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Neighbors React To Child’s Disappearance
11/02/09 - 06:29 PM
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Shannon Dedrick of Chipley was reported missing Saturday morning around 11:30.  A missing child alert was put out by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last night (Sunday).

At a news conference this afternoon Sheriff Bobby Haddock said he could give the name of possible suspect at this time.

We did learn that the last time Shannon was seen was in her parents’ bedroom before they went to sleep.  And while authorities aren’t saying much right now… neighbors who who helped search for Shannon are talking about her disappearance.

“I just hope the baby’s alive, really,” says Tanya Wilt, a neighbor.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says Shannon disappeared sometime between 3:00 a-m and 11:00 a-m Saturday morning.  Most residents didn’t see anything suspicious, but one neighbor mentions seeing a van pull into the driveway.

It wasn’t until later that morning that they knew something was wrong when Shannon’s mother… who they say normally keeps to herself… came to their doors.  Wilt says that “she come and knocked on our door at around 11 or 11:15 in the morning and she said ‘did y’all hear anybody pull up in our driveway?’ and I said ‘no, why’ and she said ‘cause my baby’s gone’ and I’m like ‘what do you mean your baby’s gone?’!”

Neighbors then helped Shannon’s mother search their mobile home. And after the search they called to report seven-month-old Shannon missing.  According to Wilt “We walked over the three of us together and I’m like ‘are you sure your baby’s gone’ cause the house…it could have been in there somewhere. And we walked through and there was no baby.”

Neighbors say a short time after the report was filed the driveway was packed with police cars.

Officers with the FDLE, Gulf, Franklin, Bay and Holmes County Sheriff’s Offices are assisting in the case as well as deputies with the Graceville and Chipley Police Departments.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is following up on the many tips they are receiving about the case.

If you have any information contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at .