Help Find a Missing 3-year old from North Dakota named Reachelle Marie Smith-Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
The eRumor says there is an Amber Alert for missing 3-year old Reachelle Marie Smith of Minot, North Dakota. It says she is believed to be in the company of a man named Leigh Cowen, a 22-year old who lived with Reachelle’s aunt. The aunt also had custody of Reachelle.
The Truth:
According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, this Amber Alert is real. The latest update, however, is that the 22-year old, Leigh Cowen, and the missing van are no longer a part of the Amber Alert. Police say Cowen committed suicide and there is no trace of Reachelle. The search for her is continuing, but police say the hope of finding her alive is fading.
According to Minot police, Reachelle was last seen alive on May 16, 2006. She lived with her aunt, who also had legal custody of her. The suspect, Leigh Cowan, also lived with the aunt and the little girl. Cowan had claimed to have taken Reachelle to his mother’s but when the aunt’s van disappeared and Leigh Cowan disappeared, the aunt notified police. Reachelle was reported missing on May 22 and when authorities learned that Cowen’s mother did not have Reachelle, an Amber Alert was issued. The next day, Cowen’s body was found in a van in a wildlife refuge northwest of Minot. Police say there was a hose running from the exhaust to inside of the van and that Cowan’s death has been ruled a suicide. Even though he was not related to Reachelle, Cowen had told others, including his mother, that Reachelle was his daughter.
Authorities have conducted widespread searches around the Minot area looking for Reachelle. Cowan is considered the only suspect in her disappearance.
.Updated 6-30-06