In The Iowa Department of Public Safety said they are narrowing their search efforts for the Iowa teen who was allegedly abducted on Monday, May 20.
A spokesperson from the department said on Friday, law enforcement is scaling back in their search for Kathlynn Shepard. They will be focusing their efforts on terrain that is more difficult to navigate.
Beginning Saturday, May 25, 2013, trained law enforcement searched land between the hog confinement where two young girls were taken after being abducted and where their backpacks were found on Tuesday, May 21.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dayton Police Department have offered thanks to volunteers who lent their time searching roughly 220-square-miles of land. Over 125 police, firefighters, and other emergency responders worked with almost 200 citizen volunteers to search for the missing teen.
Officials said volunteers are no longer needed at the current time and future efforts will require specialized skills and equipment.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety said river and air searches will continue.
Area residents are still encouraged to help by checking their own land, homes, and nearby buildings.
Kathlynn is 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighs 160-pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a gray t-shirt, jeans, and a Cubs cap.