Authorities Step Up Efforts To Find Missing 12-Year-Old Girl In Southern N.J.
CLAYTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The FBI and hundreds of volunteers are searching towns in southern New Jersey for a girl who disappeared over the weekend.
Autumn Pasquale hasn't been seen since Saturday afternoon, when she was riding her bike near a park.
The search for Pasquale, of Clayton, continued Monday with an increased law enforcement presence, including more bloodhounds that focused a lot of attention on Sunset Street in Franklin Township behind Gleason's Bar.
At first, the hounds smelled what was believed to be Pasquale's pillow case. A state police helicopter has also been searching over neighborhoods and over the lake at Scotland Run Park. There was an unconfirmed sighting of Pasquale on her white BMX Odyssey bike on Academy Street near the park on Saturday.
Hundreds of community volunteers got instructions at the police station Monday to head out in teams on foot and ATVs.
Missing posters were posted and handed out at intersections.
"I can only imagine what her parents and the rest of her family are thinking right now. I have kids," one person said.
"There is $10,000 for any information leading to finding Autumn," said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton.
Pasquale's parents, Jenn Cornwell and Tony Pasquale, did not comment as Dalton updated the investigation Monday afternoon.
"On Saturday Autumn was heard from at approximately 12:30 p.m. at her residence on High Street in Clayton. From there, she was last heard from through a text message at approximately 2:27 p.m. from her cellphone," Dalton said.
Dalton said 75 interviews of family and friends were conducted. More than 20 law enforcement agencies are taking part in the search.
"We've had our electronic Cyber Crimes Units involved with respect to any online chatter with respect to her disappearance," Dalton said.
Investigators reportedly have interviewed registered sex offenders in the area, and searched near their homes.
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