Randolph, Vermont - June 28, 2008
Another day of searching on Saturday, and still no sign of missing 12-year-old, Brooke Bennett. Brooke's family is holding out hope that their daughter will be found safe and alive, but the rumors around town are making the search difficult to bear.
Missing poster signs hang in the windows of storefronts in downtown Randolph, where Brooke Bennett was last seen on Wednesday morning. On many, people have added the words, 'still missing.' That's because there have been rumors that the young girl was found dead yesterday in Sunset Lake in Brookfield.
"There was an issue yesterday in South Royalton that they were taking posters down," said Brooke's father, Jim Bennett. "She wasn't found dead. The rumors aren't true."
The rumor wasn't just spread by word of mouth. On the social networking Web site, Facebook, people were writing on a special "Find Brook(e) Bennett" page that the 12-year-old was dead.
Companies from across the northeast are helping Brooke's family with their efforts to get more posters out, especially in the South Royalton area where the others were taken down. Spaulding Printing Press, in Bethel, donated 100 missing person flyers this morning. The Molly Bish Foundation in Massachusetts, is donating more than 100 pins with Brooke's picture on them. They will be distributed throughout the Randolph area on Sunday.
As for the investigation, the Vermont State Police did not talk to the media on Saturday. In a statement, they said they are working with the FBI to analyze Brooke's computer and her clothing that was found hear Sunset Lake on Thursday morning.
"It's frustrating not knowing what's going on. There are certain aspects of the investigation that they have to keep to themselves so they don't compromise the investigation, and I understand that. But it's still frustrating," Jim Bennett said.
As for the evidence the police are reviewing, they say that process will take some time, so no new information is expected for a few days.
Matt Henson - WCAX News
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