by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Parents, relatives and police renew their vigilance to ‘bring the children home’
Ceremonies throughout Florida recognize Missing Children’s Day
The 10th anniversary of Florida’s “Missing Children’s Day” was recognized throughout the state Monday including ceremonies in Tallahassee attended by Gov. Charlie Crist and locally at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Police Memorial Building.
Florida Statute 683.2 set the first missing children’s day for Sept. 13, 1999. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the missing children throughout Florida and educate the public on child safety and abduction prevention.
Among the missing from North Florida include Haleigh Cummings, who recently disappeared from nearby Putnam County, who was depicted on a banner near the podium at the ceremony in Jacksonville.
Duval County boys Bryan Hayes and Mark Degner are also missing. They disappeared from Paxon Middle School in February 2005.
“As of today there are more than 300 children missing in our State,” said Ann Dugger, executive director of the Justice Coalition. “We are gathered here today to remember our children on the First Coast who are still missing. Please help us bring these children home.”
Hayes and Degner were 12 when they disappeared and are 17 now.
“I have to remind myself that they are not the 12-year-old boys that I remember anymore,” said Angie Campbell, Degner’s aunt.
Two new, age-enhanced portraits of the boys that were created by the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children were unveiled at the ceremony.
“It’s our hope that these age-enhanced photos will lead to calls that will help us find these children,” said Det. Rodney McKean, lead investigator on the disappearance of Hayes and Degner.
Investigators searching for Hayes and Degner admit that their toughest battle is against the clock. McKean and Sgt. Ronnie Booker are a part of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit and they took over the investigation from Missing Persons in 2006.
“The regular missing persons division has such a high volume of cases, we can focus more resources on cases,” said McKean.
Those resources get energized when news of other missing persons emerge.
“When we hear about stories like the girl found in California after 18 years, that energizes us,” said Booker. “It gives us hope.”
Anyone having information should contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-the-lost) or the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 904-630-0500.
356-2466