MA MA - Caleigh Harrison, 2, Rockport, 19 April 2012

[Rhyme & Reason]

Search Terminated

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/search_terminated_for_missing.html

 

[KaylynnCouture]

I'm sad that they're ending the search, although I guess I can understand..it has been a week and LE says they haven't found a shred of evidence that she is in the ocean.

This article details out all the search methods they have used, and the fact they haven't found ANYTHING of value is shocking to me. I'm just hope Caleigh's case doesn't go cold/unsolved forever, although it is seeming that will be the case.

 

[nursebeeme]

please attack the post: not the poster

 

[Rhyme & Reason]

please attack the post: not the poster

I don't feel I was attacking the poster at all. I can't seem to post anything correctly around here. No matter what I say or how I phrase it I get in trouble. I give up!

 

[capoly]

But I don't think she DID have her eyes on them most of the time-she said that she walked away for about two minutes.
I don't know...I just would never walk that far away from two toddlers on the beach...two minutes is a long time.

Does anyone know how soon LE was called? Did mom go into the water to look for her?

My understanding is that there were two women further down on the beach. And that they heard Allison calling for Caleigh as she (Allison) was running into the water. And that they called 911 at that time. Am under the impression the women did not see the family prior to that time but can't say for sure if that is correct. It is also my understanding that Allison is a trained lifeguard and strong swimmer. Believe this is part of the reason for belief/push re abduction scenario. Seems the opinion held is when taking the time frame into consideration (re 2 mins +/- alone), the flow of current at that location (south along rocks, then north around rocks towards Cape Hedge beach), Allison's life guard training and the in-depth search by LE (which started right quick after call)..... Caleigh should have been rescued/recovered.

 

[capoly]

Recent photo of Caleigh. New flier is in process.

 

[necco]

Assuming she went into the water...

At the risk of being indelicate, how long does it take for a body to decompose enough to float? Are we past that window?

 

[dovebar]

Has there been any discussion about the possibility that the mom might have been high, intoxicated, or otherwise impaired? I'm thinking of the horrid car crash with the "soccer mom" who was downing vodka (?) and pot. It does seem increasingly unlikely about an abduction. The photos makes the idea of leaving a small child that near the water while you walked that long a distance something that only a person not thinking well would do.

Still, I took think that you'd be able to see a body bobbing a ways out while it was being swept out.

 

[capoly]

Rockport Police Chief John "Tom" McCarthy emphasized that ending the sea search does not mean ending the investigation into Caleigh's disappearance. State police and Rockport police will continue looking into what Rockport McCarthy called "any legitimate leads," he said.
"We're working hand in hand with the state police on this," said McCarthy.



http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x157473217/Search-ends-no-answers

 

[Patriots55]

Assuming she went into the water...

At the risk of being indelicate, how long does it take for a body to decompose enough to float? Are we past that window?

WATER
TEMPERATURE
DAYS TO
SURFACE
40 degrees 14-20 days
50 degrees 10-14 days
60 degrees 7-10 days
70 degrees 3-7 days
80 degrees 1-2 days


There are other variables at play such as age, body fat, if the person had just eaten, if they were drunk, etc.

 

[Lucid]

But I don't think she DID have her eyes on them most of the time-she said that she walked away for about two minutes.
I don't know...I just would never walk that far away from two toddlers on the beach...two minutes is a long time.

Does anyone know how soon LE was called? Did mom go into the water to look for her?

Oh, I would never either.

I thought I read that she kept her eyes on them the entire time - walking along the top of the wall and such - all the way up until she actually went into the yard.

It doesn't even matter at this point. I just meant to point out that I think she just made a stupid decision, possibly based on the rocks, the wind, and the fact that the kids were no strangers to the water. She probably gave a little too much credit to the toddler given her age.

 

[necco]

Thank you. I hating typing that question.

