Volunteers aid in search for missing Manassas teen

Keith Walker

Prince William County police late Thursday were still searching for a severely disabled girl who went missing Wednesday, and they got help from a multitude of sources.

Some of the help came from the Shenandoah Mountain Rescue Group, which sent three team members to aid in the search for 13-year-old Alexis Glover, who was last seen Central Library 8601 Mathis Ave., in Manassas about noon on Wednesday.

The girl suffers sickle cell anemia and has profound developmental disabilities, her mother said. Police fear for her health and safety.

Several possible clues have been found in the Manassas Park area.

The Vienna-based rescue group went out to map the coordinates of a track that might match Alexis’ shoe and of the area of a possible sighting early Thursday morning, said Keith Crabtree, the group’s field team leader.

“What we need to do for the incident command post is get exact GPS coordinates of those locations, so that we can take that information back and they can accurately record it on the map,” Crabtree said.

The coordinates might help in the search, Crabtree said.

“Ultimately the goal will be to determine if there is any kind of pattern between the locations of those clues and locations of any other clues that get found throughout the search,” Crabtree said.

The possible sighting occurred in an empty field at Maplewood Drive and Shoppers Square.

The shoe print was found at Lapaz Court off Euclid Avenue, Crabtree said.

A third clue, at Woodhue Court off Manassas Drive, was discovered by Prince William Sheriff’s deputy John Zampino, who found Alexis’ “Project Rescue” bracelet on Wednesday. The program offers monitoring via radio bracelets for those at risk of running or wandering away.

Prince William police say Alexis is developmentally disabled and has medical issues.

She was last seen wearing wearing blue jeans, a green and beige sweater and white tennis shoes.

Police said that Alexis, who is a 5-foot 3-inch, 85-pound black girl, will probably be hiding from police. 

Officers on Thursday were going door-to-door and asked residents to check around their homes, including in sheds and dog houses or any place a small child could hide, said Prince William police 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn.

Anyone who sees the girl is asked to call police at 703-792-6500.

Manassas Bureau Chief Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.