FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine – Gray skies reflected the mood in town as the search continued Tuesday for Alexandria Lynn Winship-Wright, a three-year-old reported missing from her home on April 25.
According to the Maine Warden Service, the mother reported her daughter missing around noon on Wednesday.
“The mother of the missing girl (Mandy Wright, 21) stated that she had left the toddler in a room unattended for a moment around noontime, and when she got back to the room where the toddler was left, a sliding glass door was open, leading to the river. She (the mother) immediately called 9-1-1,” said Mark Latti, spokesperson for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Reports have varied on when the girl actually disappeared but all indicate it was sometime between 11 a.m. and noon on April 25. The mother indicated that she had gone to the bathroom. When she came out, Alexandria was missing. She reportedly searched the apartment, then bundled up her one-year-old before continuing to search for her three-year-old outside. It’s not clear when during the search she placed a call for help.
Alexandria was last seen wearing a light blue shirt and blue jeans. Alexandria has blond hair, blue eyes, has her ears pierced and also responds to the name ‘Allie.’ She reportedly weighs around 29 pounds.
The search for the missing toddler began moments after she was reported missing. The Fort Fairfield Police Department was quick to respond and has been working around the clock with other agencies and volunteers to locate the child.
By 2 p.m. on April 25, there were two Warden Service float planes in the air, as well as a helicopter from the Border Patrol. On the ground, wardens were joined by members of the Maine Forest Service, the Presque Isle Police Department, State Police, Fort Fairfield Police Department, Limestone Police Department, rescue personnel from the Limestone and Fort Fairfield fire departments, Border Patrol and several volunteers. Members of the Maine Warden Service and Maine Marine Patrol joined the search by boat on the Aroostook River.
“Searchers are continuing to concentrate on a two-mile stretch of the river in Fort Fairfield, east to the Canadian border. On April 25, searchers found a boot that was identified as belonging to Alexandria,” said Latti.
Hunter, the Presque Isle Police Department’s tracking K-9, and his handler, Officer Kevin Schumacher, responded to the scene. Upon beginning the track, Hunter picked up Alexandria’s scent trail. Heading upstream along an ATV trail, the dog continued to toward the Route 1A bridge. As the dog headed under the bridge, a boot print was spotted on the trail. At that point, Hunter turned and headed into the water twice. It was shortly after the boot was found.
That boot, pink in color, was found approximately 500 feet down river from the apartment, according to Latti. It was identified by the mother as belonging to Alexandria. A second boot was found in an eddy about a mile downstream from the first.
Divers from the Maine State Police, Warden Service and Maine Marine Patrol took to the water in attempt to locate the girl, whom authorities believe may have fallen in the fast-moving water.
Canadians have also joined the search for the missing girl.
“The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are searching areas of the river on the Canadian side,” said Latti.
On Wednesday when the girl was reported missing, the river was up considerably due to seasonal melting of snow and ice. The fast-moving water made for muddy conditions, causing poor visibility for divers.
“The divers had to go inch by inch, crawling along the bottom of the river. Visibility was mere inches,” said Sgt. Tom Ward, of the Maine Warden Service.
On Thursday, divers returned to the area the boots were found to continue the search.
“Maine Warden Service divers, along with divers from the Maine Marine Patrol and Maine State Police, searched sections of the river. Divers concentrated on two eddies in the river where Alexandria’s boots were discovered on Wednesday. One was discovered about 500 yards from her home, the other nearly a mile downstream,” said Latti.
Divers returned to the river again on Friday, as searchers on the ground focused along the banks of the rive, while boats and aircraft searched the main stem and the banks, according to Latti.
Conditions for divers remained difficult, with the river flooded and water flowing at 40,000 cubic feet per second, said Ward. The water’s temperature was reported to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit, with ice and debris floating downriver.
Friday also saw authorities visiting the home of the missing girl to remove her one-year-old sister. An older sister, age 5, had been removed from the home earlier that same week after the biological father gained custody. The three girls did not share the same father. The one-year-old’s father was reported to be Josh Paradis, of Fort Fairfield. Lee Winship, of Presque Isle, was reported as Alexandria’s father.
Attempts to contact the Department of Health and Human Services for comment were unsuccessful at press time. Reports do indicate, however, that the department does not remove children unless there is concern about the child’s safety and wellbeing.
Teams scoured the area throughout the weekend and continued to look for the girl early this week. Efforts will continue, according to one volunteer, until Alexandria is found.
“I’ve been traveling over from Caribou with other volunteers, spending countless hours walking along the river, hoping to find some clue – something to tell us where she is,” said the volunteer, who said her name wasn’t important, that what was important was finding the missing three-year-old.
The volunteer said she and others have traversed the riverbank, from the bridge all the way to the gates at the Canadian end, hoping to find something that will help find Alexandria. It’s that hope that keeps them going.
“I’ve heard some people talking about it being too late, that she’s gone. But you can’t think that way. We have to hope she’s still alive, that someone has taken her for whatever reason and will return her,” said the woman volunteer.
To that end, she and others will continue to scour the area, as time allows from their daily schedules, in hope of finding the little girl. She indicated that while a number of volunteers have put in time helping with the search, more volunteers are needed.
“We can use all the help we can get. The more volunteers out there looking, the more likelihood she’ll be found,” said the volunteer.
She indicated that more boats and kayaks could be of use too.
“We’ve had more interest from away than we’ve had locally. We could use more boats checking the river,” said the volunteer.
Dive teams suspended their search on Friday evening, due to murky water conditions. Authorities continued the search over the weekend and into the beginning of the week.
“There’s been no change from Sunday until now. The water has come down since Wednesday some, but Tinker Dam still shows a flow of 40,000 cubic feet per second,” said Ward during a phone interview on Tuesday. “We have three boats in the water, as well as six wardens today. And the Fort Fairfield Police Department has put kayaks on the water.”
Ward said wardens will continue to go over every morning to do some river work and flights will be scheduled, weather permitting.
“We’ll fly when conditions are flyable. But that’s where we’re at. We’ll keep doing what we can until something happens,” said Ward.
Ward indicated North Star Search and Rescue has had a team on the ground for several days now as well.
“Until the river clears up, that’s about all we can do,” said Ward.
Ward is hoping weather conditions improve and the water goes down more in coming days.
“It’s (the search) has gone pretty well. This weekend, if it (the water level) drops, we may have more people on the ground to recheck the area,” said Ward. “The good thing so far, as the water goes down, the south side of the river near the old rail bed – there’s a walking trail and we’ve been able to walk that.”
Local authorities are being praised for their efforts in the search.
“The local police and Chief Joe Bubar have been searching day and night. I see them out there constantly. They have been very helpful, answering our questions and have been giving it (the search) their all,” said the woman volunteer.
Ward indicated the community has also been very supportive. Mike and Maude’s, a local eatery, has served as a makeshift gathering site for searchers to get a hot meal and get warmed up.
“Folks in the community can do their part by making it a point to keep an eye out. If they find anything, they can report it to our headquarters in Ashland at 435-3231 or by calling the Maine State Police at 800-924-2261,” said Ward.
Posters and flyers have been distributed in various communities, including a picture and description of Alexandria. Information has also been listed with The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com. Anyone having information should contact the center at the Web address or by calling 800-843-5678. The Fort Fairfield Police Department can be reached at 472-3808.
