m. on May 17, 2006. When the guardian awoke the next morning and found Reachelle gone, the guardian’s male roommate stated that Reachelle would be spending a few days with his mother, with whom the child has a grandmother-type relationship.

On May 22, the guardian awoke to find the roommate missing, along with her own van. She called police to report the missing child and roommate. The roommate was later found dead in the van, by an apparent suicide, outside of Minot. Reachelle was not inside the van.

[PatC]

An email with the old Amber Alert photo attached is making the rounds again. The National Center.... has an updated poster including an age progressed photo.

CLICK HERE (http://tinyurl.com/rtjoj)

[nanabillie]

A beautiful child. I wish the family could find something so they could get on with their lives. If that is possible.

[foxfarmboxers]

A friend sent this to me this morning. It's a facebook group for Reachelle and other missing children.

"http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?members&gid=78685565848 "



Here's the direct link, if the one above doesn't work.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78685565848

[nanabillie]

http://www.myspace.com/bringreachellehome