Lisa Irwin News Articles

October 4th 2011:
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/crime/family-keeps-watch-at-house-whereinfant-was-last-seen%2C-fbi-searches-homes-in-neighborhood
Family keeps watch at house where infant was last seen; FBI searches homes in neighborhood
Twelve hours - thats how long Capt. Steve Young with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department said an AMBER Alert can last.
At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the AMBER Alert for Lisa Irwin will expire.
The 10-month-olds family kept watch at home near 37th Street and North Lister Avenue all day long. Their faces were long with worry as they hoped police officers would return with answers.
Lisa was put to bed at 10:30 Monday night in a purple outfit with white kittens on it.
Five and a half hours later, when her father returned home from work, Lisa was discovered missing .
Police say she has blonde hair and blue eyes, weighs 30 pounds and has a bug bite under her left ear.
Neighbors couldn't believe their ears on Tuesday morning. One man explained to NBC Action News that the whole situation made him feel numb.
Donald Kluge said, These things seem to be happening a lot more often, you see it on the news. We have the AMBER Alert program, in the 50s we never had the AMBER Alert."
Other neighbors described an out of the ordinary morning with FBI agents knocking on their front doors.
Terry Asby-Shelton said, My husband said they are FBI and I thought he was kidding and I thought it was some kind of inspection or something. And I said, What's going on here? and they said it was a baby. I just about fainted."
Detectives and FBI agents searched more than a hundred homes surrounding the place where Irwin was last seen. They also scoured nearby apartments and even dumpsters. NBC Action News spotted two detectives taking away several bags of evidence from an area several blocks from the familys home.
One man in the neighborhood saw a suspicious person walking with a baby at midnight.
His wife detailed the scenario, He was carrying a baby and he kind of was pushing it against his chest and my husband kept looking at him and the gentleman kept walking."
Now, the mother regrets not acting sooner.
She said, He wanted me to call the cops and I hate that I didn't call them last night. But I didn't think anything of it just seeing somebody walking and now I wish I would have."
They reported the sighting to police Tuesday morning. Officers were not able to confirm to NBC Action news if that tip lead to any solid evidence or lead.
Neighbors were horrified this could happen so close to home.
They all shared Asby-Sheltons sentiment, I hope they find that baby alive.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/crime/Police-search-home-of-Lisa-Irwinand-carry-out-two-bags-full-of-baby-items
Police search home of Lisa Irwin and carry out two bags full of baby items
Hours after blue eyed Lisa Irwin was last seen inside her crib, investigators carried out two bags full of what looked like baby items, possibly clothes.
Officers with K9 units and mounted patrol returned to the family's home around 7 Tuesday night.
They took the two bags of evidence and then left.
Neighbors said they are shocked that almost 24 hours after the 10-month-old was last seen, they have not found her.
For the family, I know they just have to be heartbroken. I have a grandson and if that was my grandson missing, I know I'd be devastated. It gets harder esspecially with it getting dark; hope kind of dwindles, said Vickie Nichols.
But all day Tuesday, law enforcement commanded an intensive search. More than 100 police officers searched areas close to the couples home. FBI agents knocked on neighbors doors asking questions. Mounted patrol spent hours searching a wooded area a couple miles away and firefighters even joined the search.
Batallian Chief Randy Mullens explained, An area that needed to be searched required firefighters to repel the steep cliff to look through the brush. There are areas that we are trying to canvas from below and areas where you cannot see and we are repelling down those areas.
Tuesday night, as more officers continued to search the family's home, the only bags seen being carried out of the home were the two bags full of baby items.
For neighbors, they need more answers.
It's hard to believe that someone would just walk in and take a baby and leave really nothing behind with no trace," said Nichols.
She, along with law enforcement, hope someone will find something that can tell them where Lisa is.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/29381804/detail.html
Amber Alert Canceled; Search For Baby Continues; KC Police Say Lisa Irwin Last Seen In Crib Late Monday Night
Kansas City police canceled an Amber Alert Tuesday evening for a missing
10-month-old girl, although the investigation and search for her continue.
Police issued the alert for Lisa Irwin early Tuesday morning. The baby was last seen at 10:30 p.m. Monday asleep in her crib at her parents' home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
At 7 p.m., as expected, police pulled the Amber Alert, saying the system was designed to raise awareness early in an investigation to alert the public.
"Although the investigation and search for Lisa Irwin continues, an active Amber Alert is no longer necessary in this case. Lisa Irwin is still considered a missing/endangered juvenile," police Sgt. Stacey Graves said in a news release.
The case of Lisa's disappearance launched at 4 a.m. on Tuesday when her father called for help after discovering that she was missing, police said.
"We're working some angles, but there are no hard leads," police Capt. Steve Young said during an afternoon news briefing.
About 100 officers and mounted patrol units were actively investigating the case and searching a handful of areas, including near Chouteau Trafficway and Parvin Road. KMBC's Cliff Judy reported that Kansas City Fire search and rescue crews rappelled down the side of a steep drop-off at 34th Terrace and North Myrtle, looking for Irwin.
A battalion chief at the site of the search told Judy that "There's a reason we're here," but said nothing more.
Crews used chainsaws and other heavy equipment to clear debris. They called off the search along the hillside just before 5 p.m., having found
nothing.
"What makes this one different is here we are at almost 8:30 p.m. at night and we really haven't gotten anything," Young said. "As everybody knows, the longer this goes, the harder it gets to get solid information."
Kansas City, Mo., police mounted patrol and firefighters search an area near Chouteau Trafficway and Parvin Road on Tuesday afternoon for leads in the disappearance of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin.
Earlier in the day, KMBC's Peggy Breit reported that the girl's mother was taken in a unmarked police car to police headquarters for an interview. Breit reported that is routine in an investigation like this. Both parents had been interviewed at the home earlier in the morning, and police said they were both cooperative. Breit also reported that a couple of children who were in the home at the time of the abduction would be talked to by investigators, as well.
"I realize that some of these Amber Alerts involve parents or parental abductions, but we have both the parents here. So that puts us on a little higher state of alert," Graves said. Police later said they had no reason to believe that the parents were not giving them accurate information.
Throughout the morning, investigators could be seen dusting for fingerprints at the home. Initially, police officers were closely examining a window. But authorities stressed that they were looking at all possibilities.
"A window looked like it might be a point of entry, but we're trying to put all the pieces together," Young said.
He said that investigators are still holding the home as a crime scene. Vehicles driving into the neighborhood on Tuesday night were searched by
police and drivers were questioned.
"We're going to do everything we can to find this child and hopefully get her back home," Young said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/crime/neighbor-says-husband-saw-mancarrying-baby-wearing-only-a-diaper
Neighbor says husband saw man carrying baby wearing only a diaper
A woman who lives in the area where police believe a 10-month-old child was abducted said her husband saw a man carrying a baby early Tuesday morning, but didnt think anything of it.
A neighbor, who later asked NBC Action News that she not be named, said her husband was coming home around 12 a.m. Tuesday when he saw the man carrying a baby wearing only a diaper.
He seen the guy act like he was going to go into a residence, she said, but then my husband drove off so were thinking that maybe he was just doing that so that my husband would leave.
The woman said her husband saw the man walking on a street perpendicular to North Lister, where Lisa Irwin lives with her parents and brothers.
Police say Lisas father returned home from work around 4 a.m. to find the child missing and immediately started banging on neighbors doors asking if they had seen her.
Kansas City police spokeswoman Stacey Graves said she could not confirm if police were following the possible sighting as a lead.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/highway-patrollists-16-sex-offenders-living-within-one-mile-of-missing-baby%27s-home
Highway Patrol lists 16 sex offenders living within one mile of missing baby's home
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Sex Offender Registry, 16 offenders live within one mile of 37th Street and Lister Avenue where an infant was reported missing Tuesday.
Ten-month-old Lisa Irwin was last seen in her crib at approximately 10:30 p.m. Monday night at a residence in the 3600 block of North Lister in the Northland.
Police have not identified any suspects or indicated that they are looking at sex offenders in the neighborhood.
The Highway Patrol's site identifies the closest sex offender as a 56-year-old woman living within 1,000 feet of the baby's home.
The woman was convicted in 2001 of statutory rape in Nodaway County, Missouri.
The report listed three men within a mile of the home with convictions for sex crimes against children.
The men each had one conviction of statutory sodomy, promoting child pornography, or sexual misconduct with a minor.
The other convicted sex offenders on the neighborhood list targeted adult victims and were each convicted of one sex crime of forcible rape, sexual abuse, rape, sodomy, or sexual misconduct.
Two of the names were listed twice and appear to be the same convict.
October 5th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/amber-alert-issuedfor-missing-10-month-old-girl-in-kcmo#ixzz1kBBWjHov
Second day of search for Lisa Irwin begins
It's been more than 24 hours since 10-month-old Lisa Irwin was discovered missing, and still no sign of the Northland girl.
An AMBER Alert issued early Tuesday morning has been canceled, but dozens of officers searched into the night Tuesday for Lisa, who disappeared from her Kansas City home and likely was abducted by an intruder.
Lisa was last seen in her crib at approximately 10:30 p.m. Monday night at her residence in the 3600 block of North Lister in the Northland. Her parents notified police at 4 a.m. Tuesday that she was missing. According to police, that is when her father returned home from work and discovered she was missing.
Police issued an AMBER Alert a few hours later. The AMBER Alert expired around 7 p.m., but police will continue to search for the baby.
According to a news release, officers believe a suspect "entered/exited through a bedroom window." Police also say that evidence suggests the child has been abducted.
"We have both the parents here," Kansas City spokeswoman Stacey Graves said in an interview with reporters on scene. "That puts us on a little higher state of alert."
Police on scene told NBC Action News two other boys, ages 10 and 8, live at the house and were home at the time of the abduction, but both were safe and accounted for. They were sleeping in a separate bedroom.
Neighbors said they woke up to FBI agents knocking on their doors and police helicopters above their houses. They are shocked and saddened by the kidnapping of Lisa.
At a 2 p.m. news conference Tuesday, Young said the parents have been cooperative as the search spreads from the family's house to a nearby wooded area. Young also says there's no indication that some type of domestic or relationship dispute is involved.
Police said there are more than 100 law enforcement individuals and various federal agencies including the FBI and ATF are looking for the child.
The Kansas City Fire Department was training on the river Tuesday and was alerted by about the missing infant. Fire crews searched the river from Choteau Bridge and down river at least two miles.
Salvation Army volunteers are helping police as they search for Lisa. The volunteers are staffing a mobile feeding kitchen to provide meals, snacks and drinks for officers as the search continues.
Young said during a 4:30 p.m. news conference Tuesday that a few people have called with tips, but there have been no significant leads. There is no information on a suspect.
Just before 7 p.m., police presence at the North Lister Avenue home had increased significantly.
During a news conference at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Young said K9s are searching the woods and will continue for awhile through the night.
The parents of a missing 10-month-old Missouri girl issued an impassioned plea for her return Wednesday, as police said they have found little to go on in investigating her disappearance.
"We just want our baby back," Deborah Irwin, clutching a teddy bear and crying, said of her daughter Lisa. "Please bring her home. Our two other boys are waiting for her. Please, just drop her off anywhere, we don't care. Just somewhere safe where she can come home, please."
Her husband, Jeremy, urged anyone with information to call police. "Anything, even the smallest information, could help lead to her return," he said.
Lisa Irwin was last seen at about 10:30 p.m. Monday, asleep in her crib, Kansas City, Missouri, police said. Police were called to the home at about 4 a.m. Tuesday.
"It appears the suspect entered/exited through a bedroom window," authorities said in a statement. "Evidence at the scene leads police to believe the child has been abducted."
Jeremy Irwin discovered the child missing when he arrived home from work, CNN affiliate KSHB reported.
Police have said the Irwins are not considered suspects in Lisa's disappearance. Police Capt. Steve Young on Wednesday told reporters the family has been cooperative from the beginning of the investigation, but "everything is still on the table. We haven't ruled anything out."
He said investigators "really haven't developed any good, hard information that we can go forward with." Nearly 50 tips have been received through a tip hotline, he said, but not all of them have been pursued, as some of them have been vague -- a person calling to report a child seat seen in a car, for instance.
"I know everybody's hearts are in the right place, but that's not anything we can do anything with," Young said.
Police have conducted more than 300 "knock-and-talks" and searches of residences in the area, and more than 300 officers were searching for Lisa. There have been three searches of a wooded area near the family's home, he said.
"I promise you, if there's anything we think we can be doing, we've probably done it two or three times already," Young said.
An Amber Alert was issued for Lisa early Tuesday but has been canceled. "Although the investigation and search for Lisa Irwin continue, an active Amber Alert is no longer necessary in this case," police said. However, Lisa is still considered missing and endangered, according to authorities.
Lisa is described as 30 inches tall with blue eyes and blond hair, police said. She weighs between 26 and 30 pounds. She was last seen wearing purple shorts and a purple shirt with white kittens on it. She has two bottom teeth, a small bug bite under her left ear and a "beauty mark" on her right outer thigh. She currently has a cold with a cough, police said.
In a brief but emotional statement, the parents of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin pleaded for her safe return on Wednesday.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley read from a prepared statement and took no questions from the media.
"On Monday night or Tuesday morning, our daughter, Lisa, was taken from our home. We urge anyone with information as to where she is or who she's with or anything to please call the TIPS Hotline or police," Irwin said. "Anything, even the smallest bit of information, could help lead to her return. Anybody who might have her, they can drop her off at any place safe -- a fire station or hospital or church. No questions asked. We just want to have her back."
"We just want our baby back. Please, bring her home," said a tearful Deborah Bradley. "Our two other boys are waiting for her, please, just drop her off anywhere. We don't care, just somewhere safe, where she can come home, please."
Capt. Steve Young said there have been no major leads in the case. He said that while investigators are looking at every possibility, the parents have been cooperative.
"If the parents had said something that we thought led them to be suspects, we would probably be pursuing charges," he said. "Right now, they're continuing to cooperate."
Kansas City police and FBI agents continued their investigation and search for the baby. Teams brought bags of evidence out of the family home and sifted through it on Wednesday.
K-9 units again searched a wooded area near the Irwin home late Wednesday morning. Crews searched that same area the day before. Young said there was no particular lead that pointed them to that area; investigators simply wanted to search it one more time.
"The only thing we know absolutely is that there should have been a 10month-old in that house and there isn't, and we're doing everything we can to find that child," Young said.
Next-door neighbor Thelma Bagley said her dogs often bark at night, but she never heard them Monday night.
"I let my dog out between 10 p.m. and 1 (a.m.)," Bagley said. "We sleep late. That night, I heard nothing."
Lisa disappeared from her parents' home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue sometime between Monday night and early Tuesday morning. She was last seen sleeping in her crib at 10:30 p.m. Police said her father called for help at 4 a.m. after discovering that she was missing when he returned
from an overnight job.
An Amber Alert was issued a short time later, but by evening, police had canceled it, saying the alert was designed to raise awareness with the public early in the investigation. But police stressed that the search for the baby would continue.
Police spent most of Tuesday talking with the baby's parents. Investigators said the couple has been cooperative in the investigation. They were released late Tuesday night, and detectives said no new leads were developed.
"Nobody knows more about what's going on in that house than the parents do. They were cooperative with us all day yesterday and into yesterday evening, as well," Young said.
Bradley and Jeremy Irwin said Lisa's birth unified their blended family. They planned to be married next spring.
Young said the search for Lisa would continue, although it would be scaled back somewhat. Young said 30 to 40 investigators remained at the command post and another 50 investigators were available to help follow up leads.
"I know our detectives are probably frustrated. Time is critical. But as long as we're getting leads, we're going to follow up on them," Young said.
Two members from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were expected to arrive in Kansas City Wednesday.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/06/2050587/kc-parents-plead-for-babysreturn.html#storylink=misearch
KC parents plead for baby's return
As authorities continued to pick through wooded areas and rap on doors Wednesday, the parents of missing infant Lisa Irwin made an emotional plea for her safe return.
"We just want our baby back," a crying Deborah Bradley said. "Please bring her home."
The afternoon press conference was the first time she and Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, had spoken publicly since their daughter's disappearance.
"Our two other boys are waiting for her," Bradley said. "Please just drop her off anywhere. We don't care. Just somewhere safe where she can come home."
Lisa was taken from her crib sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday, when Irwin discovered her missing after he returned home from his job with an electrical company.
"We just urge anyone that has any kind of information as to where she is or who she is with or anything to please call the (Crime Stoppers) TIPS Hotline or police," he said.
"Anything, even the smallest bit of information, could help lead to her return. Anybody that might have her, they can drop her off at any place safe a fire station or hospital or a church no questions asked. We just want to have her back home."
Meanwhile, the investigation was moving slowly, police said.
"We really haven't still at this point developed any hard information that we can go forward with," said Capt. Steve Young, a spokesman for Kansas City police.
Young said police had received 47 tips from the TIPS Hotline. Some were too vague to pursue, he said, but he encouraged people to keep calling.
"Please trust your instincts," Young said. "If you think you have information that's going to lead to the whereabouts of this child or the suspect, please let us know."
Since Lisa's disappearance, investigators have conducted 300 consensual searches of residences near the Irwin home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
More than 300 law enforcement officers have been involved in the search. Authorities have conducted three shoulder-to-shoulder searches in woods near the home and have deployed police dogs several times.
"Unfortunately, none of those have really led us anywhere," Young said.
On Wednesday, FBI personnel in protective clothing gathered original scents from the house so they would have something for specially trained dogs to track. Those dogs started working late Wednesday morning, Young said.
Lisa's parents continue to cooperate with investigators, Young said.
"That being said, everything is still on the table; we are not ruling out
anything," he said. "If we had more to go on, we could start eliminating some things. But we frankly don't have anything that justifies elimination."
Police interviewed the parents until about 10:30 or 11 p.m. Tuesday, Young said. He said formal statements ended at that time, but detectives would be back in contact with them when needed.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/police-rulingnothing-out-in-search-for-lisa-irwin
Investigators continue intensive search for Lisa Irwin in and around her home
Lisa Irwins parents were at their house Wednesday as investigators continue to search the area for clues into the girls disappearance. They addressed the public for the first time at a 2 p.m. news conference .
Lisa was discovered missing around 4 a.m. Tuesday when her father returned to their home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue from work to find her not in her crib.
NBC Action News reporter Chris Hernandez reported Lisas parents arrived to their home sometime around noon Wednesday, met with family and neighbors at a nearby home and then went with investigators into their back yard.
Earlier, NBC Action News reporter Sloane Heller reports Lisas grandparents were watching the couples other children at a neighbor's house and had not been able to reach them since Lisa's parents had left an interview with police Tuesday night.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, Capt. Steve Young, with the Kansas City Police Department, said Lisas parents, who are not considered suspects in their 10-month-old daughter's disappearance, were interviewed by investigators until around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Young confirmed the couple left the police station Tuesday night and said police are aware of Lisa's parent's whereabouts, but would not disclose their location. Lisa's grandparents and other family members have spoken offcamera, but have declined to speak on-camera until given a green light by Lisa's father.
Investigators in protective clothing entered Lisa's home Wednesday morning. Search dogs were also canvassing the scene.
Authorities on scene say it's standard procedure to bring the dogs into the search for a missing child. The dogs are being used to pick up Lisas scents. She disappeared from her home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue Monday night.
The protective plastic suits are being worn to hide investigators' scents from the dogs.
The FBI brought out several bags of evidence about 15 minutes after Lisas parents accompanied investigators into the backyard. Shortly after that, the parents came out with some personal belongings.
Authorities have still not developed a suspect in Lisas apparent abduction, but say they are still using all available resources in the search to find her.
Young said search dogs are going through the woods near Lisa Irwins home for a second and third time and officers are canvassing her Northland neighborhood and knocking on doors in hopes of finding the missing girl.
Young said the search has not expanded beyond the area canvassed Tuesday, but local and federal authorities continue their efforts in bringing Lisa home.
Around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, law enforcement officers were seen riding ATVs in a wooded area southeast of the Irwin home.
Earlier Wednesday, in an interview with NBC Action News Reporter Lindsay Shively on NBC Action News Today, Young said no stones are being left unturned in the search of Lisa.
Since we dont have much to go on, we are definitely not ruling anything out, he said.
The parents were cooperative, Young said, but I think at that point, everybody had been at it since about 4 in the morning and it was a reasonable time to stop.
In his 9 a.m. update, Young said other family members have been interviewed, along with others in the community, and hundreds of tips have come in, but nothing has turned out any hard evidence or information on a possible suspect.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/nationalmissing-and-exploited-children-investigators-join-search-for-baby-lisa-Irwin
National Missing and Exploited Children investigators join search for baby Lisa
The search for baby Lisa Irwin has gone national to help increase the odds of
finding the infant.
Investigators with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have flown into Kansas City to assist local law enforcement.
Investigators have been canvassing the area since Tuesday morning in search for clues into the 10-month-old girls disappearance.
Lisa was discovered missing around 4 a.m. Tuesday when her father returned home from work.
After he returned to his home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue, Jeremy Irwin did not find her not in her crib.
Local law enforcement agencies are getting assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's (NCMEC) Team Adam.
"The first thing that came to mind was Team Adam," said Craig Hill, a local member of NCMEC. "Have we deployed (them)? Are they enroute?"
Team Adam is a group of 50 retired investigators that have assisted in many national missing, abducted and sexually exploited child cases; including reuniting children with their parents in several states during the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
Team Adam is working free of charge in Kansas City North. The national team is assisting in the search and rescue efforts for Lisa, providing computer forensics and expert investigation in the field.
NCMEC's president Ernie Allen said, "Time is enemy in missing child cases. If
the investigating agency hasn't experienced a child abduction, they might now know how to react."
In the past, Team Adam has improved the odds of recovering missing or abducted children by responding quickly through billboards and national media coverage.
"If we can protect one child, I think that we've accomplished our mission," HIll said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/neighbors-hopecooperating-with-law-enforcement-will-help-find-lisa-irwin
Investigators have searched 300 homes in Lisa Irwin's neighborhood
A cousin of the Irwins said Wednesday night the family is still praying and hoping they'll find 10-month-old Lisa Iwrin who vanished from her crib Monday night.
Ron Ikenberg sat on his front porch Wednesday night and watched FBI and police continue to search for Lisa.
"An FBI agent was in that dumpster ripping open bags of trash just to see if there was any evidence. They have been thorough. All we can do is keep your eyes open and call police if we see anything suspicious," said Ikenberg.
In the last two days police said they have searched at least 300 homes surrounding the north Kansas City home where 10- month-old Lisa Irwin was last seen at 10:30 Monday night.
People like Ron and Jasmine Thatch opened their doors when police asked to search.
They just walked through and asked names; police looked in closets," said Jasmine Thatch.
They both watched TV Wednesday as Lisa's parents begged for help.
Please bring her home. Our two other boys are waiting for her. Please just drop her off anywhere. We don't car, somewhere safe or she can come home please," said Lisa's mom Deborah Bradley.
Betty Carleton, another neighbor, also saw the mom's emotional plea.
It's horrible. The momI just can't imagine what a mother would do," said Carleton.
Carleton's home was also searched and she said she was glad to cooperate.
"The policeman was downstairs. I have all my kids and grandkids. He did stop and look at those very close," said Carleton.
Carleton just hopes they find a clue soon. She's a mom and grandmother and said her little ones are having trouble sleeping.
My son stayed here last night and he was up every 15 minutes. Police officers were just right there," explained Carleton.
They know the intensive search cant last forever so they pray they'll find something soon.
The family said they're working on putting a candle light vigil together for Thursday night.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/grandparents-oflisa-irwin-say-her-parents-have-nothing-to-do-with-her-disappearance
Grandparents of Lisa Irwin say her parents have nothing to do with her disappearance
The grandparents of Lisa Irwin shared photos of their little granddaughter Wednesday night. They hope someone will see her.
The grandparents said they're absolutely heartbroken and their son and daughter-in-law have nothing to do with Lisas disappearance.
"Absolutely not. Im not a police officer. You have to have a custody battle but you have a loving family, cloth knit family, said Rick Irwin.
That baby is everything to them," said Melanie Irwin.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/grandparentsshare-photos-of-lisa-irwin
Grandparents share photos of Lisa Irwin
The grandparents of Lisa Irwin are asking for the community to take a good look at their little granddaughter.
Wednesday night, they showed more pictures of Lisa playing in a pool, acting goofy for the camera and just being a happy baby.
Neighbors of a missing 10-month-old girl and her family are offering their support amid a rising sense of anxiety, especially those with young children of their own.
Without answers about what happened to the Lisa Irwin, who was last seen in her crib late Monday, caregivers to small children worry that other children could be in danger.
Angela Liell is watching over her 8-month-old niece, Lovanna. She lives just a couple of houses down from the home where the child disappeared early Tuesday. She said it leaves her worried sick.
"The thing that gets to me is it was so close to my house. It could have been my niece," Liell said. "That just really scares me. That makes me nervous."
Tracy Elliott said she is so scared that she's shaking.
"It's hard to stand here and not cry," she said.
Elliott said she would do whatever she can to help police. She watches over
her 20-month-old grandson while her daughter is at work.
Elliott said that after everything that happened, she can no longer be comfortable in a neighborhood where she's lived for 40 years.
"Now, the windows are closed at night and locked, and the doors (are) locked," she said. "It's changed everything -- everything. I don't feel safe. I don't feel safe for my grandson."
"I think it's scary," said neighbor Lacey Johnson. She said she has always kept a close eye on her children but is watching even more closely now.
"We usually see lots of kids going up the streets on their bikes," she said. "But I haven't seen any kids outside playing at all."
A special program is going on this week to train law enforcement officials in the best investigative techniques for handling missing and abducted children.
Interestingly, the program is going on while area law enforcement agencies are searching for 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, who went missing from her Kansas City home on Monday night.
KMBC's Maria Antonia took a closer look at what the 150 local and regional law enforcement officers were learning during the program. One of the many things the attendees learned was how to ask the right questions to get the most information from a potential witness.
For example, organizers said it's not a good approach to ask what they saw
that was unusual.
"We don't want to know what you saw that was unusual, we want to know what you saw, because what you think is unusual is not what we're interested in," said program director Phil Keith. "We want to know what you factually see. It's a fact or evidence."
Local law enforcement officials who are taking part in the training want to form a child abduction response team, or CART, which would be a specialized team similar to the Metro Squad. The group's specialty would be organizing rapid responses to cases involving missing children, such as Irwin's case.
The training program this week has ties to the United States Department of Justice.
October 6th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15611288/authorities-intensify-search-formissing-baby
Police intensify search for missing baby Lisa
Authorities have been searching for three days for the baby whose parents say was abducted from their Northland home. The search Thursday included heavily wooded areas, an industrial park and the sewers.
Dozens of officers searched the industrial park and adjacent woods in the area of Jackson Avenue and NE 34th Street Thursday morning. Some searchers were seen lifting sewer drain covers and looking inside.
Kansas City Water Department employees assisted in the search of manholes.
The parents of the missing baby, Lisa Irwin, answered questions from reporters Thursday morning about their daughter. This included making televised appearances on the national morning shows.
They said their cell phones were stolen but that nothing else appears to be missing from their home.
They also described the desperate few moments when they discovered that their daughter was missing from her crib inside their home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
They frantically searched their home but discovered only an open window, an unlocked front door and lights turned on.
"It is like they just walked in and just disappeared," Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, said.
Jeremy Irwin said he immediately knew something was wrong when he returned home from work early Tuesday.
Irwin said he came home from his overnight shift around 4 a.m. Tuesday. He noticed a first-floor window open in the front of the house. After checking on his sons, 6 and 8, he went to the bedroom of his daughter, Lisa, and noticed her missing. Bradley said she ran through the house screaming for her daughter but there was no answer.
Lisa's parents said they can't think of anyone who would abduct their child and that no one had shown an unusual interest in her before she was taken. Lisa's mother broke down as she said she could only think that someone snatched her child because they wanted a baby.
"She is everything. She is my little girl," Bradley said. "She means everything to our boys... We can't live without her."
Bradley repeatedly sobbed during the nearly seven minute long interview with Kansas City area reporters. She described her daughter's habits including the toys and stuffed animals she sleeps with.
"I am terrified, but I am trying to be hopeful," she wailed.
Police conducted checkpoints in the neighborhood during the overnight hours Wednesday, hoping to catch possible witnesses up in the time frame when authorities believe Lisa was taken.
Police said they have followed up on nearly 50 leads between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Steve Young reiterated that the family is cooperating with detectives and the community support has been overwhelming to investigators.
"We have stopped people in the middle of the night coming from work to question people. We've run road blocks," Young said. "We have knocked on over 300 doors over the past several days. We've had over 300 people give consensual search of their residences... That's not a small thing. We very much appreciate their cooperation."
Lisa's parents made their first emotional plea for her safe return Wednesday afternoon.
"We just want our baby back. Please bring her home," Bradley tearfully pleaded.
Irwin spoke softly and slowly as he asked his daughter's abductor to drop her off somewhere. He also asked the public to provide tips.
"Anything, even the smallest bit of information could help lead to her return," said Irwin, who sniffled several times during his initial remarks. "Anybody who have her. You can drop her off at any place safe, a fire station, a hospital, a church, no questions asked."
As he was speaking, the baby's weeping mother interrupted him to plead for her daughter's safe return.
"Our two other boys are waiting for her," Bradley said. "Please. Drop her off anywhere, we don't care, just somewhere safe. Where she can come home, please."
Irwin also thanked all the searchers and volunteers who are assisting in finding his daughter.
Crime scene technicians in white suits on Wednesday are combing the parents' Northland home and backyard for clues in an effort to find Lisa. Agents focused on a first-floor window through which the family believes the kidnapper entered the home.
Dogs are also being used in an effort to find the girl's scent. Officers on allterrain vehicles searched a sandpit north of Highway 210 Wednesday
afternoon.
A Kansas City patrol car is stationed outside Lisa's home around-the-clock.
Police issued an Amber Alert about 7:15 a.m., about three hours after her parents said they discovered her missing. The parents said the girl was snatched from her crib as she was sleeping.
Detectives met early Wednesday morning to determine the next step in the investigation. The couple's older sons are being watched by neighbors.
Young on Wednesday said the parents are assisting detectives.
"Nobody knows more about what's going on in that house than the parents do," Young said.
More than 300 residents who live in the area have consented to have their homes voluntarily searched, he said.
Several residents told KCTV5 that they had nothing to hide and were happy to assist police in their efforts to find Lisa. Parents also said they are taking more precautions to ensure their family's security and talking to their children about stranger danger.
Wednesday's developments came after an extensive search Tuesday. KCTV5's Amy Anderson reported about 10 p.m. Tuesday that more officers arrived at Lisa's Northland home. Anderson said the crime scene area was apparently expanded and "officers are once again zeroing in on the house and backyard."
Authorities said the suspect entered through a bedroom window and snatched the baby from her bed as she was sleeping.
She was last seen on Monday around 10:30 p.m. when her mother put her to bed in a crib, police said. Her father is an electrician and he arrived home from an overnight shift about 4 a.m. He discovered Lisa missing and frantically called police, friends and family told KCTV5.
Irwin became emotional at times as he waited outside his home Tuesday for answers about his daughter's disappearance. Friends and family came by to offer their support.
Police said they issued the Amber Alert about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in part because Lisa lived with both her parents, who were at home and are accounted for. The Amber Alert was canceled at 7 p.m. since the public awareness has been raised, but police said they would continue to search for Lisa.
"The family is being cooperative with detectives," Young said. "If there were any holes in their story, we would know by now. There are no holes in their stories. There is a 10 month old who isn't where she belongs and we are trying to find her. We will keep going bigger as long as we need to."
More than 100 law enforcement officials are looking for the girl. This includes local, state and federal officers including agents from the FBI. Officers on horseback are involved in the search along with police dogs. Firefighters with rappelling equipment are also assisting.
"What makes this case unusual is we still haven't really developed any hard information to go off of," Young said.
According to police, it appears the suspect entered and exited through a
bedroom window. Young said a first-floor window appeared to have been tampered with. Police waited more than three hours to issue the Amber Alert because they wanted to interview family members and ensure their stories checked out.
Neighbors told KCTV5 they are upset about what has happened in their peaceful neighborhood and plan to keep windows closed and locked from now on. One neighbor described seeing a strange man walking through the neighborhood on Monday.
One neighbor told police that a stranger was seen walking a baby wearing only a diaper about 1 a.m. in the street by the baby's home. Young said this tip didn't pan out.
The public is asked to avoid searching the area because "maintaining the integrity of the scene is paramount," Young said.
Even though the Amber Alert was canceled Tuesday night, Young emphasized this doesn't mean that detectives aren't working just as diligently to find the girl.
"They are going to work this thing until the end," Young said. "The main point here is to find this child and get her back home safely."
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/06/police-fbi-return-to-irwin-home-in-search-ofbaby-lisa/
Police, FBI Return to Irwin Home in Search of Baby Lisa
Police and FBI returned to the Irwin home for the third day in search of
missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin. For the first time, the media learned from the parents that three cell phones were also missing from the home, however, police would not comment on this information.
Police plan to search in areas theyve already search, but what kind of evidence theyre looking for is still unclear. On Thursday, her parents Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley also said the window that appeared tampered with, first believed to be Lisas bedroom window, is actually a window in the familys computer room.
The FBI revisited the home on Wednesday and concentrated their efforts around the window, but investigators are not releasing any information as to what, if any, evidence was found.
Baby Lisa, missing since early Tuesday morning, captured the nations attention as her parents addressed the national media on Thursday morning. Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley appeared exhausted. Through tears Debbie spoke about her missing daughter and pleaded for her safe return.
Kansas City Police said they continue to follow leads, including a tip that a baby matching Lisas description was spotted at a truck stop in St. Joseph, Missouri with an older couple. Police said that is just one of many tips theyre looking into and will know more once they view surveillance video from the truck stop.
On Wednesday, the parents of Lisa Irwin addressed Kansas City media in a live press conference. In a tearful plea Lisas mother pleaded for the safe return of her daughter and said Lisa has two brothers at home waiting for her.
Lisas father urged who ever has Lisa to drop her off at a fire station or a hospital and said that no questions would be asked.
Police said Lisa was allegedly taken from her crib in her Northland home at in the 3600 block of North Lister sometime between the hours of 10:30 p.m. Monday night and 4 a.m. Tuesday morning. The babys father called police around 4 a.m. Tuesday when he came home from work and discovered her missing.
Police said Lisas parents are cooperating with the investigation. On Tuesday, authorities searched a van and car at the home. There is no word on what police found or were looking for. Officers searching for the child focused on areas near the familys home such as railroad tracks near the north side of the Missouri River and a wooded area behind the home.
We have some canines out in the woods, said Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young on Tuesday. We dont need daylight for the dogs to work. When they finish we will stop the area search, but maintain a command post to work leads as they come in.
Police say that at this point, they have no new leads or suspects in the childs disappearance.
According to retired FBI Special Agent Michael Tabman, infant kidnappings are very rare.
Kidnappings are fairly rare anyway, and this was an infant. Infant kidnappings are more rare, he said. When they do happen its almost always someone they know, or there is generally a successful conclusion and the baby is found and returned unharmed.
Kansas City police and federal agents appeared to be intensifying their search on Thursday for a missing 10-month-old baby.
Investigators have stressed their boots-on-the-ground approach to locate Lisa Irwin. Search crews on foot and all-terrain vehicles scoured a wooded area near 33rd Street and Chouteau Trafficway. Undercover officers accompanied by city crews opened manhole covers, looking for clues.
"There was a part of it that was very thickly wooded and we just weren't completely confident that we had done all we can. So we put people in there shoulder to shoulder through the thick part and gave it a try," police Capt. Steve Young said.
The area investigators searched was next to an industrial park.
"It's been pretty crazy around here. We had the FBI here yesterday, and of course, they were looking in our trailers, looking in our pipe and then started looking in the trash can," worker Mike Tybroski said.
Lisa disappeared from her parents home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue sometime between late Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley said the baby was last seen sleeping in her crib about 10:30 p.m.
"When I came home from work, the front door was unlocked, most of the lights were on in the house and the window in the front was open," Irwin said.
He said he was alarmed and woke up Deborah. Irwin said both checked on the boys and then discovered that Lisa was gone, along with their three cellphones.
"One wasn't even working. It was sitting up there with the other ones. I was reprogramming all the numbers and all three of them were gone," Bradley said.
The couple has publicly pleaded for their daughters safe return. Investigators have described Irwin and Bradley as being cooperative with the investigation.
Police said finding Lisa is the No. 1 priority.
"We're all hoping for the best -- that the baby's found OK," Tybroski said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/on-third-day-ofsearching-investigators-looking-for-lisa-go-underground
On third day of searching, investigators looking for Lisa go underground
On the third day of searching for 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, investigators moved their search underground, using pick axes to lift up manhole covers and look underneath.
More than 100 officers searched a wooded area around Lisa Irwins home Thursday, but once again came up with no clues into the girls disappearance.
Investigators said no specific tip led them to search underneath manholes, but they were making sure no stones were being left uncovered.
In the two-plus days since Lisa has disappeared, authorities have searched wooded and hilly areas around her home several times, have knocked on
hundreds of doors in the neighborhood and asked to conduct consensual searches and even set up vehicle checkpoints in the area to search for information.
Lisa was discovered missing Tuesday morning when her father returned home from work. Police believe she was abducted sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday.
After searching the woods, authorities moved on to the neighborhood and other surrounding areas near the home.
Residents who live in the neighborhood are keeping a close eye on the search. Many have a heavy heart thinking about the Irwin family.
What are those parents doing? Are they able to sleep? Its just sad, one nearby resident said Thursday, adding she woke up early thinking about her neighbors.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/06/baby-lisas-parents-get-in-heated-discussionwith-police/
Baby Lisas Parents Get in Heated Discussion with Police
Tensions are running high in day three of the search for missing 10-monthold Lisa Irwin. Police and FBI agents returned to the home on Thursday where baby Lisa was feared abducted.
Investigators also descended on a wooded area about a mile away from the home to search for the third time, only this time investigators walked shoulder-to-shoulder in hopes of finding any evidence that might lead them
to baby Lisa.
FOX 4s John Pepitone describes a heated conversation police had with the babys parents at the wooded area where police were searching. According to witnesses, the parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, were seen having an animated discussion with police before speeding off in their car.
Police told Pepitone they believe the parents emotional exchange was in response to investigators returning to the woods to search for the third time.
People who live in the neighborhood where 10-month-old Lisa Irwin disappeared said they are coping with the police and search crews, news media and the curious.
"Whatever it takes. Obviously, we have to have it here in order to find the baby. It's OK," said a grandmother who lives in the neighborhood.
The woman told KMBC's Maria Antonia that it is all about the family of the missing girl.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley were at the command post at Highway 210 and North Brighton Avenue about midday. Antonia reported that there was an animated conversation.
Police later said that the couple went to the command post after hearing about officers searching the nearby woods, and believed there might have been a break in the case. But that was not the situation. Deborah Bradley was seen breaking into tears as she got into the car to leave.
"I pray for that little baby every day, all day long. And as I look at my two grandchildren and know how special they are, I know that family is going through a lot and I feel for them, and I wish they could hurry up and find that baby," the woman said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/kansas-city-police-investigatepossible-sighting-of-lisa-irwin-in-saint-joseph--missouri
Possible sighting of Lisa Irwin in St. Joseph not a major break in case, police say
Kansas City Police say they are looking into a possible sighting of Lisa Irwin at a St. Joseph truck stop, but the lead does not appear to be a major break in the case.
Surveillance video from Loves Truck Stop in St. Joseph has been turned over to the Kansas City Police Department in connection to the case of the missing 10-month-old Kansas City girl, a truck stop employee confirmed to NBC Action News.
Lisa went missing from her Kansas City home sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday. The 10-month-old girl was last seen when her mother checked on her while she slept.
The St. Joseph News-Press reported late Wednesday an infant matching Lisas description was spotted at Loves Truck Stop, at the intersection of Interstate 29 and US Highway 169 with a middle-aged white male and white female driving an older-model sport utility vehicle.
An employee at Loves told NBC Action News they have turned video over to
investigators in the case, but did not elaborate on what was seen at the truck stop.
A police spokesman at Lisa Irwin's home early Thursday morning told NBC Action News' Sloane Heller the St. Joseph tip is one of dozens investigators are looking into, but it hasn't been determined any more viable than others.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/police-alter-search-for-lisa-irwin
Police alter search for Lisa Irwin
Kansas City police shut down their command center where for three days they coordinated search efforts for missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin.
A spokesman said police feel they have done all they can regarding geographic searches. Police will continue to track leads. However, they will do so without something significant, a spokesman said.
Thursday morning, Lisa Irwins parents freely spoke with reporters about the couples missing 10-month-old daughter. In tears, Lisas mom, Deborah Bradley begged for help.
Please, please, please call the TIPS hotline if you know where shes at and if you have her, just take her somewhere safe, Bradley said.
For three days, the couple has been helping detectives and an army of law enforcement officers search woods and residences in the familys neighborhood.
For three days, Irwins parents delivered the only solid leads for detectives.
For three days, they were cooperative until now, according to police.
(The parents) decided to stop talking to detectives and I dont have to illustrate how that, you know, affects the investigation, said Captain Steve Young , KCPD spokesman. It speaks for itself.
Police refused to discuss what created the couples sudden silence.
For three days I havent divulged details of the investigation, Young said. Im not going to start now.
Instead, police tore down crime scene tape protecting the Irwins home. They also closed the search operations command post. After three days, its clear the search for Lisa Irwin is changing.
Lisa Irwin's aunt insists the girl's parents have never stopped cooperating with police.
We have never stopped cooperating with the police," Ashley Irwin said. "Weve been cooperative from day one and we continue to assist the police with the investigation."
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/PoliceParents-of-Lisa-Irwin-quit-cooperating-with-authorities
Police: Parents of missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin no longer cooperating with investigators
Police announced Thursday evening that the parents of missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin have stopped cooperating with authorities.
"Tonight, they decided to stop talking to detectives, and I don't have to illustrate how that affects the investigation. That speaks for itself," said Capt. Steve Young with the Kansas City Police Department said during a 7 p.m. news conference.
"We don't have any suspects, if we had enough to charge anyone with, we probably would be pursuing charges," Young added.
More than two hours after the police news conference, Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin, spoke on behalf of the parents. She said they have never stopped cooperating with the police .
Lisa was discovered missing Tuesday morning when her father returned home from work. Police believe she was abducted sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Earlier Thursday, Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, described how they frantically searched their home for any sign of their daughter but found only an open window, house lights on and an unlocked front door.
The family's three cellphones, including one that didn't work, also were missing, the couple said during a news conference Thursday morning.
"They told us three cellphones were missing. It hasn't produced anything we can go forward with," Young said. "The investigation is directed and handled by hard information."
Kansas City police spokesman Darin Snapp said police will be shutting down the command post Thursday evening.
"We believe we have done all we can regarding geographic searches and will continue tracking leads as we get them or develop additional information," said Snapp.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/06/police-say-parents-missingmissouri-10-month-old-girl-no-longer-cooperating/
Parents of Missing Missouri Baby Dispute Police Claims of Being Uncooperative
The parents of a missing 10-month-old Missouri girl are disputing police assertions that they've stopped cooperating with investigators.
Relatives of Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley called a news conference Thursday night after police announced the couple had ceased talking to detectives in the search for their baby, Lisa Irwin.
The couple have said the baby was abducted from the their home sometime Monday night or early Tuesday -- after her mother put her in her crib and before the father got home from work.
In a statement read to reporters by Irwin's sister, the couple said, "We want the public to know we have never stopped cooperating with police."'
A call to police for reaction was not immediately returned.
Police had said earlier Thursday that the parents of the baby are no longer cooperating with authorities, and that their claims that whoever took their daughter stole their cellphones hasn't produce any leads.
Police had said that Irwin and Bradley had been cooperative since reporting the baby, Lisa, missing, but they changed course Thursday, Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said.
"Tonight, they decided to stop talking to detectives, and I don't have to illustrate how that affects the investigation. That speaks for itself," he said.
He reiterated that investigators still have no suspects.
During a tearful news conference Thursday morning, Irwin and Bradley had described how they frantically searched their home for any sign of their daughter after her father came home from work early Tuesday and she wasn't in her crib.
They said they found an open window, an unlocked front door and house lights blazing, and later discovered that their three cellphones were gone.
"They told us three cellphones were missing. It hasn't produced anything we can go forward with," Young said. "The investigation is directed and handled by hard information."
Investigators focused their search Thursday on a heavily wooded area, sewers and an industrial park. About 100 officers were scouring the industrial area and adjacent woods, while others were lifting drain covers and crawling inside.
But after the evening news conference, police spokesman Darin Snapp sent
out a news release saying they believed they had done everything they could "regarding geographic searches" and were shutting down the command post about a mile from the home. Snapp said police "will continue tracking leads as we get them or develop additional information."
Police did not return messages seeking additional comment Thursday night.
Earlier in the day, a relative said Lisa's parents have given police more than a dozen names as they try to think of potential suspects or people who paid especially close attention to the child.
"We're scraping for anything, anyone who was at the house, who looked at her strange. Anything," said Mike Lerette, a cousin of the baby's mother.
Irwin said he immediately knew something was wrong when he returned home from work about 4 a.m. Tuesday. He checked on their other children, 6-year-old and 8-year-old boys, then went to Lisa's room and discovered her gone.
"I said, `What do you mean she is not in her crib?"' said Bradley, who had checked on her daughter about five hours earlier. "I just knew, you know, that something was really wrong. We ran around the house and screaming for her, but she was nowhere."
Bradley said that's when they discovered the phones had been taken, guessing it was to delay them from calling police. As she hugged her crying sons, Bradley said, Irwin checked outside and eventually contacted police.
"All I can think of is that maybe somebody wanted a baby," she said.
Authorities have used search dogs to go over the family's home and nearby
woods, helicopters, all-terrain vehicles and door-to-door interviews with neighbors.
Police have said one possibility was that someone entered the home through a front window and snatched the baby, but they haven't pointed to any sign of forced entry.
Irwin said the abduction has been especially hard on Lisa's older brothers, who constantly ask if their sister has been found.
"We tell them, `Not yet, not yet,"' Irwin said. "It's the only thing we can think to tell them."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-parents-cell-phonesabduction/story?id=14679914#.T0oTmXn7mOc
Police, Family at Odds Over Whether Parents Are Still Cooperating
Police tonight said the parents of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, missing since Monday, have ended their cooperation with authorities -- but the baby's family later disputed the claim.
"We have never stopped cooperating with the police," said the baby's aunt, Ashley Irwin. "We have been cooperating since day one and we continue to assist the police with the investigation."
That conflicted with what Kansas City, Mo., police Capt. Steve Young said just hours earlier.
"The mother and father no longer want to talk to detectives," Young said. "From an investigative standpoint, we enjoyed their cooperation. So far, [it] has been very beneficial to the case. But yeah, you can imagine it doesn't help the case" that the cooperation has ended.
The parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, brother of Ashley Irwin, still are not considered suspects, Young said.
"The investigation is directed and led by hard information," Young added. "Again, we don't have any suspects. If we had enough to charge anybody with, we probably would be issuing charges."
Ashley Irwin said her brother and Bradley would release a new statement on the case on Friday.
The dispute over whether Bradley and Irwin were cooperating came after ABC News learned the couple was trying to make lists of possible suspects for police by thinking about all of the people they cross paths with on a daily basis. That meant they were listing every grocer, utility worker who may have been in the house, former friend, classmate, neighbor or acquaintances who may have wanted a child.
They were trying to remember if anyone every took particular interest in their little girl who was last seen by Bradley on Monday night when she put Lisa to bed at the family home.
Little by little, details have emerged about the mysterious events of Monday night.
The parents revealed this morning that their cell phones were missing when they frantically tried to call 911 after discovering that their "Pumpkin Pie" was not in her crib.
Lisa's visibly shaken father also told reporters about the "unusual" state he found his home in Monday night.
"The windows were open and lights were on and she was nowhere to be found," Irwin told "Good Morning America" today. "We've been going over everything in our minds. We just don't have any idea."
Irwin said that his front door was unlocked when he returned home from work as an electrician at 4 a.m. to find his daughter missing.
"They took her and took all of our phones so we couldn't call anybody," Irwin said, according to ABC News' Kansas City affiliate KMBC.
Bradley said that she had left three cell phones on the kitchen counter, where she had been re-programming the numbers.
"We were running around the house and were screaming for [Lisa] and she was nowhere," Bradley said. "Then I said, 'Call 911, call 911.' But Jeremy couldn't find the cell phones. They were gone."
She also described to "Good Morning America" how two other children from previous relationships who live in the house have been handling the situation.
"They were crying and asking where [Lisa] was," Bradley said through tears. "My 8-year-old, who's usually really strong, he kind of fell apart. We call her Pumpkin Pie and he said, 'Where's Pumpkin Pie, Mom?' And I couldn't tell him."
"Please. She has a family who loves her very much," Bradley cried. "Take her somewhere safe. Take her to a church, a hospital, a fire department. Just drop her off with somebody and then leave, no questions asked. We just want our baby back."
Bradley described the last time she saw her daughter and how she put her to sleep after changing her and putting her in fresh clothes. She said she put her daughter in her crib with her pacifier, blanket, glow worm toy and a Barney stuffed animal she loves to sleep with.
"I gave her her bottle and put her to sleep, and that was when we last saw her," Bradley said.
The case has baffled police, who still have no hard leads and no suspects, Young told ABCNews.com this morning.
"There's nothing new to talk about," Young said at the time.
Kansas City police and FBI agents continued their investigation today with shoulder-to-shoulder searches through the dense woods behind the family's home. More than 300 law officers have been using helicopters, all-terrain vehicles and door-to-door interviews in the hunt for Lisa.
"We are interviewing family and friends just to eliminate everyone that's close to the family as suspects," Officer Darin Snapp said.
Ernie Allen of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said that infant abduction cases are relatively rare. There have been 278 documented cases in which newborns or infants have been abducted since 1983. Forty-six percent, or 128 cases, involved instances in which the children were taken from health care locations -- hospitals, for instance. Forty percent, or 112 cases, involved children taken from homes. Of the total 278 cases,
children were returned home safely in 266 instances.
"The typical profile of the abductor of an infant is a woman, usually an emotionally disturbed woman who has lost a child or wants a child for some reason," Allen told ABC News.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisa-irwin%27sfirst-birthday-this-week
Lisa Irwin's first birthday this week
The grandfather of Lisa Irwin says the child's first birthday this week will be especially wrenching for the family.
Lisa Irwin's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing Oct. 4. The parents have said they believe their then 10-month-old daughter was snatched from her crib while other family members slept. Police have conducted several searches and cleared about 1,000 leads, but say they have no suspects or major leads in the case.
Bradley's father, David Netz Jr., told The Kansas City Star that he doesn't know how they will get through Nov. 11, which is Lisa's first birthday.
Netz also says he feels sure his daughter had nothing to do with the baby's disappearance and asks that people keep looking for her.
October 7th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/aunt-
of-missing-10-month-old-lisa-irwin-speaks-for-family-after-police-newsconference
Investigators 'glad to hear' Lisa Irwin's family still willing to cooperate
A Kansas City police spokesman said Friday morning authorities were glad to hear statements from Lisa Irwins aunt saying the missing girl's parents are still willing to cooperate with investigators.
Lisa was reported missing from her Northland home Tuesday morning. Police have been working the case as an abduction
Capt. Steve Young held a news conference Thursday evening, saying the parents had ended communication with investigators and were no longer cooperating, but later that evening, Lisas aunt made a statement on behalf of the parents, saying they never stopped cooperating with the police.
In a live interview on NBC Action News Today on Friday, Young said it was clear to authorities Lisas parents were through talking to (investigators), but he was very glad to hear that the family was still willing to take part in the investigation.
Young said the lines of communication remain open, but police have not heard from Lisas parents since he made the statement Thursday night.
Young said no suspects have been named in Lisas disappearance, and while tips continue to pour in, none have led to any significant advancement in the case.
Lisas mother said Friday on NBC's Today show she took a polygraph test and
investigators said she failed, but Young would not comment on a polygraph test.
Those are all details of the investigation, Young said. I cant get into that.
Young said investigators continue to work around the clock to find Lisa.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15637354/police-say-baby-lisas-parents-nolonger-cooperating-with-investigators
Baby Lisa's Mom says police blamed her for disappearance
The mother of a 10-month-old baby who went missing from her Kansas City home says police accused her of being responsible for the baby's disappearance.
An emotional Debbie Bradley said Friday that she understands accusations are part of the investigation into the disappearance of her daughter, Lisa Irwin, but adamantly denies the accusation.
The Kansas City police have focused on Baby Lisa's parents since they reported the child missing around 4 a.m. Tuesday. They say have developed no suspects.
Bradley's emotional rebuttal of the accusations Friday morning follows on the heels of dramatic developments in the case late Thursday.
Kansas City police announced late Thursday that Bradley and the baby's
father, Jeremy Irwin, were no longer cooperating with investigators. The parents deny this.
Instead, they said that police are relentlessly focused on pinning the disappearance on Bradley instead of finding the real kidnapper.
Bradley told The Associated Press Friday that she took a lie detector test earlier this week because she is determined to prove she doesn't know where her daughter is now.
Bradley says police claimed she failed the polygraph test. But she says detectives failed to show her any paperwork verifying the results.
Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Steve Young has refused to say whether the couple was asked to take polygraph tests and whether either parent took one.
Irwin says he is willing to take a polygraph test and told police he would do so. But Irwin claims that police told him that wasn't necessary.
Irwin says he frantically called police about 4 a.m. Tuesday when he arrived home from his electrician's job and discovered his daughter wasn't in her crib. The parents said they are standing strong beside each other despite investigators' attempts to turn them against each other.
The police made their bombshell announcement about the lack of cooperation from Irwin and Bradley during a 7 p.m. news conference.
"We are continuing to track down leads as we get them," Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Steve Young. "But earlier, the mother and father decided to quit cooperating with police, but our door is always open."
Police said they were closing the command post as a result. They also began taking down the crime tape from outside the family's home about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Just over two hours later, baby Lisa's aunt maintained that the infant's parents are cooperating with police.
Ashley Irwin said that her brother, Jeremy Irwin, and Deborah Bradley, the infant's mother, have "never stopped cooperating with police."
"We want the public to know that we have never stopped cooperating with the police. We have been cooperative from day one and we continue to assist the police with the investigation," Irwin said. "The main goal has always been to find Lisa and bring her home. That remains the sole focus."
For three days, police had repeatedly said the parents were cooperating with investigators and were detectives best bet to find out what happened to the baby. They said the cooperation had been helpful.
But that changed dramatically Thursday night. And authorities said the parents' action dealt the investigation a severe blow.
"They have always been free. They have been cooperative up to this point but earlier this evening they decided to stop cooperating with detectives," Young said. "It doesn't help the investigation."
He refused to say whether the parents had taken polygraph tests. He said police have no suspects.
The announcement came on the same day that the parents made tearful national pleas for the safe return of their daughter. Bradley sobbed as she begged for her daughter to be brought home.
"She is everything. She is my little girl," Bradley said. "She means everything to our boys... We can't live without her."
The parents had told reporters that three phones, including cell phones, were taken from their home by the kidnapper. They said this meant a delay in notifying authorities about the kidnapping.
But Young said those claims had turned up nothing.
"We have looked into it. Obviously, it hasn't produced really anything we can go forward with," Young said. "It has produced really nothing."
Hundreds of police officers and others have saturated the area, Young said. Regarding the closure of the command post, "That's probably inevitable at some point," he said.
Less than 40 minutes later Thursday night, police announced that command post was folding.
Ashley Irwin said that her brother and Bradley plan to release a statement on Friday thanking the police and community for their "efforts, concerns and prayers."
Instead, the couple took another round of media interviews and showing the tensions between police and the parents.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/07/police-scour-landfill-in-baby-lisa-search/
Police Scour Landfill In Baby Lisa Search
Four days into the search for missing 10-month-old Northland child Lisa Irwin, authorities say that they still have no solid leads in finding out where she is and what happened to her despite several new twists and turns in the case.
According to Deborah Bradley, the childs mother, Lisa Irwin was last seen in her crib in her home in the 3600 block of North Lister around 10:30 p.m. on Monday night. Bradley says that when Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, came home from work around 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, he went into her room to check on her and she wasnt in her crib. They say that they searched the home, and then called 9-1-1.
On Friday, conflicting reports continued from Kansas City Missouri Police and the family one day after police say the parents had stopped cooperating with investigators. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin said repeatedly on Friday that they have been, and will continue to, cooperate with police, but police say that hasnt been the case.
Our door is wide open, and as Ive said a bunch the main goal is to try and find this child, and the parents being heavily involved in the investigation is proabably our best way to make that happen, said KCPD Capt. Steve Young.
On Friday afternoon, Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said they have not had contact with the parents since Thursdays announcement.
Retired FBI Agent Jeff Lanza said the parents definition of cooperation is probably different than polices.
Polices definition of cooperation is to answer any questions that we post to you even if it focuses on you, Lanza said. The couples definition is, well, well cooperate, but not if its focused on us.
In addition, on Friday it was revealed by Bradley that she was told that she failed a police polygraph test. Lanza said failing a polygraph test doesnt mean someone is guilty.
If youve registered some deception, thats an indicator that youre not telling the truth, Lanza said. However, it doesnt mean youre guilty. Its just an indication that youre deceptive about a particular question or questions on the polygraph exam.
Neighbor Vickie Nichols told FOX 4 that failing a polygraph exam doesnt mean much to her.
Personally, Ive never had one, and Ive never had any reason to do one, but I would think just being nervous would kind of, if I was being bombarded with questions and everything it would make me nervous. I might even fail one, said Nichols.
On Friday, police and FBI agents searched a Johnson County, Kansas, landfill after investigating a dumpster fire reported at an apartment complexnear the Irwin home on the night Lisa Irwin disappeared.
Tom Coffman of Deffenbaugh Industries says authorities told him that they were looking specifically for a body. There have been no reports that investigators found anything helpful to the case at the landfill.
In addition to the landfill search, investigators from the FBI Evidence Response Team began searching the neighborhood around the Irwin home with metal detectors and by hand. There is no word on what investigators are
looking for, specifically.
I wondered why theyre using a metal detector. She must have had earings on is all I can figure, so I just pray that theyll find her, said neighbor Barbara Harper.
They stopped both my son and my daughter-in-law when they left the neighborhood and everything. Theyre just concerned about this little baby. Everybody in this neighborhood is, said neighbor Denise Worth.
Over the now-four day search for the child, investigators have scoured the neighborhood, as well as a nearby wooded area and storm drains.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/07/new-twists-in-search-for-baby-lisa/
New Twists in Search for Baby Lisa
The mother of missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin said police informed her she failed a lie detector test earlier this week. But Deborah Bradley says thats impossible because she doesnt know where her daughter is.
Retired FBI Agent Jeff Lanza said failing a polygraph test doesnt mean someone is guilty.
If youve registered some deception, thats an indicator that youre not telling the truth, Lanza said. However, it doesnt mean youre guilty. Its just an indication that youre deceptive about a particular question or questions on the polygraph exam.
Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, has taken a lie detector test, but FOX 4 learned
hes told police that if they want him to he would.
FOX 4 learned the parents made a deal with national media and will no longer be speaking with local news stations.
On Thursday evening, the case took on a new twist when Kansas City, Missouri police held a press conference and announced that Lisas parents no longer wish to cooperate with the investigation, a claim that family members deny.
Lanza said the parents definition of cooperation is probably different than polices.
Polices definition of cooperation is to answer any questions that we post to you even if it focuses on you, Lanza said. The couples definition is, well, well cooperate, but not if its focused on us.
At a hastily-called press conference Thursday evening, Capt. Steve Young did not elaborate on what led the parents to stop cooperating, and it remains unclear as to what this means for the direction of the police investigation.
FOX 4 visited the Northland home where the parents are staying on Thursday night following the press conference. An unidentified man answered the door and only said Thank you when asked what the family had to say to the people helping to search for Lisa.
The family of Lisa Irwins parents in Independence told FOX 4 the family has done all they can to help police in the search for their child, and that they dont blame them for not wanting to talk any more to police.
In a statement to the media earlier in the day, Jeremy Irwins sister disputed
the police claim that the couple had stopped cooperating with detectives.
We want the public to know we have never stopped cooperating with police, she said in a prepared statement. She said that the parents plan on releasing their own statement on Friday.
The news comes after police were able to find no new clues into her disappearance, despite word that the girls parents told police that three cell phones were missing from the home.
On Thursday, between 50 and 100 officers walked shoulder-to-shoulder through a wooded area near the Northland home where the girl was allegedly abducted on Monday night. The search led to some frantic moments from the girls parents who rushed to the Kansas City Police Department command post thinking there was a break in the case.
The parents were seen having an animated discussion with the detectives working on the case.
Police say that the search of the woods yielded no new clues in the effort to determine what happened to the child. Authorities also say that the parents claimed that three cell phones were also taken from the home.
I can confirm that the family told us that there are three cellphones missing from the home. They told us that that morning. What the detectives have done with that I dont know, said Capt. Young earlier on Thursday. Clearly it hasnt led to a big break in the case or Id probably be able to talk about it. I cant get into details of what were doing but its safe to say were leaving no stone unturned.
Police say that the child was allegedly taken from her crib in her Northland home at in the 3600 block of North Lister sometime between the hours of
10:30 p.m. Monday night and 4 a.m. Tuesday morning. The babys father called police around 4 a.m. Tuesday when he came home from work and discovered her missing.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the parents say that searched their home for any sign of their daughter, but only found that the front door was unlocked and a window was open.
Also on Thursday, detectives reportedly developed a list of names, and authorities say that one of the names on the list jogged the parents memory as someone who should be investigated. When asked by reporters, Capt. Young says that the list of names has yet to lead to any solid leads.
As time goes by I would imagine they are jogging their brain for every bit that its worth to think of any person they may not have told us about. It makes sense, said Capt. Young. We will check out any lead we get. unfortunately, nothing has panned out yet.
Police also searched storm drains and lifted manhole covers to search the sewer system, saying that its just another lead and that all leads are being investigated.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/07/lisa-irwin-missing-deborahbradley_n_1000232.html?ref=lisa-irwin
Deborah Bradley, Mother, Says Missouri Police Blame Her For Baby's Disappearance
The mother of a 10-month-old girl who went missing from their Kansas City home said police told her she failed a lie detector test and accused her of being involved in her baby's disappearance.
Deborah Bradley said Friday that police never showed her the results of the test and denied knowing anything about what happened to her daughter, Lisa Irwin. Bradley and the baby's father, Jeremy Irwin, say Lisa was abducted from her crib late Monday or early Tuesday.
"They said I failed (a polygraph test)," Bradley, 25, told the Associated Press. "And I continued to say that's not possible because I don't know where she's at and I did not do this."
Irwin, 28, said he also offered to take a test but that police said that was not necessary.
Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young declined to comment Thursday on whether the parents have been tested, citing the ongoing investigation.
Bradley and Irwin, both dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, held hands and teared up several times during the 20-minute interview. They reiterated that their main focus "is to bring Lisa home."
"We need her. We have to have her. She's our link that ties everybody together," Irwin said.
They said police have treated them like suspects and that Bradley in particular has been preparing for the possibility of charges being filed against her.
The mother said detectives told her: "'You did it. You did it. And we have nothing.'"
Irwin, an electrician, says he returned from work around 4 a.m. Tuesday and discovered Lisa was missing. Bradley says she last checked on the child around 10:30 p.m. and that when Lisa disappeared she was asleep in her bed with her 6-year-old son and a stray kitten they found earlier in the day. The parents say they discovered their front door unlocked, a window open and house lights blazing, lending credence to the theory that the baby may have been snatched by an intruder.
"The main problem I think that we're facing is that everybody (else) has an alibi," Irwin said. "I was at work. I've been cleared. All these other people we were worried about ... the FBI said they've been cleared. The only one you can't clear is the mother that's at home when it happens 'cause there's nobody else there."
On Thursday, police told reporters that Bradley and Irwin were no longer cooperating with authorities in their investigations, but the family later released a statement insisting they had never stopped.
The parents reasserted their commitment to the investigation Friday, saying they are not angry with how things have gone and that they understand police have a difficult job to do.
"Don't get me wrong. I understand why they did what they did," Bradley said. "You see stuff like this everywhere. You watch the TV, and there's some crazy person doing something insane. There's been too many times stuff has happened. They have to assume what's worst ... but it felt like it was taken really, really far."
Bradley said, "I'm still not angry."
The parents also said their three cellphones had been stolen, but Young said the missing phones had not produced any leads.
Investigators focused their search Thursday on a heavily wooded area, sewers and an industrial park. About 100 officers scoured the industrial area and adjacent woods, while others were lifting drain covers and crawling inside.
But by Thursday evening authorities announced they were shutting down the command post about a mile from the family home. Police spokesman Darin Snapp sent out a news release saying authorities believed they had done everything they could "regarding geographic searches."
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15642798/authorities-search-joco-landfill-formissing-baby-lisa
FBI searches landfill for baby Lisa after dumpster fire near home
Law enforcement officers searched a Johnson County landfill Friday for missing 10-month-old baby Lisa Irwin, police said.
According to the FBI, this was the second time agents have searched the landfill this week.
Agents would not immediately comment what, if anything was found Friday.
The landfill was searched because of a dumpster fire near Lisa's Northland home about the time her parents said she went missing early Tuesday.
Joe Vitale, a spokesman for the Kansas City Fire Department, said the dumpster fire was reported at 2:27 a.m. Tuesday. The fire was at an apartment complex at 4897 NE 37th St.The dumpster is less than a half mile from the missing baby's home.
The Deffenbaugh Industries landfill is located near Interstate 435 and Holliday Drive.
FBI agents in white suits could be seen Friday combing the Johnson County landfill. Investigators late Friday afternoon used metal detectors at Lisa's residence to search for clues.
Authorities have been searching for four days for the baby whose parents say was abducted from their Northland home.
"We still have some tips coming in from the TIPS Hotline," Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Steve Young said. "Our detectives are digging up on our leads . . . Anything that has anything to pursue we'll pursue it."
Debbie Bradley, Lisa's mother, said Friday that police accused her of being responsible for the baby's disappearance.
An emotional Debbie Bradley said she understands accusations are part of the investigation into the disappearance of her daughter but adamantly maintains she doesn't know where Lisa is.
The Kansas City police have focused on Baby Lisa's parents since they reported the child missing around 4 a.m. Tuesday. They say have developed no suspects.
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, is backing up his daughter's mother.
Irwin said he immediately knew something was wrong when he returned home from work early Tuesday.
Irwin said he came home from his overnight shift around 4 a.m. Tuesday. He noticed a first-floor window open in the front of the house. After checking on his sons, 6 and 8, he went to the bedroom of his daughter, Lisa, and noticed her missing. Deborah Bradley said she ran through the house screaming for her daughter but there was no answer.
The parents of the missing baby said their cell phones were stolen but that nothing else appears to be missing from their home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
Bradley's grandfather, Dave Netz, told KCTV5 Friday that he believes in his great-granddaughter's parents and that an intruder kidnapped his sleeping granddaughter from her crib.
"They are innocent," he said. "I don't know how many more times I can say it."
Netz said if his granddaughter did fail a lie detector test administered by police that it was only because of the enormous stress she is under.
The family celebrated the eighth birthday of Irwin's son on Sunday at the family home. Netz said Lisa was fussy because of a cold but it was a happy day.
"We had a great time. She's a wonderful bitty girl. And Debbie is too. We think the world of them," Netz said. "We are happy to welcome Jeremy into the family. He is a fine young man, a hard worker."
Bradley's great-grandfather said he wants the public to know that Bradley and Irwin's families are supporting them.
"We are firmly convinced that she's not responsible for anything nor is Jeremy. God only knows who took the baby," Bradley said.
A public vigil was held Friday at Penguin Park in the Northland. Almost 100 attended.
Ribbons and buttons were passed out to those in attendance. Prayers were lifted up along with support and love for Lisa.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/TipJohnson-County-landfill-search-tied-to-Lisa-Irwin-case
FBI: Johnson County landfill search tied to Lisa Irwin case
The FBI confirms the search of a Johnson County landfill was connected to the case of a 10-month-old missing Kansas City, Mo., girl.
More than a dozen law enforcement officers with the FBI and Kansas City Police Department searched the Deffenbaugh Industries Johnson County landfill in white protective suits. By a little before 2 p.m. CDT, they had cleared the scene without appearing to have taken anything from the landfill.
An FBI spokeswoman confirmed what NBC Action News was the first to report, that the search was in connection to the case of Lisa Irwin, who was reported missing Tuesday morning.
The landfill is located near Interstate 435 and Holliday Drive in Shawnee, Kan., about 23 miles from Lisa's home in northern Kansas City. Bridget
Patton, with the Kansas City FBI office, says they searched the same area on Tuesday.
The trash service for Kansas City, Town & Country Recycling and Waste Management, takes its trash to the landfill. A Deffenbaugh spokesman says in cases of landfill searches, if they know where the trash in question came from, they can pinpoint a 20-acre area to help narrow down the search.
Lisa Irwins parents reported her missing Tuesday morning when her father, Jeremy Irwin, says he returned to his home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue from work to find her not inside her crib. He says lights were on in the house and the front door was unlocked.
Investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and FBI have spent the past three days looking for the girl.
Police said Thursday Lisas parents had ceased their cooperation with the investigation, but Friday morning on NBCs Today Show, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, Lisas mother, insisted they have continued to cooperate .
Deborah Bradley admitted during the Today Show interview investigators told her she failed a lie detector test, but she said she did not know how that could be possible, insisting she and Jeremy Irwin had nothing to do with their daughter's disappearance.
Authorities have not named any suspects in the case.
Jeremy Irwin's sister, Ashley Irwin, posted on her Facebook page Friday that a prayer vigil will be held Friday night at 7 p.m. Penguin Park, at the corner of Vivion Road and Norton in Kansas City's Northland.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-fbi-searches-landfill/story? id=14688581#.T0hwjnn7mOc
FBI and Police Search Landfill
The search for missing toddler Lisa Irwin moved to a Missouri landfill today just hours after the girl's mother said police have accused her of doing something to her daughter.
Kansas City police and FBI agents began combing through the Johnson County landfill known officially as Deffenbaugh Industries.
"We were out there searching the landfill today," Bridget Patton, spokeswoman for the FBI's Kansas City Division, told ABCNews.com.
When asked if the search was related to the disappearance of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, Patton said, "Yeah, it's related to that."
Patton said this was the second time this week the FBI has searched the landfill.
Earlier today, Lisa's mother said that police accused her of having done something to her child.
"From the start when they've questioned me, once I couldn't fill in gaps, it turned into 'You did it, you did it,'" Deborah Bradley told "Good Morning America." "They took a picture down from the table and said, 'Look at your baby! And do what's right for her!' I kept saying I don't know ... I just sat there. I didn't even ask to leave. I just let them keep asking questions."
Bradley also said police accused her of failing a polygraph test. Police said they could not comment on this claim, but said Bradley is "free to say whatever she wants."
The child vanished from her crib four days ago and police have said they literally do not have a clue about where Lisa is or who took her.
Bradley, who sobbed through her interview with "GMA," spoke out after Kansas City police said Bradley and the toddler's father Jeremy Irwin had stopped cooperating.
The parents told "GMA" they have not ended their cooperation with police.
"If they say they're willing to continue speaking with detectives, I say great. Our door is open," Police Capt. Steve Young told ABCNews.com this morning. "Their involvement in the case is the best thing for this case. Our only goal is to find this little girl."
Young said detectives would be happy to resume conversations with Lisa's parents, but added, "We still haven't heard from the mother or father as of this morning."
Irwin said that he needed to take a break from the intensive questioning and soon saw a police press conference where they stated that the parents had ceased to work with police on the investigation.
"We were in interrogated for a really long time Tuesday there again, answering questions.I just couldn't' take it anymore," he said. "I told them I had to have a break -- no more questions today. I asked to be let go, and they let me go from police station. An hour later was when we saw the press conference from them."
Both parents vehemently denied on "GMA" that they had any involvement with their daughter's disappearance, and reiterated their willingness to cooperate.
"We continue to ask, answer all the questions the best we can and do everything they tell us to do and so I mean, we've done everything we can do," Bradley said.
That conflicted with what Kansas City, Mo., police Capt. Steve Young said earlier.
"The mother and father no longer want to talk to detectives," Young said. "From an investigative standpoint, we enjoyed their cooperation. So far, [it] has been very beneficial to the case. But yeah, you can imagine it doesn't help the case" [that the cooperation has ended].
"Like I've said before, the cooperation of the parents is -- they live in the house. They intimately have information of what's been going on. They know the child. They were maybe one of our best bets to help find this child," Young said. "This doesn't help the investigation."
Thursday night police also shut down their outdoor command post and removed that crime scene tape that had been surrounding the house since Lisa's disappearance, but police insist this was not related to their claim that the parents were no longer cooperating.
"It has nothing to do with the statement I made about the parents' cooperation," Young said. "We closed that down only because of geography."
Young said the investigation is continuing with the same force but has simply moved to the police station as a matter of convenience.
Police have said that they are still investigating what happened at the house Monday night when the baby, who the couple nicknamed "Pumpkin Pie," disappeared from her crib.
Young confirms what the police have said since their initial questioning of the parents earlier this week, that they are not suspects in their child's disappearance.
"The investigation is directed and led by hard information," Young added. "Again, we don't have any suspects. If we had enough to charge anybody with, we probably would be issuing charges."
The dispute over whether Bradley and Irwin were cooperating came after ABC News learned the couple was trying to make lists of possible suspects for police by thinking about all of the people they cross paths with on a daily basis. That meant they were listing every grocer, utility worker who may have been in the house, former friend, classmate, neighbor or acquaintances who may have wanted a child. They were trying to remember if anyone ever took particular interest in their little girl who was last seen by Bradley on Monday night when she put Lisa to bed at the family home.
Little by little, details have emerged about the mysterious events of Monday night.
The parents revealed that their cell phones were missing when they frantically tried to call 911 after discovering that their "Pumpkin Pie" was not in her crib.
"The windows were open and lights were on and she was nowhere to be found," Irwin told "Good Morning America" Thursday. "We've been going over everything in our minds. We just don't have any idea."
Irwin said that this was the first night he had ever worked the overnight shift and Bradley said it was the first night she had ever left the door unlocked.
Bradley also described to "Good Morning America" how two other children from previous relationships who live in the house have been handling the situation.
"They were crying and asking where [Lisa] was," Bradley said through tears. "My 8-year-old, who's usually really strong, he kind of fell apart. We call her Pumpkin Pie and he said, 'Where's Pumpkin Pie, Mom?' And I couldn't tell him."
"Please. She has a family who loves her very much," Bradley cried. "Take her somewhere safe. Take her to a church, a hospital, a fire department. Just drop her off with somebody and then leave, no questions asked. We just want our baby back."
Ernie Allen of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said that infant abduction cases are relatively rare. There have been 278 documented cases in which newborns or infants have been abducted since 1983.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/irwin-family-friends-spreadflyers
Irwin family friends spread flyers
Beyond praying, friends of Lisa Irwins family are doing something they hope brings closure.
Pain is pushing Ashley Irwin to approach strangers. Her friends said she barely eats or sleeps because she feels there is something she must do.
I just worry about her emotional well-being, her mental health, said Kristin Bobbitt, Irwins friend. Shes quiet. Its always on her mind.
It just broke my heart in two and I told her Im going to do everything I can to help bring this baby home, said Vanessa Underwood, another friend.
Ashleys niece, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin is missing. Police have searched areas around Irwins northland home where she was last seen for days without luck. To boot, detectives insist Irwins parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin are no longer cooperating with police. Close friends disagree.
When I saw the mother last night, it broke my heart, Bobbitt said. You could see how much pain theyre going through.
To ease it, Ashley Irwin wants every person in the metro to see a flyer with Lisa Irwins picture, description and the police TIPS hotline number. Her friends Bobbitt and Underwood passed them out to shoppers in parking lots and outside Independence Center Friday night.
I cant imagine whats going on with that baby, Bobbitt said.
They want to find Lisa Irwin. They also desperately want to ease their friends pain.
October 8th 2011:
Investigators explored two new leads this weekend in the search for missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, ABC News reported, but there's been no announcement of any breaks in the case.
According to the report, investigators questioned and took DNA samples from a teenage neighbor whom they believe was in the Irwin home earlier in the day that Lisa disappeared. The teenager was also said to have known alarm access codes for the house.
Investigators also said they were examining surveillance tape from a location in California where someone reported seeing a baby with a similar description.
On Saturday, Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said investigators spoke with Lisa's parents on the phone early Saturday, and now the parents are sitting down with investigators for a formal interview.
Young said that investigators initiated contact with the parents.
Crime scene investigators also returned to the Irwin home for a short time on Saturday afternoon to do another search. Police said the investigators were wrapping up the search they started on Friday.
Saturday's developments come after a breakdown in communication between police and the parents on Thursday. At that time, police said that Irwin and Bradley stopped "cooperating" with investigators.
On Friday, the couple denied that in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America." Irwin and Bradley said they took exception with how police were handling the questioning.
We were interrogated for a really long time Tuesday, Irwin said. We were there again yesterday answering questions. And I just couldnt take it anymore. I told them I had to have a break. I told them I couldnt do it anymore, and I asked to be let go. So they let me go from the police station. And then an hour later we saw the press conference from them.
Its not true we stopped cooperating, Bradley told Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts. Since all this happened, we never stopped cooperating.
Bradley's grandfather, David Netz Sr., said the couple was exhausted.
"They would come in and say, 'OK, Jeremy said this, and they'd go back to Jeremy and say Deb said this and that," Netz said. "When you're tired and worried about your baby, you're bound to make itty, bitty mistakes in time lines."
KMBC's Cliff Judy was scheduled to talk with Lisa's parents late Saturday morning, but the family backed out. Family members told Judy that they were planning for Saturday to be a family day and to give them time to recuperate a little.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/08/feds-scour-landfill-in-searchmissing-missouri-baby/
Authorities Follow Leads in Case of Missing Missouri Baby, But No Suspects Yet
Authorities are looking into two new leads in the case of a missing 10-monthold Missouri girl, but there are not yet any definite suspects in the case.
A family spokesman said Saturday that Lisa Irwin's parents are working to establish a trust fund.
Spokesman Mike Lerette also says Lisa's parents will be giving fewer media interviews, because they want full attention on finding their daughter.
Authorities have taken a DNA sample from a teenage neighbor who also knew the pass code to her familys garage, but was not named as a suspect in the case. ABC News also reported that a couple was spotted in California with a baby that looked like missing Lisa Irwin and that authorities were looking into the report.
The developments come just one day after FBI agents scoured a Kansas landfill for the second time this week. Agents and Kansas City police spent about two hours Friday at the Deffenbaugh Industries landfill in the suburb of Shawnee, FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said. She wouldn't discuss details but confirmed the activity was related to the search for Lisa Irwin, whose parents said was snatched from her crib in the middle of the night.
Patton said it was the second time the FBI had been at the landfill and it wasn't uncommon to search an area several times. Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said Saturday the search "didn't lead to anything" and "the only thing that motivated that search was brainstorming of `What haven't we done yet?"'
Police also returned to the home of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, Lisas parents, and used metal detectors to search the yard.
Deborah Bradley, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday that police told her she failed a lie detector test and accused her of being involved in her baby's disappearance.
Bradley said police never showed her the test results and she denied knowing anything about what happened to her daughter. She and Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, said their daughter was abducted sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
"They said I failed (a polygraph test)," Bradley, 25, said. "And I continued to say that's not possible because I don't know where she's at and I did not do this."
Irwin, 28, said he also offered to take a test but police told him it wasn't necessary.
Young declined to comment on whether the parents have been tested, citing the ongoing investigation.
Decades of statistics on infant abductions in the U.S. suggest one of the least likely scenarios in Lisa's disappearance is that a stranger broke into her home and took the child as her family slept.
But the numbers also lead national experts to believe that if the infant were snatched from her crib in the middle of the night, as her parents told investigators, she is likely still alive.
In an interview with Judge Jeanine Pirro to air Saturday night on Fox News, Lisa's parents said they didn't think of anyone in particular after they found out the baby was missing.
"It was just panic, panic. You don't think when something like that's happening. You don't think. your thoughts are everywhere. They're racing. Nothing makes sense in your head. You just -- it's like not real,. it's a dream. This is a nightmare," Deborah Bradley told Pirro.
The couple said police have treated them like suspects and that Bradley in particular has been preparing for the possibility of charges. She said detectives told her: "`You did it. You did it. And we have nothing."'
Experts said the frustration is understandable but that police often focus on close relatives in such cases, in part because statistics show that far more infants and young children are killed by a parent than a stranger.
"Suspicion almost always falls heavily on the parents, especially when it's young kids," said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center based at the University of New Hampshire.
"For a parent who has been a victim of a true stranger abduction, this is devastating. You're dealing with the loss of a child, and police are considering you as one of the prime suspects," Finkelhor said. "You can get noncooperative because the family is feeling mistreated by police."
Police said Lisa's parents decided to stop cooperating with investigators late Thursday, but the couple released a statement saying they never stopped and reiterated Friday their focus was "to bring Lisa home."
Detectives haven't talked to the parents again, Young said Saturday. He declined to comment on a broadcast report that a teenage neighbor had been questioned.
"The only thing I can say is we are following up all leads," he said. "If anything has anything to follow we are checking it out."
Bradley and Irwin, both dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, held hands and appeared close to tears several times during their 20-minute interview with AP.
"We need her. We have to have her. She's our link that ties everybody together," Irwin said.
Irwin, an electrician, said he returned from work around 4 a.m. Tuesday and discovered Lisa was missing. Bradley said she last checked on her daughter around 10:30 p.m., then fell asleep in her bed with her 6-year-old son and a stray kitten they found earlier in the day.
Young said he didn't know when the last time someone other than the parents saw the child.
The parents said they frantically searched for Lisa but found only their front door unlocked, a window open and house lights blazing, lending credence to the theory that the baby may have been snatched by an intruder. They also said the family's three cellphones were missing, though police said that information provided no leads.
"The main problem I think that we're facing is that everybody (else) has an alibi," Irwin said. "I was at work. I've been cleared. All these other people we were worried about ... the FBI said they've been cleared. The only one you can't clear is the mother that's at home when it happens `cause there's nobody else there."
Bradley said she understood why investigators would be looking closely at the family, especially her.
"You see stuff like this everywhere. You watch the TV, and there's some crazy
person doing something insane. There's been too many times stuff has happened," she said. "They have to assume what's worst ... but it felt like it was taken really, really far."
Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, noted that most infants abducted by a stranger usually are eventually found alive but said investigators' seemed to be taking a normal approach as they search for Lisa.
"Part of what we train law enforcement chief executives around the country to do -- it doesn't seem fair in a moment of crisis -- you polygraph, interview and identify those closest to the child," Allen said. "You work a variety of scenarios and continue to pursue them until you can rule them out."
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/search-for-lisa-irwin-comes-toa-halt
Search for Lisa Irwin slows down
Day five of the search for 10-month old Lisa Irwin started with her empty house in the 3600 block of North Lister, and no one searching for her. A house, that for the past four days, has been surrounded by crime scene tape.
The crime scene tape is gone but yellow ribbons still adorn the home, to symbolize the family's hope of bringing baby Lisa home.
Kansas City police investigators called off the search of a wooded area near the home, and the search of a Johnson County landfill. A change in course that makes Joseph Robinson think it's time for the community to take action.
Joseph Robinson stopped by the Irwin home on Saturday morning, to
participate in a search. He was surprised to learn that there were no organized searches underway.
"I just think as a community we need to come together and look for this baby," said Robinson
More than a decade ago, Robinson helped with the Precious Doe case, a girl who's dismembered body was found near 59th and Kensington in 2001. After her body was found, Robinson joined a team of volunteers who searched for child's head and found it days later.
"It really hurts me to see all these children being hurt," said Robinson.
Robinson canvassed the neighborhood handing out fliers, that he used his own money to print. He's waiting for an organized search effort to get underway, but until then, he plans to hand out flyers and look for Lisa Irwin on his own.
A family spokesperson says they are trying to get a reward fund set up, print fliers, and print T-shirts to help with the search efforts.
He says they are also in talks with out of state search teams to help with the search for Lisa.
No one in the Irwin family was available for comment.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/familytalking-to-detectives,-search-for-lisa-irwin-continues
Family talking to detectives, search for Lisa Irwin
continues
Crime scene investigators returned to the Irwin home Saturday evening. They used metal detectors on the front and backyards. Investigators did not clarify what the teams were looking for.
The family is once again talking to police after police said there was a day and a half with no communication between the parents and investigators.
"We're sitting done with the mother and father right now and as I've been saying for a couple of days clearly that is the best bet for us to find this child, so we're happy we are talking," said Captain Steve Young.
Young said he did not know if family members had a lawyer present during the interview.
Neighbors are still being questioned by the police. Investigators said its standard procedure.
"Our detective is going to talk to everybody they can, if they know somebody its a safe bet they are talking to them," said Young.
Investigators have gotten more than 250 tips, but none of them have proved to be helpful to police.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15647944/police-again-questioning-missingbabys-parents
Police recreate reported baby abduction at home
It is Day 6 in the search for missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, and the baby's parents have reopened the lines of communication with police all in hopes of finding her soon and safe.
The Irwin home, off North Lister and 37th Street in Kansas City, was busy Sunday and all the increased activity comes as parents resume talks with police.
Detectives could be seen Sunday trying to recreate the alleged kidnapping scene, as they examined the interior and exterior of the home.
"We think that's great," Young said. "We are sitting at the same table together now with the mother and father. No doubt about it, I think this is our best bet to help find this child."
This is the first time that Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, the parents of Lisa Irwin, have met with detectives since Thursday evening.
The questioning comes as detectives are again searching for clues at the family's Northland home.
The Associated Press reported that police declined to comment on a report that a teenage neighbor had been questioned.
Crime scene investigators could be seen back inside the home collecting more evidence Saturday evening.
A CSI van arrived at the Northland home after 5 p.m. Saturday. Detectives are again using metal detectors in the baby's yard. Young said this was not in
response to a specific tip.
The police department has received more than 250 tips, but none of the tips have led to anything "good," Young said.
Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin had agreed to conduct a 10 a.m. interview Saturday with KCTV5 about the disappearance of their daughter.
The interview was abruptly canceled because the parents had agreed to meet with detectives to talk about the disappearance of baby Lisa, a family spokesman told KCTV5.
"We reached out by phone this morning, but have yet to sit down with them," Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, told KCTV5 Saturday afternoon.
That this changed was good for the investigation, Young said.
These developments come after police, on Thursday, said Irwin and Bradley were no longer cooperating with detectives. The parents have denied this.
Instead, they say police have attempted to accuse Bradley of being responsible for her daughter's disappearance. They say they have undergone hours and hours of interrogation and grown weary of answering the same questions over and over again.
Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Tuesday to report that his daughter had gone missing from her crib. Bradley said a kidnapper snatched her daughter sometime after she put her daughter down to sleep about 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Friday night, Bradley thanked those who are attempting to find her daughter.
"Please pray for Lisa and keep looking for her," Bradley said. "We really appreciate all of the support."
Family members of both Irwin and Bradley insist neither would be responsible for their daughter's disappearance.
"There's no way she had anything to do with the disappearance of this child," said Rick Irwin, Jeremy Irwin's grandfather.
Kansas City police said Saturday that they are glad the parents of a missing 10-month-old Missouri girl have resumed conversations with them.
"We couldn't be happier about it," police Capt. Steve Young said. "Their involvement in this investigation is critical."
A meeting was held Saturday evening.
Investigators have searched about 300 homes and apartments in the area around the home. Lisa Irwin hasn't been seen since Monday night.
Federal authorities joined police in the search effort this week -- which included an inspection of a landfill and a nearby creek -- speaking with neighbors and sweeping the area with metal detectors. Police said they have no suspects or solid leads.
Michael Lerette, a family spokesman for the parents of the missing infant, said police collected what could be forensic evidence in the case, but authorities have declined to comment on that claim.
On Thursday, Young said the parents stopped cooperating with detectives.
But a woman who identified herself as the sister of Jeremy Irwin read a statement late Thursday on behalf of her brother and Deborah Bradley, parents of missing the girl.
"We have never stopped cooperating with the police. We've been cooperative from day one and we continue to assist the police with the investigation," the statement by Ashley Irwin said. "The main goal has always been to find Lisa and bring her home. That remains the sole focus of the parents."
Lerette said that the parents had been exhausted from questioning at the police station. "I think it's just a lot of miscommunication, to be honest."
Lisa was last seen around 10:30 p.m. Monday, asleep in her crib, police said. Authorities were called to the home at about 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Jeremy Irwin told reporters that he found Lisa missing when he got home from work. "The front door was unlocked," he said Thursday. "Most of the lights were on in the house, and the window in front was open -- all very unusual."
The couple also said three cell phones were missing at their home, according to Young.
Lisa is described as 30 inches tall with blue eyes and blond hair, police said. She weighs between 26 and 30 pounds and was last seen wearing purple shorts and a purple shirt with white kittens on it.
The missing girl has two bottom teeth, a small bug bite under her left ear and a "beauty mark" on her right outer thigh. She had a cold with a cough, police said.
http://next-generationcommunications.tmcnet.com/news/2011/10/08/5839048.htm
Missing girl's family to work on generating tips for police, reward fund
(The Kansas City Star) -- Family members of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, missing since Tuesday, announced Saturday that they would scale back their media interviews for the time being and focus on generating tips for police. Mike LeRette -- a cousin of the baby's mother, Deborah Bradley, and a spokesman for the family -- said lawyers are now working with the family to set up a trust fund that would accept donations for a reward fund.
That process is moving slowly, LeRette said, but he hopes to have an announcement soon. Family members sense that the volume of tips to authorities has fallen off in the last couple of days and they hope a generous reward fund will encourage more tips.
"It seems like they're running out of good leads, so why not give them more?" LeRette asked. "We're one phone call away. One person calls in and
maybe she's in our arms later today." Authorities issued an Amber Alert Tuesday after Irwin returned from work as an electrician about 4 a.m. and found that Lisa was gone. Police launched a massive search and questioned the couple closely about their activities that morning and the previous day.
On Friday, investigators ran metal detectors around the family's Northland yard and FBI agents searched a landfill for the second time for trash that had been received from the family's neighborhood.
On Saturday, police spokesman Steve Young said the landfill search turned up nothing significant and was done as a precaution.
LeRette also sought to ease any apparent tensions that may have existed between Bradley, father Jeremy Irwin and police. Earlier this week police announced that Bradley and Irwin had stopped cooperating with police, while the couple responded later that they still were assisting officers.
The family is not unhappy with the police investigation and continues to pass along its leads and ideas, LeRette said, adding that Irwin spoke with police and the FBI a couple of times Friday.
"We don't get any feedback, but we're not dissatisfied," LeRette said. "We're in the dark like everyone else." Besides the trust fund, the family hopes to focus this weekend on getting flyers and photographs of Lisa into the hands of anyone who may have seen either her or her abductor.
He said up to 8,000 flyers a day have been printed since Tuesday. Some have gone to truck stops so drivers can pick them up for distribution far and wide.
"Everybody is pulling together and we're trying to get the information out there so we can get a phone call with good news," LeRette said.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/09/2054762/missing-girls-parents-talkwith.html#storylink=misearch
Missing girl's parents talk with KC police
Crime scene investigators continued searching after dark Saturday inside and outside the home of missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, and her parents sat down with detectives Saturday for the first time since Thursday.
But Capt. Steve Young, a police spokesman, said that after looking into the best of 250 tips, police could report no breaks in the case.
"Unfortunately, none of them have led to anything good," he said.
Detectives met with Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, late Saturday afternoon, a development Young said was crucial.
"It's the best thing for everybody in trying to find this child," Young said. "We couldn't be happier about it."
The couple also consented to additional searches at the house, he said.
Police said Thursday that the couple weren't cooperating. The next day the parents told national morning television shows that they had been cooperating but that Irwin had asked for a break in questioning.
Just before 6 p.m. Saturday, investigators used metal detectors to scan the front and back yards of the home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. Police continued their search through the evening, including calling for a fire department ladder so they could check the house's gutters and roof vents.
Police crime scene tape was no longer around the property. Two small signs in the front yard included handwritten messages: "Bring Lisa home" and "Find Lisa." Yellow ribbons were tied on a flag pole in the front yard and trees.
Irwin returned from work as an electrician about 4 a.m. Tuesday and found that Lisa was gone. Police launched a massive search and questioned the couple closely about their activities that morning and the previous day.
Mike LeRette, Bradley's cousin and a spokesman for the family, told the Kansas City Star that family members had planned to scale back their media interviews for the time being and focus on generating tips for police.
LeRette sought to ease any apparent tensions that may have existed between Bradley, father Jeremy Irwin and police. The family is not unhappy with the police investigation and continues to pass along its leads and ideas, LeRette said, adding that Irwin spoke with police and the FBI a couple of times Friday.
"We don't get any feedback, but we're not dissatisfied," LeRette said. "We're in the dark like everyone else."
LeRette said lawyers are now working with the family to set up a trust fund for donations for a reward fund.
Family members sense that the volume of tips to authorities has fallen off in the last couple of days and they hope a generous reward fund will encourage more tips.
"It seems like they're running out of good leads, so why not give them more?" LeRette asked. "We're one phone call away. One person calls in and
maybe she's in our arms later today."
Investigators first ran metal detectors around the family's Northland yard Friday, and FBI agents searched a landfill for the second time for trash from the neighborhood.
Young said Saturday that the landfill search turned up nothing significant and was done as a precaution.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-parents-cooperatinginvestigation-police/story?id=14695496#.TykI94H7mOc
Parents Once Again Cooperating With Investigation, Police Say
The parents of a missing 10-month-old Missouri baby once again are cooperating with the investigation into the girl's disappearance, a police official said tonight.
Kansas City, Mo., police captain Steve Young said detectives were meeting with the family, but there still were no suspects or solid leads into the whereabouts of Lisa Irwin, who has been missing from her Kansas City home since Monday night.
"They're talking with us and that is absolutely the best thing," Young said.
FBI agents also were meeting with the missing girl's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, ABC News has learned.
On Thursday, Young said Irwin and Bradley no longer were cooperating with the investigation, though the parents maintained that they continued to cooperate and only were taking a break.
Though police said there were no solid leads in the case, they appeared to be pursuing a number of investigative avenues, many of which they would not comment upon directly.
Today, a crime scene investigation team from the Kansas City Police arrived at the home of the parents of the missing girl and searched the front and rear yards with metal detectors, though they would not say what they were looking for.
Police also continued to go door-to-door in the neighborhood looking for clues.
"We have a list of every residence in the neighborhood," Young said. "We don't just knock and move on. We track it. We log who we've spoken to. We log which houses haven't had an answer at the door."
On Friday, investigators questioned a teenage neighbor of Lisa's parents and forensic experts took a DNA sample, a source told ABC News. That neighbor apparently was at the home the day Lisa vanished and knew the access code to the family's garage.
Investigators are also looking into reports from the West Coast, where a couple was seen with a small child fitting Lisa's description, relative Mike Lerette told ABC affiliate KMBC-TV.
"They're pursuing surveillance tape on a couple with the baby in California," said Lerette.
FBI special agent and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said the lead involving the teenager likely was a more helpful than the tip from California.
"I can tell you based on experience of working high-profile abductions that you get leads from literally all over the world. Is that possible? Of course it's possible. Is it likely? I don't think so," Garrett said. "I think this situation is probably going to stay within the Kansas City area."
Earlier on Friday, the FBI and police searched through a landfill for a second time, but found nothing. On Tuesday, Jeremy Irwin said he came home from working an overnight shift and found his daughter's crib empty, a window open and the family's three cell phones gone.
"The windows were open and lights were on and she was nowhere to be found," Irwin told "Good Morning America" Thursday. "We've been going over everything in our minds. We just don't have any idea."
On Friday, Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, said that police accused her of having done something to her child.
"From the start when they've questioned me, once I couldn't fill in gaps, it turned into 'You did it, you did it,'" Deborah Bradley told "Good Morning America." "They took a picture down from the table and said, 'Look at your baby! And do what's right for her!' I kept saying I don't know ... I just sat there. I didn't even ask to leave. I just let them keep asking questions." Bradley also said police accused her of failing a polygraph test. Police said they could not comment on this claim, but said Bradley is "free to say whatever she wants."
Garrett said such accusations may be an interrogation technique.
"One of the things you do when intervening in an interrogation is try to push people's buttons as much as possible because people who are guilty ... especially in a situation as emotional as a child being killed, either accidentally or otherwise ... [pressure can] push people over the edge ... and I think that's what they were trying to do," Garrett said. "Obviously they have some consideration that she was involved in this."
The parents told "GMA" they had not ended their cooperation with police
Irwin said that he only needed to take a break from the intensive questioning.
"We were in interrogated for a really long time Tuesday there again, answering questions. ... I just couldn't take it anymore," he said. "I told them I had to have a break -- no more questions today. I asked to be let go, and they let me go from police station. An hour later was when we saw the press conference from them."
Both parents denied on "GMA" that they had any involvement with their daughter's disappearance, and reiterated their willingness to cooperate.
Young welcomed any possible renewal of cooperation from the parents.
"If they say they're willing to continue speaking with detectives, I say great. Our door is open," Young told ABCNews.com. "Their involvement in the case is the best thing for this case. Our only goal is to find this little girl."
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2011/10/08/wheres-baby-lisa-by-judge-jeaninepirro/
Where's Baby Lisa?
Judge Jeanine - I have been intrigued by the early morning disappearance this past Tuesday, October 4th of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin from her own crib in her own home in Kansas City, Missouri. Her mom Deborah says she put baby Lisa to sleep at 10:30pm Monday night. Her dad Jeremy says when he came home from work at 4am she was gone.
So, I traveled to Kansas City to check it out for myself. I interviewed both parents exclusively about the disappearance. Mom and dad each have children from other relationships. Deborah is the mother of a 6-year-old boy and dad has an 8-year-old boy. Baby Lisa is the one child they have in common.
The homes on Lister Street, where the Irwins live, are modest and relatively close to each other. Amidst the satellite trucks covering the case are small children, dogs, and cats everything you would expect to see in an ordinary neighborhood.
I spoke with the Irwins neighbor who proudly brought out his 16-month-old baby boy who used to play with baby Lisa. Everyone is perplexed by the abduction.
When Jeremy came home, all the lights in the house were on. A window was open in the front of the house. Deborah doesnt remember if she locked the door, but it was unlocked when dad came home.
Who could have taken baby Lisa? Why did no one hear anything? Who is the man a neighbor says was cradling a baby in the middle of the night? Why
have police taken down the command center? What is going on in Kansas City?
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/judge-jeanine-insidethe-desperate-search-for-lisa-irwin-transcribed
Judge Jeanine: Inside the Desperate Search for baby Lisa Irwin (Transcribed)
Jeanine Pirro, show host of Fox News ' Justice with Judge Jeanine sat down again Saturday with the parents of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Ten-month-old Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah "Debbi" Bradley, say Lisa was abducted from her crib sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday, October 3 when Debbi put Lisa to bed, and 4 a.m. Tuesday, October 4 when Jeremy returned home from an overnight electrician job.
Judge Jeanine asks the baby's father: When did you come home? What did you see? Did you expect the lights to be on in the house? What did you think when you saw them on? Could someone have fit through the window? What did you do? Read his answers below.
Transcription of Judge Jeanine's interview with Lisa's parents
Judge Jeanine: Asks Kansas City Police spokesman Captain Steve Young, Could the kidnapper entered the home through the open window? Judge Jeanine turns to Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin.
Judge Jeanine: Jeremy, when you come home, what do you see?
Jeremy: We found the front door unlocked.
Judge Jeanine: Did you expect it to be locked?
Jeremy: Yeah.
Judge Jeanine: Why?
Jeremy: Of course. Because its always locked. Its always locked.
Judge Jeanine: OK.
Jeremy: Um, so the front door was unlocked, um, I walk in and most of the lights in the house were on, um
Judge Jeanine: And what did think when you saw the lights on?
Jeremy: I thought sometimes she leaves one or two on but it was unusual for one to be on in almost every room in the house. Um so I just walked, went through and started turning lights out and got to the computer room and saw that the window was open and tried to close it. Thats when I realized the screen was popped out.
Judge Jeanine: Had you ever seen the screen like that? Pushed was it pushed into the house or out?
Jeremy: No, in. It was pushed into the house and thats why the window wouldnt close.
Judge Jeanine: Could somebody have fit through the frame where it was popped? You said it was popped?
Jeremy: No.
Debbi: I, nothing makes sense.
Judge Jeanine: Could someone have fit through that?
Debbi: If they, if they had removed it all the way, why would they remove it and push it halfway back? That doesnt make sense so
Judge Jeanine: So based on the condition it was in, could someone have gone through that? That you saw?
Jeremy: No. I mean Debbi shakes head no in agreement.
Judge Jeanine: Alright, so then what do you do? You go into the computer room, turn the light out, realize you cant close the window because the frame of the screen is interfering with the window going down. What are you thinking, Jeremy?
Jeremy: Just, I dont know. You know, all of these things, and all, all, all this stuff and none of it makes any sense.
Judge Jeanine asked Kansas City Police Captain Steve Young for his reaction on the screen being bent, the frame was bent in, would an abductor who came through the window in front of the house take the time to put the
screen back on and then leave? After going into the kitchen to get the phones?
Captain Young: Well, again, theres no telling and if theres something that requires explanation then obviously the window is a point of interest for us. Im certain that detectives are pursuing it.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/judge-jeanineinterview-with-parents-of-missing-baby-lisa-irwin-transcribed
Judge Jeanine: Interview with parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin (Transcribed)
Jeanine Pirro, show host of Fox News ' Justice with Judge Jeanine sat down Saturday with the parents of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Judge Jeanine asks the babys parents: Is this the first time you worked an overnight shift? Who went to bed first? Was the neighbor gone when you went to sleep? Were the lights on when you went to bed? Was the front door locked or unlocked? Was there a screen on the computer room window? Were you the last one to go to bed, turn out all the lights? Was there a screen in the window? Was the window open? Whats the next thing you remember? Read their answers below.
Transcription of Judge Jeanine's interview with Lisa's parents
Debbi: Me and my neighbor were out front talking and the boys were and Maria she has a 4-year-old daughter was in the bedroom with them and they have a TV in there and bunk beds and stuff, and they were watching some sort of fairy tale movie and um, I mean everything was, everything was pretty normal. I mean Jeremy never works nights and never works overnight certainly so
Judge Jeanine: So this is the first time you worked an overnight?
Jeremy: Yeah, this is the first time Ive ever not been home at night, so
Judge Jeanine: But that night, who went to bed first, Debbie?
Debbi: Um, Lisa. And then I put the boys to bed and I, I, I went to sleep.
Judge Jeanine: The neighbor was gone when you went to sleep?
Debbi: Yeah.
Judge Jeanine: And you think that was about 10:30?
Debbi: Yeah.
Judge Jeanine: Were the lights on or off when you went to bed?
Debbi: I turned them off.
Judge Jeanine: OK, was the front door locked or unlocked?
Debbi: I dont remember. Typically I lock it. Um, I mean I left the computer room window open and
Judge Jeanine: So the computer room is in the front of the house?
Jeremy: Yeah, thats right.
Debbi breaks down and weeps, hugging Jeremy.
Judge Jeanine: I cant imagine the pain youre going through. Was there a screen on the computer room window?
Debbie: Yeah.
Jeremy: Yeah.
Debbi: And, um, when he came in it was, and he tried to shut the window because we, we, almost never, except for maybe our bedroom which is really far off the ground and maybe twice or every once in a while well leave the boys window cracked, um, for them so they dont get hot in the summer. But he knew that, you know, Im sure theres been a couple of times weve left it open but its not enough to when you walk by its a normal thing at 4 oclock in the morning.
Judge Jeanine: What do you mean when you said he knew?
Debbi: Whenever he came in from work, I mean hes he came in
Judge Jeanine: What time do you normally come home, Jeremy?
Jeremy: About 5 in the evening.
Judge Jeanine: The evening?
Jeremy: Yeah.
Judge Jeanine: But this night you were the last one to go to bed, you turn all the lights out, there was a screen in the window but the window was open?
Debbi: Yeah.
Judge Jeanine: OK, whats the next thing that you remember?
Debbi: Him coming in the bedroom, um, I didnt know what time it was until he later on had said it because I hadnt checked but he came in and said, um, you know, why are all the lights on? um, you know, why is the screen popped out of the window. Part of, a quarter of it was popped out or something and um, I was, you know, I got up, I was I dont, I dont, I dont know what youre talking about
And um, my son was sleeping with me and um, sometimes, you know, I (inaudible) my kids have always, when they were younger, little, slept in bed with me so I like to do that when I can. And, um, he asked why Michael
was there and I was like, you know, hes just, hes sleeping next to me and, um, I guess with everything he was saying out loud to me, you know, he thought wait a minute, you know, Lisas bedroom doors open and we always close it when she goes to sleep at night. And he ran back and checked and he said, he came in the room and said Wheres Lisa, wheres she at? And I said Shes, shes in her crib. What are you, you know, and he says shes not there and we just got up and screaming for her and looking everywhere and she wasnt there.
Judge Jeanine: Shes 10 months old, Lisas 10 months old.
Debbi said: Shes almost 11 months old the 11th. Her birthday is next month.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/judge-jeanine-didmom-deborah-bradley-fail-lie-detector-test-transcribed
Judge Jeanine: Did mom Deborah Bradley Fail Lie Detector Test (Transcribed)
Jeanine Pirro, show host of Fox News ' Justice with Judge Jeanine sat down again Friday with the parents of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Judge Jeanine asks the parents: What about reports of a fallout with police? Did police say you failed the lie detector test? When did you take the lie detector? What did you think, Jeremy, when police said your wife failed the polygraph? Did you get agitated? Why do you say you dont think police have
any leads? Will you continue to cooperate with police? Read their responses below.
Transcription of Judge Jeanine's interview with Lisa's parents: Did Deborah Bradley Fail a Lie Detector Test?
Judge Jeanine says that if Baby Lisa had been abducted the likelihood is that shes still alive, based on expert opinion. Today she talks about the tangled relationship between baby Lisas parents and the police.
Judge Jeanine: What about reports theres a fallout with police? Theres reports that on Thursday there was this animated discussion and you two sped off in a car. Settle the record, once and for all. What happened?
Debbi: Um, when I went down to the command center I had a list of people and right before I, I, uh, while I was making the list I heard that they were searching another area and it wasnt houses and I panicked, and I was freaking out and we went down there and asked them Is there anything going on? Whats happening? and, um, um, you know, we have a list of names but why is everybody, why is everybody down there looking in this area? Whats going on?
Judge Jeanine: So what happened with the discussion of the lie detector test? You said that they told you that you failed it?
Debbi: They just said that You failed the test. Cuz I asked them, Well, how did I do? And he says, You failed. And I said Thats not possible, what do you mean I failed? And You failed, you killed her, you know where shes at. I mean, um, I heard it on Tuesday too
Judge Jeanine: So when did you take the lie detector?
Debbi: Yesterday.
Judge Jeanine: So that was two days after she was missing. And then they tell you that you failed it. What do you think of this Jeremy? They tell you that your wife, the mother of your baby failed a lie detector. How does that make you feel?
Jeremy: It, it didnt really make me feel anything. It doesnt change anything. I dont there was never any doubt in my mind so it, I literally just told them I dont care.
Judge Jeanine: Shes a great mother?
Jeremy: Shes a great, great mother.
Judge Jeanine: When they told you that you failed you indicated in published reports that they werent very nice about it. Was that correct?
Debbi: Right.
Judge Jeanine: To Jeremy, You apparently got agitated with that, is that true Jeremy?
Jeremy: Um, no, not really. I mean we were kind of upset I mean but its normal
Debbi interrupts: How are you supposed to react when somebody tells you something like that and you know its not true? You
Jeremy: Its to be expected. I mean they dont have any, I dont think they have a whole lot of other stuff so they just keep coming back to us.
Judge Jeanine: Why do you say, why do you think they dont have any leads?
Jeremy: I dont know.
Debbi: I dont know.
Judge Jeanine: She cant just disappear in thin air. Somebody
Jeremy: Shes got to be somewhere. Thats why we keep talking to people and coming out. Theres been all these fliers made and people have been great, police are still being great.
Judge Jeanine: So will you continue cooperating with police?
Jeremy: Oh, yea.
Debbi: Of course.
October 9th 2011:

http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/09/tips-hotline-working-to-crack-lisa-irwinscase/
Tips Hotline Working to Crack Lisa Irwins Case
Its a case that has rattled the metro for almost a week. Ten-month-old baby Lisa Irwin is no where to be found. Her parents say she was kidnapped from her crib.This is a pretty rare occurrence, said Kevin Boehm, a detective with the Kansas City Police Dept.
He also works for the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline.
In fact, this is the first time weve handled something like this."
Crime Stoppers takes anonymous tips from the public and then turns them over to investigators. With more than 250 tips that police are investigating, at least 148 came through Crime Stoppers.
Most of the information were receiving right now doesnt have a lot of detail, said the detective. Thats really what the investigators are looking for. Theyre looking for specific information.
Information that will help them solve the nearly week long mystery.
Anybody that saw anything that happened that night Monday night into Tuesday morning, anything that was suspicious in the area, specific reports of vehicles, license plates, descriptions of people that looks out of place; anything like that would be helpful, said Boehm.
Or if the individual is out there that may have Lisa, if they want to report that information to us and return the child obviously were going to take that. Its all anonymous no questions asked. We want Lisa back.
Kansas Citys TIPS Hotline started back in October of 1982. Just last week law enforcement made its 10,000 arrest in relation to information received through the hotline. Now officers hope that a tip to crack the case of missing Lisa Irwin will bring their number to 10,001.
The TIPS Hotline is available online, over the phone and via text 24 hours a day. Tipsters remain anonymous and can collect a cash reward if an arrest is made in the case.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/detecti ves-back-at-irwin-home%2C-recreating-abduction
Detectives return to Irwin home, recreate abduction
Police were back at the home of missing infant Lisa Irwin Sunday, and appeared to be trying to recreate the alleged kidnapping scene.
At least six detectives and four police cars could be seen at the home Sunday afternoon, and arrived with their lights flashing.
Detectives examined the window of the computer room in the home. They also climbed through the window, and one officer was seen hoisting another through the window. The window is being investigated as a potential point-ofentry for the alleged kidnapping.
Officers also went through the interior and exterior of the home, videotaping what they saw.
Irwins parents were not at the home while police were there.
In Kansas City, Kan., at the Kansas Speedway, flyers with Lisa's face and story on them were being given out by Irwins aunt, Ashley Irwin.
"It's a great way to get the word out, especially in case somebody hasn't heard about it yet,"said Ashley Irwin.
Irwin also sold T-shirts for $15 with Lisa's face and kidnapping story on them. The money from the shirts is supposed to go to a reward fund, which has not been officially set up yet.
Lisa Irwins parents were also absent from the Speedway.
The family spokesperson did not return our phone calls. Ashley Irwin said neither Jeremy or Deborah were interested in talking.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/10/police-back-at-home-kansas-citymissing-baby/
Police back at home of Kansas City missing baby
Investigators in Kansas City climbed through a window that parents said had been tampered with the night their 10-month-old daughter disappeared in an apparent attempt to re-enact an abduction.
Lisa Irwin's parents reported her missing early Tuesday after her father returned home from work. Her parents said someone must have crept into their home while the child's mother and brothers slept and snatched the baby girl.
The parents said a front window had been tampered with, and police were
seen crawling through one Sunday. An officer was back at the house early Monday for about 10 minutes, walking around to the rear.
He did not speak to the media. Capt. Steve Young, the police spokesman, said only that detectives have been pursuing leads but are "at the mercy of the next good idea."
"We're trying everything we can," Young said. "We're trying every idea that we can."
But although Young said leads are coming in "all the time," investigators have said they have nothing solid so far and no suspects despite an extensive search of the family's quiet neighborhood, including their home and neighbors' houses, a nearby woods, sewers and a Kansas landfill.
John Hamilton, a former Kansas City police officer who's now an associate professor of criminal justice at Park University, said crime scene reenactments aren't common but can be valuable in some instances.
"When there's a large amount of evidence there ... the re-enactment thing is probably not a necessity," he said. "What it says to me is they were not able to find much physical evidence at the scene."
A re-enactor likely walked through the house holding a doll about the same size and weight as Lisa to see how an abductor might have navigated the home in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, he said. The goal would be to find small details that might initially have been overlooked or a trigger that could shift the investigation in a whole new direction.
"I like (re-enactments)," Hamilton said. "They are a different kind of thinkout-of-the-box way of approaching things."
Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, spoke with detectives late Saturday, Young said. He would not say how long investigators interviewed the couple, but he did say police were pleased the parents were meeting with them. Police said late Thursday that the couple had stopped cooperating, but the family quickly denied the claim, saying they simply needed a break that night from police questioning.
Bradley has said police told her she failed a lie detector test.
Family spokesman Mike Lerette said Monday in text messages to The Associated Press that the family is working closely with police, and that investigators "seem to be following up on a lot those lists we all put together over the week."
He said the family had little information about the investigation.
"We're tracking it just like everyone else though," he said, "by watching the news hoping to hear breaking good news."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/10/baby-lisa-irwinmissing_n_1003644.html
Police Recreate Abduction At Missouri Home
Law enforcement officers investigating the week-old unsolved disappearance of 10-month-old infant Lisa Irwin staged a "break-in" at the family's home on Sunday, with several detectives entering the residence through a window that may have been a route of entry for an abductor.
Camera crews camped out at the home in suburban Kansas City, Mo., filmed several detectives climbing through the window, located in the front of the
one-story home. The investigators appeared to struggle to enter the home quietly, with a screen clanging down loudly as they clambered through the opening.
Police have said the front window showed signs of tampering and may have provided a point of access to the home for a kidnapper. The recreation of a possible entry through the window appeared to be an attempt to test that theory.
A police spokesman declined to comment on conclusions investigators may have drawn from the test. "For reasons that are obvious, we can't comment on the specifics of the case," Capt. Steve Young of the Kansas City Police Department told HuffPost.
"What the cameras saw speaks for itself," Young said.
More than 250 tips have poured in from the public regarding the possible whereabouts of the missing infant, but none have proven useful to police, who say they still have no leads as to the identity of a possible kidnapper.
Lisa's parents, however, continue to face heavy police scrutiny, and on Sunday, investigators carted away several additional boxes of evidence from the house. Last week, her mother, Deborah Bradley, said police had accused her of being responsible for the child's disappearance and informed her that she had failed a lie detector test.
Young declined to comment on whether or not Bradley failed a polygraph test, but said that police currently have no official suspects in the disappearance.
He said the parents are again cooperating with police, after earlier reports -denied by family members -- that they had refused to submit to further
interviews. "The family's back at the table, and we're thankful for that," Young said. "That's clearly the best thing for this investigation. They need to be here."
Criminal justice statistics suggest that the most likely abductor is a family member, neighbor or acquaintance, not a stranger. But Young said that "statistics are not guiding this investigation."
"Everything is still on the table," he said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/neighbors-host-vigilfor-missing-lisa-irwin
Neighbors host vigil for missing Lisa Irwin
About 50 people gathered at the end of North Lister Avenue for a candlelight vigil. Lisa Irwin was last seen on Tuesday at her home on Lister.
"We just want to show our support for Lisa if Lisa would have been home by now we would have had a celebration," said neighbor Jeani Wells.
The crowd sang, prayed, and gave speeches about the child.
"Our kids play out here all the time at my mother in-laws house and we just wanted to show our support for the family and for the baby and we just want her to be brought home," said vigil participant Katie Wells.
People on the street said they don't feel as safe after what happened.
"All my grand kids are here and we don't want to let them out of our sight know," said Jeani Wells.
Many of the people at the vigil never met the family, but that didn't matter.
"This neighborhood has a lot of love for Lisa a lot of these people didn't know her but they are all out here anyway we want her to come home," said Jeani Wells.
Neighbors said everyone was speculating on what happened to the child, but their main focus remained on Lisa.
October 10th 2011:

Investigators returned to the home of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin on Monday afternoon to search the backyard and nearby woods.
Officers arrived at the home just before 3 p.m. to conduct the search. It was not known what they were looking for, or if they found anything. Prior to the afternoon search, it was very quiet at the scene the rest of the day, KMBC's Peggy Breit reported. Breit also spoke with Lisa's aunt on Monday afternoon. The aunt said she's heard of two instances where investigators have been checking reports of a family with a baby. One was a tip that a couple with a little boy was checking out at a store, but they were buying girls' clothes. The other was a friend who said police came to her door and asked her to prove that her 10-month old daughter was really hers.
Police will not comment on specific tips, but will say that they've checked out tips about babies, and nothing has panned out.
Monday's search followed Sunday afternoon's reenactment of Irwin's abduction from her crib. One investigator held a camera while another attempted to climb through the window of the Irwin home. As the investigator tried to get into the house, the window fell on him.
Sunday's reenactment was the biggest development in an otherwise quiet weekend at the Irwin home. Investigators were also at the home on Saturday, wrapping up a search of the home's yard with metal detectors.
Lisa's family spent Sunday at the Kansas Speedway, where a NASCAR race was held. The family handed out fliers to race fans in an effort to increase awareness about baby Lisa's disappearance. A vigil was also held for Lisa at her home on Sunday night.
Also on Monday, firefighters conducted rescue squad training on the Missouri River, less than a mile from the Irwin home. The firefighters said they were not actively searching for Lisa, but they were keeping their eyes open for anything unusual.
River watchers Howard Striplin and Vincent "Punkin" Gramlich said they don't believe the baby will be found there.
"There's a lot of traffic down here," Gramlich said. "I just don't think anybody would do anything like that here because there's too much traffic."
"I hope justice comes out of it," said Striplin. "She's a beautiful little girl, beautiful."
Monday night marks one week since Lisa was taken from her crib inside her home on North Lister Avenue. Police said she was taken from her crib sometime between 10:30 p.m. Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15655082/hope-does-not-fade-in-search-forbaby-lisa
Hope does not fade in search for baby Lisa
The search for Lisa Irwin is now in its eighth day, and an entire neighborhood continues to hope for good news.
"Everybody is praying for her," said Jasmine Thach, who lives near Lisa Irwin's Northland home.
This comes as police investigating Lisa's disappearance searched a neighbor's backyard Monday. Investigators also searched a drainage ditch behind baby Lisa's home.
About half a dozen investigators poked around behind the house. A clanking noise like bottles hitting each other could be heard.
"It doesn't look too good, you know, seeing investigators coming back-andforth and back-and-forth," said Joseph Robinson. "They've got to be coming out here for something. Something ain't right."
A makeshift tribute to Lisa has sprung up at Chelsea Avenue and Lister Street near her home. Thach dropped off a stuffed bear Monday.
"It's sad," she said. "You need to go down there and give some love."
Lisa, who turned 11 months old Tuesday, was last seen a week ago. Her mother, Deborah Bradley, says she put the baby down about 10:30 p.m. last Monday. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing at 4 a.m. Tuesday. He said he found her crib empty when he came home for work.
Neighbors say police interviewed them about a homeless man who frequents the area.
And police are struggling to find answers.
Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young told The Associated Press on Monday that detectives are pursuing leads but are, "at the mercy of the next good idea."
"Detectives are still tracking leads as we speak," said Young.
According to police, detectives were leaving in pairs from the command post Monday morning to track down information that came in over the weekend.
The investigation is being scaled back. More than 300 law enforcement officials were working to find Lisa last week. That is down to about 50.
Neighbor Norval Nichols said the past week has been filled with anxious moments for residents.
"It seems like yesterday. I just wish they would find her," he said.
On Sunday evening, a Northland street was packed as residents came
together to pray for baby Lisa's safe return.
Dozens of friends, family and neighbors gathered, all wanting answers to the heartbreaking mystery and closure for the Irwin family.
"It shows that people care. I just want them to know that we care and what is best for everybody," said neighbor Vicki Nichols.
Investigators spent another day on Sunday searching for clues.
Kansas City, MO, police arrived at baby Lisa's home mid-day Sunday.
Detectives reenacted the reported abduction by going into the baby's window where the alleged kidnapper entered late Monday into Tuesday before taking the 10-month-old baby.
Investigators recorded all their more than half-a-dozen attempts.
At the same time, police were called to Edwardsville, KS on a tip.
Detectives searched the wooded area where it went into the Kansas River.
Police said they received information that it is where baby Lisa's father had a job recently; they left empty-handed.
"It is a long amount of time, considering it is a baby abduction... so you talk about a 24-hour rule as being crucial amount of time you can throw that out," said Jeff Lanza, former FBI agent.
Lanza is following the baby Lisa case.
He said after a week, police probably have all they need at the family's home.
"They probably have covered every possible piece of evidence that they originally recovered at the scene, but sometimes you go over things again and find something else... you talk to people again, and they mention things they had not mentioned before," said Lanza.
What has surprised him about the investigation was a police news conference on Thursday night.
"What was unusual to me was that the police came out and said that the family was not cooperating. That was an unusual step in an investigation... from their standpoint," said Lanza.
As Day 7 arrived, more than 250 tips later, there still is no sign of baby Lisa, but the former agent said hope should not fade.
"You have got to keep hope alive. Even though time passes, things can happen at the flip of a switch and all of a sudden you have a case solved," said Lanza.
Police say the family is now cooperating.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/nosign-of-lisa-irwin-7-days-into-search
No sign of Lisa Irwin 7 days into search
Police have not released any information about a potential suspect in the disappearance of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, but a neighbor, who did not want to appear on camera, said investigators have questioned him about a man who has been seen riding his bike in the neighborhood.
The neighbor said authorities brought a picture of a man to his door and asked him if he had seen him.
He told police that he had seen the man, who he described as in his 20s, riding a bike and carrying a backpack.
The neighbor, who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years and says he knows all of its residents, said he is sure the man does not live close by and was suspicious of the man even before Lisa disappeared.
Another neighbor, Norval Nichols saw the man who he described as an outof-work handyman three times during the month of September. He said he saw the man first at a park, then twice on the block.
During the first encounter with the man at the park three weeks ago, he spoke with Nichols. "He said, 'do you know any place I could move in with or live with somebody?. I said, 'no,'" Nichols said.
Nichols said the man pulled out a large knife and started peeling an orange.
"I didn't really like him, so I got up back to my truck," Nichols said.
This past weekend Nichols was questioned by police.
Police have said they are continuing to look into every lead, but have not commented on the man and say they have no suspects or significant updates to provide in the case.
Hundreds of investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and FBI have followed hundreds of leads, but seven days into a search that started Tuesday, Oct 4, when Lisa was reported missing when her father returned home from work, there has been no sign of the girl.
Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, said the front door was unlocked, lights were on in the home and a front window appeared damaged when he got home and realized his daughter was missing.
Investigators were back at her Lister Avenue home over the weekend, recreating the alleged abduction scene , trying to crawl through a window that has been called a possible way someone could have gotten in the house.
They went through the house videotaping what they saw.
Meanwhile across the state line, Lisa's aunt tried to get the attention of race fans from across the country, in town at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., selling t-shirts and handing out missing posters.
Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, again declined to talk to our reporters this weekend, but did grant a network interview where they say the baby monitor is always on .
They also talked about finding the computer room window damaged that is being investigated as a possible point of entry into their house.
Police say while the active search for Lisa has ceased, investigators continue to follow leads into her disappearance.
http://lakeexpo.com/news/top_stories/article_92d1255c-f40c-11e0-a576001cc4c03286.html
KC police search backyard of missing infant's home
A few hours after neighborhood kids left stuffed animals outside Lisa Irwin's house on Monday, investigators returned to the home to search the backyard.
It was unclear what they were looking to find.
They also spent part of the afternoon inside a next-door neighbor's house.
Also Monday, reports surfaced of a homeless man seen in the area in the weeks leading up to the possible kidnapping of the 10-month-old Irwin from her Kansas City, North home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
Norval C. Nichols, who lives about a block from Lisa's home, said that police showed him a photograph last week of the homeless man and asked about any possible connection to the missing child. Nichols described the homeless man as being in his 20s, with brownish blond hair and a clean appearance. The man once was seen in the neighborhood riding a red bicycle, he said.
Nichols said he also saw the man about a week or two before Lisa was reported missing but not afterward. The two men spoke briefly at a nearby park weeks ago. The man told Nichols that he was looking for a job or any handy jobs in the neighborhood.
"He made me feel real uncomfortable," Nichols said. "Something was not right, so I eased off from him."
Nichols said he recognized the man when police showed him the photograph.
Capt. Steve Young, a police spokesman, said there were no major new developments in the case.
"We continue to track down leads and tips," Young said. "Any interesting ideas that detectives think to try, we are probably going to try it."
Lisa was reported missing Tuesday morning, after her father, an electrician, returned home from work about 4 a.m. and discovered she was gone from her bedroom.
Her mother, Deborah Bradley, last saw Lisa at 10:30 p.m. Monday sleeping in her crib.
Police soon launched a massive search and interviewed her parents. The FBI also has assisted Kansas City police, as have numerous other law enforcement agencies.
On Monday afternoon, 13-year-old Jeff Franz and 11-year-old JT Casady rode their bicycles to the front of Lisa's house and placed stuffed animals near signs expressing hope for the child's safe return.
The two boys, who were off from school Monday, said they wanted Lisa to have the animals when she returned home.
"What if it was one of my brothers or sisters, I would really be upset and done whatever I could if I thought it would help bring them back," Jeff said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/clayco.-subpoenas-nbc-action-news-footage-in-irwin-case#ixzz1kBAzFvzF
Clay Co. subpoenas NBC Action News footage in Irwin case
Early Monday evening NBC Action News received a grand jury subpoena in relation to the search for 10-month-old Lisa Irwin search.
The Clay County Prosecutor's Office is asking for specific footage.
The office has requested any raw video of any interviews given by family, friends of family and neighbors regarding the missing girl.
Other local and national media outlets have also been served, including CNN. The request for NBC Action News footage has been forwarded to our legal team.
Former-Johnson County Prosecutor Paul Morrison said the police are doing their best to be thorough.
They probably may or might not have a suspect or could be looking for all that tape, all that footage that TV stations took to see whether or not someone is giving a consistent story, Morrison said. They could see whether or not their suspect might have been interviewed or might be in any of that footage, they might be looking at footage around the house or vigils.
Baby Lisa went missing a week ago from her crib sometime between the hours of 10:30 p.m. last Monday and 4 a.m. Tuesday.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/11/2057323/cops-seek-raw-video-inmissing.html#storylink=misearch
Cops seek raw video in missing-baby case
A Clay County grand jury issued subpoenas Monday to all the local network TV affiliates requesting any raw footage of interviews with missing infant Lisa Irwin's family, friends or neighbors.
At the urging of police, the prosecutor's office requested the subpoenas of an existing grand jury, a source said.
KCTV-5, the Star's reporting partner, reported it had received the subpoena, as did WDAF, KMBC and KSHB.
The subpoena orders at least two of the stations to appear Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. It is not clear whether the stations will comply. KCTV said it was consulting with its attorney.
The subpoenas came one week after the 10-month-old baby disappeared from her bedroom where her parents said she had been sleeping.
Investigators on Monday returned to the Irwin home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue, which is in Clay County, to search the backyard again.
A crime scene technician and several Kansas City detectives spent more than an hour at the home. It was unclear what they were looking to find.
At one point, detectives looked in the neighbor's backyard. One climbed partly over a privacy fence gate to release a latch. The other detectives then went inside the fenced area.
Meanwhile, other investigators interviewed a person at that residence. At one point, a woman came outside and sat on the front stoop as a man consoled her until a detective summoned her back inside. The woman soon left in a private vehicle.
The child's disappearance continues to have an impact on the larger community. A North Kansas City School District official said that many of the district's younger students have expressed fears over being kidnapped by a stranger.
"Our goal is to make sure all children attending our schools feel their school is a safe place," said Mary Jo Burton, a district spokeswoman.
Earlier Monday, reports surfaced of a homeless man seen in the neighborhood in the weeks leading up to the girl's possible kidnapping.
Norval C. Nichols, who lives about a block from Lisa's home, said that police showed him a photograph last week of the homeless man and asked about any possible connection to the missing child. The man once was seen in the neighborhood riding a red bicycle, he said.
Nichols said he also saw the man about a week or two before Lisa was reported missing but not afterward. The two men spoke briefly at a nearby park weeks ago. The man told Nichols that he was looking for a job or any handy jobs in the neighborhood.
"He made me feel real uncomfortable," Nichols said. "Something was not
right, so I eased off from him."
Capt. Steve Young, a police spokesman, said late Monday morning that there were no major new developments in the case.
"We continue to track down leads and tips," Young said. "Any interesting ideas that detectives think to try, we are probably going to try it."
Lisa was reported missing at about 4 a.m. Oct. 4, after her father, Jeremy Irwin, returned home from work as an electrician and discovered she was gone from her bedroom.
Her mother, Deborah Bradley, told police she last saw Lisa at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3 sleeping in her crib.
Police and federal authorities launched a massive search and interviewed her parents.
October 11th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15664079/day-8-police-sort-through-tipsrumors-in-search-for-lisa
Police deny pressure to make arrest in missing baby case
An aunt of missing baby Lisa Irwin believes that the baby's mother will be arrested in connection with the case.
Ashley Irwin, the paternal aunt, told a national morning show that she believes Debbie Bradley will soon be arrested. Lisa Irwin, then 10 months old, went missing a week ago.
"They don't have any leads, so they have to pin it on somebody," said Ashley Irwin during an interview on Good Morning America.
Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Steve Young denied her comments.
"We are under pressure to find a child. We are not under pressure to pin this on anybody or wrap it up or make an arrest," said Capt. Steve Young.
Ashley Irwin later indicated to KCTV5 that she believed her comments were blown out of proportion.
"Just trying to find a baby, that's it," she said on her Facebook page.
Ashley Irwin's brother, Jeremy Irwin, and Bradley remained sheltered Tuesday at a relative's home surrounded by family and friends.
Young said detectives spent Tuesday pursuing leads.
"Detectives are looking everywhere. There's not anything we're not going to try and look at," Young said. "It just takes that one piece of information and that's what we're still looking for."
The back and forth between police and baby Lisa's family came after the Clay County Prosecutor's Office served a grand jury subpoena on KCTV5 as part of
the investigation into the disappearance of baby Lisa.
KCTV received the subpoena late Monday afternoon. Prosecutors asked KCTV5 for "all footage, including raw footage of any interviews or statements given by neighbors, family or friends of the family, regarding missing baby Lisa Irwin."
Lisa, who turned 11 months old Tuesday, was reported missing by her parents at 4 a.m. last Tuesday. Her mother said she checked on Lisa about 10:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3. Her father said he discovered his daughter missing when he came home from an overnight job about 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
Her parents say a kidnapper snatched Lisa from her crib inside the family's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue in the Northland. Kansas City police issued an Amber Alert three hours later, which was later canceled. The parents say police seem to believe they are responsible for their daughter's disappearance, which they have denied.
Neighbors in the Northland neighborhood where baby Lisa was taken from her crib say they have been questioned by police about a homeless man seen in the neighborhood about two weeks ago.
Detectives continue questioning neighbors in the area including some who live on a busy street about three blocks from Irwin's home.
Detectives also spent hours in and around the Irwin home Monday searching around the house, outside bushes, back yard fence line and around the garage.
Investigators are also sorting through tips and community-wide rumors.
"We want all the tips we can get, and tips with actual information we can follow up on is the best. We know that the one right tip can really get this thing ahead of steam," said Young.
Investigators said they are doing everything they can to figure out where she is.
But they say they need the family's help and the community's help too.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/policesay-reports-of-inevitable-arrest-in-lisa-irwin-case-are-a-stretch
Police say reports of inevitable arrest in Lisa Irwin case are a 'stretch'
A Kansas City police spokesman says claims that the arrest of a missing 10month-old girls mother is inevitable are a stretch.
In a live interview on NBC Action News Today, Capt. Steve Young told Lindsay Shively he had heard about the ABC News report that Lisa Irwin's mother was prepared to be charged in her daughters disappearance.
I havent heard any of the discussion (amongst investigators in the case) in that regard, Young said. I think its a bit of a stretch.
Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin, in an interview that aired on Good Morning America Tuesday morning, told ABC News that Lisas mother, Deborah Bradley, was prepared for charges to be filed against her and felt that an arrest was inevitable.
When NBC Action News contacted Ashley Irwin by phone later Tuesday morning, she would only say she felt police had run out of options and were pointing fingers, namely at Lisas mother. She added she had no additional plans to speak with media Tuesday.
We are still tracking down everything, Young said. Everythings on the table. Were working hard in all directions. To hear more of what Young had to say about the investigation as it enters its eighth day, click on the attached video player.
The investigation has led to a Grand Jury subpoena requesting case footage from NBC Action News and other local and national media outlets, though Young would not comment on what that might mean to the case.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing around 4 a.m. on Oct. 4, when Bradley and Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, said he returned home from working overnight to find her not inside her crib.
An AMBER Alert was issued , and in extensive search began for the girl, but now a week later, theres been no significant advancements in the case.
Two days after she was reported missing, Young held a news conference, saying Bradley and Jeremy Irwin had ceased cooperating with the investigation , but Ashley Irwin made a public statement just hours later insisting they remained cooperative .
The search for Lisa has focused mainly in the area around her home, located in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue, and has included detailed searches of hilly and wooded areas surrounding her neighborhood.
On Friday, investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and FBI searched a landfill in Johnson County, Kan ., saying it had been searched
once before and they were going through it again as a precaution.
Over the weekend, investigators went through the Irwin home trying to recreate the alleged abduction .
Residents in Lisa's neighborhood tell NBC Action News they have been questioned about a man, possibly a local handyman , who had been seen in the area, but police are not commenting on him, insisiting they are working to follow every lead and none have led them to identify a solid suspect.
http://www.kmbc.com/r/29447814/detail.html
The aunt of missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin appeared on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday and said the baby's mother is preparing to be arrested by police.
Ashley Irwin, baby Lisa's aunt, said she believed that police were spending more time focusing on the family, in particular Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, than on finding viable suspects.
"It's what the police do, they don't have any leads, so they have to pin it on somebody," Irwin said.
"It's an absurd notion," Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said on "Good Morning America." "We're not offended by it because it's so far from reality. We're under pressure to find a child. We're not under pressure to pin this on anybody or wrap it up and make an arrest."
"She (Deborah) doesn't care what people say about her," Irwin said. "She doesn't care what people think about her. She just wants to bring Lisa home," Irwin said.
Tuesday morning marked one week since police were notified of baby Lisa's disappearance. Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, called police at 4 a.m. last Tuesday after returning home from work and finding the baby missing from her crib.
Ashley Irwin said she had no doubt in her mind that Bradley was not involved in the baby's disappearance.
"If anybody spends any time with them, they'd know it's not true," Irwin said.
Late Monday afternoon, KMBC 9 News received a subpoena from the Circuit Court of Clay County, Mo., to provide all raw footage of any interviews or statements given by neighbors, family or friends of missing baby Lisa. Other media outlets in Kansas City also received subpoenas.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/search -for-lisa-irwin-moves-to-nearby-vacant-house
Well search reveals nothing in Lisa case
The search for a 10-month-old Kansas City girl reported missing a week ago today brought members of the Kansas City police and fire departments and the FBI to a vacant house about a half-mile away from the girl's home home.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing last Tuesday, Oct. 4, when her father says he returned home from work to find her not inside her crib.
After arriving to the house at about 10:30 a.m. this morning, authorities set
up a tripod around a well underneath a deck on the home in the 3800 block of North Brighton. Two investigators, sent down one at a time, rappelled into the well.
Before they descended into the well, they performed an air quality test inside the well to ensure it is safe to enter, authorities on scene said. The well is about three feet wide and roughly 25 feet deep, according to investigators on scene.
A little before 12:30 p.m., two water trucks arrived on the scene and appeared to be preparing to pump the water from the well. Kansas City police spokeswoman Stacey Graves said there is several feet of water at the bottom of the well.
Members of the Kansas City Fire Department told NBC Action News reporter Lindsay Shively Tuesday's search was not the result of a tip, but of a canvass of the neighborhood that discovered the well was underneath the home's porch.
But in a statement e-mailed to media, Kansas City spokeswoman Stacey Graves said "investigators received a tip about an abandoned house (3838 N Brighton) with a well in the area near Lisa Irwin's home."
Speaking over the phone at about 12 p.m. Tuesday, Graves said she expected authorities to remain on the scene for several hours.
NBC Action News investigator Ryan Kath spoke with the property owner, who said the house has been vacant for about two years, adding someone would have to look under the deck to know the well is there. He said he hasn't been by the property in several months, and was waiting to sell the house until a "better time."
The search of the well concluded around 2:20 p.m. Tuesday afternoon after about four hours. Nothing was found related to the case, police said.
Later Tuesday afternoon, the vacant house was demolished.
Investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and the FBI have been searching for Lisa ever since she vanished. Hundreds of tips have come into police, but Capt. Steve Young says none have turned into viable leads into her location or a potential suspect in her disappearance.
This is not the first focused search in the Lisa Irwin case. Authorities have canvassed wooded and hilly areas in her neighborhood several times with metal detectors and scent-sniffing dogs, have spent several hours searching the Irwin home and on Friday, spent about two hours at a landfill in Johnson County, Kan., where trash from Lisa's neighborhood is taken.
None of the previous searches have resulted in anything fruitful, police have said.
Lisa lives in Clay County, Mo., and on Monday afternoon, a grand jury there subpoenaed NBC Action News and several other local and national media outlets , requesting all raw video footage of interviews by families and neighbors related to the case.
Paul Morrison is a former Johnson County, Kan. prosecutor. He is not directly involved in the case, but said Monday night investigators are probably doing everything they can to be thorough.
They probably may or might not have a suspect or could be looking for all that tape, all that footage that TV stations took to see whether or not someone is giving a consistent story, Morrison said.
Tuesday morning, Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said claims on ABC News by Lisa Irwin's aunt that Deborah Bradley was prepared to be charged and felt that her arrest was "inevitable" were " a little bit of a stretch " and insisted no suspects had been developed.
On Tuesday night, a news conference was held. Bill Stanton, a private investigator, said he had been asked to assist in an independent investigation.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisa-irwin%27sneighbors-have-mixed-emotions-about-police-search
Lisa Irwin's neighbors have mixed emotions about police search
Neighbors on the 3800 block of Brighton Avenue watched as police and fire fighters invaded their neighborhood.
The crews focused on a house with a well in the back of it.
"It's uninhabitable nobody can live there," said neighbor Edith Caray.
She said the owners left the home about two years ago. The owner said the well was hidden under the deck. He said it wasn't visible from the road or yard.
Police said they received a tip that something related to the case might be in the well. They lowered a fire fighter into the well Tuesday morning. The fire fighter didn't find anything.
"I'm afraid for them I'm hoping they find the baby alive that this is just a bad tip," said Caray.
The water department used pumps to pump the well, but they also found nothing inside.
Neighbors have mixed emotions about the outcome.
"If she is still alive that's great, but as a parent and something has happened then you want to know that, too, so you have closure," said neighbor Bailey Casady.
Police left the home around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The dangerous buildings department demolished the structure around 3:30 p.m. City workers said the home wasn't safe.
About 50 city workers took part in the well search. Investigators said they will continue to act on any credible tips.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44859208/ns/today-today_news/t/cisternsearch-yields-no-sign-missing-mo-baby/#.TzGQ9sj7mOc
Cistern search yields no sign of missing Mo. baby
Kansas City authorities searched a cistern at a vacant house Tuesday but came up empty again in their hunt for a missing 10-month-old girl. Local firefighters took turns being lowered into the cistern, a receptacle designed to hold rainwater and other liquid, beneath a backyard deck at a
home neighbors said had been empty for about four years. Afterward, police said they still had no clues and no suspects in Lisa Irwin's disappearance.
Lisa's parents reported her missing after her father returned home from work around 4 a.m. last Tuesday. Her parents said someone must have crept into their home while the child's mother and brothers slept and snatched the girl.
The search of the property came a day after a court ordered Kansas City television stations to submit all footage of interviews with the girl's family and friends.
Bradley has said police told her last week she failed a lie detector test. She has denied having anything to do with her daughter's disappearance.
Grand jury subpoenas from Clay County Circuit Court were sent late Monday to at least four network affiliates in Kansas City, according to their websites. The subpoenas asked the television stations to submit "all footage, including raw footage of any interviews or statements given by neighbors, family or friends of the family, regarding missing baby, Lisa Irwin."
The subpoenas, which were requested by the Clay County prosecutor's office, said at least two of the stations were told to appear with the footage in court on Oct. 18.
Jim Roberts, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said the subpoenas were needed to prevent broadcasters from destroying video they might otherwise discard because it could be needed later. The subpoenas were issued by a sitting grand jury, not on called specifically for this case.
Detectives and crime scene investigators were at the family's home Monday for more than two hours scouring areas of the backyard and poking through shrubbery and grass in the back of the house and in neighbors' yards. Police
earlier in the investigation searched a landfill, nearby woods, an industrial park and sewers in their effort to follow up on more than 300 tips.
"Our detectives are doing everything possible you would expect them to do in this case," said Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department. He declined to comment on the subpoenas.
Bryan McGruder, vice president for news at WDAF, said the station would provide all footage it had aired about the case. But he said the station would not hand over any raw footage because workers "routinely recycle what we use."
R. Michael Cassidy, a professor at Boston College Law School, said there could be several reasons for seeking the footage. He said investigators may want the footage to find inconsistencies in parents' accounts of the events surrounding their daughter's disappearance.
"It could mean that they have one or both of the parents as suspects, and they are developing evidence of everything they said in the past and prior to the arrest," Cassidy said Tuesday. "To show that someone's story has shifted over time can also be very damning."
Police may also want the footage to review "the landscape around the house," shortly after the disappearance was reported.
"It could be that these visuals of the immediate area are important," Cassidy said.
Bradley, the mother, is preparing to be arrested, the baby's aunt said earlier Tuesday.
"It's what the police do," Ashley Irwin told ABC's "Good Morning America." "They don't have any leads so they just have to pin it on somebody."
But police refuted that an arrest was imminent, telling The Kansas City Star it "was absolutely not true."
We dont feel any pressure to accuse anybody, Young said. We are under pressure to do what we can to find a child.
Ashley Irwin told ABC she didn't believe her sister-in-law could have anything to do with Lisa's disappearance.
"She doesn't care what people say about her, she doesn't care what people think about her, all she cares about it getting Lisa home," Ashley said. "She's genuine; she loves that child. It's her baby she would never do anything to hurt her."
Last Thursday, Bradley pleaded for her daughter's safe return on NBC's TODAY Show .
Please bring her home, she said tearfully. Drop her off anywhere safe the fire department, a church, a police station. Bring her somewhere safe, no questions asked. We just want our daughter back. Well do anything to get her.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15666337/police-search-well-near-irwin-home
Investigators hit dead end in search of well near Lisa Irwin's home
Police and firefighters have searched a well underneath a deck at a vacant home located near Lisa Irwin's home in their continued search for missing baby Lisa Irwin.
But investigators concluded before 2:30 p.m. that the 40-foot well was empty except for dirty, murky water.
"The well was drained and nothing was recovered," Sgt. Stacey Graves, spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department, said. "Investigators will still continue to follow up on tips."
The vacant house was demolished Tuesday afternoon.
The flurry of activity began before 11 a.m. Tuesday and lasted almost four hours. Dozens of police, FBI agents and firefighters converged on the home in the 3800 block of North Brighton Avenue.
Kansas City Water Department crews helped pump the well Tuesday afternoon.
Police released few details about what led them to the vacant home, which is about a half mile from baby Lisa's home on North Lister Avenue.
Lisa's parents reported her missing a week ago. She turns 11 months old on Tuesday.
A neighbor tells KCTV5 that he did not even know the house had a deck because it was so overgrown with weeds.
Crews cut out a portion of the deck to gain access to the well.
KCP&L crews also arrived on the scene to disconnect power lines.
In another development in the search for Lisa, police are reviewing surveillance video of Debbie Bradley, Lisa's mother, at a Kansas City grocery store making purchases a few hours before she says she put Lisa down for the night.
Bradley was with an unidentified man making the purchases about 5 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Festival Foods. The owner said Bradley is a regular customer at the store.
The owner said Bradley bought a box of wine, baby wipes and baby food.
Bradley said she last checked on her daughter about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3. The baby's father, Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 when he said he arrived home from an overnight job and discovered she had been snatched from her crib.
Capt. Steve Young of the Kansas City Police Department said investigators are working tirelessly to bring a little girl home. He encouraged the public to contact police with leads.
"The one right tip, the one piece of information, we can get will really get us a head of steam," Young said.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/11/police-firefighters-search-well-for-baby-lisa/
Police, Firefighters Search Well for Baby Lisa
Police and firefighters searched a well at an abandoned house on Tuesday in day eight in the search for baby Lisa Irwin, the same day Lisa turns 11 months old.
The Kansas City Missouri Fire Department and Kansas City police spent four hours searching a well on N. Brighton, but found nothing pertaining to the search for the girl.
According to Sgt. Stacey Graves, police received a tip regarding an old, abandoned house near 39th and N. Brighton. The house is well-known in the neighborhood, and up until this summer, was covered with dense shrubs. While detectives were searching the property, they discovered an old cistern, or a water holding tank, which are common on properties in the area.
Police said the cistern was under a deck, and in order for investigators to get to it, crews cut an area out of the deck.
Firefighters were taking turns being lowered into the cistern in their search efforts. Crews also worked to vacuum water out of the tank, which is believed to be 25 to 30 feet deep.
Earlier on Tuesday, the aunt of 11-month-old Lisa said that authorities are trying to pin the childs disappearance on Lisa mom, Deborah Bradley, but police said that the claim isnt true.
Ashley Irwin, sister of Lisa Irwins father, Jeremy, told ABCs Good Morning America on Tuesday that its clear police dont have any leads, so they have to pin it on somebody, and that she believes that somebody is Deborah.
Ashley also told the program that she believes Bradleys arrest is inevitable.
Capt. Steve Young with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department told FOX 4 News that Ashleys claims couldnt be, further from the truth.
Thats not how it works, said Capt. Young.
That comes one day after police took their investigation of the childs disappearance to a nearby grocery store, Festival Foods near I-35 and Chouteau, where Deborah Bradley and a man were seen buying a box of wine, paper plates and napkins about five hours before Bradley told police she put Lisa in her crib for the night.
Capt. Young said they have identified the man seen with Deborah in the grocery store, but that he is not key to their investigation and they are done pursuing that lead.
On Monday afternoon, detectives returned to the Irwin home in the 3600 block of North Lister to search an area of overgrown vegetation along the back yard fence, but no evidence was collected.
Among the many leads police are chasing down are the name and whereabouts of a man seen in the area of the home before the childs disappearance. Neighbors told FOX 4 on Monday that police showed them a picture of the man, who some people are referring to as a handyman.
Neighbor Norval Nichols said that the man was a stranger.
Ive seen him (the handyman) about a week before that, two weeks before the baby disappeared. He came through the neighborhood a couple of times and that was it, said Nichols.
Police on Monday also issued subpoenas Kansas City-area media outlets,
including FOX 4, asking for any and all interviews with the family and friends and neighbors of the family along with anyone else the media has talked to about the case.
http://cjonline.com/news/2011-10-11/no-sign-missing-baby-search-kcwell#.TrnkA3JIuOd
No sign of missing baby in search of KC well
Crews spent hours Tuesday emptying and then searching a 36-foot well at an abandoned home in the neighborhood where a 10-month-old girl was reported missing a week ago, but once again authorities came up emptyhanded.
Authorities said the house had already been condemned, and about an hour after the search ended, wrecking crews came in, demolished it and carted the pieces away in dump trucks. A caller had suggested police search the property.
There was no reason not to search it, said Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department. We did everything we could to check it out, and there was nothing there. And were moving on to the next lead.
Tuesdays search was among the more elaborate efforts authorities have made in their search for Lisa Irwin.
Her parents reported her missing after her father got home from work about 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin said a window on their home had been tampered with, and they believe someone abducted their daughter while Bradley and the couples two sons slept nearby.
Police have searched the couples home, nearby wooded areas, an industrial park, landfills and sewers. Theyve checked out more than 300 tips, including at least one report of suspicions about a couple with a child near Lisas age.
None of their efforts have turned up any clues, and they still have no suspects, they said Tuesday.
The search of the abandoned property came a day after a court ordered Kansas City television stations to submit all footage of interviews with the girls family and friends.
Grand jury subpoenas from Clay County Circuit Court were sent late Monday to at least four network affiliates in Kansas City, according to their websites. The subpoenas asked the television stations to submit all footage, including raw footage of any interviews or statements given by neighbors, family or friends of the family, regarding missing baby, Lisa Irwin.
The subpoenas, which were requested by the Clay County prosecutors office, ordered at least two of the stations to appear with the footage in court on Oct. 18.
Jim Roberts, a spokesman for the prosecutors office, said the subpoenas were needed to prevent broadcasters from destroying video they might otherwise discard because it could be needed later. The subpoenas were issued by a sitting grand jury, not one called specifically for this case.
Bryan McGruder, vice president for news at WDAF, said the station would provide all footage it had aired about the case. But he said the station wouldnt hand over raw footage because workers routinely recycle what we use.
R. Michael Cassidy, a professor at Boston College Law School, said
investigators may want the footage to find inconsistencies in the parents accounts of their daughters disappearance.
It could mean that they have one or both of the parents as suspects, and they are developing evidence of everything they said in the past and prior to the arrest, Cassidy said Tuesday. To show that someones story has shifted over time can also be very damning.
Neither parent has been named as a suspect, but Bradley has said police told her she failed a lie detector test. They didnt show her paperwork supporting that claim, however.
Police also may want the footage to review the landscape around the house, shortly after the disappearance was reported, Cassidy said.
It could be that these visuals of the immediate area are important, he said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/citydemolishes-house-searched-in-connection-to-lisa-case
City demolishes house searched in connection to Lisa case
The search of the well absolutely floored the man who owns the Northland home.
NBC Action News reached him on the phone and actually told him law enforcement had swarmed his property.
The homeowner, who now lives in independence, initially wondered why NBC Action News was calling him this morning.
We asked him if he still owns the property near 38th and North Brighton and he answered, "yes", and we asked him to turn on the TV.
That's when he saw dozens of police officers and firefighters in his backyard.
The man said the home has been vacant for about two years.
He hasn't been by the property in months and said he was waiting for the market to improve before he tries to fix up the house and sell it.
He has since learned that the house was declared a dangerous building and has already been bulldozed by the city.
David Park with KCMO Neighborhood and Community Services said the city declared the home a "dangerous building". The homeowner said that he was never contacted by the city or police in regards to the matter.
Park said, however, that officials have the authority to demolish a structure in the case of an emergency according to Kansas City's Code of Ordinances Sec. 56-540.
The document states that: Sec. 56-540. - Emergencies. (a) Emergency defined. For the purpose of this article, an emergency is hereby defined as any case where it reasonably appears there is immediate danger to the health, life, safety or welfare of any person because of a dangerous condition which exists in violation of this article.
(b) Authority. In any emergency case, the director of neighborhood and community services shall have the power to take emergency measures to abate or to correct such dangerous condition. The emergency power herein granted shall include power to cause the immediate vacation of any building and the summary correction of any emergency condition which exists in violation of this article, including but not limited to demolition of dangerous buildings.
(c) Emergency order not appealable. No appeal to the property maintenance appeals board shall lie from an emergency order, and such order shall not be reviewed or stayed other than by the circuit court of the county in which the premises is located on which the emergency condition exists.
(d) Costs of abatement. The costs of emergency abatement shall be recovered as provided in section 56-541 for the recovery of costs.
The homeowner was surprised he still hasn't heard from detectives about the search of his property.
When police were asked about it, they told NBC Action News that no consent from the homeowner is required because of the emergency situation involving a missing child.
Regardless, the owner said he's been "freaking out" all day about seeing his old home suddenly take center stage in this national story.
The family of Lisa Irwin said a New York-area private investigator will help in the case.
Bill Stanton stepped in front of cameras Tuesday evening and said he will work with authorities and the media to help find the missing 11-month-old.
"I want everyone to know I'm not here to defend or represent anyone," Stanton said. "I have been asked to come out here to find Lisa and to find the perpetrator or perpetrators."
KMBC's Marcus Moore reported that the Irwin family said they did not hire Stanton, but declined to say who asked him for assistance with the case.
While Stanton was surrounded by family members, the parents of Lisa Irwin were not there.
Stanton told KMBC's Jana Corrie on Wednesday morning that he planned to meet with the Irwin family Wednesday and that he will hold another news conference on Thursday.
Hours before Wednesday night's news conference, investigators spent a good portion of the day searching an abandoned well near the Irwin home, but police say nothing was recovered during the search.
The operation was conducted behind a home at 38th Street and Brighton Avenue. An abandoned well was discovered underneath a deck in the backyard, and a search was started just before 11 a.m. A police statement said that investigators received a tip about the abandoned house with a well near the Irwin home, so they decided to search it. A neighbor who lived near the abandoned house said he saw a homeless young man who was walking by that house, someone that no one has seen in the neighborhood since.
"I saw all this equipment gathering at the house. My neighbor said the police were searching the house for the missing baby and there was a well back there," said neighbor Edith Caray. "(The house) had been abandoned about four years ago. The bushes and weeds have grown over it so bad, you didn't even know it was there, except for the chimney had fallen in."
Carey said there were so many weeds behind the house that she didn't even know there was a deck there.
"When you have a house overgrown with weeds and vines like that, anything can happen," Caray said.
"We've never had any trouble in this neighborhood, so this is odd," said neighbor Betty Roberts. "So whether somebody saw, and knew there was a well back there, or just saw it was abandoned and it ought to be checked, you really don't know."
Crews initially disassembled a portion of the deck to gain access to the well. A tripod was setup to give crews better access and to lower workers down. Firefighters were lowered about 30 feet into the hole, but said water in the well made it difficult to see.
The pumper truck was brought in at about 12:30 p.m. to pump water out of the well. The truck started sucking water out at about 1:30 p.m.
At 2:30 p.m., police announced that nothing had been found in the well. Later in the day, a demolition crew tore down the house.
Neighbor J.T. Casady said he and his family wish they could do something to help the search.
"I want to go out and look for her, but I don't want to tamper with any evidence. That's the whole deal, I mean, because I don't want them to come back on me or my parents or anything like that," he said.
Lisa Irwin was discovered missing from her crib inside her home on North Lister Avenue one week ago.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/11/police-discredit-social-media-rumors-in-babylisa-case/
Police Discredit Social Media Rumors in Baby Lisa Case
Day eight in the search for missing 10-month-old Lisa Irwin brought few, if any, answers to investigators. But it has captivated the community, with many offering up their own thoughts as to what happened to the little girl.
Users on social media sites continue to speculate on her whereabouts, stirring up whispers and rumors that Capt. Steve Young discredits. One such rumor is that of a childs body found at an Independence landfill on Tuesday. Capt. Steve Young said its simply not true.
Also on Tuesday, police and firefighters spent four hours searching the property of an old, abandon house. Detectives found a cistern, which was then drained and searched, but revealed nothing. Following the search, the house was demolished.
With little else to go on, an aunt of Lisas said she thinks police will try to pin Lisas disappearance on her mother, Deborah. On Tuesday, Ashley Irwin, told ABCs Good Morning America she believes Deborahs arrest is inevitable.
Capt. Steve Young of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department told FOX 4 News that Ashleys claims couldnt be, further from the truth.
Tuesday, Oct. 11, also marked the day Lisa turns 11 months old. And as of Tuesday evening, Capt. Young said investigators have no scheduled search for Wednesday, but are actively following leads as the come.
A former FBI agent and polygraph expert said a polygraph should not have been given to baby Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley.
Allen Jennerich, who worked for the FBI for 25 years, said Bradley should not have been given a polygraph because of how emotional the situation is, the repeated police interviews and her lack of sleep.
"You cannot polygraph a person in that state of mind," Jennerich told KMBC's Marcus Moore. "It is simply impossible. Let me take that back. You can polygraph them, but the results mean nothing."
Jennerich told Moore that he stands by the effectiveness of polygraphs in the right situation. Jennerich also said a failed test with no confession means nothing.
"This is a very bizarre case," Jennerich said. "It might never be solved."
Bradley said she was given a polygraph last week after her daughter, 10month-old Lisa Irwin, disappeared from her crib in her Kansas City home.
October 12th 2011:

Investigators looking into the disappearance of an 11-month-old baby have interviewed a clerk at a grocery store where the baby's mother was seen shopping hours before her daughter was reported missing.
Surveillance footage from the Festival Food Supermarket showed Deborah Bradley shopping with an unidentified man at about 5 p.m. on the night that Lisa Irwin was last seen. Hours later, the baby's father returned from work and said the baby was not in the crib.
NBC's Today reported that Bradley was seen buying wine and baby wipes.
Clerk Rebecca Guerrero told CNN that investigators seemed to be interested in one thing in particular.
"They pretty much asked me, you know, if she was depressed. You know, if she seemed depressed and how she acted around the baby, you know. If she seemed stressed out," Guerrero said.
Guerrero said Bradley was a frequent customer and someone she has seen often.
"I pretty much told them she never looked depressed around me," Guerrero said. "She always seemed to have a smile on her face when her kids were around."
http://www.kmbc.com/news/29457590/detail.html#ixzz1n7Od0lWn
Deborah Bradley appeared calm and joyful just hours before her baby daughter was reported missing, according to a supermarket clerk who sold her baby wipes, baby food and boxed wine.
"She had a smile on her face, like she always does when she comes in here," said clerk Rebecca Guerrero, whom FBI agents interviewed Saturday about conversations she'd had with Bradley.
Surveillance video recorded at a grocery store on October 3 shows Bradley and a man purchasing the items from Guerrero the day before 11-month-old Lisa Irwin was reported missing.
Police, who were joined in their search effort by federal authorities last week, have said they have no suspects or solid leads in Lisa's disappearance.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Guerrero described the FBI agents' questions.
"They pretty much asked me if she was depressed, ... how she acted around the baby, if she seemed stressed out," Guerrero said. "I told them she never looked depressed around me. You know, she always seemed to have a smile on her face when her kids were around."
Bradley and the girl's father, Jeremy Irwin, are friendly people who were thrilled to have a baby daughter, Guerrero said.
"When they're here, they're happy. They're smiling. They love their kids," she said.
After two years chatting with Bradley in the checkout line at Festival Foods in Kansas City, Missouri, Guerrero said she had learned a lot about the family.
"We would just pretty much talk about what they've been doing, stuff like that; the children, her two sons, and then when she found out she was pregnant with Lisa, that's all we talked about," Guerrero said.
The supermarket clerk said she also told FBI agents Lisa's parents never mentioned anyone wanting to harm them.
"From my interaction (with the parents), I really don't think that they have anything to do with this," she told CNN.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/12/justice/missouri-missing-girl/index.html? iref=storysearch
Supermarket clerk: The mom of missing Missouri girl was happy
Deborah Bradley appeared calm and joyful just hours before her baby daughter was reported missing, according to a supermarket clerk who sold her baby wipes, baby food and boxed wine.
"She had a smile on her face, like she always does when she comes in here," said clerk Rebecca Guerrero, whom FBI agents interviewed Saturday about conversations she'd had with Bradley.
Surveillance video recorded at a grocery store on October 3 shows Bradley and a man purchasing the items from Guerrero the day before 11-month-old
Lisa Irwin was reported missing.
Police, who were joined in their search effort by federal authorities last week, have said they have no suspects or solid leads in Lisa's disappearance.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Guerrero described the FBI agents' questions.
"They pretty much asked me if she was depressed, ... how she acted around the baby, if she seemed stressed out," Guerrero said. "I told them she never looked depressed around me. You know, she always seemed to have a smile on her face when her kids were around."
Bradley and the girl's father, Jeremy Irwin, are friendly people who were thrilled to have a baby daughter, Guerrero said.
"When they're here, they're happy. They're smiling. They love their kids," she said.
After two years chatting with Bradley in the checkout line at Festival Foods in Kansas City, Missouri, Guerrero said she had learned a lot about the family.
"We would just pretty much talk about what they've been doing, stuff like that; the children, her two sons, and then when she found out she was pregnant with Lisa, that's all we talked about," Guerrero said.
The supermarket clerk said she also told FBI agents Lisa's parents never mentioned anyone wanting to harm them.
"From my interaction (with the parents), I really don't think that they have
anything to do with this," she told CNN.
Authorities had expressed frustration recently after Lisa's parents had stopped cooperating with investigators, police Capt. Steve Young said. However, a family spokeswoman for Bradley and father Jeremy Irwin attributed the frustration to "miscommunication," and a subsequent meeting with the parents was held Saturday.
On Tuesday, Irwin's family announced they had brought in a prominent private investigator to help with the search -- a high-profile twist in a case that has gripped national headlines.
Flanked by family members wearing T-shirts with a picture of Lisa and the word "Kidnapped" above it, investigator Bill Stanton said Tuesday night that he wants a "happy ending" to the case.
He told CNN a family friend was paying for his services.
"I will be asking questions," he added. "I am here to seek the truth."
Stanton is a former New York City police officer who has served as a security consultant for several television networks. He said his role is to help "coordinate and focus the family" in both the investigation and in its dealings with the media.
"We are here to cooperate with anyone and everyone that will help us find the guilty party and return Lisa home safely," he said.
Stanton said the family, which remains united and strong despite the "tremendous hardship," will release more information soon. He did not elaborate.
"I know everybody's watching this family and watching this house, and that's fair," he said. "Keep one eye on them, but also keep the other eye out on the streets, in every place. Because there is a bad guy out there, or bad people, with this child. And we want to get this child home safe and sound."
Lisa was last seen around 10:30 p.m. October 3, asleep in her crib, police said. Authorities were called to the home about 4 a.m. October 4.
She turned 11 months old Tuesday, the eighth day of the search.
On Tuesday, authorities focused on an abandoned home about a half mile from the Irwin home, and included an inspection of a well in the backyard of the property.
The search did not yield any evidence, police said. Authorities had previously combed a nearby landfill and creek.
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, told reporters that he discovered the girl was missing when he got home from work.
"The front door was unlocked," he said last week. "Most of the lights were on in the house, and the window in front was open -- all very unusual."
Three cell phones were also reported missing at the home, Young said.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/12/fbi-questions-clerk-about-moms-demeanornight-of-lisas-disappearance/
FBI Questions Clerk About Moms Demeanor Night of Lisas Disappearance
Federal agents questioned a Kansas City grocery store clerk as they searched for clues in Lisa Irwins disappearance. New surveillance video shows Lisas mom, Deborah Bradley, shopping at Festival Foods the night Lisa was reported missing.
She went to the store around 5 p.m. and FBI agents asked the store clerk plenty of questions about the visit.
They pretty much asked me, you know, if she was depressed, you know, if she seemed depressed, how she acted around the baby, if she seemed stressed out, said Rebecca Guerrero. I pretty much told them she never look depressed around me. She always seemed to have a smile on her face when her kids where around.
Kansas City police say the surveillance video wont lead to a resolution in the case.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/14/family-hopes-videos-of-missing-girlkeep-spotlight-on-case/?iref=storysearch
Family hopes videos of missing girl keep spotlight on case
Videos of a missing Missouri child, released this week by her family, are
snapshots of a happier time.
In one video taken by mother Deborah Bradley, 11-month-old Lisa Irwin is staring into the camera, smiling and cooing.
"Say hi to Momma," Bradley says in the video. Look at that messy baby.
Lisa is wearing an outfit that says Daddy Loves Me.
Lisa's family released three home videos of the girl recorded in the spring on Thursday, hoping to keep her image in the spotlight. The family says it last saw Lisa about 10:30 p.m. October 3, asleep in a crib in her Kansas City home, according to police.
Authorities were called to the home about 4 a.m. October 4. Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, said he discovered that the girl was missing when he got home from work. Police have said they have no suspects or solid leads in Lisa's disappearance.
Two anonymous benefactors are offering a $100,000 reward for Lisa's safe return, a private investigator working for the family said Friday.
Lisa was reaching an age when a child starts to develop personality traits, and Bradley noticed this on trips to stores.
"Everybody loves her," Bradley said last week after Lisa was reported missing. (Lisa) likes everybody. Shes very playful and so sweet.
A few hours before Bradley put her daughter down to sleep last week, she went to a Festival Foods grocery store where the family regularly shops.
Rebecca Guerrero, a cashier, said she had seen Lisa there many times.
Shes the sweetest little girl Ive ever seen, Guerrero said. Shes always smiling. You go up to her and tickle her, and she starts laughing.
Guerrero said that when Lisas parents had learned Bradley was pregnant, they were happy to know that theyd soon have a girl.
When (Bradley) was pregnant with Lisa, thats all we would talk about, Guerrero said. (Jeremy Irwin) was thrilled. He wanted a baby girl.
Guerrero says she cant stop thinking about those brief visits with the family while waiting to hear of Lisas fate.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/mom-seen-on-videobuying-wine-with-unidentified-man-hours-before-baby-vanished
Mom seen on video buying wine with unidentified man hours before baby vanished
On Tuesday, the manager of Festival Foods in Kansas City confirmed police requested surveillance video from his store in the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin who vanished one week ago today.
Earlier Fox 4 News reports indicated Lisa's mother, Deborah "Debbi" Bradley was seen on video at the store buying a box of wine, paper plates, and napkins. During a call with the store manager Tuesday, who prefers not to be named, he said Debbi was seen on surveillance purchasing the wine but not the other items previously reported.
He said, "I was initially misinformed. When I spoke with Fox 4 News the information I had was third hand. I hadn't seen the video yet.
"I've seen the video and the baby's mother [Deborah Bradley] was seen with an unidentified man buying a box of wine. She did not buy paper plates or napkins," the store manager said.
Asked if Debbie purchased other items he said, "Yes, she purchased miscellaneous other items," but did not elaborate on what those items were.
"The time she [Debbie] came in was 5 p.m. the day the baby went missing. The two definitely came in together and purchased the items. The man looked younger, to me he looked like he was around 20," the manager said. It was later reported that Deborah and her brother, Phillip Netz, were seen on surveillance at 4:45 p.m.
Asked if the man and Debbi were walking as friends or if they appeared to be involved in a relationship, the manager said they were just walking together. "They weren't hugging or holding hands or anything like that," he said. "But they definitely came in together and left together."
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Neighborsfrustrated-with-the-lack-of-leads-in-Lisa-Irwin-case
Neighbors frustrated with the lack of leads in Lisa Irwin case
People who don't even know 11-month-old Lisa Irwin continue to drop off stuffed animals and candles at a make shift memorial set up at Chelsea and North Lister in Kansas City just across the street from where the baby girl was reported missing.
Vickie Nichols a neighbor said, It gets harder the longer it goes on the less hope we have I think."
She admits neighborhood's constant attention is getting is tough but Nichols said she'll put up with it to find Lisa.
I think it will bring the baby back that's all we need to think about is what it takes to bring her home" said Nichols.
Meanwhile police continue to search wooded areas around the Northland home. They have even dug through dumpsters in nearby apartments looking for clues.
Officials confirmed a dumpster fire at 4897 NE 37th street on October 4 at 2:30 in the morning the same morning she was reported missing and a halfmile away from the family home.
The next day I took the trash out and it looked different," said Hannah Carroll, who lives close to the dumpster.
Wednesday night you could still see the charred paint on the dumpster.
Fire officials said there was nothing out of the ordinary, but last week crews searched the landfill where this trash is dumped.
Carroll said watching the search has been interesting, but she just hopes it pays off.
If they can find stuff that would help find a baby I'm happy here" said Carroll.
Joseph Robinson is someone who has been following the case and is trying to help.
I handed out 300 fliers. And I am going to keep passing fliers out till this is over until we get an answer" said Robinson.
As more stuffed animals and notes are dropped off at the memorial neighbors just want tips that will break the case and find Lisa.
They have so many leads and nothing is showing up. Its disturbing" said Nichols.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/investigators-inlisa-irwin-case-re-search-wooded-area-near-her-home
Investigators in Lisa Irwin case search wooded area near her home and continue to knock on doors
Investigators in the Lisa Irwin case have gathered at a wooded area near the girls home to search for her or clues into her disappearance.
Authorities are at an area near the intersection of NE 34th Terrace and N. Brighton Avenue, just a couple blocks from Lisas home.
NBC Action News' Jake Peterson saw four or five officers knock on the front door of a building in the 4800-block of NE 34th Terrace.
The couple in the home said that police asked a lot of questions about a man who frequents a bar called One Eyed Jacks and goes by the nickname of "Jersey".
They also added that police were referencing a photograph of the man calling him a handyman.
The owner of the bar spoke off-camera and confirmed he knows the man who was a patron at his establishment. The owner last saw him on Oct. 1 when he kicked the man out of the bar for being drunk.
He added that the man in question used to live near the house that was searched on Tuesday prior to being demolished.
Lisa turned 11 months old on Tuesday, exactly one week after she was reported missing when her father says he returned home from work to find her not in her crib.
According to police, Wednesdays search is not based on any specific tip, but an effort to make sure all bases are covered in the investigation. Authorities say they've searched the area before, but there may be portions of the area that have yet to be searched.
Investigators have searched several areas near Lisas home, located in the 3600 block of N. Lister Avenue, including a search Tuesday of a well under a vacant home about a half-mile away.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/police-continueasking-about-neighborhood-handyman
Investigators in Lisa Irwin case continue asking about neighborhood handyman
As the search for Lisa Irwin continued Wednesday and Thursday, area residents say they are still being asked about a man who has not been seen since the now-11-month-old girl disappeared.
Investigators have not named any suspects in the case, but detectives were near the Irwin home Wednesday asking people about a man who neighbors say is an out-of-work handyman who rides his bike around the area.
We first told you about the handyman earlier this week , when residents living in the area first told us about investigators questions about the man. Neighbors said the man is known only as Jeresy. but don't know Jersey's real name. They said he hasn't been seen since before Lisa Irwin was reported missing in the early-morning hours of Oct. 4.
"The cops came asked us if we had seen a person, the handyman or Jersey, said neighbor Carissa Carda. I've never seen him before don't know who he is,"
Officers searched Carda's home. They didn't find Jersey.
"If that's what it takes to find the baby then so be it, the baby's not here," Carda said.
The police also asked other neighbors about Jersey, who reportedly frequents a bar called One Eyed Jacks.
The owner of the bar spoke off-camera and confirmed he knows the man who was a patron at his establishment. The owner last saw him on Oct. 1 when
he kicked the man out of the bar for being drunk.
He added that the man in question used to live near the house that was searched on Tuesday prior to being demolished .
Barbara Hoy said she'd seen him before.
"He went down the street one day with a gallon of whiskey," said Hoy.
Officers aren't calling Jersey a suspect or even a person of interest in the case, but say they would like to talk to him.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15677057/police-asking-questions-abouthandyman-in-search-for-lisa
Police ask questions about handyman in search for Lisa
Day 10 of the Lisa Irwin investigation has police looking for a homeless man seen in the Northland neighborhood just two days before the 11 month old went missing.
Investigators have interviewed a barkeep about a homeless man who labors as a handyman near the missing infant's home.
Detectives also have knocked on neighbors' doors asking residents about a man known as "Jersey." He frequents a bar known as One-Eyed Jacks.
Police have shown residents a photo of the man who is known to ride his bike in Lisa Irwin's neighborhood. He is apparently homeless and lived in a vacant home that was searched and later demolished on Tuesday.
Police and firefighters searched a well underneath a deck at the vacant home, but investigators concluded that the 40-foot well was empty except for dirty, murky water.
The bar owner tells KCTV5 that Jersey was kicked out due to intoxication on Oct. 1. Lisa Irwin's family says they last saw the 11-month-old infant around 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
The questions about the handyman came as police dogs and officers on allterrain vehicles searched Wednesday a wooded area in the Northland as part of the search for a missing baby.
Two ATVs were brought to the scene near the 3600 block of North Brighton Avenue.
This came in the ninth day of searching for baby Lisa. The infant's parents reported her missing about 4 a.m. on Oct. 4.
Her family did not speak publicly Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, police searched several acres near North 34th Street and North Brighton.
Police said this recent search did not come from a tip, but is an area they had not covered yet.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15671844/private-investigator-nowassisting-in-search-for-missing-baFby
Prominent PI joins search for missing baby
A private investigator, who has done work for national networks, met with Kansas City Police investigators Wednesday to discuss how he can assist in the search for missing baby Lisa Irwin.
Bill Stanton, a former New York City police officer known as "Wild Bill," said he discussed the boundaries of how he can help. He also met with baby Lisa's parents.
"I want to let the Kansas City Police Department do their job," Stanton told KCTV5. "They are doing a very hard job and they are doing their best."
Stanton said he will bring "a fresh set of eyes" to the case.
He repeatedly refused Wednesday to identity who is paying for him to come to Kansas City and have a team of investigators probe Lisa's disappearance.
"I don't want this story to be about who hired me. It's a person who wishes to remain anonymous," he said.
Stanton and his firm are licensed in New York, but he is not licensed as a private investigator in Missouri. He told KCTV5 Wednesday that he does not need a license because he is a consultant.
Stanton arrived in Kansas City on Tuesday and held a news conference. He
said Tuesday night that he wants "a happy ending" to a case that has increasingly captivated the nation.
"We know Lisa is out there," he said.
Stanton said he and his team are now assisting Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin in the quest to find their missing daughter. But the family has not hired him.
"I will be asking questions," Stanton said. "I am not here to defend or represent anyone. I have been asked to come out here and to find Lisa and to find the perpetrator or perpetrators."
Capt. Steve Young of the Kansas City Police Department said Wednesday morning that private investigators have no more access to crime scene evidence than the general public.
Young stressed that private investigators are not sworn officers and the department is currently checking on what police are obligated to enforce as far as Stanton not being licensed to work in Missouri.
Some area private investigators are concerned because Stanton isn't licensed in Missouri.
"It's about keeping credibility," said Ron Rugen, a Kansas City area private investigator. "It's like cosmetology. You don't want someone cutting your hair that isn't licensed by the state or a lawyer not licensed by the state bar. It's a matter of keeping things squared away and legitimate."
Rugen said Missouri has licensing requirements including training and insurance mandates. He said private investigators must pass background
checks.
Stanton shrugs off the questions. He said the focus should be on finding baby Lisa, not his qualifications.
"I want the citizens of Kansas City deputized in trying to find a resolution and getting her home safe," he said.
Stanton has been a contributor for ABC, NBC, Good Morning America and the Today Show. Good Morning America listed Stanton as a security coordinator for the show in 2009. He said he was "asked" to do "an independent investigation," but did not say who had asked him to do so.
He said Lisa's family has "kindly allowed that to happen."
Stanton said he would work with police. He said they do a "thankless job" and investigators are doing the "best they can."
"I am here to seek the truth," he said. "And wherever that truth takes me that is where I am going to go."
Eight somber-looking members of the baby's family flanked Stanton as he spoke. Neither Bradley nor Irwin was present. Irwin's sister, Ashley Irwin, stood with Stanton. Earlier Tuesday, Ashley Irwin said she believed police were railroading Bradley and would soon arrest her because they are desperate to make an arrest in the case.
Police have denied that and Ashley Irwin has said her comments to Good Morning America were taken out of context.
Lisa Irwin, who turned 11 months old on Tuesday, was reported missing by her parents around 4 a.m. on Oct. 3. Her parents say she was snatched from her crib as she slept.
Stanton said he understands the suspicions of her parents, saying, "That's fair."
"Keep one eye on them, but keep the other eye out for the streets," Stanton said. "There is a bad guy out there or bad people with this child. We want to get this child home safe and sound. That's the ultimate goal for everyone. Let's have a happy ending."
He thanked those who have assisted in the search. And he said the media will play a vital role.
"It is important that we use the media to help find Lisa," he said.
http://southflorida.sun-sentinel.com/news/wdaf-lisa-irwin-family-hiresprivate-investigator-releases-statement-20111011,0,3760302.story
Private Investigator Takes on Lisa Irwin Investigation
Police continued their search for Lisa Irwin on Wednesday, one day after a nationally-known private investigator joined the case to find the missing Northland baby, and one day after she turned 11 months old.
Searchers on Tuesday began combing through a wooded area near 34th and N. Brighton. Police say that they have not received any tips about the area, it is simply one that they haven't searched yet.
Private investigator Bill Stanton, a New York City-based private investigator and former police officer with the nickname of "Wild Bill," spoke to the media briefly on Wednesday.
"Right now, there's really nothing to say. So I don't want to make something out of nothing," said Stanton. "The police department is doing a fantastic job, and I want to give them the space they need and want."
On Monday night, Stanton spoke to the media on behalf of the family of Lisa Irwin.
"I am not here to defend or represent anyone," Stanton said. "I have been asked to come out here to find Lisa and to find the perpetrator or perpetrators. ... I'm here to seek the truth, and wherever that truth takes me, that's where I'm going to go."
Stanton said the family will have more information to release soon, but not at this time. In addition, Stanton said while he knows law enforcement may not share information regarding the investigation, he said he would be happy and willing to share any information he uncovers with detectives.
In his brief statement, Stanton also had a message for the people of Kansas City.
"I know everybody's watching this family and watching this house, and that's fair," he said. "Keep one eye on them, but also keep the other eye out on the streets, in every place because there is a bad guy out there, or bad people, with this child, and we want to get this child home safe and sound."
Stanton said the Irwin family remains united and strong despite this "tremendous hardship."
Although hinting toward another statement the Irwin family may make, Stanton did not say when that may come. After his brief statement, Stanton expressed the Irwin family's appreciation for the public and police in their efforts in searching for Lisa.
It is unclear at this time if the family hired Stanton or an outside source brought him in, however sources told FOX 4 News on Wednesday that he is expected to reveal if he is being paid for his services, and by who, at a press conference on Thursday.
Stanton is known for his work with NBC as a paid security consultant and has appeared on NBC's Dateline program. According to the State Board of Private Investigators, Stanton does not have a license to be a private investigator in Missouri.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/how-much-canprivate-investigator-bill-stanton-do-in-lisa-irwin-case
How much can private investigator Bill Stanton do in Lisa Irwin case?
What can a private investigator do in a case like Lisa Irwin's and can the P.I. assisting the missing girls family even work in Missouri?
Bill Stanton, a former police officer-turned high profile private investigator, announced Tuesday night he is helping Lisas family in the search to find her.
A private investigator is mainly an objective extra pair of eyes and ears. Stanton is expected to be at Lisas north Kansas City home Wednesday with family members going through the residence.
But having a private investigator is not like having a personal member of the police department. Police say Stanton can't cross crime scene tape and really has no jurisdiction beyond an everyday citizen.
We talked to another P.I. who works in Kansas City and doesn't understand Stanton's public tactics.
Ron Rugen says he is legally bound to file a complaint with the state because he says Stanton has no license to be a P.I. in Missouri.
There is a long list of exemptions to Missouri state law that dicates private investigators must be licensed, but since we do not know the name of the benefactor paying for Stanton's services, we dont know if one of those exemptions applies.
Bill Stanton told NBC Action News' Chris Hernandez that he is not here as a private investigator, but rather serving as a consultant or a new set of eyes.
When asked, "who is paying for your services?", Stanton said the bill is being footed by a wealthy anonymous benefactor from out-of-state.
He then added, in reponse to those who are questioning his credentials in the State of Missouri that he wants, "to keep the focus on finding the baby."
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/13/2060057/private-investigator-joinshunt.html#storylink=misearch
Private investigator joins hunt for KC baby
A New York-based security consultant who said he was hired by a wealthy
benefactor to help search for a missing baby in Kansas City got little response Wednesday from police who have been looking for the child for more than a week.
Police said Bill Stanton, who declined to say who hired him, won't have access to any case files related to their search for Lisa Irwin because he isn't law enforcement. He also doesn't appear to be licensed as a private investigator in Missouri as required when acting in that capacity.
"He will have access to anything the general public has access to," Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Steve Young said.
When asked by the Associated Press if he has handled a missing child case, Stanton said he couldn't detail cases involving children, then responded "Google me" when asked to discuss any of his past cases. He said he has worked as a consultant for "major media organizations," and the website for a consulting firm that lists him as a founding partner said he was a New York police officer before moving into private investigative work.
On Wednesday, a team of police investigators, police dogs and officers on allterrain vehicles spent several hours searching a 60-acre wooded area near a Northland neighborhood for evidence in the disappearance of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin.
Capt. Mark Folsom said that police didn't receive a tip about the area, but searched it because the tract had not been thoroughly checked previously. It is about a half mile east of Lisa's home.
Nothing was recovered in the search.
Police said they are continuing to follow tips and leads but reported no new developments Wednesday, the ninth day of the search.
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing from her home early Oct. 4.
Hundreds of local, state and federal investigators have been looking for the child ever since, scouring through hundreds of tips and repeatedly searching the family's neighborhood, nearby woods, sewers and a landfill. But police said they have no suspects or solid leads.
Stanton said the benefactor, connected to a family member, asked him to get involved and acknowledged the family didn't hire him. Stanton said he would fly in other people on Thursday, but wouldn't elaborate.
He said he would be managing any media inquiries directed at the family, which family members confirmed. They said he had their support.
"I am hopeful this child is safe and alive," Stanton said. "I don't want to make this about me."
What Stanton could offer the investigation is unclear.
Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said his organization doesn't work with private investigators and had not heard of Stanton.
"Families in these situations are desperate and feel the need to do anything they can possibly do," Allen said. "I hope he helps them."
Jimmie Mesis, editor-in-chief of New Jersey-based PI Magazine, a trade magazine for private investigators, said he has heard of Stanton. He said Stanton's involvement could be troublesome if he interferes with witnesses,
but he also could keep a national spotlight on the case even if that attention is focused on "Wild Bill," a moniker for which Stanton has become popular.
"With Bill, one benefit, because he has celebrity status as a private investigator, the media is going to be interested in seeing what he's doing," Mesis said. "He's putting his reputation on the line, too."
October 13th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Police-searchwooded-area-near-210-Hwy.-and-Searcy-Creek-Pkwy.-for-Lisa-Irwin
Police search wooded area near 210 Hwy. and Searcy Creek Pkwy. for Lisa Irwin
Kansas City police were back on the search for missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin Thursday. The FBI was also involved in the search.
Police searched a wooden area north of 210 Highway, west of Searcy Creek Pkwy., east of N. Brighton Ave., and south of N. 36th St.
They canvassed the wooded area on foot and also used ATV's and search dogs.
Police said that they have received almost 1,000 tips to their TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). Of the 1,000 tips, they say that around 500 have been worthy of following up on, and of those 500 around 400 have been processed. They also said that between 30 to 50 officers are currently pursuing leads.
This is the tenth day that Irwin has been missing.
Earlier, another search for Irwin came up empty.
Four Kansas City police officers searched some abandoned buildings near Parvin and Chouteau, not far from Lisas home, Thursday morning.
One of the buildings was once a pawn shop. The officers didnt appear to find anything and left after about 20 minutes.
This isn't the first time we've seen police search an abandoned property. Just a few days ago, dozens of investigators searched a well at an abandoned home for hours.
An out-of-work handyman nicknamed Jersey had been seen around that home and police have been showing neighbors his picture.
Authorities say Jersey is simply someone they want to talk to, not a suspect. They just can't find him, no one has seen him since Oct. 1, three days before Lisa Irwin's father reported her missing.
A new search connected to the disappearance of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin was conducted on Thursday afternoon.
Dozens of investigators flooded an area north of 210, west of Searcy Creek Parkway, east of North Brighton Ave., and south of Northeast 36th Street.
NewsChopper 9's Johnny Rowlands said the area included an area that appeared to have been mined at one point, but since abandoned. The search area also included some dense woods.
This latest search was conducted in an area that was a short distance from the Irwin home.
In addition to Thursday afternoon's search, investigators spent some time in an area off Vivion Road and Chouteau Trafficway on Thursday morning. Nothing was found in either location.
It was not known what brought investigators to each area.
Lisa Irwin was last seen the evening of Mon., Oct. 3, sleeping in her crib in her home on North Lister Ave.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/neighbors-holdcandle-light-vigil-and-hold-on-to-hope-the-lisa-irwin-will-be-found-
Neighbors hold candle light vigil and hold on to hope Lisa Irwin will be found
Sabrina McDonell and her father Ryan started a small tribute made up of 12 candles and two stuffed animals last Thursday. Every night they come back to the same spot to show baby Lisa Irwin they care.
That small tribute which is down the street from the Irwin family home where Baby Lisa was reported missing Oct.4 has now grown to many candles and many stuffed animals.
I have hope that she'll come home safely but I'm not going to be too sure. It does make me feel good that people keep dropping things off, it shows they care. I just hope they get them" said Sabrina McDonell.
Thursday night a small group of neighbors gathered around the tribute and prayed.
They walked down the street in front of the Irwin's home and sang Amazing Grace.
They hope their prayers will bring answers and maybe bring Lisa Irwin home.
Me I am just hoping its bad to say she is found either way and put to rest," explained McDonell.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/29471219/detail.html#ixzz1afUDEJV7
Hear Dispatch Tapes Moments After Baby Lisa Disappears
KMBC 9 News exclusively obtained more than 12 hours of police dispatch tapes that help outline the moments following 11-month-old Lisa Irwin's disappearance.
KMBC's Martin Augustine listened to several hours of the tapes and reported that the situation quickly escalates after the initial call.
"Report of a residential burglary in progress," one of the dispatchers said on
the tapes. "3620 North Lister. Contact Jeremy. Respond code 1."
Code 1 tells officers to respond to the scene quickly. Jeremy refers to Jeremy Irwin, the father of baby Lisa, who called police after returning from an overnight work shift on Oct. 4 to find her daughter missing.
"He noticed the screen is busted and 10-month-old daughter is missing," the dispatcher continues. "He advised he didn't witness anything. And they don't know how long she's been gone."
In the minutes following the initial dispatch, officers can be heard canvassing the neighborhood.
"How are you on your area canvass," one officer asks another.
"Finishing up with the neighbor from across the street now. I'll contact you in a minute," another officer responds.
"Call me on my cell ASAP," the other officer said.
Augustine said many conversations are not included on the tapes because officers communicated with each other on their cellphones.
The mother and father of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin met with a private investigator on Thursday who has come to Kansas City to aid in the search for the missing baby.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley were seen speaking with investigator Bill Stanton under a tree in Irwin's parent's backyard on North Walrond Ave. at about 11:30 a.m.
Stanton arrived in Kansas City on Tuesday and offered his support in the search for Lisa Irwin. Stanton has not revealed who brought him to the area, but has said it was not Lisa Irwin's family.
Stanton initially said he was going to hold a news conference on Thursday to release more details about how he plans to support the search. But Thursday morning Stanton said he planned to talk to the media on Friday instead.
Stanton left the home at about noon. He didn't comment on the conversations he had with the family. When asked about the team he was assembling to aid in the search, Stanton told KMBC's Maria Antonia that the team would include several people.
Lisa Irwin was last seen sleeping in her crib on Mon., Oct. 3. She was reported missing from her home on North Lister Ave. on Tues., Oct. 4.
Police briefly search an area off Vivion Road and Chouteau Trafficway on Thursday morning, but nothing was found. They also searched an area north of 210, west of Searcy Creek Parkway, east of North Brighton Ave. and south of Northeast 36th Street on Thursday afternoon, and nothing was found there either.
It was not known what brought investigators to either area.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisa%27sparents-speak-to-attorney
Lisa's parents speak to attorney
For the first time a Chicago-based attorney is speaking publicly about her involvement with Lisa Irwins parents.
Last week, Kathleen Zellner spoke to Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
Although Zellner is not representing Lisa's parents, their conversation offers a rare glimpse into the family's nighmare.
"They're very distraught. I found them though to want so badly to try to assist in finding their daughter to do whatever they could. I mean they're in the most vulnerable position that a parent would ever be in," Zellner said.
Zellner believes Lisa was kidnapped and feels the opportunities to find her are slipping away.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/news-reporter-wildbill-stanton-takes-baby-lisa-s-case-to-land-of-bizarre
Local Columnist: Wild Bill Stanton takes baby Lisas case to land of bizarre
Mary Sanchez, local columnist for the Kansas City Star wrote a piece Thursday Baby Lisa doesnt need a sideshow about private investigator Wild Bill Stanton, as she calls him, who arrived from New York this week to assist in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Baby Lisas case has taken bizarre turns and twists since she was reported
missing on October 4, but "Wild Bill", Sanchez says, will take Lisas case to the land of bizarre.
Stanton is a self-promoter, she said. He had three or four years as a New York City police officer in the late 80s before a hand injury sent him to early retirement.
Since then he has worked as a private detective, a bouncer, and bodyguard. Mary Sanchez says he was eager to hobnob with celebrities like Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis.
MSNBC aired a special in 2007 entitled "Breaking and Entering" where "Wild Bill" Stanton talked about how vulnerable some children are when a stranger tries to lure them. Watch the video (left side bar) and read the article that helps describe what Stanton does and why.
Wild Bill is on the scene to assist in the baby Lisa case, Sanchez said, and questioned why he won't tell who hired him. She suggests NBC.
On Friday Stanton told NBC News he wanted to address rumors that had been circulating since he arrived in Kansas City earlier this week.
He said a wealthy benefactor, not a news agency, paid him to come to Kansas City to help with the investigation. He said hes working only as a consultant to Lisas family. He said he brought with him threat analyst Dr. Marisa Randazzo to help him with the case.
Randazzo is a psychologist who is now working in the private sector. She served for ten years with the U.S. Secret Service as the agencys Chief Research Psychologist, according to her biography. Its not clear what her role will be in this investigation.
Sanchez notes that Stanton's not a police officer, he has no legal authority, and hes not even a licensed private investigator in the state of Missouri. He wont have access to police findings.
Investigators have questioned his actions, NBC News reports. Stanton says hes being careful not to impede with their investigation and urges anyone with tips to contact the TIP Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS not him.
Stanton says hes not been in contact with police and isnt there to get in the way of their investigation. Some people may come here and think (theyre) Sherlock Holmes. Im not one of them, Stanton said.
He said not only hasnt he contacted police, but he hasnt asked them for information and doesnt plan to. I havent asked them for any information. I dont want any information, he said.
He says hes working as nothing more than a private citizen with a slightly better skill set and a slightly larger network of friends that might be able to help find Lisa.
And after all, isnt that what this is all about? Finding baby Lisa?
Some suggest Sanchezs assessment of Bill Stanton came out of nowhere. After all, how does a reporter from Kansas City, Missouri know so much about Wild Bill?
Maybe she Googled him and found NYMag.coms The Not So Private Eye article by Craig Horowitz who wrote a five-page article about Stanton how he was fearless and thought of himself as Rambo and Superman at the age of 23. Then one night during a chase he fell and injured his hand, the injury that ended his dream of being a city cop.
Stanton was deeply disappointed but he recognized it as an opportunity. He saw his injury as a way to get out of the Bronx, to see some of the world, and to reinvent himself.
Horowitz said Stanton had an insatiable hunger to succeed, to get a piece of the good life. Parlato, Stantons partner when he was a cop in NY, said Stanton was always a dreamer and said when there was a lull hed talk about being a star. Not an actor necessarily, but some kind of celebrity.
Horowitz said Stanton became a player. He started a private-investigating practice working with high-powered attorneys and had a very busy nightlife where he mingled with the citys best-known lawyers, cops, journalists, occasional executive, TV producers, a few actors, models, Playmates, and topless dancers.
Sanchez says that it is still possible that this semi-celebrity private eye will coax someone to come forward with information. Maybe theyll want the photo op.
She stresses the right people are already on the job Kansas City Police who, she says, are trained and legally qualified, and are diligently working for Lisas best interest.
Bill Stanton, Founding Partner QVerity
Bill Stanton is a founding partner of QVerity headquartered in Greenville, N.C. According to its website the company is a provider of behavioral analysis and screening services for private- and public-sector clients worldwide. It was founded and is staffed by former Central Intelligence Agency experts in deception detection and critical interviewing techniques. QVerity uses proven information-gathering methodologies, developed within the U.S. intelligence community, for commercial applications.
Stanton is described on the site as an expert in the field of safety and security, the outcome of a stellar 25-year career in law enforcement and private security. He began his career as a decorated NYPD officer, and subsequently moved to the private sector, where he specialized in executive protection and investigations.
The site states that Stanton teamed with the legendary former New York City Police Commissioner Jack Maple to form Stanton and Maple Protection, Investigation and Crisis Management. In 2001 Bill's success in the private sector landed him on the cover of New York magazine.
According to the QVerity.com website, as one of the countrys leading spokesmen on safety and security, Stanton has appeared on numerous TV programs, and has served as a safety and security contributor for NBC News and The Today Show. He has starred in two primetime specials, and currently contributes to ABC News and Good Morning America.
Stanton is the author of the book The Anti-Terror Checklist, which was featured on Oprah.
October 14th 2011:

http://www.insideedition.com/news/7034/parents-release-new-home-videoof-missing-baby-lisa.aspx
Parents Release New Home Video of Missing Baby Lisa
The family of missing baby Lisa Irwin has just released home video of the adorable baby, who has been missing for 11 days.
The home videos, taken when Lisa was three months old, were posted online by her family in an apparent effort to win sympathy for her mother, Deborah Bradley, and father Jeremy Irwin.
The little girl vanished from her home in Kansas City, Missouri, on the evening of October 3. Despite the mysterious circumstances, her parents have denied any part in her disappearance.
"They seem to me to be two heartbroken parents that want to do whatever they can do to get their child back," says Chicago attorney Kathleen Zellner.
Zellner has spoken to the parents and downplays reports that Bradley failed a polygraph test.
"Baby Lisa's mother failed that lie detector test, how do you explain that?" asked INSIDE EDITION's Megan Alexander.
"You do not give a polygraph in the middle of an eleven-hour interrogation to a parent who's just lost their child. So, that means nothing. It means nothing," she said.
Meanwhile family members posted fliers outside one of their homes Friday.
Lisa's cousin, U.S. Marine Mike Lorette, choked as he made a plea for the little girl's safe return.
"I'd gladly give my life to bring Lisa home to us," he said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Celebritysecurity-consultant-may-unveil-team-of-experts-in-Lisa-Irwin-case
Irwin cousin: I'd gladly give my life to bring Lisa home
A man who described himself as Lisa Irwin's cousin made a heartfelt statement Friday morning outside a family home after he and two other family members posted displays of community support in the front yard.
The cousin, named Mike, thanked the Kansas City community, media and investigators for the continued support and coverage to keep Baby Lisas picture out there. We know this is going to lead to her safe return.
Mike said the family is grateful for the cards, letters and e-mails they have received in the 10 days since Lisa was reported missing, and he personally would be willing to do anything to get her back.
I am a marine, Ive served multiple tours overseas risking my life for this country, he said. At this time Id gladly give my life to bring Lisa home to us.
Just before he spoke, Mike and two other family members posted displays of some of the supportive letters theyve received on trees outside the family home, located a few miles from Lisa Irwins house.
To see more of what Mike had to say and video of the family posting the displays, click on the media player above.
Meanwhile, a private investigator known as "Wild Bill" has been in Kansas City for a few days, and announced Friday a $100,000 reward in the case and that he is bringing in a threat analysis expert to help him.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing in the early-morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 4. Her parents say her father, Jeremy Irwin, came home from work at about 4 a.m. and she was not in her crib.
Extensive searches have taken place just about every day since, with investigators canvassing Lisa's north Kansas City neighborhood, homes and buildings in the area and even a landfill in Johnson County, Kan., that houses the trash taken from the area.
The Kansas City Police Department, working together with the FBI, has investigated hundreds of leads in the case, but no suspects have been named in Lisa's disappearance.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44908162/ns/today-today_news/t/rewardlisa-irwin-disappearance/#.TzLz48j7mOc
$100,000 reward in Lisa Irwin disappearance
An anonymous donor has offered a $100,000 reward for the return of a missing Kansas City baby or information that leads to the conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance, according to a security consultant who says the donor also hired him to get involved in the case.
Bill Stanton, a New York-based security consultant for television networks, refused Friday to say who the donor was or how the reward would be administered.
Stanton, 47, also has not been clear about his role in Lisa Irwin's disappearance, often referring to himself as a private investigator, but then saying he is in Kansas City as a consultant. He is not licensed in Missouri to work as a private investigator.
"I hope this opens up someone's heart or someone's eyes and they realize this is serious, and we get Lisa home safe and sound," Stanton said at a news conference in front of the family's home, where the 10-month-old child was reported missing on Oct. 4.
"If someone brings that kid right now and says they found this child sitting on a park bench. They bring that kid right here, they get $100,000," he said.
No members of Lisa's family were at the news conference.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley reported their daughter missing after Irwin returned from a late shift at work. The parents say she must have been abducted from her crib while her mother and two brothers slept.
Police and federal authorities have conducted extensive searches, including of several areas near the family's home. They also have questioned the baby's parents at length. Police have said there are no suspects in the case and they have no major leads.
FBI agents searched areas around the family's home again Friday in what FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said was an effort to double-check areas that had already been searched at least once.
Det. Kevin Boehm, coordinator of Kansas City's Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline, a nonprofit community organization that has been fielding hundreds of calls on the missing baby case, said the Hotline hasn't been contacted about the $100,000 reward.
TIPS offers up to $1,000 for any information that leads to an arrest, he said.
Boehm said individuals can offer their own rewards, but supplemental
rewards are typically offered to generate more awareness when a case has gone cold or interest in the case begins to die down.
Interest in Lisa's disappearance has not waned, he said. The Hotline has been receiving a steady stream of calls since the baby was reported missing.
"We haven't entertained the idea of a supplemental reward at this point," he said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/irwin-case-brings-new-faces %3B-similar-victims-and-experts
Irwin case brings new faces; similar victims and experts
Lisa Irwin's parents Deborah and Jeremy haven't spoken to local media in more than a week. Bill Stanton, the security consultant from New York answered questions vaguely Friday about why but he did make ond thing clear. $100,000 is at stake for Baby Lisa's safe return.
"If someone gets that kid here, they get $100,000, " Stanton said to a slew of media in front of the Irwin home on Friday. But he wouldn't answer about the anonymous wealthy benefactor behind it, only stating a woman with a relationship with the family hired him to come and the reward money is also from an anonymous benefactor or possibly more than one.
Another addition to Stanton's search, Dr. Maris Randazzo. She served a decade with the secret service as a research psychologist. Online profiles claim she trains investigators how to spot deception. She advised the secret service on everything from presidential threats to school shootings, stalking cases and kidnapping prevention.
Stanton denied a news agency is behind his involvement beyond the case. Regarding the family's local media blackout this week, Stanton said the family is only talking when it advances the case and said this about the family's lack of communication with local media.
"Just because they are not necessarily speaking to you, no offense, doesn't necessarily mean they are not speaking to media," said Stanton.
"Work with everybody who's trying to help you," said Gil Abeyta. He understands what Lisa Irwin's parents are going through better than most. His own child was stolen from his crib in the middle of the night in 1986. Abeyta, his wife and children were all asleep inside. His son Chris has never been found.
"I talked to everyone who had any information," he said, confused about the Irwin's lack of media contact. He has tried to connect with the family to offer help through his organization, Families of Missing Children. He says that organization has helped in hundreds of abduction cases and brought many home.
"If they're not guilty and they had nothing to do with it, you're doing it for your daughter, you're not doing it for yourself. Help in any way that you can if you really care. Stop worrying about yourself," said Abeyta.
Abeyta very much wants the Irwin family to contact him so he can help. He does believe someone could have gotten in and out of the Irwin home undetected. Three weeks after his own son disappeared, he had police recreate the abduction and break into his home in the middle of the night. He didn't tell his wife and children. No one woke up and police got in and out without a problem.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/14/police-say-100000-reward-doesnt-affect-
irwin-investigation/
Police Say $100,000 Reward Doesnt Affect Irwin Investigation
Authorities say that in high-profile cases like the disappearance of Lisa Irwin, there can be pros and cons to offering a big reward like the one now being offered by Irwins family for information leading to her return, or a conviction in her alleged kidnapping.
On Friday, Irwin family consultant and private investigator Bill Stanton announced that there would be a $100,000 reward for the safe return of the 11-month-old baby, or conviction of the person or persons involved in her disappearance.
The big reward dwafs the $1,000 offered by the TIPS Hotline for information leading to an arrest. But police say that money doesnt have anything to do with the TIPS Hotline.
We werent consulted, and thats not a negative, said Det. Kevin Boehm of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the TIPS Hotline. The family and Mr. Stanton thats involved have the right to do whatever feel is important to bringing Lisa back.
But the tips generated by the money will be taken in by Det. Boehm and his team, and he says that he knew very quickly after the announcement that his phones would soon start ringing. He says that he got at least 50-75 phone calls, emails and text messages in the first hour after the announcement.
I was watching the press conference, streaming online and it was immediate, said Det. Boehm.
But he says that with that much money, the tips tend to be of a greater quantity than quality.
When tips come in, investigators are looking at all of these so if theres superfluous information or theres speculation or opinion, we appreciate everyones help, but thats really not what we are looking for, said Det. Boehm, who says that details and specifics are important to investigators. He said that he did not want to get into specifics on some of the more bizarre tips that the hotline has received, but investigators have told FOX 4 that they have received tips blaming everything from aliens to devil worshipers for the childs disappearance.
Det. Boehm says that the big reward may have been announced a little early, saying that often extra reward money is more useful when a case isnt on TV every night and when no one is calling.
(But) we are more than happy to take these tips and thats part of our job, said Det. Boehm.
Det. Boehm says that whether motivated by greed or conscience, he says that everyone has the same interest getting the key tip that solves the case.
Lisa is the priority of Mr. Stanton, or the TIPS Hotline of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, of the family, of everybody involved. We want to find Lisa, said Det. Boehm.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15699795/first-responding-officers-told-oftheft-complaint-involving-babys-father
Responding officers told of theft complaint involving
baby Lisa's father
The first Kansas City Police Department officers responding to a report that baby Lisa Irwin has disappeared are alerted to a recent theft complaint involving her father.
Jeremy Irwin called police about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that daughter Lisa was missing from her crib. KCTV5 obtained on Friday the radio transmissions between dispatchers and police officers.
One of the responding officers is told about an Aug. 16 call involving Irwin.
"There was a complaint issued to a Jeremy Irwin regards to a larceny," the dispatcher tells the officer. "You can log it onto your call and also could you call me for additional information in regards to that call."
KCTV5 was unable to obtain more information about this complaint on Friday. Irwin has not spoken to local reporters about the search for his missing daughter since last week.
Many of the conversations between dispatchers and police officers in those early morning hours on Oct. 4 occur on cell phones and thus a recording is not available. One of the first officers quickly asks a dispatcher for the duty officer's telephone number.
Three hours after Irwin's 911 call, the Kansas City Police Department issued an Amber Alert for the Kansas City area for 10-month-old Lisa Irwin.
The Police Department rejected KCTV5's request to obtain a transcript or copy of the 911 call that Irwin made. The department's legal counsel said the Missouri Sunshine Law allows 911 calls to be exempted from public
disclosure.
However, the dispatch calls are public. The initial dispatcher tells officers to go to "reported residential burglary in progress 3620 North Lister."
The dispatcher then matter-of-factly tells the officers to contact Irwin.
"He noticed his screen was busted and his 10-month-old daughter is missing. He advised that he didn't witness anything and didn't know how long she's been going," the dispatcher says.
Another officer asks for more details. The dispatcher repeats the information.
"The address is 3620 North Lister and the call notes are that he noticed that his 10-month-old daughter is missing and he's not sure how long she's been gone. And the screen is busted and he didn't witness anything," the dispatcher says.
Eleven days later, Lisa remains missing and her parents and two brothers are living with relatives.
October 15th 2011:

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has ordered 25 members of the Missouri National Guard to assist in the search for missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin.
The guard members were based in Harrisonville.
The governor made the order on Saturday and said the guard members would be on a one-day deployment.
The governor said the guard members would join the multi-jurisdictional force led by the Kansas City police department with support from the FBI.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/ %22jersey,%22-man-sought-for-questioning-in-lisa-irwin-case,-in-policecustody
'Jersey', man sought for questioning in Lisa Irwin case, in police custody
Police found soiled diapers at an abandoned house about a mile away from Lisa Irwin's house, and set up crime scene tape around the home. Inside the abandoned house they also found a Scooby Doo backpack, two jars of baby food and men's clothes.
The diapers were originally described as being very fresh, but around 9 p.m., Kansas City, Mo. Police Department Public Information Officer Capt. Steve Young said that it appeared that the diapers had been there for some time. He said the diapers were likely "not connected" to Irwin's disappearance.
Meanwhile a "handyman" nicknamed "Jersey," who was often spotted around Lisa Irwin's neighborhood, is in police custody. "Jersey" was sought by police earlier this week.
He was arrested on an unrelated outstanding warrant.
Police have not charged "Jersey" with a crime, but do say that they are questioning him about Lisa Irwin's disappearance.
Police sealed-off the abandoned house where the diapers were found around 8:25 p.m. The house is near the 3900 Block of Chouteau Trafficway and Russell, about one mile from Lisa Irwin's home. Diapers were also found around 300 yards away from the home, which is about four blocks away from Irwin's home.
Bill Stanton, a private investigator helping Irwin's parents, said that one family member was heading to the home, but Irwin's mother was not.
Young said that the questioning of "Jersey" is in line with normal police procedures involved in the Lisa Irwin case. Young said that they are doing their due diligence by interviewing every person that they can who frequents or lives in Irwin's neighborhood.
Jersey was sought on Oct. 10 after police brought a picture of him to the door of a neighbor of Irwin's and asked the neighbor if he had seen him.
The neighbor told police that he had seen the man (Jersey), who he described as in his 20s, riding a bike and carrying a backpack.
The neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years and says he knows all of its residents. He said he is sure that "Jersey" does not live close by and was suspicious of him even before Lisa disappeared.
October 16th 2011:
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/harrisonvilleunit-of-mo-national-guard-joining-search-for-lisa
Harrisonville unit of MO National Guard joining search for Lisa
Military police from the Missouri National Guard joined the search Sunday for Lisa Irwin, crawling through a wooded area to make sure no evidence was overlooked in the search for the girl reported missing from her home nearly two weeks ago.
About 25 members of the guard's 1139th Military Police Company based in nearby Harrisonville, FBI agents and officers from several police and sheriff's departments from nearby communities in Missouri and Kansas split up into several groups and scoured a large wooded area west of the family's home.
The baby, Lisa Irwin, was 10 months old when her parents reported her missing Oct. 4. Her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, said she disappeared from her crib sometime overnight. Previous searches have included the family's neighborhood, nearby wooded areas, a landfill and abandoned homes. Police have said that so far there are no suspects or major leads.
Nearly 100 people were involved in the search Sunday, said Bridget Patton, a spokeswoman for the FBI, which has been assisting the Kansas City Police Department.
"We put a call out and got a huge response," Patton said.
Gov. Jay Nixon ordered the guard to help in the search for one day. Guard
spokeswoman Rachel Knight said it was unclear if the guard would be involved after Sunday.
Knight said the guard members and the other law enforcement groups were going over a large wooded area that had been searched before to make sure nothing was missed. Several guard members dressed in camouflage and carrying long sticks could be seen heading off to a wooded section in midafternoon.
Knight said they would be scouring the area, searching "with additional manpower and fresh eyes to see if there's anything they missed ... They're crawling through the area, going over it with a fine-toothed comb."
Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said the extra help from law enforcement and the guard was appreciated.
"They volunteered their help, and we accepted," Young said.
On Friday, a $100,000 reward was offered by an anonymous donor for the child's safe return or information leading to a conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
A group of about six area residents, who said they were "concerned citizens" but did not want to give their names, also walked around the family's neighborhood Sunday, saying they were looking for any information they could find about the baby's disappearance.
October 17th 2011:

http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/17/fbi-canines-descend-on-home-in-search-of-
baby-lisa/
FBI, Canines Descend on Home in Search of Baby Lisa
FBI agents and canines descended on a Northland home where the parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin are staying. This came just hours after Irwins mother, Deborah Bradley, told NBCs Today Show that she was drinking heavily on the night Lisa disappeared, and that she and Irwins father, Jeremy Irwin, are afraid of being arrested.
FBI agents with search dogs began combing over the property near the 5200 block of N. Walrond on Monday morning. Agents would not comment on what they were looking for, but they have shut down the block to the media, and have asked that television crews not to shoot video of their search.
Agents were also searching an area with rubber gloves and boots and shovels along the Buckeye Greenway park at 4238 NE Milan Avenue.
Bradley and Jeremy Irwin had been staying at a family home on North Walrond since Lisa Irwin disappeared two weeks ago.
On The Today Show, Bradley reiterated her claim that she did not harm her children, but she did change her story to say that she last saw her young daughter around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3, not at 10:30 p.m. as she had originally claimed.
Kansas City police and FBI agents started new searches on Monday in three areas, some which had been searched before in the case of missing 11month-old Lisa Irwin.
KMBC's Justin Robinson reported that about 15 FBI agents searched a creek bed near 36th Street and North Jackson Avenue. The agents were spotted wearing rubber boots and carrying shovels and metal detectors.
He said agents said that they were searching areas that have already been searched and covered.
Robinson said water crews that drained the creek said the levels were just a few inches deep in some places and up to three feet deep in others.
KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that agents and specially trained dogs searched in and around a home belonging to one of Jeremy Irwin's relatives on North Walrond Avenue.
FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said there is no specific tip or lead that brought the search team to that area.
The FBI and police search an area near the Irwin family home on North Walrond Avenue Monday morning.
Patton said the search teams were "trying to eliminate this area" from their potential list of clues and locations.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley have been staying at Irwin's father' house most of the time since the baby was reported missing.
Patton did not say whether searchers found anything, and she did not offer an explanation as to whether this was the first search of the property since the baby disappeared.
Just after noon on Monday, FBI agents headed back to the couple's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. The baby was last seen sleeping in her crib at the home before she was reported missing on Oct. 4.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/investigators-inlisa-irwin-case-return-to-wooded-area-near-her-home
Investigators search creek bed near Lisa Irwin's home
Investigators working the disappearance of Lisa Irwin returned Monday to a large wooded area near the girls home and searched a creek bed.
Authorities with the Kansas City Police Department gathered with a backhoe and metal detectors near the 3600 block of Jackson.
An FBI agent told NBC Action News reporter Chris Hernandez they have called in Kansas City's Water Services Department to assist in the construction of a sump pump that was being used to lower the water levels so they could better search the creek.
The area is about two blocks west of Lisas home, in the 3600 block of North Lister. The creek is part of the Buckeye Greenway, just south of Chouteau Elementary just off North Jackson Avenue.
Police searched the same area over the weekend, but have not said what if anything, brought them back to the area Monday.
Meanwhile, more investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and FBI gathered at the home where Lisa's parents have been staying, in the
5200 block of Walrond.
An FBI spokeswoman said they were making sure all bases were covered and they had thoroughly searched all areas. A search with canine units concluded by about 11:30 a.m. and investigators had left the scene.
Police said they went inside the parents home on Lister with dogs for the first time on Monday. They also searched at a next door neighbors house.
The canines also searched outside the home on Walrond.
Police have investigated 550 tips since Lisa disappeared.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15711864/investigators-continue-searh-forbaby-lisa-near-family-home
Day 14: FBI search creek bed near home of missing baby Lisa
The search along North Lister at the family's home of missing baby Lisa Irwin was quite different than any of the many searches seen over the last two weeks.
Around 11 a.m. Monday, police blocked off the 3600 block of North Lister where baby Lisa's home is located.
It also is where her family said she was kidnapped in the early hours of Oct. 4.
FBI agents moved in Monday with a search dog to look in baby Lisa's home and a next-door neighbor's home.
"They are clearing the area to eliminate this area as having any additional tips or clues or any type of leads that can move us forward in the investigation. We do have consent for the dogs to go inside the house, so it is one more step in moving the investigation along," said FBI spokesperson Bridget Patton.
At the same time a few blocks away over in the 3700 block of North Jackson, FBI agents, police and the Kansas City, MO, water department were searching a creek bed.
The water department was there to help them drain the creek to aid in the search efforts.
That search lasted well into the afternoon.
Earlier at an Irwin relative's home, more investigators were at that address on North Waldron as well searching the property.
Police moved all of the cameras back, making it difficult for KCTV-5 to determine what interested the police during the search.
The family's New York spokesperson, Bill Stanton, was there at the time police were at the home.
Investigators said there were no new tips that took them to the addresses, just sites in the area or ones they wanted to double check.
At last check, investigators have not said if they found anything useful at those search sites.
http://www.ksby.com/full-coverage/search-for-lisa-irwin/#fcanchor
Federal investigators brought tracking dogs into the Kansas City home where a baby was reported missing nearly two weeks ago.
FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton says agents on Monday brought the dogs into the home where parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin reported their 10-month-old daughter missing on Oct. 4. The parents have said their daughter was abducted from the home.
Patton said the parents consented to the search, and that the dogs were also brought into the next-door neighbors' house Monday.
Earlier Monday, FBI agents used the dogs outside the home of Jeremy Irwin's parents, where the baby's parents have been staying.
Kansas City police also said a section of the creek behind the family's home was drained Monday as part of the investigation.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/who-is-irwin-family-attorney
Who is Irwin family attorney Joe Tacopina?
He protects people from prosecution. However, a high-profile New York lawyer said the family of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin hired him to help find the baby.
Feeling pressure from police, Irwins family hired a man their consultant Bill Stanton called the best lawyer hes ever seen.
When his name popped up on the short list I said stop, said Bill Stanton, the Irwin family consultant. If thats what you want, you cant do any better.
Joe Tacopina, once called the devils advocate and perhaps the most-hated lawyer in New York by the New York Post, handles high-profile cases. His past clients include Michael Jackson and Joran Van Der Sloot, the man suspected in the 2008 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba.
I learned that you cant jump to conclusions, Tacopina said. I learned that you cant jump to conclusions. You have to, despite the suspicion and rank speculation, you have to dictate by the evidence.
Tacopina said his role is helping police find baby Lisa whose been missing for weeks. To do so, Tacopina aims to ease tension. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin complained that investigators are confrontational.
On NBCs Today Show Monday morning, Bradley admitted being drunk the night baby Lisa disappeared. Bradley also said she last saw her child at 6:30 that same night. She previously told police 10:30.
My opinion of that is that its certainly not material at the end of the day, Tacopina said.
In a statement, police spokesman Captain Steve Young responded.
Clearly, the parents level of cooperation hasnt been what it needs to be to help find this child, Captain Young said. Should they change their minds, our door is always open.
Were open to any and everything as long as I know were all acting in good faith with the same purpose, Tacopina said. They want to do whatever they need to do to make sure this baby comes back.
Tacopina said police have ample evidence of a break-in at the Irwin home the night Lisa disappeared. Despite rumor, he is optimistic Lisas parents will not be arrested.
However, Irwins family is getting ready for that possibility, Tacopina said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisairwin-family-to-hold-230-pm-news-conference
New York City defense attorney Joe Tacopina hired to represent Irwin family
A prominent New York City defense attorney has been hired to represent the parents of missing Lisa Irwin.
Joe Tacopina said during a news conference Monday that he had been hired to represent Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley. Tacopina has handled many high profile cases. He represented Joran van der Sloot, the man suspected in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba. He also represented Melanie McGuire, a fertility nurse accused of murdering and dismembering her husband.
Tacopina praised Kansas City police for their investigation but insisted the
parents have "nothing to hide."
Tacopina said he had been in contact with the family for more than a week. He added that in his mind, theres no question Deborah and Jeremy had nothing to do with the disappearance.
I'm a little disappointed about what I've heard that some people who are supposed to be helping them find their daughter are casting disparations at them or just flat out accusations at them without any evidence," said Tacopina.
He doesn't believe police have anything tying Deborah and Jeremy to the disappearance of little Lisa. He will allow the family to speak to investigators, but only if he believes it will help locate Lisa.
"Do your investigation. Start right here, its absolutely normal to start right here, but don't come to a conclusion before you have evidence and then look for the evidence. Keep an open mind and lets find out what happened to Lisa. That's all I'm saying," said Tacopina. Lisa, who will turn 1 on Nov. 11, has not been seen since Monday, Oct. 3. Her parents initially said her mother put her to bed around 10:30 p.m., but NBC News reported Monday they are now saying she put Lisa to bed closer to 6:30 p.m.
Bill Stanton, a private investigator who said he came to Kansas City as a consultant to the family, was also at the news conference Monday with Lisa's parents and Tacopina.
Stanton will be leaving Kansas City Monday night. He said he entered this with a definite date in mind which is Monday. He encourages anyone with information to give it to police, not him. His absence does not mean he will not be involved with the case in the same capacity. He said the main focus of the family is to find Lisa.
"She is still out there," said Stanton.
Police say they have no suspects in Lisa's disappearance and they continue to follow every lead they receive.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/17/2065798/mother-tells-today-show-shewas.html#storylink=misearch
Family of missing baby Lisa Irwin gets high-profile attorney
The family of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin is now being represented by a high-profile New York defense attorney.
Joe Tacopina, a former New York City prosecutor, said at a news conference this afternoon that his clients were innocent and would cooperate with authorities. He declined to say who was paying for his services.
He said Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, had consented to have their house searched again, and would cooperate with investigators.
They have nothing to hide, and they have said that from day one, Tacopina said.
He said his clients do not know what happened the night Lisa disappeared.
These are two parents who are grieving every day over the loss of their daughter, he said. Hopefully she will come back to them.
Lisas parents stood behind Tacopina during the news conference. Neither of them spoke, and the lawyer said he had advised them to stop talking to reporters.
His recommendation came after Bradley again appeared on network morning shows.
In an interview with Peter Alexander on NBCs Today show, Bradley admitted she was drinking the evening the baby disappeared.
When asked whether she had been drinking that night, Bradley said yes, enough to be drunk.
When asked whether there was any way she could have done something to hurt Lisa, she said, No. No. No. And if I thought there was a chance, Id say it. ... I dont think that alcohol changes a person enough to do something like that.
Tacopina said at the news conference that Bradleys admission of being intoxicated that night was a sign of her credibility and willingness to be truthful even at the expense of the publics perception of her.
Bradley, who was interviewed on Today alongside Jeremy Irwin, said she thought she could be arrested because she was the last person to be with Lisa before she disappeared.
The main fear with that, she told Alexander, is if they arrest me, people are going to stop looking for her. And then Ill never see her again. And Ill never know what happened.
Bradley also said on the show that she last saw Lisa around 6:40 p.m. when she put the baby to bed on Oct. 3. Police have said that Bradley told them she put Lisa to bed at 10:30 p.m.
When Tacopina was asked during the news conference about the time difference, he said Bradley may not have been sure of the time she put Lisa to bed.
"There are going to be discrepancies, but there were no discrepancies that have caused police to take any actions," he said.
Bradley also briefly spoke on Today about the polygraph test that police told her she failed. They said that I failed when they asked me where she was, she said.
In an appearance on Good Morning America, Bradley said that while being questioned by police, investigators showed her burned clothes and a Doppler thing with pings from her cell phone.
I hope the burned clothes werent real, she said.
Meanwhile, the search for Lisa entered its second week and police reported no new developments.
A team of police investigators and dogs today searched an area along a creek close to the Chouteau Elementary School at 37th Street and North Jackson Avenue, said Capt. Steve Young. Authorities used earth-moving equipment to divert the creek.
Tacopina, a former prosecutor in Brooklyn, started his own law office in 1994, according to the firms website. He has been involved in cases including the
disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway in Aruba, the murder of Yale University student Annie Le and the New York police precinct house torture case involving a Haitian immigrant.
He also represented an associate of Michael Jackson who faced criminal charges, and he has represented a number of New York area police officers accused of crimes.
Like Bill Stanton, the New York private investigator who has become part of the Irwin case, Tacopina has been interviewed frequently on network news and legal shows.
Stanton said during the press conference that he would be leaving Kansas City but would remain in contact with Lisas family. He said he had accomplished what he set out to do, but provided no details.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/17/3213686/lawyer-for-baby-lisasfamily-makes.html#storylink=misearch
Lawyer for Baby Lisas family makes a weak case for himself
Wild Bill Stantons better-dressed sidekick just rolled into town.
Will someone please offer this family more appropriate guidance?
Their 11-month-old daughter, Lisa Irwin, has been missing for two weeks. And they seem to be adding characters as the mystery and most certainly their trauma grows.
Last week, New York private eye Stanton, known mostly for chasing the spotlight, showed up to aid parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
Now, their legal counsel is here.
New York lawyer Joe Tacopina greeted a People magazine reporter enthusiastically after a news conference Monday. Apparently, they had worked together after Natalee Holloway disappeared in 2005 in Aruba.
Lisas parents stood sullen and silent behind Tacopina and Stanton as they held court for a slew of media. It was Tacopinos introductory performance in Kansas City.
Reporters, photographers, videographers and probably a few producers for the national media crammed onto the lawn of the Kansas City home where the family appeared. The mail carrier had trouble finding a place to park his delivery truck.
Neighbors, probably as disgusted as they were curious and worried, drove slowly by.
This isnt how Baby Lisas story will be resolved.
Tacopina insisted that he came on board after deep analysis and many questions for Baby Lisas family. Only when he was convinced of the parents innocence, he said, did he begin traveling.
I think its the exact opposite.
A fair question is whether the frenzy that encircled the Casey Anthony case
whetted someones appetite. Mothers who harm their children are rare, thank God. But the statistical improbability promises sensational coverage for 24/7 cable news. It certainly riveted people for months as the courts accused but failed to convict Anthony of her daughters death.
Much of the speculation and it is only that at this point surrounds the mother. She was the last one to see her daughter, who we know of at least.
Tacopina portrayed himself as a protective shield for Lisas parents. Thats the same soothing message Stanton gives.
So who was the brainiac who encouraged the mother to appear on the national morning news shows, admitting she was drunk the night her baby disappeared? She also spilled that police had shown her burned clothing and evidence of cellphone pings.
In his lengthy remarks (45 minutes), Tacopina mentioned that he is a father of five, a nod to the empathy he brings.
I believe he believes himself when he says he is only in Kansas City to help.
But its not these parents he is assisting. And it most certainly isnt Baby Lisa.
October 18th 2011:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-parents-dodge-questionspolice/story?id=14760706#.TxvjvIH7mOd
Missing Baby Lisa Parents Not Answering Vital Questions, Police Say
The parents of missing toddler Lisa Irwin haven't submitted to an interview with detectives for the last 10 days to answer questions about things "they might only know," police said today.
The 11-month-old girl vanished from her crib Oct. 3. Police have not named any suspects in the girl's disappearance, but the story of mother Deborah Bradley has altered somewhat and she has admitted to being drunk that night, possibly even blacking out.
Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young expressed some frustration today with Bradley and the girl's father, Jeremy Irwin.
"There are things the detectives need to flesh out with the parents that only they would know and we no longer have that opportunity to sit down with them," Young told ABC News this afternoon. "We have not had an unrestricted conversation since Oct. 8th."
"And that time, and previous times, there came a point when Deborah became uncomfortable and stopped the questioning," Young said.
Young conceded that the parents have spoken with detectives since Oct. 8, but only to clarify information about tips that have come in.
He said the contact has been limited to conversations about details that need to be cleared up such as, "Do you know this person?"
"We strongly believe that that parent's cooperation and involvement is critical [in finding Lisa]," Young said.
Police have previously accused the parents of halting their cooperation, although the parents have insisted they continue to answer officers' questions. Today's comments by police were more specific.
Young also bristled today at criticism by Joe Tacopina, the high powered defense lawyer who is now representing Bradley and Irwin.
Tacopina told "Good Morning America" today that the way some of the local authorities conducted themselves in the hours following Lisa's disappearance was "baffling."
"I am aware that he offered some vague criticisms of the police department," Young said. "I think all reasonable people know that are doing things and we know things that are not a matter of public record."
"Should we develop something that we think will benefit the case by making public, by all means we'll be doing that," the captain said. "But to make the assumption that we're putting all our eggs in one basket would be wildly inaccurate."
Tacopina has also expressed his desire for more "boots on the ground" efforts to search for the girl, although police have been conducting searches every day since Lisa's disappearance in places including woods, fields, landfills, drainage areas, abandoned houses and a well.
Young said the police have so far cleared over 550 tips and leads.
The captain's comments about the parents and their lawyer came as questions grew over how much Bradley drank on the night Lisa disappeared. After store surveillance video showed her buying a box of wine that day, she initially admitted to drinking some wine. That has escalated to her concession she drank enough to be drunk and most recently to the possiblity that she
blacked out from intoxication.
"Blacking out is a scientific term and I don't know if we can say that, but she had some wine that night," Tacopina told "Good Morning America" today. "And don't forget, it was Deborah who said that when she put Lisa to bed she had wine."
Tacopina said that there was no video or evidence of his client drinking, so there would have been no need for her to be so forthcoming if she had anything to hide. "I was drinking, but it has nothing to do with my daughter's disappearance," Bradley told "GMA."
Tacopina also defended the perceived "inconsistencies" in Bradley's timeline after the interviews she gave Monday. For the past two weeks, she had been saying that the last time she saw Lisa was when she put her to bed at 10:30 p.m. On Monday, Bradley said she put Lisa to bed at 6:30 p.m., almost four hours earlier than previously stated. "There's not a four-hour gap," Tacopina said. "There's not because what she said was she put the baby to bed at around 6:30 p.m. At one point during the 13 hours of [police] interviews, she has said she believed she checked on her at 10:30 p.m. It's not an inconsistency."
"It may be a recollection refreshed at some later point, but it's certainly not material to whether or not she had anything to do with the disappearance of her baby," he said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/police-lisairwins-parents-havent-submitted-to-interviews-since-oct-8
Police: Lisa Irwin's parents haven't submitted to interviews since Oct. 8
It's been more than a week since the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin talked formally with detectives.
That's the word Tuesday from a Kansas City Police Department spokesperson after the family's attorney made the rounds of morning news shows.
Capt. Steve Young said the Oct. 8 session ended as others had.
"The last time that the mom and dad sat down with detectives to answer questions about things they might only know was Oct. 8,'' Young told NBC Action News. ""And that time, and previous times, there came a point when Deborah became uncomfortable and stopped the questioning.''
Joe Tacopina, the family's attorney, said the parents are trying to cope with an incredible amount of stress when they talk to police, but they still want to help police any way they can.
"We're open to any and everything. as long as i know we're all acting in good faith with the same purpose. They want to do whatever they need to do to make sure this baby comes back," Tacopina said in a Monday afternoon news conference.
Young said detectives continue to run down tips and conduct searches in the area around the family's home.
Lisa disappeared on Oct. 4 from her parent's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue in Kansas City.
Investigators have cleared 550 leads and have not been able to develop the
necessary information to solve the mystery.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/18/cops-baby-lisa%E2%80%99sparents-not-answering-some-questions/?iref=storysearch
Cops: Baby Lisas Parents Not Answering Some Questions
A Kansas City Police Department spokesman said Tuesday that it has been ten days since the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin have sat down to answer the kind of questions from investigators that only they would know the answers to.
Capt. Steve Young told a Nancy Grace producer that Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have spoken to detectives at times to clarify tips, but they have not had a good sit-down with police since October 8, when Bradley stopped an interview.
They are not willing to sit down with us to let us wash out the things they need to wash out with us, Young said.
Young emphasized how important the parents are to the investigation, nothing that they know more than anyone else about what happened in the house and who came and went before their daughter disappeared.
Bradley and Irwin reported 10-month-old Lisa missing around 4:00 am on October 4 after Irwin returned from work and Lisa was not in the crib where Bradley said she placed her around 6:40 pm the night before. One of the front windows on the house had been tampered with and many of the lights inside were on when Irwin got home.
Bradley recently acknowledged that she got drunk that night and may even have blacked out while Irwin was at work. She also apparently changed her timeline of events, no longer claiming she checked on Lisa around 10:30 pm.
Joe Tacopina, a New York-based attorney now representing the family, said in interviews on ABC and NBC Tuesday morning that the parents were being cooperative and had nothing to hide, but he also criticized investigators for what he called baffling behavior during interrogations. Specifically, he claimed that they have accused Bradley of murdering Lisa without any evidence.
Police and FBI agents were conducting a new search of a wooded area about a half mile from the Irwin home on Tuesday afternoon. CNN affiliate KSHB reported that the FAA has initiated a no-fly zone over the search area.
An FBI spokesperson told KSHB that the area has been searched several times before and no specific tip has led authorities back there, but they wanted to take another look at the location.
Young said Tuesday that police have investigated more than 550 tips in the case so far.
One lead reportedly being pursued on Tuesday afternoon was a possible sighting of Lisa at a restaurant in Manhattan, Kansas. A Riley County Police Department spokesperson told a Nancy Grace producer that two women were seen at a booth in McAlisters Deli with a baby who a witness believed resembled Lisa around 1:30 pm.
Capt. Kurt Moldrup said the witness felt the women looked and acted suspicious, then they left, driving northbound in a small back car with Missouri license plates. Local police have spoken with the tipster and are still searching for the vehicle but they have not located it so far.
Manhattan is about two hours away from Kansas City.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/18/irwin-attorney-returns-to-new-york-fbicontinues-searches/
Irwin Parents Leave Home with Local Defense Attorney Joe Tacopina
Lisa Irwins parents left their home with a woman in a government vehicle Tuesday, after the woman met with them for a couple hours.
That meeting happening about noon at the house on North Walrond where Lisas parents have been staying. They left without speaking with the media.
Meanwhile, baby Lisa Irwin has now been missing for 15 days. FBI agents searched again with some dogs in a wooded area off North Brighton Avenue and 34th Terrace. They said they were not acting on any one specific tip.
The lawyer hired to represent baby Lisas parents, Joe Tacopina, says he believes Lisa Irwin is still alive. He says the parents are being cooperative, despite a Kansas City Police statement that the parents level of cooperation hasnt been what it needs to be do help find Lisa.
Tacopina returned to New York Monday night after his news conference with the parents. He appeared on Fox and Friends Tuesday morning on the FOX News channel, along with consultant Wild Bill Stanton.
Tacopina says Deborah Bradley shows she is honest by admitting she was drunk the night Lisa disappeared.
Both Tacopina and Stanton are being paid by an anonymous person, who they say has a connection to the family.
A search of a wooded area in the Northland in the case of missing 11-monthold Lisa Irwin prompted police to call for a no-fly zone of the area on Tuesday afternoon.
Police spokeswoman Sgt. Stacey Graves said the no-fly zone near Highway 210 and North Brighton would be in effect until 8 p.m., but it was lifted more than three hours early.
KMBC's Martin Augustine reported that about 3 p.m., Kansas City police vans, ones typically used to collect evidence at crime scenes, arrived at the search location.
Augustine said investigators pulled out what appeared to be ground sifters as if they were going to sift through some dirt. He said aside from being heavily wooded, the area also had a rock quarry in it.
Augustine said earlier in the afternoon, search crews asked news cameras to leave the area in order to prevent revealing any closely guarded investigative techniques. Specially trained dogs were brought to the site earlier in the day.
At 4 p.m., police Capt. Steve Young said authorities were in the area searching on a tip, but that the tip did not result in anything significant.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing on Oct. 4. She was last seen in her crib at her parents' home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
The wooded area that was part of Tuesday's search is about three to four blocks from that home.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/police-searcharea-near-lisa-irwin%27s-home-again
Police hold Lisa Irwins home on search warrant
Kansas City police are holding the home of missing Lisa Irwin on a search warrant.
Capt. Steve Young with the Kansas City Police Department said just after 8 p.m. Tuesday that as a result of the search warrant, the parents cant go inside the home.
Earlier on Tuesday, about 20 investigators, some with dogs, searched a large wooded area off North Brighton Avenue and 34th Terrace, near Lisa's home.
The Tuesday afternoon search prompted officials with the Federal Aviation Administration to initiate a no fly zone over the search area for a radius of 1.15077945 miles.
Young said the search of the area was due to a developed lead in the case.
While investigators were searching, Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, were at Lisas uncles house in the Northland.
The search lasted about five hours, but nothing was found in the area.
"It was just a lead we developed that unfortunately didn't pan out so we are still trying," said Young.
Young said his team gets leads everyday in the missing baby case. Some neighbors are questioning if the trail is starting to grow cold.
Tina Hell lives next to the woods police searched.
It is odd. I'm not used to it. This is more police activity than I have ever seen," said Heller.
FBI spokesperson Bridget Patton said she doesn't believe the trail has gone cold.
Kansas City police and FBI agents continue to seek new clues in the case.
In Manhattan, Kansas, Riley County police dismissed reports of a possible Lisa Irwin sighting.
"There were two guests and a baby that aroused some suspicion and there was an officer that approached some of our employees for more description of the guests," said Sean Speakman, the general manager.
Employees at a McAlister'sDeli saw two women with a baby enter the restaurant and leave without buying anything. Police investigated. They said the women did not have Irwin.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Power-goes-out-
in-middle-of-search-at-home-of-Lisa-Irwin
Power goes out in middle of search at Irwin home
KCP&L says about three dozen homes lost power Wednesday after a tree trimmer cut a branch that pulled down some power lines and poles.
It happened in the same neighborhood where police and the FBI have been conducting an intense all-day search of the home where the missing baby, Lisa Irwin, lived.
NBC Action News reporter Chris Hernandez witnessed the flashes of electrical light and smoke, which flared on the other side of the Irwin's next door neighbor.
There were also several booms.
Electric crews had to work with police to gain access to the area to start repairs, because it was behind yellow police tape.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lawyer -lisa-irwin%27s-parents-have-nothing-to-hide
Lawyer: Lisa Irwin's parents have 'nothing to hide' and won't be arrested
A lawyer hired to represent the parents of a missing Kansas City infant says he believes they will not be arrested, and a private investigator working as a family consultant says he believes Lisa Irwin is still alive.
In an interview on NBCs Today show Tuesday, high-profile defense attorney Joe Tacopina insisted Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have been nothing but cooperative with the investigation into their daughters disappearance, despite a statement from Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young that their level of cooperation hasnt been what it needs to be to help find (Lisa).
Tacopina said its unbelievable to hear that, pointing to Mondays consent to a search of their vehicle, home and house where they have been staying with family members.
They want to cooperate, Tacopina told Ann Curry. But they want to make sure the investigation is done in good faith.
He said it really doesnt do much for the cooperative spirit when investigators blame someone for their childs disappearance.
These people are victims, Tacopina said. They are grieving parents who are missing their 11-month-old baby.
In an interview that aired on Mondays Today show, Bradley told NBC she feared she would be arrested in the case, but Tacopina said he has no reason to believe that will happen.
Bill Stanton, a private investigator also from New York, who was brought in last week and has been working as a consultant to the family, says he has been analyzing data police have collected and attempting to gather information on his own.
I do believe this baby is alive and in the hands of someone else, Stanton said Tuesday in the Today show interview.
Who steals a puppy to do away with a puppy, Stanton said when asked why he feels that way. You steal that puppy because you want it. I think its either trafficking or an emotionally disturbed person that took this child. On Monday, Tacopina said Bradley may not be casting herself in the best light by telling national media that she drank heavily the night her daughter disappeared and other unflattering details, but her honesty shows that she and her family "have nothing to hide.
Bradley told television audiences Monday that she may have blacked out in the hours before she and Jeremy Irwin reported that Lisa was missing early Oct. 4. Bradley also now says she last saw her daughter hours earlier than she originally told police.
Bradley had said in previous days that she checked on Lisa at 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 3, but on Monday told NBC's "Today" show that she actually last saw Lisa when she put her to bed at 6:40 p.m.
Tacopina said Tuesday her story hasnt changed, but instead upon further questioning, her recollection of the night has.
"I don't recall in recent history anyone under this umbrella of suspicion be so open and forthright, warts and all, regarding the events. Because they have nothing to hide," Tacopina said during a news conference Monday to announce he had been hired to represent the couple.
The parents reported their daughter missing after Irwin returned home from working a night shift and found the front door unlocked, the house lights on, a window tampered with and the baby gone. Bradley and their two sons were asleep elsewhere in the house.
Bradley told Fox News that she got drunk after she put her daughter to bed
that night and may have blacked out. She said she "probably" drank more than five glasses of wine, and said she frequently drank at home after her children were safely in bed. She also said she had taken a dose of antianxiety medication that day.
In Mondays Today show interview, Bradley told NBC that police accused her of killing Lisa, but she insisted again that she had not harmed her daughter.
"No, no. ... I don't think alcohol changes a person enough to do something like that," she said.
On Monday, Tacopina, who also defended Joran Van der Sloot, the Dutch man suspected in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba, said Bradley detailing her drinking the night Lisa went missing "goes to her credibility."
"That's something she was willing to tell the truth about even if it didn't make her look good because she's got nothing to hide," said Tacopina, who refused to say who was paying him and would only say that he had been hired to counsel the parents through the investigation.
Sean O'Brien, associate professor of law at University of Missouri-Kansas City, said it was difficult to read anything into Bradley's remarks about her drinking or about what police told her. But he said it was wise for the parents to hire a lawyer, and they likely should have done so earlier given what Bradley has said about police accusing her of being involved in the baby's disappearance. "When the questioning becomes accusatory ... it's time to shut up and lawyer up," O'Brien said.
But he noted that police remain the family's "best hope" of finding the baby, so Bradley would want to continue cooperating.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/18/high-profile-attorney-incase-missing-missouri-girl-refuses-to-divulge-fee/
High-Profile Attorney in Case of Missing Missouri Girl Refuses to Say Who's Paying Legal Tab
A high-profile attorney, with offices in New York and Italy who is now representing a Missouri couple searching for their missing 10-month-old daughter, is refusing to divulge who is paying for his services while insisting his clients are innocent of any wrongdoing.
Joe Tacopina, a former New York City prosecutor who represented the prime suspect in Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba, confirmed to FoxNews.com early Tuesday that he is not working pro bono while representing Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin in the search for Lisa Irwin, who has been missing since Oct. 4.
Tacopina declined to indicate how much he is being paid or by whom, but stressed that the Missouri couple -- who recently told Fox News they could not afford to pay their cellphone bills -- are cooperating with authorities in the case and are innocent of any wrongdoing.
"This is a mother's worst nightmare," Tacopina told a reporter following an appearance on Fox News. "There is absolutely no evidence pointing to their guilt."
Tacopina -- who has also represented late pop icon Michael Jackson, actor Lillo Brancato and an NYPD cop acquitted of raping a fashion executive -traveled to Kansas City, Mo., on Monday to meet with Bradley and Irwin.
"In my mind, there is no question they had nothing to do with the disappearance of their little girl," Tacopina told reporters. "I'm optimistic and confident at the end of the day the truth will come out and speculation will be put to rest."
Stressing that the couple "has nothing to hide," Tacopina said he has advised the girl's parents to stop speaking to reporters.
"The goal is to find that baby girl," Tacopina said Tuesday.
Tacopina was joined by private investigator Bill Stanton during his appearance on Fox News. Stanton reiterated that a $100,000 reward for information leading to the girl or to a conviction remains in place. He also declined to indicate who is paying for his services.
Deborah Bradley's cousin, Michael Larette, has said that he and Lisa's parents chose Tacopina because he came highly recommended by several people, including Stanton, a New York-based private investigator who has been working with Bradley's family.
On Sunday, Missouri National Guard officials joined the search for Lisa Irwin as the girl's mother told Fox News she was drunk when the baby disappeared. Bradley told Fox News' Megyn Kelly on Sunday that she had "several glasses" of wine -- perhaps as many as 10 -- with a neighbor prior to the girl's disappearance.
Bradley also admitted she last saw her daughter at 6:40 p.m. local time on Oct. 4, not 10:30 p.m. as she had originally told investigators.
Bradley said it was possible she blacked out after drinking, but denied that anything could have happened to Lisa while she was drunk. She said she drank about twice a week when her children were asleep and denied having a
drinking problem.
"I don't see the problem with me having grownup time," she told Kelly.
Authorities and FBI officials launched new searches for the girl on Monday, including the drainage of a nearby creek. Investigators also brought tracking dogs to the yard of the home where the girl's parents have been staying since she was reported missing.
Sean O'Brien, associate professor of law at University of Missouri-Kansas City, said it was difficult to read anything into Bradley's remarks about her drinking or about what police told her. But he said it was wise for the parents to hire a lawyer, and they likely should have done so earlier given what Bradley has said about police accusing her of being involved in the baby's disappearance.
"When the questioning becomes accusatory ... it's time to shut up and lawyer up," O'Brien said.
But O'Brien said that police remain the family's "best hope" of finding the baby, so Bradley would want to continue cooperating.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/19/2067891/high-profile-lawyer-takesparents.html#storylink=misearch
KC parents' new lawyer has strong track record
The New York lawyer who dropped so suddenly this week into the case of a missing toddler turns out to be a hard-charging attorney who often does very good things for clients.
Joseph Tacopina, 45, may not be a household name in Kansas City, but he's well-known in the Empire State.
Tacopina has burnished a string of high-profile courtroom victories as a criminal defense lawyer by also working as a legal commentator and analyst on cable and network television news programs.
Tacopina held court for reporters for about 45 minutes Monday, announcing that he would be representing Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin during the investigation into their daughter's disappearance. By the next morning he was on network news shows discussing the case.
Lisa Irwin, now 11 months old, vanished from her parents' home this month, sparking a huge local investigation and a torrent of national publicity. Although police and federal investigators have not identified a suspect, Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in the case.
Should that be the case, Bradley might have found the lawyer who could both resolve legal issues in her favor and sustain the spotlight on the case so everyone would know about it.
"If this case is brought into the criminal justice system, it is going to be a very vigorous defense," Tacopina said Tuesday.
A former Brooklyn prosecutor, Tacopina began his defense career helping police officers who found themselves on the other side of the law. From that he built a record of success representing other high-profile defendants, including Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch teenager who was a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in Aruba.
He defended van der Sloot and his father in a civil case brought by
Holloway's family. A judge threw the case out.
(Joran van der Sloot currently faces unrelated murder charges in Peru.)
He also won acquittals of a New York police officer accused of torturing Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant, and Lillo Brancato, an actor appearing on HBO's "The Sopranos" who was accused of felony murder of an off-duty police officer.
In May, Tacopina won an acquittal on rape charges for one of two New York police officers accused of assaulting a drunken woman after helping her to her apartment.
Tacopina said Tuesday that he didn't think authorities would charge Bradley or Irwin, but added he was ready if they did.
Although Tacopina's appearance in the case sparked head-scratching among local lawyers, several said Tuesday that he'd already accomplished a lot if he'd convinced his clients to quit speaking to reporters.
"All he could do is what a first-year lawyer could do: Tell the client to quit appearing on all the national talk shows and talking about the case," said Mike Yonke, a criminal defense attorney.
Early on, family spokespeople said Deborah Bradley would speak only to national media outlets. On Monday she admitted on NBC's "Today" show that she had been drinking the night Lisa disappeared. Fox News later broadcast an interview in which Bradley admitted that she'd been drunk.
She also rearranged the timeline of Lisa's disappearance, telling "Today" that she put the baby to bed about four hours earlier than when she told police.
Tacopina said those discrepancies had not shaken his belief that Bradley was innocent, a view he said he came to hold after spending seven to 10 days speaking with the family and consulting with investigator Bill Stanton, a friend who since has stepped back from the case.
"It's the sort of case I like to get involved in," Tacopina said. "You have a mother and father who are really very sweet, caring people. To me it was why I went to law school."
Attorneys also said an outside lawyer might be able to deal more easily with a community's reaction to representing a defendant charged with a crime against a child.
Yonke said that though everyone deserves a good defense, the nature of crimes against children can cause lawyers to become skittish.
"When you're dealing with children in this kind of community, some attorneys would think twice about their involvement," Yonke said. "This is a small town."
Lawyer Susan Hunt knows. She represented Keith Nelson, who was sentenced to death for the 1999 kidnapping and killing of 10-year-old Pamela Butler of Kansas City, Kan. Hunt recalled Tuesday that while she defended Nelson she faced death threats and had to work through her own revulsion to his conduct.
"They were hard-pressed to find someone to represent Nelson," Hunt said. "There were a lot of people who turned it down."
Tacopina said he wouldn't have accepted the case if he had suspected that Lisa's parents had anything to do with her disappearance. But he said he was
not concerned how people viewed him.
"I don't set out to make friends," said Tacopina, who has declined to say who's paying for his services. "I'm not a politician. I'm not running for office. I'm representing people in the most important moments in their lives."
Authorities are investigating a possible sighting of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin in the Manhattan, Kan., area. Kansas Highway Patrol officials said Riley County police asked them to put out an alert about a small black car with Missouri tags with two women and a baby inside.
According to the Highway Patrol, the women were seen at a McAlister's Deli at 421 Tuttle Creek Blvd. on Tuesday. Investigators said the women were in a booth at the restaurant and left without eating their meals after people took notice of them. The restaurant manager said patrons spotted the trio during the noon hour.
The women are described as white and in their 20s. One woman had dark hair with a pink hooded sweatshirt and the second woman had light brown hair and a slender build.
The restaurant manager said there is no surveillance video available, but workers were able to give police credit card information for the customers who were in the restaurant.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_kansas/police-investigate-possiblebaby-lisa-sighting-at-mcalisters-deli-in-manhattan-kansas
Police confirm baby seen at McAlisters Deli not Lisa Irwin
According to police in Riley County, a customer at McAlisters Deli reported Tuesday afternoon seeing two women and a baby resembling mising Lisa Irwin inside the restaurant.
The women became aware of people looking at them and left the restaurant without eating the food they ordered, according to Topeka NBC affiliate KSNT.
The women then reportedly drove away in a small black car with Missouri plates.
The Riley County police conducted an investigation into the report.
Just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Riley County police were able to confirm that the child was not Baby Lisa.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15728918/possible-baby-sighting-at-restaurantnot-lisa-irwin
Possible baby sighting at restaurant not Lisa Irwin
Riley County police officers surrounded a deli in Manhattan, KS after a tipster said she may have seen baby Lisa.
Police found the baby in question later Tuesday evening. They quickly
confirmed she was not Lisa Irwin.
"We'd rather respond 100 times to something that didn't turn out than not have it. Absolutely anyone who has a tip we want to know," said Capt. Kurt Moldrup, with the Riley County police.
The new hope in the search for baby Lisa came from a restaurant nearly 130 miles from Lisa's home.
"If there is hope, there is hope. Always keep looking until you find something," said Manhattan resident Kerri Flanary.
Flanary was eating at McAlister's Deli a few hours after a woman had called Riley County police saying she saw two women with a baby matching Lisa Irwin's description.
"She continued to watch and apparently they acted suspicious enough thatit raised her concerns to the level of calling the police," said Capt. Kurt Moldrup, with the Riley County police.
A manager at McAlister's said the women left quickly without eating. The tipster saw a small black car with Missouri plates go north on nearby Tuttle Creek Blvd.
This was the first tip Riley County police had received about baby Lisa.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20537867,00.html
Elizabeth Smart on Baby Lisa: 'I Think She's Alive'
Are you following the Baby Lisa case? ES: Yes. I think she's alive. She's so young, and I feel like maybe I'm just an eternal optimist I always hope that whomever is kidnapped or disappears is still alive, and so I think the most important thing is to press forward with this using as much force and power as you can, and continue the search efforts, continuing on and not giving up.
How do you react when you hear about a child being abducted through a bedroom window like you were? ES: Of course, I hate hearing more abductions happening, especially when there is so much we can do to prevent them from happening. ... It makes me so sad, so sick every time I hear about another abduction, another case of child abuse, it's terrible, no one wants to hear about it."
October 19th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/copsexpected-to-search-lisa-irwin%27s-home#ixzz1kB8w919u
Investigators not saying what was found during search of Lisa Irwin's home
The intense search of a missing Kansas City infant's home lasted into the early-morning hours Thursday as a bomb squad from Lee's Summit was called in to assist investigators.
Authorities are not saying what they found inside or outside the home belonging to Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, who say an intruder snatched their baby daughter, Lisa, from her crib in the middle of the night as
the mother and two other boys slept more than two weeks ago.
Investigators with the Kansas City Police Department and FBI spent most of the day Wednesday searching the couples home. They executed a search warrant at the home for the first time.
The Lee's Summit Bomb Squad, which arrived around 7 p.m. Wednesday, was the second such unit brought in during the search. Earlier, a Kansas City Police Department bomb squad truck arrived at the house. In an email sent to media, Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said the KCPD Bomb and Arson squad truck was used just for equipment. There was no explosive device in the home, he said.
Soon after daylight arrived Wednesday, officers headed to the back of the home with shovels, rakes and a ladder and could be seen digging behind a shed in the yard. Out front, investigators left the house carrying brown paper bags and clear plastic bags and took them to vehicles parked outside.
Young said the bomb and arson truck carried devices that will aid in the search, but he didn't go into detail. Many bomb units carry X-ray equipment that can scan solid objects and reveal items hidden within. The Lee's Summit Bomb and Arson squad was called to the scene Wednesday evening to assist with the case.
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a no-fly zone over the house, and authorities blocked off North Lister Avenue about 30 minutes before the search began.
Police officers asked media covering the story to move off the street where the house is located. Authorities restricted media access, FBI spokeswoman Bridgett Patton said, because agents were using a procedure involving dogs that they didn't want to be recorded. She declined to elaborate.
Patton said in a live interview with Lisa Benson the search was not fueled by any specific new tip, but investigators wanted to be sure they hadn't missed anything.
Video from Skytracker, flying outside the no-fly zone showed about a dozen investigators outside the home, some wearing protective gear. Patton said the suits are used to ensure the scene is not contaminated.
The no-fly zone extended for one nautical mile around the house and to an elevation of 1,500 feet.
During the search, a private tree trimmer knocked out power to the neighborhood . Electric crews had to work with police to gain access to the area to start repairs, because it was behind yellow police tape.
Lisa was 10 months old on Oct. 4 when her parents reported her missing. Her father, an electrician, said he returned home from a late shift to discover the lights on, a window tampered with, the front door unlocked and Lisa gone. Bradley and Lisa's two older brothers had been asleep elsewhere in the house. Bradley has admitted she drank heavily that night and may have blacked out.
Investigators have searched the home before, with Lisas parents permission, but never with a warrant. Young said Wednesday's warrant prevents anyone except those involved in the investigation from entering, meaning family members -- who have returned home from time to time to collect clothes and other belongings -- may not go back inside until the search is over. It wasn't immediately clear whether the search would resume Thursday.
"I don't know why a warrant is needed. They can go in and out any time," The parents attorney, Joe Tacopina , said. "They have had unfettered access because we want answers."
Tacopina says Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have remained cooperative and have nothing to hide , but police spokesman Steve Young says they havent submitted to questioning in the case since Oct. 8 , four days after Lisa disappeared.
He said the family hasn't been back to the house in the past couple of days because they don't want to interfere with the investigation.
Tacopina said Wednesday that he welcomed the search, but "we want this to be done in good faith, not to match some predetermined conclusion."
Police, FBI agents, officers from area law enforcement agencies and the Missouri National Guard, have already searched the family's home, neighborhood, nearby wooded areas, a landfill and abandoned homes. Police have refused to discuss any evidence gathered in the searches, saying only that they remain without a suspect.
Last weekend, detectives videotaped the inside and outside of the home and attempted to recreate a break-in scenario by climbing through a front window Lisas parents say had been tampered with.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/19/2068205/investigators-executingsearch.html#storylink=misearch
Investigators executing search warrant at Irwin family home
A team of police and federal investigators are executing a search warrant at the family residence of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin, who disappeared 16 days ago.
Details of what investigators were looking for were not immediately available. Police blocked traffic on the streets leading to the home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue in Kansas City, North.
According to media reports, authorities are not allowing helicopters and other small aircraft to fly over the neighborhood.
Investigators obtained the warrant on Tuesday. The warrant bars the family from entering the home until the warrant has been executed. Police have been in the house before but always with the familys consent, police Capt. Steve Young said on Tuesday.
An intensive search Tuesday of woods a few blocks from where Lisa disappeared turned up nothing substantial, police said.
Midmorning, high-ranking police, federal investigators and crime-scene technicians descended on the woods at 34th Terrace and North Brighton Avenue. As the afternoon wore on, the number of police and FBI investigators grew. Two crime-scene vans one with a trailer arrived, and officers carried evidence bags and dirt-sifting equipment into the wooded area.
But about 4 p.m. authorities began leaving the site.
It may have been promising for a minute, Young said. We are trying to do it right and doing all of what we can.
Also on Tuesday, authorities were looking for two women who had a baby that resembled Lisa at a Manhattan, Kan., restaurant but later determined the girl wasnt Lisa.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/19/police-conduct-new-search-ofbaby-lisa%E2%80%99s-home-yard/?iref=storysearch
Police Conduct New Search of Baby Lisas Home, Yard
Crime scene investigators in white jumpsuits descended on the Kansas City home of a missing Missouri girl Wednesday morning to execute a search warrant on the property.
Police would not say why they obtained a search warrant late Tuesday for the house where 10-month-old Lisa Irwin reportedly vanished over two weeks ago, but they had searched the home several times before with the consent of the girls parents.
FBI agents and Kansas City police arrived to execute the warrant soon after 8:00 am on Wednesday, blocking off the roads leading to the North Lister Avenue home. The AP reported that the FAA initiated a no-fly zone over the neighborhood for the duration of the search, which was expected to last several hours.
Lisa Irwins parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing around 4:00 am on October 4 when Irwin returned from work and she was missing from her crib, where Bradley said she had put her around 6:40 pm the night before. Bradley initially claimed she checked on Lisa at 10:30 pm, but she acknowledged in media interviews earlier this week that 6:40 was actually the last time she saw her and that she drank several glasses of wine that night.
According to CNN affiliate KMBC, investigators spent a lot of time Wednesday around a shed in the back yard of the home and they were seen using shovels to dig near it.
A police spokesman told CNN that a Kansas City Police Bomb and Arson Unit truck was being brought to the scene, but he emphasized that no explosive devices had been found. The unit just has some equipment that investigators believed could help with the search.
According to the FBI, the search warrant was not sought because of a specific tip and it was not the result of the parents refusing to consent to searches of any parts of the home. A spokesperson said that it was part of an effort to be as thorough as possible in the investigation.
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Irwins parents, told a Nancy Grace producer Wednesday that police are free to go into the house whenever they want and the parents have consented every time a request was made. Responding to claims by police that the parents have not been willing to be interviewed by detectives since October 8, Tacopina said they will sit down and talk to investigators if they are asked.
Tacopina said the parents are also willing to let their other two children be reinterviewed by police, but only under certain conditions and parameters because they do not want the boys to be traumatized further. Bill Stanton, a private investigator working with the family, said in an interview with ABC Tuesday that one of the boys heard clicking noises on the night of October 3.
Investigators were still at the Irwin house searching on Wednesday afternoon.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/19/2067837/search-of-woods-yieldsnothing.html#storylink=misearch
Search of woods yields nothing
An intensive search Tuesday of woods a few blocks from where 11-month-old Lisa Irwin disappeared turned up nothing substantial, police said.
"It was a lead we developed that unfortunately did not pan out," said Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young.
High-ranking police officials, federal investigators and crime scene technicians descended on the woods at 34th Terrace and North Brighton Avenue. As the afternoon wore on, the number of police and FBI investigators grew.
Two crime scene vans one with a trailer arrived, and officers carried evidence bags and dirt-sifting equipment into the wooded area. But about 4 p.m., authorities began leaving.
"It may have been promising for a minute," Young said. "We are trying to do it right and doing all of what we can."
The location is one of many around the family's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue that authorities have searched since Lisa vanished Oct. 4.
In other developments Tuesday:
* Authorities are looking for two women who had a baby that resembled Lisa at a Manhattan, Kan., restaurant.
A woman told Riley County police the baby was at McAlister's Deli with two women who seemed suspicious, said Capt. Kurt Moldrup. She said the
women and baby left heading north in a small black car with Missouri tags.
Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardener said the car could be a 1998 or 1999 model, but authorities didn't know what make it was.
Kansas City police are in contact with authorities there, Young said. He said it was one of many tips police have received from outside the area.
"We have followed tips from all over the country and if we get one that is not local, we contact the agency where it is and they look into it for us," he said.
* Fox News Channel aired more of an interview that Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, did Sunday on "America Live." In the new segment, Bradley told Megyn Kelly she believed police had lied to her in an effort to elicit a confession.
Bradley, who has said several cellphones were missing from their home along with their daughter, said police told her a call was made on one of the phones at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 4, the night that Lisa disappeared.
She told Kelly that she was sleeping at the time and whoever took Lisa would have used the phone. She said police didn't tell her where the call had been placed except that it was "close by."
When asked whether she though police were lying to her about the call, Bradley said, "Yeah, they're supposed to."
"To get a confession?" Kelly asked her.
"Yeah, of course," Bradley answered.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15728409/former-friends-of-deborah-bradleyspeak
Former friends of Deborah Bradley speak out
Two women who say they are former friends of Deborah Bradley say they knew her around 2002, and that were part of a group of military wives that used to spend a lot of time together as neighbors in the same military community.
Shirley Pfaff said she used to be one of Bradley's closest confidants, and her kids would play together nearly every day. The two would hang out together in various social settings.
Pfaff now lives in Erie, PA.
"We met each other in Ft. Bragg, NC. Both our husbands were stationed in the military, and they were young...new in the military. That was their first duty station and that is how we became friends," said Shirley Pfaff, a former friend of Bradley.
"She was definitely just an attention hound. It was just like I said, it was almost like I couldn't have other friends around her because she would just do things to try to cause a scene everywhere," Pfaff added. "She would go out with us. I mean me and my friend, Jamie, we would go out to the clubs and stuff. She would come with us just to the local clubs out there that she could get into. She was drinking yeah...She drank."
In an interview with People magazine, Bradley admits to drinking the night baby Lisa went missing.
She was also seen buying wine, as well as baby food and wipes on surveillance video that very same night.
Sara Evarts, whose ex-husband was also stationed at Ft. Bragg, says she used to live next door to Bradley.
Evarts and Bradley have not kept in touch since leaving Ft. Bragg several years ago.
Evarts said she was immediately concerned upon hearing the news that baby Lisa was missing.
"I found out Oct. 11, because Shirley posted it on my wall on Facebook, and when I first read about it, I was filled with sympathy," said Sara Evarts, a former friend of Bradley. "I couldn't believe it. This is such a horrible thing for anyone to go through. I was like 'oh, my God, the poor baby.'"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/20/deborah-bradley-baby-lisairwin-missing_n_1022905.html?ref=lisa-irwin
Deborah Bradley, Lisa Irwin's Mom, Has A Dark Side, Says Former Best Friend
Deborah Bradley, the mother of missing Kansas City infant Lisa Irwin, has come under a cloud of suspicion, as police accuse her of being uncooperative and her recollection of events leading up to the disappearance seems to change.
None of that appears to surprise Shirley Pfaff, who describes herself as
Bradley's former best friend.
"She was my friend at one time and I loved to be around her, but when I [saw] the other side of her and got to know the true Debbie, I couldn't even believe I trusted her with anything," Pfaff told The Huffington Post.
Bradley and Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, reported their daughter missing on Oct. 4. Bradley and Irwin said the 10-month-old infant was discovered missing when the father returned home from working a night shift. They suggest she was kidnapped from an unlocked window as the mother and two other boys slept.
The case has garnered national media attention and, Bradley went on NBC's "Today" show on Monday to break a nine-day silence. She admitted she had been drinking "enough to be drunk" on the night of her baby's disappearance and told NBC's Peter Alexander that the last time she saw her daughter was actually at 6:40 p.m. on the night of her disappearance, not 10:30 p.m. as she had originally told police. Bradley has also admitted to failing a policeadministered lie detector test.
"They said that I failed when they asked me where she was [and] if I knew where she was," Bradley said.
Pfaff said she was surprised by Baby Lisa's disappearance, but not by the inconsistencies surrounding Bradley's story.
"I am not shocked that her story has changed like the wind," she said. "That's typical Debbie."
Pfaff, who now lives in Erie, Pa., said she met Bradley in 2002 at Ft. Bragg, N.C. They were military wives at the time and lived across the street from each other. The couple's kids played together and they quickly became close
friends, she said.
"When the story broke, it was a normal morning in my house," Pfaff added. "I got up, put on a pot of coffee and turned on 'Good Morning America' like usual and I ... heard 'Deborah Bradley.' I immediately thought, 'This can't be the Debbie I know.' It just seemed unreal until I walked back into the living room after hearing her voice. I just about collapsed. It just made me sick because I just wouldn't put this girl Debbie past anything crazy."
Despite clearing nearly 700 tips and leads in Baby Lisa's disappearance, investigators say they have no suspects in the case. Nevertheless, Bradley has said she expects to be arrested, but told NBC News she hoped that would not happen.
"I had absolutely nothing to do with it," she said. "It's a waste of time, money, energy and focus and people should be looking for [Lisa]." While authorities have declined to discuss many aspects of the case, they did spend a significant amount of time conducting an aggressive search of Bradley and Irwin's house.
"We were out at the house on a search warrant for a very long time yesterday and into early this morning," Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Steve Young told The Huffington Post.
Police, with assistance from the FBI, were seen digging in the backyard of the residence and they hauled off several bags of items.
"Some things were taken from the home but I can't go into detail on what was taken or what was learned or not learned from the search yet," Young said. "Should we learn something from this search that we think would benefit the case by making public, we will definitely be all over that."
Authorities had conducted previous searches of the home, as well as nearby wooded areas and a landfill.
The parents' attorney, Joe Tacopina, said he would contact The Huffington Post "as soon as possible" today; however, no call was received.
Tacopina told People his clients are available to investigators to answer questions, but Young said "their level of cooperation is not what we believe it needs to be."
Although the parents' level of cooperation with authorities remains in question, they have participated in a rash of recent TV interviews. According to Pfaff, Bradley often wants to be the center of attention. She also said her former friend has a dark side. She can be a con artist and is able to turn on fake tears. It is that side of her, Pfaff said, that destroyed their friendship.
"I was friends with Debbie for some time [and] then the 'friend' I once grew fond of became a 'problem' I had to deal with on a daily basis," she said.
Pfaff said she was happy when the military transferred her husband.
"Me and my ex-husband got orders to be stationed overseas in Europe shortly after mine and Debbie's friendship diminished," she said. "So I thought of that as a new clean slate for us, without all the drama Debbie created with and around us."
Pfaff would not elaborate on the exact problems she had with Bradley, but insisted she is not a "Debbie-basher."
"My intentions of speaking with the media [are] to shed some light on the Debbie I once knew, both good and bad," she said.
Contacted by The Huffington Post today, Baby Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin, indicated the family believes the infant is alive and is still with her abductor.
"We have no evidence, no leads and no idea where she is," Irwin said. "We need everyones help to keep an eye out for her and bring her home as she could be anywhere. There is a $100,000 reward for her safe return. The offer of dropping her off somewhere safe, no questions asked, is still applicable."
Irwin declined to discuss the case further. "If you want any more details you'll have to ask their attorney," she said.
Pfaff said she has followed the case in the news and is "completely shocked" that some people have been "actually vouching, claiming [Bradley] could never have done anything to baby Lisa."
She added: "I pray every night that the baby is found. For better or for worse, I just pray for her return and hope justice will be served for whoever has done anything with or to the innocent baby girl."
October 20th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/cops%3A-kcpdhas-run-down-almost-700-baby-lisa-leads
Cops: KCPD has run down almost 700 Baby Lisa leads
Kansas City police are pursuing more than 60 out-of-state leads in their investigation into the disappearance of a baby more than two weeks ago.
Police spokesman Capt. Steve Young said Thursday police have cleared nearly 700 tips and leads in the disappearance of Lisa Irwin. The baby's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, reported their 10-month-old daughter missing Oct. 4. Police have said they have no suspects in the case.
Young says police are following up on 65 tips and leads in several states.
On Wednesday, police and FBI conducted a daylong search at the home where the family lived when the baby was reported missing. The family has since been staying nearby with relatives.
The family's lawyer said he planned a statement, but hadn't issued one by Thursday evening.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/20/lisa-irwin-day-17-what-you-may-havemissed/
Lisa Irwin Day 17 What You May Have Missed
As the search for baby Lisa Irwin hits Day 17, authorities say that hundreds of leads have been cleared in the case of the 11-month-old Northland child who disappeared on October 4.
Police said they continue to follow up on every credible lead, including dozens of tips out of state, but none of them have led police to a suspect in the girls disappearance.
On Thursday, a website Lisa-Irwin.com appeared, showing pictures of the Irwin home from the ground and air and a space for people to provide
tips into the childs disappearance. But FOX 4 was not able to determine who the website belonged to, and there is no way to determine where the tips are going.
The websites service provider told FOX 4 that the owner of the site had requested that their name not be made public.
On Wednesday, police, armed with a search warrant, embarked on a 17-hour search at the home of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. It wasnt the first time police searched the home, but it was the first time they arrived with high-tech equipment to x-ray the walls.
Armed with such equipment and a search warrant retired FBI agent, Michael Tabman, said he thinks investigators are becoming specific in their actions.
My gut feeling would tell me theyre looking for a body, he said. But they could also be looking for something that dropped off of the baby, maybe an article of clothing or a little shoe.
Police have not said what led investigators to issue the search warrant or what, if anything, was found in the house during their 17-hour search. Police did say that the rumors that they had found the babys body in the search are false.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/criminal-profilercompares-baby-lisa-case-to-other-child-abductions
Criminal profiler compares Baby Lisa case to other child abductions
Some experts are raising questions about similarities between the Lisa Irwin
case and other highly publicized child abduction cases.
It's all over the blogosphere. People are comparing this case to other wellknown cases when mothers said their child had been kidnapped. That includes one that happened at Fort Bragg about the time Deborah Bradley, Lisa's mom, reportedly lived there.
A criminal profiler based in Washington D.C. wrote a blog post about the Baby Lisa case, comparing it to two other well known cases from Florida and England.
"It could still be a copy cat crime because you're seeing it in the media. Or it could be a copy cat cover up," said Pat Brown.
Brown also points to another blog post , comparing the Irwin case to a very similar one in 2007 at Fort Bragg, when Bradley was apparently living there with her first husband.
Brown says, "That is very concerning, certainly she should have known about it."
That case had an open window, with a missing screen, and an 11-month-old baby taken from its bedroom.
Brown points out other troubling signs about the Baby Lisa case.
But we should emphasize that she, like many others writing about this case, are not on the ground here.
They are examining the case by following it closely in the media.
NBC Action News tried to confirm that the Bradley's lived at Fort Bragg in '07, but the mother of Lisa's ex said she couldn't remember, and a spokesman at Fort Bragg said they only keep those records going back two years.
A key part of the investigation into the disappearance of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin has been police search dogs that the media has been asked not to show while they work.
The FBI specifically requested that these dogs not be photographed while they work. The agency has gone as far as even restricting news helicopters from flying near where the dogs are working.
KMBC's Martin Augustine spoke with dog trainer Matt Skogen on Wednesday, who said he's not surprised about the restrictions.
"We really want to keep the dogs focused on their task," said Skogen, who runs Iron Heart Training in Shawnee, Kan.
Skogen said dogs, like people, can be distracted by noise, such as the loud thumping that can come from helicopters.
Skogen also explained why news crews were told not to photograph the dogs as they worked on Tuesday.
"There's variations of training," Skogen said. "Various types. I'm not sure what their plan was, but some agencies can be pretty sensitive about that."
The FBI said the search dogs were not from Kansas City and were brought it from elsewhere. They have been used several times in the search for Irwin, who has been missing since Oct. 3.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/20/police-searching-baby-lisa %E2%80%99s-home-reportedly-collect-possible-evidence-carpet-x-rays/? iref=storysearch
Police Searching Baby Lisas Home Reportedly Collect Possible Evidence, Carpet, X-Rays
A search of the home of missing baby Lisa Irwins parents extended late into the night Wednesday, as FBI agents and police aided by bomb squad trucks spent hours inside and outside the house where the 10-month-old disappeared.
Kansas City police obtained a search warrant for the house on North Lister Ave. on Tuesday, and investigators arrived soon after 8:00 am Wednesday to execute the warrant. According to local reports, they did not leave the property until around 1:00 am on Thursday.
It was not clear why the search warrant was sought, given that the family has consented to numerous searches of the house in the past, and police would not say what they were looking for. Throughout the day, investigators were seen walking out of the house with bags of potential evidence, a rolledup carpet and what appeared to be X-ray equipment, CNN affiliate KMBC reported.
Police emphasized that no explosive devices were detected at the house, but they said the bomb squad vehicles were called in because they had some equipment that would be useful in the search. CNN affiliate KSHB reported that a truck from the Kansas City Police Department Bomb and Arson unit was seen at the site on Wednesday afternoon and another vehicle from the
Lees Summit Bomb Squad arrived around 7:00 pm.
Roads leading to the Irwin house were blocked off Wednesday and media access to the site was restricted. The FAA placed a no-fly zone over the neighborhood for much of the day. An FBI spokesperson told KSHB that one reason the media was being kept away was because agents were using a procedure involving search dogs that they did not want to be recorded.
Still, from a distance, local media cameras filmed investigators in white jumpsuits searching around a shed in the back yard of the house. They were also seen digging and raking the ground near the shed.
Lisa Irwins parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing from the house around 4:00 am on October 4 after Irwin returned home from work and the baby had apparently vanished from her crib, where Bradley said she last saw her when she put her to bed around 6:40 pm the previous night.
On Wednesday, Irwin family attorney Joe Tacopina confirmed to a Nancy Grace producer that the parents are also working with Kansas City attorney Cynthia Short. Short told WDAF that Bradley and Irwin are still cooperating with police and have even offered to provide them with mouth swabs and hair samples.
A private investigator working with the family, Bill Stanton, told ABCs Good Morning America Thursday that he had spoken to the parents on Wednesday night and they were not opposed to the new search of their house.
They welcome it, Stanton said. They want this to be uncovered. They want to be discounted and look outside the home.
Stanton also appeared on NBCs Today Show, where he said he thought a
scenario where someone came in from outside the home and abducted Lisa was more plausible than the parents being responsible, because if the parents had done something to Lisa, he could not figure out how they would have covered it up.
You tell me how they did it, Stanton said. Did she drive? Did he do it? Did she do it? Did she walk and take the baby and dispose of the baby? Thats the tough questionThey would have to be master criminalsbecause its virtually a perfect crime.
In both interviews, Stanton reiterated that the anonymous benefactor paying for his services is offering a $100,000 reward for Lisas return or the conviction of those responsible for her disappearance. Kansas City Crimestoppers is also offering its standard $1,000 reward in the case.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/cops-rumorsthat-body-was-found-in-search-for-lisa-irwin-are-not-true
Cops: Rumors that body was found in search for Lisa Irwin are not true
The Kansas City Police Department says rumors circulating that a body has been found in the search for Lisa Irwin are not true.
While authorities would not say what they found during a 16-hour search of the missing 11-month-old girl's home Wednesday, police spokesman Steve Young said he wanted to dispel rumors that Lisa's body had been found.
Armed with a search warrant, officers with KCPD and the FBI combed through Lisa's northern Kansas City home, taking bags of potential evidence out throughout the day.
Two different bomb squads were called in during the search - one from Kansas City and another Wednesday night from Lee's Summit - before it finally ended early Thursday morning.
Bomb squads use x-ray equipment that could be used in a search like this, police say.
Kansas City Police said they have cleared more than 700 tips regarding Lisa Irwin.
Appearing Thursday on NBC's "Today" show, private investigator Bill Stanton, who was hired by a "wealthy benefactor" to work as a family consultant but has since returned to New York, said he believed authorities may have been looking for DNA evidence or even a body underneath the Irwin home.
Stanton said he is continuing to put a "different set of eyes" on the search for clues into Lisa's disappearance, but is sure not to get in the way of the official police and FBI investigation.
"Any and all information that I get, it's a one way street," Stanton said. "I give it to the Kansas City Police Department."
Much attention has focused on a rash of recent TV interviews Lisas parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin - have given in which Bradley admitted she had consumed several glasses of wine the night that Lisa disappeared. She also told NBC that she did not see the baby after putting her to bed at about 6:40 p.m. -- roughly four hours earlier than the time she originally gave police. She didn't explain the difference.
Tacopina has said Bradley's candid words indicate the parents have nothing to hide.
Young has repeatedly said there are no leads in the case and "everything remains on the table" regarding the investigation, but Stanton told "Today's" Ann Curry he is "looking outside the home" but still open to the possibility the family may be involved.
Stanton said if Lisa's parents are indeed involved, "they would have to be master criminals" because "it's virtually a perfect crime."
The unnamed benefactor made one thing clear to Stanton, he said, and that was his job was to find out what happened to Lisa.
He said he'll follow the truth wherever it goes. "If that truth leads me to their guilt, so be it."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-17-hour-search-familyhome/story?id=14779537#.T0oTs3n7mOc
17-Hour Search at Family Home
Investigators in white hazmat suits carried out several large brown paper bags of evidence and a large carpet from the Kansas City, Mo., home of missing 11-month-old baby Lisa Irwin.
The 17-hour search allowed for glimpses into the types of evidence collected and the tight-lipped investigation's techniques.
This was the first search in the case that was conducted without the consent of Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. Investigators obtained a search warrant from a judge.
"We felt [that] this time, since [Bradley and Irwin] had retained an attorney, to go to a judge to make sure there was no confusion over our legal right to be there," Kansas City Police Department Capt. Steve Young told ABCNews.com.
Young could not get into details of what may have been found in the search that stretched into the early hours of Thursday morning, but he did comment more broadly on the progress of the investigation.
"This has been an ongoing case for weeks now, and it's safe to imagine in the course of it what we've learned -- new pieces of information that are pushing the case forward," Young said.
The search team at the house spent hours combing the yard with rakes and shovels. In the afternoon, bomb and arson trucks arrived with additional equipment, including machinery used to x-ray solid objects and, possibly, walls.
"They were looking for items -- materials, whether they be generic like DNA, hairs and fibers, [or] organic like leaves, dirt -- to compare to something they have," Brad Garrett, an ABC News consultant and former FBI special agent, told "Good Morning America" today.
Police searched the home extensively in the days immediately following Lisa's disappearance with scent canines and FBI agents in hazmat suits, and police officers attempted to re-create the window break-in scenario the parents described.
While authorities are mum on what caused them to return to the house more than two weeks after Lisa disappeared from her crib, Garrett said there would have to be a new component to the case in order for a judge to authorize a search warrant.
"You have to have something new, something that just has occurred to convince a judge to allow you to go back in a house with a search warrant," Garrett said.
Private investigator Bill Stanton, who has been in frequent communication with Lisa's parents, spoke to "GMA" today about their reaction to the search.
"My interpretation is that they welcome it," Stanton said. "They want this to be uncovered."
Stanton also made a distinction about his role in the investigation.
"While I'm working with the family, I'm not working for the family," he said. "If I get information that leads to their guilt, so be it. And I told them so."
He said his instincts still lead him to believe that it was someone from outside the home that took Lisa.
Stanton revealed that the anonymous benefactor that put him on the case is a woman and that this mysterious figure is not the same person who is paying for the legal services of well-known New York defense attorney Joe Tacopina.
In the past two weeks, police have cleared more than 550 tips and leads that have not led to any suspects or hard leads.
The anonymous benefactor paying Stanton is offering a $100,000 reward for Baby Lisa's safe return or the conviction of whoever took the little girl.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/20/2069220/police-fbi-search-parentshome.html#storylink=misearch
Police, FBI search KC parents' home
After 16 frustrating days of searching, Kansas City police and the FBI are still seeking an answer to the question that has generated national headlines: Where is Baby Lisa?
Hundreds of officers have spent countless hours running down tips and scouring for evidence since now-11-month-old Lisa Irwin was reported missing from her crib Oct. 4.
On Wednesday, police and federal agents returned to the home with a search warrant. Investigators wearing protective suits spent much of the day working inside and outside the residence, as well as around a garage behind the home.
Police have publicly revealed little about what they know so far, including any results from Wednesday's search. Indeed, virtually every substantive bit of information about the case and who police might suspect in the baby's disappearance has come from her parents or people speaking on their behalf.
Allegations that Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, failed a polygraph test, and statements that she was drunk and may have "blacked out" on the night her daughter went missing and that police were accusing her of involvement in the crime have all been revealed by Bradley herself on national television.
And while a lawyer for Lisa's parents says they are cooperating in the investigation, police have stated publicly that is not the case.
The parents have not sat down and spoken with detectives for more than a week, and efforts to re-interview two older children, who were in the home on the night of the disappearance, have been refused, police said Wednesday.
Here's how the investigation has unfolded and what police and the family members have said:
Oct. 4: At 4 a.m. Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, returned from his overnight job as an electrician to the family's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue and reported his daughter missing.
Deborah Bradley told police she had last seen Lisa in her crib about 10:30 the night before.
Kansas City police declared an Amber Alert and launched a massive search. Police looked at the possibility that a kidnapper entered and exited through a small bedroom window. But later that first day they said they couldn't determine a point of entry.
A neighbor told police of seeing a man with a baby in the area about 2 a.m.
Police Capt. Steve Young, a department spokesman, said that the situation was unusual because child abductions commonly involve a custody dispute, but that in this case both parents reside in the home. The unmarried parents have two other children in the home, boys aged 10 or younger, from previous relationships, Young said.
A child victim specialist interviewed both boys that day while detectives questioned the parents.
Oct. 5: Lisa's parents spoke publicly for the first time at a news conference.
"We just want our baby back," Bradley said. "Please... bring her home."
Young said investigators had conducted numerous consensual searches of residences near the Irwin home.
Oct. 6: The parents appeared on morning national television shows for the first time to plead for Lisa's safe return. Afterward, in a brief interview with local media, Bradley said nothing looked out of place or disturbed in Lisa's room.
"It was like they just walked in and just disappeared," she said.
The couple also revealed that three cellphones were taken from their home the night Lisa vanished.
That night, Young stated publicly that the parents had stopped cooperating with police. A short time later, an aunt of Lisa Irwin read a short statement to the media disputing that.
Oct. 7: On NBC's "Today" show, Bradley said police had told her she had failed a polygraph test.
"'I continued to say, 'That's not possible,' " Bradley said. "Because I don't know where she's at. I did not do this."
On ABC's "Good Morning America," Bradley said: "From the start, when they've questioned me, once I couldn't fill in gaps, it turned into 'You did it, you did it.'
"They took a picture down from the table and said, 'Look at your baby.' And 'Do what's right for her.' I kept saying, 'I don't know.. 'I just sat there. I didn't even ask to leave. I just let them keep asking questions."
Oct. 8: Kansas City police said detectives had once again spoken with Bradley and Irwin. The couple also consented to additional searches, police he said, and crime scene investigators worked inside and outside their home.
Mike LeRette, a cousin of Bradley, said the family planned to scale back media interviews to focus on generating tips for police.
Oct. 9: Family and friends went to Kansas Speedway on a race day and passed out thousands of fliers with pictures of Lisa, said Jeremy Irwin's sister, Ashley Irwin.
Detectives spent several more hours at the family home and appeared to be trying to re-create a possible kidnapping by climbing through a window.
Oct. 10: A Clay County grand jury issued subpoenas to all the local network TV affiliates, requesting any raw footage of interviews with Irwin family members, friends or neighbors.
Investigators also returned to the Irwin home and were seen inside and outside a neighbor's house.
Reports surfaced about a homeless man seen in the neighborhood in the previous weeks. A neighbor said police had showed him a photograph of the homeless man and asked about any possible connection to the missing child.
Oct. 11: Ashley Irwin said on "Good Morning America" that the family thought police intended to arrest Deborah Bradley.
"It is what police do," she said. "They don't have any leads, so they have to pin it on somebody."
Young responded by saying that any assertion that police were trying to pin the disappearance on the child's mother "was absolutely not true."
"We don't feel any pressure to accuse anybody," Young said. "We are under pressure to do what we can to find a child."
Later that day, Ashley Irwin told The Star that her nationally televised comments were taken out of context.
"When they (police) don't have suspects, when they don't have any leads, then it always circles back around to square one, which is the parents."
After a tipster's call, investigators drained and searched a well at a vacant home near the Irwin residence. Police said nothing was found.
Meanwhile, a New York private investigator, Bill Stanton, announced that he had been hired to assist in finding Lisa. He wouldn't say who was paying him.
Oct. 12-13: Media outlets began airing video of Deborah Bradley recorded at a Northland grocery store earlier on the evening that her daughter was last seen. In the video, Bradley and a man bought baby-related items and a box of wine.
Police did not comment publicly on the video or speculate about the man's
identity. Stanton later said the man was Bradley's brother.
Police also asked to re-interview the older children, but police said the parents refused the request.
Oct. 14: Stanton announced that the anonymous person who had hired him was putting up a $100,000 reward for Lisa's safe return or for information leading to the conviction of those who had abducted her.
Oct. 15: Police searched a boarded-up house after receiving a 911 call stating that diapers and a child's backpack had been found in the basement of the house near Northeast Russell Road and Chouteau Trafficway, less than a mile from the Irwin home.
Young later said it appeared the diapers had been in the house for some time, outside the timeframe of Lisa's disappearance.
"It just doesn't fit," he said.
Police also said a homeless man sought for questioning in the case was in custody on unrelated felony charges. Young said the man was arrested on a parole violation that had nothing to do with the Irwin case and "he is not a suspect."
Oct. 16: Military police officers from the Missouri National Guard combed areas near the Irwin home.
Oct. 17: Three TV networks aired interviews with Lisa's parents.
Bradley revealed that she put her daughter to bed around 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3.
That was almost four hours prior to the time she initially gave police as the last time she saw her daughter. She said she didn't remember checking on her daughter at 10:30 p.m., as she initially told police.
Bradley said on "Today" that she was drinking wine that night, "enough to be drunk."
When asked whether there was any way she could have done something to hurt Lisa, she said: "No. No. No. And if I thought there was a chance, I'd say it.... I don't think that alcohol changes a person enough to do something like that."
On "Good Morning America," Bradley said police investigators had showed her burned clothes and a "Doppler thing with pings" from her cellphone.
"I hope the burned clothes weren't real," she said.
In an interview with Fox News Channel's Megyn Kelly, Bradley said she might have had five glasses of wine that night and said it was possible she could have "blacked out."
"I don't see the problem in me having my grown-up time," Bradley told Kelly. "I take good care of my kids. I keep my house clean. I do their laundry. I kiss their boo-boos. I fix them food. I'm involved in their school stuff.
"I mean, to me there's nothing wrong with me doing what I want to do after dark. As soon as I'm done drinking, I go right to bed."
New York lawyer Joe Tacopina announced he now represented Lisa's parents. He also declined to say who was paying him. He said they had consented to have their house searched again and would cooperate with investigators.
Tacopina also said he had advised Bradley and Jeremy Irwin to stop talking to the media.
Young said that police had tracked 550 leads to completion and that they had "all led to nothing."
Oct. 18: Police and FBI search teams focused on a wooded area at 34th Terrace and North Brighton Avenue, but nothing substantial was found.
Young said that night that police had obtained a search warrant for the Irwin home. Previous searches had been with the family's consent, Young said. He declined to say why police sought the warrant.
Young also reported that the parents had not sat down face to face with investigators since Oct. 8 and had only responded to specific questions concerning tip information.
Fox News aired more of Kelly's interview with Lisa's parents. Bradley said police told her a call was made on one of the family's stolen cellphones at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 4.
She said that she was sleeping at the time and that whoever took Lisa would have used the phone. She said police didn't tell her where the call had been placed except that it was "close by."
When asked whether she thought police were lying to her about the call, Bradley said, "Yeah, they're supposed to" to elicit a confession.
Oct. 19: Armed with a search warrant, officers returned in force to the Irwin
family home on Lister. The investigators included bomb and arson squad officers who have special equipment that could be used in the search, Young said.
Tacopina said he knew about the warrant only through the media.
"I don't know why a warrant is needed. They can go in and out any time," Tacopina said. "They have had unfettered access because we want answers."
October 21st 2011:

http://www.kmbc.com/news/29547997/detail.html#ixzz1bPrvP1z8
A man driving home the night missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin disappeared said he saw a man carrying a baby in Lisa's neighborhood.
Mike Thompson said he saw the man wearing a T-shirt and carrying a baby near Lisa's home at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday Oct. 4. Thompson said he waited about a week before he called police because he didn't immediately make the connection between what he saw and Lisa's disappearance.
"I was going south on 435, I exited on 48th Street, and I see a man who was walking up Randolph carrying a baby," Thompson said. "And I looked at him, he was about 30 feet from me, he turned and looked at me, and I looked at him. It's 4 o'clock in the morning, 45 degrees and the baby doesn't have a blanket, a coat, nothing," Mike Thompson told ABC. "And this guy is walking down the street. I thought it was kind of weird."
Thompson said the baby resembled Lisa, and that he would be able to identify the man if he ever saw him again.
Thompson said he has been interviewed by police.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2011/10/21/witnesses-say-they-saw-mancarrying-baby-resembling-lisa-irwin-0?iref=storysearch
Witnesses Say They Saw Man Carrying Baby Resembling Lisa Irwin
There were new reports Friday about witnesses who believe they saw a man carrying a baby resembling Lisa Irwin in her neighborhood on the night her parents say she disappeared from her home.
ABCs Good Morning America reported that three witnesses saw a man in a t-shirt holding a baby wearing nothing but a diaper in the early morning hours of October 4. All said they found this unusual because of the cold weather in the area that night.
Lisas parents have said she vanished from her crib sometime between 6:40 pm on October 3, when mother Deborah Bradley put her to bed, and 4:00 am on October 4, when father Jeremy Irwin returned from work.
Around 12:15 am, a couple that lives a few houses away from the family spotted the man and baby. The female witness, who spoke to ABC, said she has been interviewed by police four times about what she saw.
Three miles away and nearly four hours later, around 4 am, Mike Thompson saw a man and baby fitting a similar description at an intersection off I-435. Thompson said the man was 57 or 58 and probably in his late 30s or early 40s.
Initial media reports about Lisas disappearance mentioned that a man and baby had been seen on their street that night, but Thompson did not report his sighting to police until a week later.
A police spokeswoman confirmed Friday that they are still investigating the possible sightings.
Attorneys for Bradley and Irwin said in a newspaper interview Friday that authorities still seemed to be focused on their clients, and the sense that they are being treated like suspects is contributing to their strained relationship with law enforcement. Attorneys Cynthia Short and Sean OBrien insisted that, despite what police have said, Lisas parents are still willing to cooperate with investigators.
Refusing to cooperate means not wanting to sign a confession, OBrien told the Kansas City Star of police complaints that they are not being fully cooperative.
Short said that the parents still talk to investigators regularly, have allowed several searches of their home and have provided DNA, fingerprints and hair samples. They have also allowed police to take their computer, interview their other children, search their vehicles and shed, view Lisas medical records and conduct a polygraph exam on Bradley.
