Attention On Hailey Dunn Case Slowing, One Month Later
By: Austin Kellerman
Updated: January 27, 2011
Last week, authorities began talking about regional and national law enforcement agencies leaving the area and the investigation being handled primarily by the Colorado City Police Department and Mitchell County Sheriff's Office.
"There will be times people will have to be devoted to other things," said Mitchell County Sheriff Patrick Toombs. "Just like anything else, crime does not stop. So, we have to move people around to other areas. But, there's always going to be someone who is working on this case."
The town, which was once flooded with media and search volunteers, now looks much more like it did on December 26, the day before Hailey's disappearance.
Though volunteers continue their efforts to find Hailey, there aren't nearly as many as their once were.
At one point, reporters from Lubbock, Midland, San Angelo, Abilene, and CNN, were covering the story on a daily basis. Now, only crews from Abilene are making the trip.
Comments once constantly flooded the "Find Hailey Dunn" Facebook page. While people are still leaving notes and messages, there aren't nearly as many as there were two or three weeks ago.
For the first time in more than three weeks, the most popular story on bigcountryhomepage.com Wednesday was not about the Dunn case. Instead, readers were more interested in the alleged teacher-student relationship at Abilene's Cooper High school.
During a special edition of KTAB News at 5 marking four weeks since Hailey's disappearance, Hailey's mother Billie Dunn urged people not to forget her little girl was still missing.
"All it takes is one person to see her face up there, call in, and bring Hailey home," said Dunn.
Billie Dunn also spoke directly to her daughter in case she was able to see the broadcast.
"I miss you so terribly much, Hailey," said Dunn. "I can't tell you how much I miss you. I want you home so bad. I would like to think that you're out there and you're able to come home whenever you get ready."
Hailey was last seen by her mother's boyfriend, Shawn Adkins, on Monday, December 27 at their home on Chestnut Street in Colorado City. Adkins is the only person to be named as a suspect in her disappearance.
Colorado City's City Manager Pete Kampfer has told KTAB News law enforcement needs to find strong physical evidence or a body to make an arrest in the case. Kampfer continues to say there are still several persons of interest.
Officials now say the information that leads to Hailey's safe return is $15,000.
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