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Hailey's Mom Back Home After Speaking With Investigators

By: Austin Kellerman
Updated: January 8, 2011
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Colorado City, TX—   The mother of missing 13-year-old Hailey Dunn returned to her Colorado City home late Friday evening after reportedly giving a statement to investigators.

KTAB cameras were rolling as Billie Dunn left her home to visit with Texas Rangers shortly before 6 p.m.

Dunn told KTAB's Tiffany Tatro she gave authorities another statement and was given the option to speak with a grief counseler.

Billie Dunn was joined by Hailey's father Clint Dunn outside the home after she returned. Both declined to do on-camera interviews. The couple did, however, wish to express frustration about not being kept in the loop regarding the investigation.

When asked whether they had anything they wanted to say to the public, Hailey's father spoke out.

"Don't forget, just please don't forget (about Hailey) until we bring her home," Clint Dunn said.

Earlier in the evening, authorities took away one of Billie Dunn's vehicles as well as an X-Box from the home. Law enforcement told Tatro they were looking for any clues regarding Hailey's disappearance. The vehicle is expected to be taken to professionals to be inspected.

Late Friday, Colorado City City Manager Pete Kampfer confirmed authorities were looking at two items discovered in a stream near the home of one of Shawn Adkins' relatives. Adkins is the boyfriend of Billie Dunn.

Kampfer said someone located oil field glasses as well as a knife sheath. At this point, authorities have no reason to believe they're connected to the case. However, they plan to follow all leads.

Earlier in the day, investigators in plain clothes went go door-to-door asking residents of Colorado City for any information they might have on Dunn, who was been missing since Dec. 27 from the small town of 4,000, located halfway between Abilene and Midland.

Hailey was last seen on a Monday afternoon, having told her mother's boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, that she was going to spend the night with a friend.  She was reported missing 24 hours later.

Hundreds of volunteers have again hit the streets and woods across Mitchell County to look for any signs of the missing Colorado City Middle School student.  An organized search started at 2 p.m. Friday at the Mitchell County courthouse. Various groups have planned other searches, with many of those searches being organized on Facebook.

Abilene's Child Abduction Unit joined the investigation today, putting the number of assisting agencies at 10.

"It's not feeling good," Billie Dunn said of the chances of a happy ending.

Officials continue to tell bigcountryhomepage.com they're following "substantial leads" and the search is intensifying.

"Our leads are primarily around corroboration and information from the different people that they've interviewed and talked to," said City Manager Pete Kampfer during in interview with Lane Stone. "We're corroborating all the different information and data that they've provided."

DPS helicopters are on standby in case they're needed to flying over Colorado City for a second day. On Thursday, a chopper flew over town landing at one point. City officials tell us the landing was nothing out of the ordinary and no discoveries were made during the landing. 

At this time, there is no way to measure how much money the search and investigation is costing, DPS spokesperson Sparky Dean said.

Part of the investigation over the next few days is expected to center around sex offenders who live around the Dunn home.  Colorado City City Manager Pete Kampfer says the city is aggressively tracking sex offenders to make sure they know where they're located at all times.

"We're also following up on information that they've provided us to make sure they are where they say there are," said Kampfer. 

"It's not safe (here) and this makes everybody realize it," Hailey's father, Clint Dunn, said.

Students have returned to Colorado City Middle School with additional counselors on hand to talk to students about what happened.

"We are trying to give our kids a sense of normalcy so we can give the kids a little security," Tammy Johnson, one of Hailey's teachers said.

Officials now say the information that leads to Hailey's safe return is $15,000. They previously estimated much higher at $25,000.


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