10/29/10, 6:00 PM. large manhunt ongoing in Garland, ME

There is a large manhunt going on in Garland as we speak. Actually it has been going on since around 3:00 PM or so.

A young couple from Mass with two children came in during the summer of 2009 and homesteaded about a mile and a half down the road from us, in a place where there are no powerlines. Looked like a pretty hard case effort every time I went by it. There was a woodstove in the cellar with pipe coming out a hole and running about 4 ft up, this on a two story building. They seemed to be working on it, and we mind our business and didn't give it much thought.

Last Friday a neighbor showed up at our house with a 16 month old girl, the daughter of these folks.There is a boy of about 11. We were told that the father had left, the woman had no water, no heat and little food and had gone off to find god knows what leaving the child with the neighbor. She was filthy so my wife brought her into our house and gave her a bath, dressing her in a new set of PJ's we had bought for a grandaughter. The little one was just a little angel after. We though a lot about the life she was in. Shakes one up pretty good.

Earlier this week a friend talked me, and my youngest son into going down there and getting a 300 pound sow pig and moving it up to his house. The pig was loose and it took us two hrs to get her into a crate and on the tractor to move. Walking around the door yard all I could do is shake my head. In addition to the garbage all over the stove pipe now has been rigged to the roof, running all the way up about 1 ft away from very dry pine siding which was stained from the heat it had already been exposed to.

I was told there was a state hearing to be held yesterday at which the woman might lose the children. Well it went that way. The State agency people came this morning to get the children. The boy rode the bus with my son this morning but was not on it tonight. They must have taken him from school. When they went to the house, around 1 or 2 the woman and 16 month old girl was gone. It is believed that they are likely in the woods between their house and ours. A state police helicopter was here until dark. Several K-9 units were hear earlier. We thouht the dogs surely would pick her up pretty easy as she left from the house area, but no luck. They are considering at least some chance she may have left by car but that is no means certain. By dark they had mostly gathered in front of the house. We went down and told them what we knew of the situation and the terrain in there which is extremely wet and swampy and almost impassible to one who does not know how to get across it. One of the deputies told us she had a 4 hr head start and it was possible that she may have gotten a ride with someone and left the area. They asked us if we had seen her or the car, which we hadn't, and no one else has either. So they have to assume that she and the baby may well still be in the woods. We stayed out behind the house til near dark when the chopper gave up. We went down by and more and more units are showing up and gathering beside the road. Me Forest service personnel, several deputies and several troopers, wardens and others are showing up. We have listened to the scanner a bit and heard even more units check in at the scene since we last were down at the house. It appears that they have called in more help and are preparing to mount a search in the darkness. Boy that is tough terrain to be in in the night in my book. I hope no harm comes to the searchers as one can fall into a hole or something real easy in the dark.

It is a very raw and chilly night. We had most everything on we could grab just to be outback. It is hard to imagine what it must be for a 16 month old, probably very lightly dressed, out in this. The woman is supposed to surrender the child. We just hope they find them before it is too late. It is the kind of night that a person, very likely wet, could go into hypothermia real quick.

I looked at this young child in my kitchen, after my wife bathed her and dressed her the other day and she was just the sweetest little thing you ever saw. And I pondered for a long time afterward just how in the world could such a sweet little angel be brought into hell on this earth like that.

There must be justice someplace.

We are praying that they find them alive and well, at least the child.

WC