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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMissing Children Center • AISSINC Ct1111LDEEN CENTE2, NC. 164 Elfghaw 454 wavr Sp'v.ga FL3ZA8 ECEQTIlVE DIRECTOR. KAN TH MPSON aan327-4403 WHY AND BOW THE M5S CQi0DRe1 CENTER Ut WrSECRf+t®. Vl10EYSS7097 This true story can best be felt and understood if, while you are listening/reading. you imagine your most precious loved one in Vickey's place: Vickey Wills, age 14, did not come home from school on April 25, 1983. Her parents had checked all avenues, such as friends and school officials, before reporting Vickey's disappearance to the Sheriffs Department. When taking the report, the deputy asked the following questions: Had Vickey taken any clothing or money? Had there been any arguments? Did she have any reason to leave home? Had she left a note? The answers to these questions were negative. Although Vickey's family did not believe she had run away, the deputy suggested that she probably had and advised them to put this in their statment. Following the advise of the "expert", they did so. Thereafter, Vickey was to be labeled a runaway juvenile who could not be picked up by authorities unless she had committed a crime. "Children have rights too", her family was told. The attitude of the Sheriffs Deparmtent was that there was nothing anyone could do. Runaway juveniles were an everyday occurrence and not to be taken very seriously. When Vickey's family called them with leads, few were ever completely followed up on. During the months that followed Vickey's disappearance, her family continually searched for her. Day after day, night after night, they went out looking for Vickey. They had posters made and distributed them everywhere. Family members watched locations and people for days at a time. They followed people, sat under trees watching places, followed up on every possible hunch or idea that came to them. In all, they traveled 3,000 miles following possible leads. They even went to psychics in hopes of finding Vickey. One month went by, two months, three months, four months, five months, six months; ...her family never gave up hope. Would you? They prayed that Vickey was a runaway. Each time they read or heard that an unidentified homicide victim or accident victim had been found, the family called to see if it could be Vickey. On October 18, 1983, the skeletal remains of a teen- age victim were found in Bithlo. On November 27, 1983 at the family's request a meeting was held with the Sheriff and his detective staff. On November 28, 1983, the skeletal remains were 97% positively identified as Vickey. All they had to go on were her dental records from age 5. As of this date, the cause of death or actual time of death has not been determined. Vickey's family is no closer today to knowing what actually happened in the last hours than they were the day she disappeared. I am a member of Vickey's family. She was my niece. She is the reason our organization exists. I am Joan Thompson, Executive director of the Missing Children Center, Inc. and one of the founders. I know the pain and despair that happens when your child is missing and I can help. Today, the spirit of Vickey Wills lives on through the services provided to her community by the Missing Children Center, Inc.