 

[capoly]

WATER
TEMPERATURE
DAYS TO
SURFACE
40 degrees 14-20 days
50 degrees 10-14 days
60 degrees 7-10 days
70 degrees 3-7 days
80 degrees 1-2 days


There are other variables at play such as age, body fat, if the person had just eaten, if they were drunk, etc.

Hopefully will word this right....read that water in the lungs/stomach was not a given. That in certain circumstances, think one was temperature of cold water, the body shuts down near immediately. So the inhaling of water is limited which, for a shot time, allows for a buoyancy not seen in 'traditional' drownings. Then it got to technical for my brain. Would you know at what temperature this might occur? And (hope this doesn't sound too dumb) if drowning when the body is horizontal is the pull of current more likely to take a person towards the bottom of ocean (can see why there would be no 'bobbing' as is seen when body is upright).

 

[necco]

capoly,
I was trying to figure out how the head to body weight ratio would make a toddler's body act differently in the water than that of an adult, so you're not the only one trying to figure out the odd physics that could be involved here.

 

[Shelby2]

Hopefully will word this right....read that water in the lungs/stomach was not a given. That in certain circumstances, think one was temperature of cold water, the body shuts down near immediately. So the inhaling of water is limited which, for a shot time, allows for a buoyancy not seen in 'traditional' drownings. Then it got to technical for my brain. Would you know at what temperature this might occur? And (hope this doesn't sound too dumb) if drowning when the body is horizontal is the pull of current more likely to take a person towards the bottom of ocean (can see why there would be no 'bobbing' as is seen when body is upright).

The other thing you have to remember is that she was in salt water. If one drowns in salt water, the salt actually causes your lungs to move fluids from the body into the lungs-like drowning in the body's own fluids. This doesn't happen in fresh water.
Also it takes a bit longer to drown in salt water than it does in fresh water.

 

[capoly]

capoly,
I was trying to figure out how the head to body weight ratio would make a toddler's body act differently in the water than that of an adult, so you're not the only one trying to figure out the odd physics that could be involved here.

Thank you, necco, appreciate the company. Do you watch The Big Bang Theory? In one episode Sheldon hires Raj as his assistant. All they do is stare at these equations on white board with the hope of seeing the missing/wrong entity. That's what I find myself doing in this case. Just staring at the website page, waiting for a revelation. It doesn't seem to be working lol.

 

[capoly]

The other thing you have to remember is that she was in salt water. If one drowns in salt water, the salt actually causes your lungs to move fluids from the body into the lungs-like drowning in the body's own fluids. This doesn't happen in fresh water.
Also it takes a bit longer to drown in salt water than it does in fresh water.

Thank you, Shelby2. That is valuable knowledge. And lends understanding to something I'd read and just couldn't 'get'.

 

[Patriots55]

capoly,
I was trying to figure out how the head to body weight ratio would make a toddler's body act differently in the water than that of an adult, so you're not the only one trying to figure out the odd physics that could be involved here.

I think I read that most drowning victims are found head down.

 

[32beatspersecond]

capoly,
I was trying to figure out how the head to body weight ratio would make a toddler's body act differently in the water than that of an adult, so you're not the only one trying to figure out the odd physics that could be involved here.

I would have thought the warm water from the inlet would have stayed on the surface as the tide receded...but that is a brackish water so maybe it drops to the bottom?
either way there were what...12 foot swells???
I have a feeling if she went in the water she was north of the bridge within seconds anyhow.
what I don't get is why even five days later the state police was still searching the shore line like she was dropped into a pond???
the prevailing currents head north so if she is due to surface it will be in the Rye / Old Orchard stretch if at all.

That is where they should be looking.

 

[amymarie]

The other thing you have to remember is that she was in salt water. If one drowns in salt water, the salt actually causes your lungs to move fluids from the body into the lungs-like drowning in the body's own fluids. This doesn't happen in fresh water.
Also it takes a bit longer to drown in salt water than it does in fresh water.

This breaks my heart. I would rather believe that she died immediately from the cold and didn't suffer. :anguish: