Ashley Marie Ryan, 17 [HOME SAFE] MSG Since 12-31-07 from Hampstead, NC

[Grande]

Hampstead teen still missing
Submitted by Andy Scherr on 6 January 2008 - 7:52pm.

Authorities are still looking for a 17-year-old Hampstead girl who went missing on New Year's Eve.

Family members say Ashley Marie Ryan, a senior at Topsail High School, went to the movies with friends at Mayfaire cinema and walked out the back door of the theatre.

They say she then went to a pawn shop to trade in an i-pod she got for Christmas.

She used the money to buy a bus ticket to Kissimmee, Florida, just outside of Orlando. A spokesperson for the Wilmington Police Department said Ryan is most likely a runaway.

Her parents have gone down to Florida to try to find her. In the meantime, family members here are devastated.

"Ashley is seventeen. She's naive. She's a sweet little girl and we just want our kid back," said Pamela Richardson, Ashley's Aunt. "She's just a kid. She's just a little girl. And we want her home. We want to get her where we can help her."

Anyone with information on Ashley's whereabouts should contact the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600.

http://www.wwaytv3.com/hampstead_tee...issing/01/2008

[Grande]

Missing teen considered runaway
Submitted by WWAY on 8 January 2008 - 10:58am.

WILMINGTON -- A missing person is now considered a runaway.

Seventeen-year-old Ashley Marie Ryan was last seen going into a movie at the cinema at Mayfaire on New Year's Eve.

Her family had feared that she had been abducted. However, yesterday they told Wilmington Police that there had been a confirmed sighting of Ashley in Kissimmee, FL.

Police there are now involved in what is believed to be a runaway case and not an abduction.

http://www.wwaytv3.com/missing_teen_...unaway/01/2008

[KittyMom]

http://www.topsailadvertiser.com/art...ichardson.html

Suzanne Ulbrich
January 17, 2008 - 9:22AM

It has been a little over two weeks since 17-year-old Ashley Ryan, a high school senior at Topsail High School went missing. Her parents have spent countless hours these last two weeks posting fliers and searching Wilmington and areas around Florida where she has been sighted, so far without success.
According to her aunt, Pamela Richardson, Ashley went to Mayfaire Cinema 16 in Wilmington on Jan. 31 with three friends and told them she wanted to see a different movie, so made arrangements to meet up with her friends after the movies, around 5:30 p.m. When she did not arrive at the scheduled time, her friends searched for her. The parent, who went to pick the teens up, called her father, Mike Ryan to let him know she never showed up and they searched all over but did not find her. He immediately called Wilmington Police to report his daughter missing.
Based on information obtained by the family through their efforts, Richardson said they believe Ashley stayed in the Wilmington area for a couple of days, and that she walked from Mayfaire to the Juggling Gypsy Café when she left the cinema.
“The Juggling Gypsy was one of her favorite places in Wilmington,” Richardson said.
Richardson went on to explain that a few days passed and another man who saw one of the fliers came forward and said he had given Ashley a ride to the Greyhound bus station on Wed. Jan. 2. He told them she purchased a ticket to Kissimmee Fla. Due to privacy act issues, her parents had to get a court order before they could confirm that she got on a bus to Kissimmee.
Lacy Quehl, Hampstead United Methodist Church’s administrative assistant, has been fielding calls to help out the family and is helping with fundraising efforts to support the family in their search for Ashley.
Quehl said her parents and brother Rob left for Kissimmee Jan. 4, but returned recently without Ashley.
“It was very frustrating for them, because it seemed they were always two days behind her,” Quehl said.
The Wilmington Police Department did not issue a media alert to request assistance in publicizing Ashley’s disappearance until Jan. 5. The alert stated: “Detectives have confirmed that within the last few days she boarded a bus bound for Kissimmee….” Local stations and newspapers ran stories and pictures regarding her disappearance and requested anyone with information call Wilmington Police Detective Mike Overton.
On Jan. 7 the Wilmington Police Department issued a media update. The update stated: “The parents of Ashley Marie Ryan called the Wilmington Police Department today (Monday) to report that there has been confirmed sightings of Ashley in Kissimmee, FL. They now have requested assistance of the Kissimmee Police Department.
“The good news is that we now know Ashley is a runaway and that she was not abducted from the movie theater where she was last seen in Wilmington.
“Thanks to all who helped publicize her disappearance.”
Richardson said the family was extremely upset to see that as a result of that update, local news stations announced, via news tickers, that the missing teen had been found.
“She was not found, she was seen, and she was not home,” Richardson said. Richardson said it made the family feel like the search was over.
The Ryan family believes she has been using assumed names to apply for jobs and identify herself.
Her mother, Julie Ryan, has been in touch with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about opening up a case, according to “Doug,” at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who said he is not allowed to give out his last name and title. He explained that she must fill out the reporting form which he said he had just e-mailed the mother, and he said that they also require the originating state agency to issue a request to them to open a case.
Once this is done, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will generate a missing child flyer which will appear on their Web site.
“We’re mainly an entity to pass on information, though we will assist any agency that requests our assistance,” Doug said.
According to Public Affairs Officer Lucy Crockett, Ashley was in a local homeless shelter in Kissimmee and a staff member there asked the local police department to check on her. The officer talked to her, but she apparently she gave a false name so they did not realize at the time that they were looking for her.
Wilmington Police Detective Mike Overton, the detective assigned to the case, received word that Ashley has been spotted further south, in Dade County in the town of Aventura on Jan. 9, according to Crockett.
“Detective Overton has been in touch with various Florida law enforcement agencies throughout the past two weeks,” Crockett wrote in an e-mail. “Ashley also is listed in the National Criminal Information Center as a runaway.”
Her mother just wants to find her.
“We haven’t had any sightings of her since last Wednesday,” Julie said.
She said she does not know why Ashley ran away.
“She’s very independent — an I can do it myself kind of kid — I don’t want any help — she was failing a class and was feeling pressure from that…knowing she would have to take it over…I just don’t know, plus decisions about going to college…and of course we worry about her mental health, she’s been using assumed names.”
Her aunt is very worried about how naive her niece is.
“She’s 17 and very naive, Richardson said. “She’s a kid at risk, that’s all I can tell you,” Richardson said. “Our whole family, nothing will ever be the same (without her).”
Richardson said Ashley had friends in many places including Jacksonville. She hopes anyone with information will come forward and help the family get Ashley back home.
Anyone with information about Ashley is asked to call Wilmington Police Detective Overton at 910-341-4619.
The National Runaway Switchboard also accepts anonymous and confidential calls at 1-800-786-2929.

Contact Topsail area reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at sulbrich@freedomenc.com or 910-353-1171 Ext. 8466. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.

[Pauli]

Missing 17-year-old Ashley Ryan has a birthmark on her lower lip.

[Kaylynn]

It has been nearly three weeks since 17-year-old Ashley Ryan, a high school senior at Topsail High School went missing. Her parents and family members have spent countless hours posting fliers and searching Wilmington and areas around Florida where she has been sighted, so far without success.

Her aunt, Pamela Richardson, said Ashley went to Mayfaire Cinema 16 in Wilmington on Dec. 31 with three friends and chose a different movie, so she made arrangements to meet up with them about 5:30 p.m. When she did not arrive, her friends searched for her. The parent who went to pick up the teens called her father, Mike Ryan, to tell him she never showed up and their search was futile. He immediately called Wilmington Police Department to report his daughter missing.

Based on information obtained by the family through its efforts, Richardson said they believe Ashley walked from Mayfaire to the Juggling Gypsy Caf when she left the cinema and stayed in the Wilmington area for a couple of days.

"The Juggling Gypsy was one of her favorite places in Wilmington," Richardson said. "Her mom was passing out fliers there and someone told her she had been there."

Richardson said a few days passed and another man who saw one of the fliers came forward to report he had given Ashley a ride to the Greyhound bus station on Jan. 2, and she purchased a ticket to Kissimmee, Fla. Due to Privacy Act issues, her parents had to get a court order to confirm that she got on a bus to Kissimmee.

Lacy Quehl, Hampstead United Methodist Church's administrative assistant, has been fielding calls to help the family and help with fundraising efforts to support the family in its search for Ashley.

Quehl said Ashley's parents and brother Rob left for Kissimmee on Jan. 4, but they returned recently without Ashley.

"It was very frustrating for them, because it seemed they were always two days behind her," Quehl said.

Wilmington police Detective Mike Overton said he was assigned to the case Jan. 2.

"Often it takes a couple days before a uniform officer gets the report and it gets assigned to a detective - all missing person cases are assigned to a detective." Overton said. "I sent e-mails to alert the media as soon as I got the case. She was also entered into (National Crime Information Center) as soon as she was reported missing," he added.

Public Affairs Officer Lucy Crockett released a formal media alert to request assistance in publicizing Ashley's disappearance on Jan. 5. The alert stated: "Detectives have confirmed that within the last few days, she boarded a bus bound for Kissimmee ...." Local stations and newspapers ran stories and pictures regarding her disappearance and requested anyone with information call Overton.

On Jan. 7, the Wilmington Police Department issued an update that stated: "The parents of Ashley Marie Ryan called the Wilmington Police Department (on Jan. 7) to report that there has been confirmed sightings of Ashley in Kissimmee, Fla. They now have requested assistance of the Kissimmee Police Department. The good news is that we now know Ashley is a runaway and that she was not abducted from the movie theater where she was last seen in Wilmington."

Richardson said the family was extremely upset when local news stations mistakenly announced, via news tickers, that the missing teen had been found.

"She was not found; she was seen, and she was not home," Richardson said.

The Ryan family believes she has been using assumed names to apply for jobs and identify herself.

The Ryans have recently opened up a case with Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Overton said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement generates a missing child flier that appears on its Web site.

"We're mainly an entity to pass on information, though we will assist any agency that requests our assistance," said a person from the department who declined to identify himself.

Crockett said Ashley was in a local homeless shelter in Kissimmee, and a staff member there asked the local police department to check on her. The officer talked to her, but she apparently gave a false name.

Overton received word that Ashley has been spotted farther south, in Dade County in the town of Aventura, on Jan. 9, according to Crockett.

"If we get a sighting, I contact that city and we send information we have, so they can be on the lookout," Overton said.

Overton said most runaways he sees come back within hours or a day.

"It is extremely rare we have one that takes off and goes three states away," he said.

Overton explained that different states have different rules on detaining runaways.

"She cannot be detained in North Carolina, because the runaway must be under 16 in North Carolina to be detained," he said.

Florida law states that "anyone under the age of 18 who has not been emancipated (and is not legally married) can be detained and either returned home or held by the court."

It also states that "it is against the law for an adult other than the child's parent or guardian to shelter a runaway for more than 24 hours without permission of the child's parent or a law enforcement officer."

Her mother just wants to find her.

There have not been any sightings of her since Jan. 9, Julie Ryan said.

She said she does not know why Ashley ran away.

"She's very independent - she's an 'I can do it myself' kind of kid - 'I don't want any help' - she was failing a class and was feeling pressure from that and knew she would have to take it over - I just don't know, then decisions about going to college," her mother said "And of course we worry about her mental health; she's been using assumed names."

Her aunt is very worried about her niece.

"She's 17 and very naive," Richardson said. "She's a kid at risk, that's all I can tell you. Our whole family, nothing will ever be the same (without her)."

Richardson said Ashley had friends in many places, including Jacksonville. She hopes anyone with information will come forward and help the family get Ashley back home.

Anyone with information about Ashley is asked to call Overton at 910-341-4619.

The National Runaway Switchboard also accepts anonymous and confidential calls at 1-800-786-2929.

http://www.jdnews.com/news/ashley_54...n_overton.html

[Pauli]

Missing teen, Ashley Ryan, age 17

[Grande]

"Ashley's mom has reported that Ashley was found safe in FL. She is now back home. Thank you."

http://www.projectjason.org/forums/i...63.0;topicseen

[Roamer]

It's so nice to see a good ending to these stories.

[gibbrishclown]

did you see in the comments at the first link after the mother reported she's home?! This one guy said she needed to be grounded now. What is the general protocol when you get your baby back after something like this?! I know they have to be disciplined as a general rule, there has to be discipline, but when my dog runs away... when she comes home I can't beat her ass for running off in the first place or she'll never come home if she gets free again... Ive found too many similarities between dogs and kids not to want to ask about this one... thoughts?!