The search continues for a Northern Kentucky missing teen and it's taken on a new dimension. Friends of 17-year-old Paige Johnson are rapidly spreading the word online through social media.
Her image and description are continuously being posted and re-posted on Facebook. And officials are getting in on the act. Local 12's Joe Webb has been following the story.
Paige Johnson was last seen three weeks Thursday. The good news, is by now the entire community is aware she's disappeared. They know what she looks like and who to call if they have any information.
On the streets of Covington where Paige Johnson may have disappeared, her image is posted everywhere. Stop anyone on the street and they know the facts... her age, size and physical description. On
Facebook, groups are now dedicated to spreading the word. The flier is posted and re-posted hundreds of times. Social Media consultant Krista Neher says she's never seen Facebook used to help find someone but thinks it's a brilliant use of the media. “Actually more people check facebook every day than listen to the radio or read a newspaper. So if you think about it, it's the milk carton for today. Why did missing people go on a milk carton? Because the milk carton was in everyone's home.”
A posting on Facebook also comes from a friend, lending authenticity and urgency that a flier on a pole may not. Prosecutor Rob Sanders is using the same media to spread the word about Johnson. He says cases like this often are broken when an innocent person overhears a conversation or stumbles into something. “If somebody that stumbles across that information happens to have seen the poster come across their Facebook page or Twitter account they'll know they're talking about this missing girl and we need to call police. And that's what we're hoping happens. “
Sanders says they are also monitoring Facebook to see if Paige logs in. She was an avid user and her last known contact was a message sent on Facebook. “There was, close in time to when Paige went missing there was a message left on a Facebook page. I don't know that that person got a chance to return that message.” That last message was essentially, “Call me, it's important.”
Police are not sure if she was in trouble and aren't speculating. The prosecutors office has subpoenaed phone and internet records of the last few people to interact with Paige Johnson. They are gathering information but have not opened a criminal case.
If you have any information about Paige Johnson, there are two number you can call. Contact Covington Police at 859-292-2222. You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
October 11th story filed by Joe Webb about Paige's disappearanceA Northern Kentucky family is expanding the search for a missing loved one. 17-year-old Paige Johnson of Florence disappeared on September 23rd, but her family is holding out hope they will find her. But Covington Police say some sources of information are drying up.
Local 12's Joe Webb has been following the story.
Paige Johnson was reportedly last seen at 15th and Scott in Covington... dropped off by a friend. Now that friend and Paige Johnson's boyfriend have hired attorneys and are being as helpful as they were at first. Every street corner in Covington seems to have a flier asking for help finding Paige Johnson. They're starting to pop up all over... even in Cincinnati.
Donna Johnson, Paige Johnson's Mother: "We put them in Florence, Newport, Ludlow, we're even going to put some in Walton. We're trying to put them anywhere they might have seen her."
Johnson has been missing 18 days. The fliers have given police some tips, but nothing specific about her whereabouts.
Lt. Col. Spike Jones, Covington Police: "DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING FULL COOPERATION FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S GONE ON WITH HER? Well we have received a lot of cooperation from some folks. As you know one individual has obtained and attorney...did obtain an attorney."
That was the last person known to have seen Paige Johnson, reportedly here at 15th and Scott in Covington.
"That's supposedly. We don't even know if she made it to 15th and Scott. That's just the friend who gave her a ride and said he dropped her off. But we don't know."
Jenny Roderick, Paige Johnson's Grandmother: "We don't know they're getting lawyers. We don't understand why they're getting lawyers. {DONNA} We're kind of curious ourselves why they did get lawyers. That scares us, too. We don't know."
Police are still handling this as a missing persons case. There is no criminal investigation.
"We're very confident we'll locate Paige."
Paige Johnson has a two-year-old daughter. The baby is with the father's family. Police say he is not suspected of any involvement with her disappearance.
Paige Johnson is 5'1'' tall....110 pounds with light brown hair with highlights. She has pierced ears... and a pierced tongue and navel.
Family-friends and even strangers are using Facebook to help find Paige Johnson. Dozens of people have posted the flier about the missing girl on their pages and there is a group now dedicated to finding Paige.
If you see Paige or know where she is, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The number is 1-800-843-5678. Or 1-800-THE-LOST.
