Organizations like Texas EquuSearch play an important role in locating missing persons especially in cases like Maleah Davis' abduction
There are many search and rescue organizations in the US which deserve a special mention because of their tremendous work and efforts in helping the authorities locate missing persons. One such organization that has been at the forefront of the news off late is Texas EquuSearch. The organization has been working very closely with the Houston Police Department in the desperate hunt for missing toddler Maleah Davis.
EquuSearch's website talks about how they were contacted by the Houston PD on May 6, which was three days after the 4-year-old went missing after she was allegedly abducted by three Hispanic men. The organization was integral in helping the authorities reach the point in the investigation that they did but had to suspend the search due to lack of viable leads.
It has now been reported that volunteers working with the organization are still looking for the toddler in spite of the suspension with the search that came into effect on May 15. The founder of the NGO, Tim Miller, said in an interview on Tuesday, May 21, that workers with his nonprofit are still following up in multiple tips provided by the public in the search for the toddler, who went missing on May 3.
Derion Vence, the child's stepfather, claimed that Maleah was abducted by three Hispanic men but is currently still in jail on a charge of tampering after the investigators found blood that was linked to the missing child in his apartment. Miller's team of volunteers had combed through Vence's mail route in Rosharon, which is around 30 miles to the south of Houston, last week.
Miller said in the interview: "Every day we're still doing something." The founder hopes that the public will send his nonprofit and the authorities more tips about Maleah's possible whereabouts. He added: "We can only go on with what we have. We can't just shoot an arrow in the sky and wherever it comes down start a search there."
Former NYPD detective Bo Dietl spoke to MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) about the importance of organizations such as Texas EquuSearch in cases that involve missing persons. He said: "I believe that organizations like Texas EquuSearch are very important. They do great work and the volunteers should be commended for their efforts. My understanding is that groups like this direct their efforts to conduct organized searches, especially in rural and undeveloped areas so law enforcement can focus on their investigation."
Dietl told us that every bit of help matters in an investigation, especially when time plays a major role. This holds true particularly in cases that involve missing children who are particularly vulnerable.
The former detective told us that "it is crucial, however, to make sure that these organizations use volunteers that are trained properly and are working in collaboration with the police and not against any directives that police are giving".
High-pressure situations such as these can cause even the most highly trained veterans to lose their head if they let the stress get to them. Dietl shared what it takes to keep calm in these circumstances and do the job to the best of your ability.
He added: "I have dealt with high profile cases in the past and know firsthand that kind of pressure – when you’re working hard to reunite a family and at the same time trying to appease the public. It can get frustrating, especially if you feel like you’re led on a wild goose chase."
"The important thing to remember - that keeps you from getting sidelined by the frustrations - is that you’re working to save lives and to help families – I would give every case the kind of attention I’d want someone to give my family and it’s kept me grounded and focused during the frustrating moments that come up in an investigation."
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