Barron County Girl, Missing Since October, Found in Northern Wisconsin
Jayme Close, the 13-year-old Barron County girl who was missing since October, has been found alive.
The Barron County Sheriff's Dept. posted the news to Facebook at around 8 p.m. Thursday.
Closs was found in Douglas County and a suspect was taken into custody, according to the post.
Closs had been missing since her parents were found shot and killed in their home on Oct. 15, 2018.
"We want to thank the Douglas Co. Sheriff’s Department and agencies assisting them tonight," Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald wrote in the post. "We also want to thank all the Law Enforcement agencies across the state and county that have assisted us in this case. We also could not have endured this case without the support of the public and I want to thank them for all the support and help."
The investigation of the killings and apparent abduction drew in members of the FBI and hundred of civilian volunteers who showed up to help search the area surrounding the Closs home.
The Barron County Sheriff's Department is planning to release more details about Closs' discovery Friday morning and isn't currently responding to questions.
Closs will be reunited with family members Thursday night, according to the post, which also asked that their privacy be respected.
Assemblyman Romaine Quinn, R-Barron, said Closs' disappearance affected the entire community.
"It's pretty incredible. There were so many questions going through everyone's mind, whether you'd see her again or whether we'd find out who did it and just so many unanswered questions. I think it's a huge relief for her family and the entire community," he said. "So the amount of time we all volunteered to search to find her, to the businesses that were helping feed all those federal agents that were here … the whole community was definitely involved. So, it's a big day for everybody."
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