The search continues for a 12-year-old Indiana girl who disappeared last week and was last seen in the Middlebury area.
According to police, Aleeyah Cockburn was last seen at 9:54 p.m. on February 10, wearing a black beanie (with a donut image on the front), blue jeans, black boots, a black sweatshirt, and a gray and pink jacket.
Deputies were called to the 53000 block of State Road after initial reports indicated that Aleeyah reportedly left her home without consent. Police say the child is in extreme danger but haven’t yet provided additional details.
Police initially said she may have run away, but her family said she had no reason to leave and loved her home and animals, ABC 57 reports.
“She was wearing muck boots because she loved her horses.. she’s a very friendly girl…. Sometimes quieter than normal, but she’s a good kid with a good heart……please help us bring her home” Aleeyah’s legal guardian, Virginia Cockburn, said.
Search continues for 12-year-old Aleeyah Cockburn.
Today marks 1 week since she was last seen in Middlebury, #Indiana.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Elkhart County Sherriff's Department at 574-533-4151. https://t.co/PFG8RN9MGb
— National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (@MissingKids) February 17, 2023
Aleeyah’s birth mother, Patricia Goodison, has also joined in the search and told ABC 57 that she wasn’t informed that Aleeyah disappeared until days later, on Sunday.
“Ever since I found out, I’ve tried to do as much searching as I possibly can, I’ve reached out to as many people as I possibly can, and I’ve been out here looking nonstop for her, and I’m not going to stop until she’s found and brought home,” Goodsin said.
Goodsin added that her boyfriend, Gabe Elswick, is assisting with organizing searches through a Facebook group created to raise awareness about Aleeyah’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, a community search has reportedly been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11 a.m., at the Yup’s Ice Cream parking lot, which is near the area where Aleeyah was last seen.
Aleeyah is described as a white female who stands 4 feet-11-inches tall and weighs 80 pounds. She has green eyes and wears glasses.
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[Feature Photo: Police Handout]