Kansas City police Cat. Steve Young told the paper that the parents have been helpful, but they have still not provided everything investigators need.
What we need from them, and what we are not getting, is for them to sit down with our detectives and get answers to questions we need answered, Young said.
OBrien, who was representing Bradley and Irwin during their last interview
with police on October 8, said detectives suggested theories at the time that Lisa may have died in an accident in the home or from being shaken by one of the parents. According to OBrien, police clearly believe the parents know more about what happened to Lisa than they have said.
Short said the parents are considering whether to submit to new interviews with police.
A former friend of Deborah Bradley told a Nancy Grace producer that she was interviewed by police on Thursday. Shirley Pfaff said a detective asked her a lot of questions about Bradleys character, including whether she drank a lot.
Bradley revealed in media interviews earlier this week that she drank several glasses of wine on the night Lisa disappeared and may even have blacked out.
Pfaff, who knew Bradley when their husbands were stationed at Fort Bragg, said police also asked if she was familiar with a 2007 case in North Carolina where a mother falsely claimed her baby was missing and was later charged with the childs murder.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/21/3222111/case-offers-eerieparallels.html
Fort Bragg case offers eerie parallels to Lisa Irwin's disappearance
An 11-month-old girl disappears from her crib.
The frantic young mother reports last seeing the infant around 11:30 p.m. A window to the room is found open. A kidnapping is suspected, an Amber
Alert is issued, and family and neighbors worry and grieve.
The case -- in which the mother eventually confessed to her child's murder -erupted four years ago to the month, half the country away.
But now some blogs that thrive on crime stories think a connection can be found to the case of Lisa Irwin, missing from her Kansas City, Mo., home.
Deborah Bradley, mother of Lisa, lived in a residence in Fort Bragg, N.C., a little over a mile away from the home where the other infant, Harmony Jade Creech, "disappeared."
Bradley, the bloggers contend, must have known about the other case. After all, her then-husband was at the time a private in the 82nd Airborne, the same unit as the victim's father.
"After reading the (Deja Vu) post, it sounds like it was a copy cat...," opined one man, identifying himself as a relative of the North Carolina victim.
An eerie coincidence, yes, one that Kansas City police say they have not missed.
But the timeline does not appear to support anything more. Military records show Pvt. Sean Bradley was discharged in April 2007 -- several months before the remains of the Creech baby were found in the attic, stuffed in a plastic-wrapped diaper box.
Sean and his wife and their little boy were likely back in the Kansas City area at the time.
The 25-year-old mother, Johni Michelle Heuser, confessed within hours in the 2007 case; her baby had died weeks earlier, and she was scared of being charged and losing custody of her other kids.
Her husband had been in Iraq when Harmony was born, and the day he arrived home and wanted to see the child, suddenly she was said to be missing.
Heuser was sentenced to 11 to 15 years for second-degree murder -- hardly a model for an unsolvable crime, remark the more skeptical bloggers.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/search-for-lisairwin-reaches-day-18
Search for Lisa Irwin reaches day 18
Lawyers representing Lisa Irwins parents took aim at police Friday morning.
According to the Kansas City Star, authorities are pushing the couple to make a confession. The article in Friday's paper also alludes to tension between the family and police.
Lawyers said police have pushed their clients unreasonably for a confession.
They also question police for saying their clients have stopped cooperating in the search for the missing 11-month-old girl.
Cynthia Short, the local attorney representing the Irwins, released a statement Friday afternoon outlining the extent of Lisa's family's participation in the investigation including submitting to multiple searches, consenting to
buccal swabs, hair samples and interviews.
"The police, however, have starved these parents by withholding information about the investigation," the release said. "The police have isolated the parents and repeatedly told the press that they are not cooperating. Lisa's parents are cooperating with this investigation and will continue to offer their help in the search for their beautiful little girl."
In the Star article, police say the confession accusation is "ridiculous."
In an email to NBC Action News, Sgt. Stacey Graves with the Kansas City Police Department said, "We are not pushing or seeking a quick confession, we are searching for Lisa. She (Lisa) is our main focus and will continue to be until she is found."
A spokesperson said police just want to get the truth and a new interview with the family would be a good start.
NBC's Peter Alexander reported Friday morning investigators have been analyzing x-rays that were taken a few days ago.
Police told NBC Action News that they haven't had a proper conversation with Lisas parents since Oct 8.
Lisa disappeared from her home on Oct. 4, 2011.
At first, Lisa's mom, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw her daughter at 10:30 p.m. Monday night. Recently she changed her story saying it was 6:30.
Police executed a search warrant of the family home Wednesday. A police affidavit was released Friday to support the search warrant request. According to the documents, an FBI cadaver dog indicated a positive "hit" near a bed in the Irwin household .
New billboards will also be appearing around the area.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/attorneyanswers-questions-about-what-search-warrant-findings-mean
Attorney answers questions about what search warrant findings mean
Friday night, those praying to find Baby Lisa Irwin gathered in front of the parents Northland home off North Lister. Even the baby girl's grandpa was there.
"We need to keep looking and hoping for the best results and keep everybody out there looking for that baby," said Rick Irwin.
But court papers released Friday suggest law enforcement is looking for evidence that the baby was killed.
After reading the search warrant and other court papers involved, David Langston a defense attorney said, "We all hope that she's alive and we can find her and bring her home safely but this evidence is not good for that result."
Langston said from reading the search warrant, its clear police believe the baby died inside the home.
The warrant explained that on Monday, an "FBI cadaver dog indicated a positive hit for the scent of a deceased human on the floor of Bradley's bedroom near the bed."
"I'm sure they pulled the carpet up looking for blood, any type of saliva, fiber or decomposition to see if in fact, that is where the last place the baby was," said Langston.
According to court papers, items taken from the home included a comforter, a "Cars" themed blanket, a glow worm toy, a Disney character shirt and purple shorts.
"I think that's significant because that is something she was last identified as something she was seen in last," said Langston.
Also on that list were rolls of tape and a tape dispenser.
"I saw that. I was interested. I wanted to know more about it. Is it Scotch tape or duck tape?" said Langston.
While there are still many questions surrounding the disappearance of Lisa, Friday night family members, like grandpa, say they remain hopeful the baby girl will come home alive and safe.
"I just can't thank the people of Kansas City enough," said Rick Irwin.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15768295/family-of-lisa-irwin
Affidavit says cadaver dog indicated positive 'hit' in home
A major development was revealed Friday in the Lisa Irwin case. KCTV5 has learned a cadaver dog had a "hit" inside the family's home earlier this week.
What came out Friday in the court records sheds light on the secretive 16hour search Wednesday into Thursday that took place at the North Lister home where Lisa Irwin lived with her parents. Records say a cadaver dog smelled a body in Deborah Bradley's bedroom earlier in the week.
The cadaver dog alert is one of the reasons police got the search warrant to go back into the home Wednesday for what the detective writing the application called "a more extensive, intrusive search."
This affidavit explains why KCTV5 crews on scene saw investigators removing carpet from the home and brought in equipment to X-Ray the walls and floors. It also sheds light on why investigators spent hours digging in the home's back yard while restricting news helicopters from videotaping overhead.
The court affidavit KCTV5 obtained points to a search that took place two days before the 16-hour search Monday. In that search, investigators found a garden area with "portions of dirt having an appearance of recently being disturbed or overturned."
"On Oct. 17, 2001 an FBI cadaver dog was brought into the residence upon consent of Irwin and Bradley. The cadaver dog indicated a positive 'hit' for the scent of a deceased human in an area of the floor of Bradley's bedroom near the bed," said the affidavit.
Items taken from the home on Wednesday included a comforter, purple
shorts, a Disney character shirt, a glow worm toy, a blanket with characters from the movie Cars on it, rolls of tape and a tape dispenser.
The family's lawyer released a new statement Friday, insisting they had nothing to do with the baby's disappearance and chronicling all the ways they've cooperated, including offering DNA samples and consenting to multiple searches. KCTV5's Betsy Webster tried reaching both NY attorney Joe Tacopina and Kansas City attorney Cynthia Short for a specific response to the new information. Webster was told a written statement should be coming.
Police said in the affidavit supporting the request for the search warrant that the latest search was so thorough they did not want to run the risk of consent being revoked mid-search.
At Friday evening's vigil, Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin, dismissed the "hit" as being anything substantial but wouldn't elaborate.
"I don't think much of it. I know what's going on regarding that but that's not something I can comment on," she said.
New York-based attorney Joe Tacopina said his clients are cooperating with police but the Kansas City Police Department said they aren't.
Friday morning, baby Lisa's aunt Ashley posted on her Facebook that the family was hoping to put up billboards with baby Lisa's picture on them. Ashley said on her Facebook that detectives were not immediately returning calls from Crimestoppers officials. Crimestoppers had called police to gain approval to put up the billboards.
Lamar Advertising told KCTV5 they are in the process of making the billboards and they have four electronic digital billboards live now. They said
they hope to have more up by Friday evening.
Friday, police warned the public of a website that says its focus is on the baby Lisa case. Police said the website www.lisa-irwin.com is not affiliated with the official investigation, the TIPS Hotline, KCPD or FBI. They also warn that, while the site says people can leave anonymous tips on it, they believe it is unlikely the submissions are truly anonymous. Police said that, so far, they have followed up on nearly 700 leads, 65 from outside the metro.
A cadaver dog searching the home where a missing 11-month-old Missouri girl was reportedly last seen indicated a positive "hit" for the scent of a body, according to documents released Friday.
The information was included in an affidavit, dated Tuesday, police filed to request a search warrant of Lisa Irwin's Kansas City home.
Baby Lisa was reported missing at 4 a.m. October 4, after Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, came home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window that had been tampered with.
Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the night before.
"The cadaver dog indicated a positive 'hit' for the scent of a deceased human in the area of the floor of Bradley's bedroom near the bed," the affidavit read.
It also said that interviews with people involved in the case "revealed conflicting information" and that Bradley told police she did not initially look
for her baby behind the house because she "was afraid of what she might find."
A judge approved the search warrant, which allowed investigators to comb the house and barred the family from returning home. The warrant was executed on Wednesday.
Police took clothing, blankets, a toy, rolls of tape and a tape dispenser from the home, documents showed.
The attorney for Lisa's parents said the release of the affidavit Friday was "unfortunate," as it could derail the search for the missing girl.
Joe Tacopina described his clients as "very shaken up and they refuse to believe anything except that she is out there and alive." He said Lisa's parents are "terrified, not for themselves, but for the welfare of their daughter."
The attorney also stressed cadaver dogs are just meant to be an investigative tool, and cannot be considered a basis for legal action against his clients.
The family's private investigator, Bill Stanton, called the information contained in the affidavit "interesting."
"I'm eager to get the facts (and) I hope it leads to finding baby Lisa," he said.
Earlier in the week, Bradley said in an NBC interview that she was drunk the night the infant disappeared and that she had last seen the baby about four hours earlier than initially reported.
Bradley told NBC she is afraid she will be arrested. Police have accused her of killing Lisa, she said, and told her that she failed a lie detector test.
"I was the last one with her," a tearful Bradley said. "And from judging on how the questioning went, that's kind of a fear that I have. And the main fear with that is, if they arrest me, people are going to stop looking for her. And then I'll never see her again, and I'll never know what happened."
Asked how much she had been drinking that night, Bradley said, "enough to be drunk."
But she rejected the notion that she could have harmed her daughter while under the influence of alcohol.
"No, no, no," she told NBC. "And if I thought there was a chance, I'd say it. No. No. I don't think alcohol changes a person enough to do something like that."
Asked whether he had questions about Bradley, Jeremy Irwin told NBC, "No. There's no question to be had there. I know who she is. I know the kind of mother she is."
Irwin said it's possible someone could have entered the house without Bradley hearing, as the couple's bedroom is on the opposite corner of the house from Lisa's room and Bradley sleeps with a fan at high speed.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/21/2070823/parents-lawyers-say-policepushed.html#storylink=misearch
Lawyers for Lisa Irwin's parents say police pushed for a confession
Lawyers for a Northland couple pushed back hard against police Thursday for saying their clients have stopped cooperating in the search for their missing 11-month-old daughter.
Police also have pushed Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin unreasonably for a confession, their lawyers contend.
To (police), refusing to cooperate means not wanting to sign a confession, said Sean OBrien, one of the attorneys.
Thats ridiculous, said police spokesman Steve Young. Officers merely want to get the truth and a fresh interview with the couple would be a good start, he said.
In an interview with The Star, OBrien and attorney Cyndy Short said they have begun to set boundaries for how Bradley and Irwin deal with investigators.
But they said the parents still answer questions from investigators and are prepared to continue cooperating.
Short is local counsel for New York attorney Joseph Tacopina, and OBrien works with the Innocence Project at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Just two days after Lisa Irwin disappeared from her Northland home on Oct. 4, a police spokesman announced that her parents had stopped cooperating with investigators. The family then released a statement to reporters disputing that.
Since then, police and the family and its attorneys have sparred over what constitutes cooperation.
Short, a veteran criminal defense lawyer, said Bradley and Irwin have continued to have regular and productive contact with investigators, have permitted numerous searches of their property and have willingly provided DNA, fingerprint and hair samples to investigators.
They stand ready to do more for police, said Short, who is working on the case pro bono.
Weve told them, if you need anything we can provide it, Short said.
Police spokesman Young responded that the last time the couple consented to an unrestricted interview was Oct. 8. What we need from them, and what we are not getting, is for them to sit down with our detectives and get answers to the questions we need answered, Young said.
OBrien, a law professor who briefly represented the couple during the Oct. 8 interview, said Bradley and Irwins strained relationship with police stems, in part, from investigators pursuit of them as suspects. Police also have not kept the family informed about the search for Lisa, which has been a strain on the family, he said.
They read the newspaper to hear about progress in the investigation, OBrien said.
He said police clearly have concluded that Bradley and Irwin know more than theyve told about Lisas disappearance.
During the Oct. 8 interview, OBrien said, police advanced theories that perhaps Lisa had died in a simple accident at the home, or that one of the parents had shaken the baby to death in a fit of irritation or anger.
Im sure if I wouldnt have been there, it would have been more heavyhanded, OBrien said.
Young rejected OBriens suggestion that investigators pushed unreasonably for a confession.
Im sure all reasonable people understand that finding out what the parents in the home know is a crucial step in finding the girl, Young said.
Although Short has been on the case for only a few days, she already has begun cataloging the contact
that Bradley and Irwin have had with investigators since they first called the 911 dispatcher.
Thus far, according to Short, the couple has allowed police to:
Take their computer; call an Amber Alert, knowing that it would bring federal investigators into the case; take their other two children for forensic interviews; have the complete run of their home, their vehicles, a shed and a pop-up camper; take DNA and other biological evidence; obtain Lisas medical records, including those for well-baby visits; and conduct a polygraph examination on Bradley.
The couple also receives five or six calls a day from investigators, said Short, who estimated that
Bradley and Irwin each have spent about 40 hours answering police questions since Lisa disappeared.
Young acknowledged that the parents have been helpful.
Theyve done other things, but when I say were not getting full cooperation, Im saying were not getting what we need, Young said.
The family was particularly perplexed by the need for investigators to obtain a warrant to search the family home on Wednesday. Weeks ago, Short said, Bradley and Irwin gave police permission to do anything they wanted at the house.
Short said she was told that officers wanted to use more invasive procedures at the house. Media reports had investigators hauling off carpet and using a portable X-ray machine to study the walls.
There was no reason to use the search warrants, Short said. The only reason they did it was to isolate (Bradley and Irwin) and present an image in the community that was unfair and inaccurate.
Short said she and the couple are weighing a request from police for a new interview with detectives and are considering the terms under which they might agree.
Young said the terms are clear and on the table.
Were talking about sitting down with our detectives separately to learn the things that only the adults, only the parents of this child, might know,
Young said.
October 23rd 2011:

Friends and family gathered Sunday for an emotional prayer vigil for a missing 11-month-old Missouri girl as new surveillance video surfaced from the night Lisa Irwin disappeared.
The video, taken from a BP gas station less than two miles from the home where Lisa was last seen, shows an unidentified person walking along the road around 2:15 a.m. October 4.
The station manager, Anuj Arora, said it's unusual to see anyone walking at that time of night in the region.
Arora, who shared the video with CNN on Sunday, said he also turned it over to authorities investigating Lisa's disappearance in hopes it will help in the search for the girl.
The FBI and Kansas City police declined to comment on the video, citing the ongoing investigation.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/neighborscontinue-to-help-try-to-find-lisa-irwin
Neighbors continue to help try to find Lisa Irwin
People living on N. Lister Avenue are still very much thinking about Lisa Irwin and hoping for her safe return.
A group of neighbors have been coming out to the house every night since little Lisa went missing 20 days ago. They held a vigil again Sunday night, but this time the Irwin family and their lawyers were in attendance.
Edith Fine-Duskin helped organize the Sunday prayer vigil.
The baby is out there that's the focus so lets get together and focus, FineDuskin said. The police need everybody to focus; The public will help I know.
About fifty people attended the event. Baby Lisa's parents didn't speak, but community members prayed for them.
"Please bring her back to us as soon as possible to a family that misses her and loves her," said Rick Irwin.
Neighbors left notes and stuffed animals for Lisa. They hope the family senses the community support. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin thanked the supporters while walking to their car.
The parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin attended a prayer vigil for their daughter on Sunday night.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradleys appearance at the vigil was the first time theyve been seen in public in a few days.
KMBCs Marcus Moore asked Deborah Bradley what it meant to her to see such a big turnout at the vigil.
It means a lot, Bradley said.
Lisa Irwin has been missing since Oct. 3.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/24/baby-lisa%E2%80%99sparents-attend-vigil/?iref=storysearch
Baby Lisas Parents Attend Vigil
The parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin were seen at a prayer vigil outside their home on Sunday night, while one of their attorneys suggested that police have missed their chance of finding the child alive by wasting time and resources investigating her clients.
Family members and friends have frequently gathered for vigils outside the Kansas City house where the 11-month-old disappeared nearly three weeks ago, but Sundays event marked Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwins first public appearance in several days. They did not speak, but when asked by CNN affiliate KMBC what the large crowd attending the vigil meant to her, Bradley said, It means a lot.
An attorney for the parents, Cynthia Short, toured their home over the weekend following the 17-hour search authorities conducted last week and talked to local reporters about what she saw.
Despite police bringing in x-ray machines, none of the floors, walls or carpets had been removed or ripped up. A search warrant return released Friday only listed a handful of items that were collected from the house. Short said the carpet reporters saw being carried off the property during the search was taken from the shed in the back yard.
Speaking to CNN affiliate KCTV, Short said she was surprised police had not taken even a piece of the carpet from the bedroom where a cadaver dog had indicated the scent of a dead body for further testing. The cadaver dog hit was one of the reasons for the more intrusive search of the house cited in the search warrant affidavit.
My fear is that we have missed this critical time to find this baby, Short told KCTV. It really breaks my heart that we have been looking in the wrong direction, and as a result of that we might not get the happy ending that we want.
In an interview with WDAF, Short also revealed one of the conditions the parents have placed on a possible future interview with police. There are certain detectives who they feel have broken their trust and they do not want them to be present because sitting down with them would be counter productive, Short said.
She suggested Bradley and Irwin would be more comfortable talking to some detectives who are fresh-eyed, fresh-eared.
Another attorney for the couple, Joe Tacopina, questioned the significance of some of the information in the search warrant affidavit, particularly the cadaver dog picking up the scent of a dead body on the floor of the bedroom. He suggested on NBCs Today Show Monday that the scent the dog hit on could have come from a dirty diaper or toenails, dismissing it as a red herring.
Both attorneys pointed to recent reports about witnesses seeing a man carrying a baby on the night Lisa disappeared as a lead police should be pursuing instead of investigating the parents. Two witnesses who live a few doors away from Bradley and Irwin saw the man around 12:15 am on October 4 and found it odd that he was not wearing a jacket and the baby seemed be wearing nothing but a diaper. Another witness said he saw a similar-looking man and baby around 4:00 am about three miles away.
Surveillance video from a gas station less than two miles from the Irwin home obtained by CNN shows a man walking along the road around 2:15 am. It is hard to make out any detail of what the man looks like, but the stations manager told CNN that it is unusual for anyone to be walking in that area at that time of night.
It is still unclear if there is any connection between the three sightings.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/23/theories-abound-about-lisa-irwindisappearance/
Theories Abound About Lisa Irwin Disappearance
Another national media outlet, with large budgets and resources, is reporting a lead in the Lisa Irwin investigation that once again, police deny.
ABC News claims Kansas City, Mo. police are looking at surveillance video from a nearby gas station, video ABC says may support the theory that Lisa Irwin was abducted from her home in the middle of the night.
However, when FOX 4 asked KCMO Police about the report and the video, police responded with an email to us, which indicated they consider these national news theories and investigations rogue and amateur, if not unhelpful.
Surveillance video obtained by ABC News comes from a BP gas station near the Irwin house. It shows a man emerging from the woods at about 2:30 a.m. although it doesnt appear he is carrying a baby.
Capt. Steve Young, Public Information Officer with the police department responded to the latest national news theory with the following email:
I know you have to ask, but I cannot comment on details and dont want to even try keeping up with media freelance investigations.
Police have interviewed witnesses who say they saw a man carrying a baby the night Lisa disappeared. One witness says she saw this shortly after midnight, three houses away from Lisas. Another witness saw a man with a baby almost four hours later, more than three miles from the home.
The BP gas station is approximately three-quarters of a miles from the home.
Meanwhile, billboards around the Kansas City Metro area are now flashing information about Lisa Irwin. A digital billboard on I-70 near the 435 Interchange features the words Have You Seen Baby Lisa Irwin? It is one of seven rotating advertisement and announcements that cycles through about every eight seconds.
The display is a donation from Lamar Advertising, which will feature four Lisa on four of their boards across the metro.
Over the weekend, the parents attorneys also went public.
New York attorney Joe Tacopina addressed questions about Deborahs
drinking.
I dont think she has an alcohol problem, Tacopina said on Foxs Judge Jeanine Pirro Show. She has wine at night.
He also continued his refusal to answer the question about who is paying him.
Thats an attorney, client matter. I dont get into who engaged me, Tacopina said. Whos footing my bill is irrelevant quite frankly.
FOX 4 is meeting with Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwins local attorney, Cyndy Short, Sunday for an exclusive interview.
http://southflorida.sun-sentinel.com/news/wdaf-lawyer-gas-station-videocould-be-key-to-baby-lisa-case-20111024,0,4999892.story
Lawyer: Gas Station Video May Offer New Clues in Baby Lisa Case
Police haven't released any new information about the search for Lisa Irwin. But, there is a new focus on surveillance video from a gas station near the family home. A lawyer for the parents of Lisa Irwin says this could be the key to solving the case.
Defense attorney Cyndy Short, a lawyer with the McAllister Law Firm, says that the video shows a mystery person walking out of the woods near a BP Station not far from the North Lister home of Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley on the night that their daughter, Lisa Irwin, disappeared from her crib.
It was recorded around 2:30 a.m. on the morning of October 4th, about an hour and a half before Jeremy Irwin reported his daughter missing.
"I think the BP video by itself doesn't mean a lot, but it means something when you look at the context of the sighting of the man with the baby, the location of those sighting and the dumpster fire - apparently a resident of that complex saw a man standing by the dumpster," said Short.
Short says while stranger abductions are rare, that's what she thinks has taken place in this case.
"That video is important and possibly relevant when you put all of those things together. By itself not so much, but together it may mean something big," said Short.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15788106/local-attorney-we-might-not-get-thehappy-ending-that-we-want
Baby Lisas parents attorney losing hope
The parents of baby Lisa have scaled back their media presence, but their local attorney, Cyndy Short, representing them discussed the latest developments in the case Sunday.
Short said that when she went into the house where baby Lisa went missing, she was stunned to find not much was actually taken or disturbed during the 17-hour search police conducted on Wednesday.
"There are no walls torn out. So whatever x-ray they did, did not confirm
whatever it was that some dog thought it sniffed," said Short.
"My fear is that we have missed this critical time to find this baby," said Short. "It really breaks your heart that we have been looking in the wrong direction, and as a result of that we might not get the happy ending that we want. That is what I'm sad about."
Items listed in the search warrant return indicated police took a comforter, two pieces of baby clothing, a toy, a "Cars" themed blanket, rolls of tape, a tape dispenser and a large roll of carpet which Short said didn't even come from inside the house like everyone presumed.
"The carpet that was paraded in and out that we were allowed to see actually came from the shed at the back of the house, and it was not inside the house at all. There is no carpeting that was removed from any portion of the house," said Short.
Police said in the search warrant that an FBI cadaver dog hit on the scent of a deceased human in Deborah's bedroom on Monday, and that is why a more intrusive search of the house was needed.
But Short was surprised the floor in that room was not removed to isolate and further test that evidence.
Short said one of the unfortunate things about the investigation is that the family has been deprived of information.
"I went into the bedroom fully expecting that I would see certain portions of the carpet cut out, because if your scent is evidence, just like any other kind of evidence. So if you have that evidence, you cut it out, you collect it and you preserve it and you list it on your search warrant return. And you all have gotten a copy of that search warrant return so you know it's not there,"
said Short.
Short also said that Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have been truthful about everything including the stuff that makes them look bad. She said they are hurting not just because their baby is missing.
"When you are in crisis and one of the things that is withheld from you is information, it is devastating," said Short. "They are on a roller coaster. They are doing the best they can and holding out hope. They love this little girl. They really did. And she was a precious little girl. So they are just hanging on doing the best they can. And people are surrounding them and supporting them."
Short said the family has been cooperating with police. She estimates that they have done 40 hours worth of informal and formal interviews with police since this began.
"And having met them, this young couple, they have not withheld anything good or bad about who they are. When Deborah said she had gone to get this wine. Guess what? They went to the store and got video of the wine. Guess what that proved? She is a truth-teller, that is what that proved," said Short.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/police-family-lawyerswant-focus-back-on-finding-baby-lisa
Police, family, lawyers want focus back on finding Baby Lisa
Court documents released to the public Thursday in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin created a national media and online frenzy that police, the baby's family, and their lawyers fear is taking the focus away from
finding Lisa.
The court documents sought a search warrant of the missing baby's family home and property that was executed Thursday.
In an email to Examiner.com, Baby Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin wrote Saturday, No matter what the public thinks or assumes, we really need to stress that we know she is out there.
Ashley didnt say they think she is out there, she said the family knows Baby Lisa is still out there and that the public should still be looking for her.
Ashley's statement that the public needs to keep looking for Baby Lisa 'no matter what the public thinks or assumes' is referring to public speculation and scrutiny of Lisa's parents, especially her mother, who many believe had something to do with Baby Lisa's disappearance.
Kansas City Police attempted to have the court documents sealed, saying they feared their release would take the focus off finding Baby Lisa.
On Monday the baby's parents consented to a search of their home, with the use of cadaver dogs.
During the search cadaver dogs picked up the scent of human remains next to the baby's parent's bed. Detectives discovered dirt in the back of the home that appeared to have been recently disturbed. Police then sought and were granted a search warrant to perform a more 'intensive, intrusive' search of the home.
Based on the information initially released by media many people surmised Baby Lisa had died, that her body had been found during Thursday's search
of the family home, yard, out buildings, and vehilcles, and that her parents were either responsible for her death or know what happened and are withholding information from police.
The rumor that Baby Lisa's body was found during the search was quashed by police later that day when they announced no such finding was made. No evidence was ever released by police to the public to indicate Baby Lisa had died. These types of rumors cause distrations and take the focus away from finding Baby Lisa, her family says.
Police have not named Baby Lisa's parents suspects or persons of interest in the case of their missing baby.
Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say a stranger abducted their baby girl from her crib nearly two weeks ago. She was 10 months old at the time. They are pleading with the public to help find their baby.
The parents' defense attorneys, Cynthia Short, local counsel in Kansas City, and Joe Tacopina of New York, say they believe the baby is alive and that she was abducted from her crib October 3, just as her parents have stated all along.
Jeremy, Deborah's live-in boyfriend and Lisa's biological father, appears to be standing by Deborah. Jeremy's family and her husband, Sean Bradley's family also appear to be standing by her. Deborah is still married to her 6year-old son's father who is in reportedly serving in the Army. Deborah and Jeremy initially told media they are engaged to be married. Ashley wrote Saturday, Our number one fear is that public opinion will become so strong against the parents that they will no longer look for Lisa. We know shes out there somewhere. Someone has her and its just a matter of getting that one tip that will bring her home where she belongs, Ashley said.
What is the family doing to help find her?
Ashley said in her email Saturday that the family is doing all they can to help find Lisa. She said they are holding a prayer vigil Sunday, have made t-shirts, and have printed and handed out thousands of flyers.
They have ordered yellow writsbands with "Find Baby Lisa" embedded in them and have also ordered bumper stickers. All, she said, in an attempt to keep Lisa's face out there and remind people that she is still missing.
Ashley said they have made thousands of yellow ribbons and will be handing them out at the vigil Sunday. She also said every day a group of people meet at the North Lister house where Baby Lisa was last seen, searching the area and holding nightly prayer vigils.
National media attention
Baby Lisa's case has garnered national media attention for nearly two weeks. Deborah and Jeremy have appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's Today Show, Fox News Insider, Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine, local media including KMBC, and others.
Andrea H. posted a comment to Saturday's Examiner.com article: Developments have people jumping to conclusions, asking many of the same questions the public has been asking, all in hopes of finding out what happened to Baby Lisa.
People want to know what happened to this beautiful baby girl. Because of the intense national coverage this case has received police, Lisa's family, and their lawyers' every move will be scrutinized by thousands of people across the nation.
The question is - will this help find Baby Lisa? Or will it create more of a distration and take the focus off of finding Lisa?
October 24th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/taking-a-closerlook-at-surveillance-camera-in-lisa-irwin-case
Taking a closer look at surveillance camera in Lisa Irwin case
People like Mom Christina Hutson who live close to Baby Lisa want to hear good news.
"I have three boys and nieces and nephews. I don't know what I would do. I would be a nervous wreck. They said there is three people, I guess, seen with the baby. This is positive," explained Hutson.
There's a new report of a man walking out of nearby woods the night Lisa Irwin disappeared. The report comes from a BP gas station at North Brighton and Parvin Road, which is about four blocks from the Irwin family home.
The owner shared surveillance video that captured someone walking out of the woods around 2:15 the same morning Lisas parents said she disappeared.
The image is hard to make out so NBC Action News went back to the same spot Monday to get a better view of the area.
Across Parvin Road there are two wooded areas.
The camera captured the man walking near the southwest corner of the intersection and is about 100 yards away.
The clerk said it's the only camera that is pointed in that direction and its rare to see people walking out of those woods because that's where the heavy brush is.
There are a few homes but not many on that corner of the intersection.
The attorney for Lisa's family is calling this a third-eye witness report
"You have three independent witnesses. Not people who knew each other, not people who could be mistaken, three witnesses who at one point, after midnight, after two in the morning, see a man with a small enough frame that could go through a window carrying a baby in October with nothing on but a diaper," said Joe Tacopina.
The other two reported spottings were at 12:15 a.m. near 36th and North Chelsea Avenue, which is down the street from where the baby disappeared .
And then around 4 a.m., a little further away on the 4800 block of North Randolph Road, there was another reported sighting of a man with a baby.
Carolyn Cohen said she hopes there will be good news and the baby will come home but she's not so sure.
"I just hope to God that baby comes home but it looks grim," said Cohen.
But neighbors keep watching every development, hoping something will crack the case and find Baby Lisa.
Kansas City police Monday night said they can't talk about specifics but will say early on in the investigation they did hear reports of a man spotted with a baby and they following all leads that come in. But as of now, there are still no strong leads or suspects in the case.
Kansas City police aren't commenting about new video footage that shows a man leaving a wooded area near the home of a baby missing since early October.
ABC News reported Sunday it obtained surveillance video from a gas station near the home of Lisa Irwin, whose parents reported the then-10-month-old girl missing around 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
The man appears in the video as a fuzzy white figure emerging from the woods around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 4. It's unclear from the video whether he was carrying anything.
Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young has declined to comment on the video.
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin said their daughter was abducted between the time Bradley fell asleep the previous evening and Irwin came home from a late-night shift at work.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15863026/lisas-mother-we-are-grieving
Lisa's mother: 'We are grieving'
It has now been almost three weeks since baby Lisa was last seen, and on Monday KCTV5 asked the child's mother why she won't talk to local media.
When Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley arrived back to the house on North Walrond, KCTV5's Bonyen Lee asked the parents of baby Lisa Irwin on Monday if it was true that they were getting paid to avoid local reporters.
"No, not at all," said Deborah Bradley, the mother of the missing baby.
When asked why they would not talk to local reporters, Deborah replied, "Because we are grieving."
Baby Lisa's parents openly shared that grief with supporters during a vigil last night for the missing 11-month-old.
Supporters and family alike all wore T-shirts with baby Lisa's picture that read "kidnapped" across the front.
The baby's parents' local attorney, Cyndy Short, said Sunday the massive search by police and the FBI was all for show.
Short said after 17 hours, she would have expected investigators to walk away with a lot more than they did, if in fact a crime had been committed there.
Police said they do not want to comment on Short's accusations, saying right now they are keeping the focus on baby Lisa and following up on tips and leads.
Police do say they have not had full cooperation of the parents since Oct. 6, nearly three weeks ago.
The Kansas City attorney representing the parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin spoke to the local media on Monday and reiterated her belief that her clients had nothing to do with the disappearance of the baby.
Attorney Cyndy Short told KMBC's Peggy Breit that she took the case after speaking with Lisa's family and believing they were innocent.
Short also explained that Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, declined to speak with reporters on Monday because they're afraid of the attention the missing baby case has brought to their family.
Breit interviewed Short in her office on Monday afternoon, where Short said she hoped tips would continue to come in from the public.
"I think the biggest thing, the biggest fear is that if the focus is on the mother, or the father, somebody who sees a child that might meet Lisa's description would say, 'I don't need to make that phone call," Short said. "That's the fear. And so what we want to do is to say, 'please make the phone call.' Even if you're not sure, make the phone call. Make a tip. Because it's going to be one tip. We all know it's going to be one tip that's going to change everything and hopefully bring her home."
Lisa Irwin has been missing for about 3 weeks.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/local-attorney-for-family-of-lisairwin-sets-up-website-website-to-provide-information-about-case
Local attorney for family of Lisa Irwin sets up website to provide information about case
The local attorney for Lisa Irwins family, Cyndy Short, told NBC Action News a website has been set up to provide information about the case.
Short said there will soon be new billboards, fliers, t-shirts, and even wristbands passed out to try and keep a search going for the missing baby.
Short also said she is assembling a group of people to help support the family and provide spiritual guidance.
The new website, FindBabyLisa.com , also has a link to a Facebook page that is endorsed by the family.
It also has fliers available for download that have been translated into Spanish.
In an interview Monday, we asked Short why the family had not participated in nor organized searches for the baby. She said police had a well organized search with plenty of officers and a specific focus on areas they wanted to search.
Short says the family has been on an emotional roller coaster and is hurt by
accusations related to their actions.
Many members of the public have criticized them on other Facebook pages related to the search for Baby Lisa.
October 25th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Lisa-Irwins-agemakes-her-harder-to-find
Lisa Irwin's age makes her harder to find
The reported sightings have come from as far as California, people just certain they've spotted the blond-haired Kansas City baby whose cherubic face has been printed on fliers and circulated on national television programs since her disappearance three weeks ago.
Yet so far, the roughly 200 calls fielded by Kansas City police have only generated a string of false positives in the search for Lisa Irwin.
The problem, officials say, is that at her age -- just 10 months when she went missing on Oct. 4 -- countless babies match the same description, right down to the bright blue eyes and two bottom teeth. She does have a distinguishing birth mark on her right thigh, but that would hardly be noticed from a distance.
"There is a kind of generic, cute little baby, little chubby cheek, bald-headed baby look," said Ernie Allen, president of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "But our message to the public is, look at her picture. Really look at her in the eyes. Don't just see a cute little baby but look in the child's face.
Like every human being she is unique. She is different. She doesn't look like every baby."
Investigators in the past week have stepped up their focus on the parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, searching their home after a cadaver dog reacted to what seemed to be the scent of a dead person inside.
Yet amid those developments, police say they continue to follow up on other tips and leads. Allen said his organization received at least a dozen tips over the weekend, even after news of the cadaver dog's finding became public.
The couple's attorneys, meanwhile, say the parents -- who insist someone must have snatched Lisa as her mother and two other boys slept -- are still answering questions and deny having anything to do with the disappearance.
Without any formal suspects, police can't yet rule out that Lisa was abducted in the middle of the night and taken away from the area, potentially entering a vast pool of infants that could pass for Lisa.
"We do not want to discourage any one from calling in a tip that may lead to Lisa Irwin," police spokeswoman Sgt. Stacey Graves said.
ABC News reported Sunday that it had obtained fuzzy surveillance video from a gas station near the home showing an unidentified man leaving a wooded area in the early morning, just before the baby was discovered missing from her crib. Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young declined to comment on the video.
Other tips have focused on the baby herself.
Last week, police in Manhattan, Kan., about two hours west of Kansas City,
scrambled six officers to look for a black car with Missouri license plates after getting a tip that two women eating at a deli had a baby who looked like Lisa. Police eventually tracked down the "creeped out" customer and confirmed the child she had seen wasn't Lisa.
The child may have looked like Lisa, but the baby was a little older and had reddish hair, said Riley County Police Capt. Kurt Moldrup, adding that matching a baby in public to a photo of Lisa is tricky, partially because of her age.
As the father of 11, Moldrup should know. He said his children looked a lot like Lisa when they were babies.
"It's hard to take a picture and put that on a real face," he said. "Video is better. Kids, it's even harder."
In northwest Missouri, police in St. Joseph have taken at least three calls from people who thought they saw Lisa. One came from a gas station where a child in a car seat resembled the missing baby. Another time, a couple shopping at a St. Joseph mall aroused suspicions before an officer was able to use a photo to determine their baby wasn't Lisa.
"Something that has attracted this much attention is generating a lot of, `That looks like it could be.' And so they are calling the police to check it out," said St. Joseph police spokesman Commander Jim Connors. "I actually favor that kind of thing. It's better than people not calling the police to check it out."
Over the past 20 years, about one in six children has been recovered as the result of photographs on fliers, billboards and other media, Allen said.
In one case in Texas, a 5-year-old saw a flier on her dining room table and
told her mother that the pictured boy was a classmate. Her mother was doubtful but eventually called the school principal. It was learned that the boy had been abducted from Michigan.
Allen said another child was recovered after a young girl waiting in a south Texas health clinic wandered down a hallway and recognized one of the children on a missing children bulletin board display.
"There is example after example," he said. "Photos are powerful."
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15875010/missing-childrens-group-blanketswal
Three weeks later, no signs of baby Lisa
Three weeks ago, interstate signs blared that a 10-month-old girl was missing from her home.
Kansas City police issued an Amber Alert alerting the two-state region that Lisa Irwin's parents had reported she had been snatched from her Northland home. Twelve hours later, the alert was canceled.
In the ensuing weeks, the case has taken both strange and dramatic twists and turns. The actions of both the parents and the police investigators have been called into question.
Baby Lisa's face beams from the cover of People Magazine. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has blanketed Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores with 6,000 missing person's posters.
The national morning shows regularly do updates on the captivating story. A New York attorney known for representing Joran Van Der Sloot, who was suspected but never faced a jury in connection with American Natalee Holloway who disappeared while vacationing in Aruba, is now representing the infant's parents. A cadaver dog picked up the scent of decomposition inside the bedroom of baby Lisa's parents, according to court documents.
But one unfortunate fact remains. Police apparently are no closer to finding Lisa than they were when her father frantically called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
Few facts in the case are certain including when Debbie Bradley last saw her daughter. Some Northland residents claim they saw a tall man carrying a baby wearing only a diaper around the time that Lisa went missing. Baby Lisa has been missing so long that her 11th-month birthday has come and gone.
The girl's parents haven't talked to investigators since Oct. 8. Their New York attorney, Joe Tacopina, said Tuesday that he would only allow the parents to be interviewed again under certain conditions. He said the interviews would have to be done by fair detectives and not in an accusatory manner.
Police reiterated Tuesday that they want to interview the parents and as part of their job must ask tough questions. Some of those questions will involve Bradley's changing timeline of the events that unfolded the night her daughter went missing.
The parents repeatedly voluntarily consented to searches of their home after they reported their daughter missing, but police last week got a judge's permission for a search. Items, including clothing, were taken in that search.
Bradley initially told investigators that she checked on her sleeping daughter about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Subsequently, investigators found a receipt for a Northland grocery store and obtained surveillance video. Bradley bought a box of wine and items for Lisa about 4:45 p.m. Oct. 3. Family members
would claim Bradley bought the wine for a family event.
But two weeks after her baby went missing, Bradley would tell the Today Show that she drank enough of that wine that night "to be drunk." She also said she last checked on her baby about 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3, which was about four hours earlier than she had initially said.
Jeremy Irwin wasn't at the home. He did some overnight repairs to a Starbucks in the Northland. He told a 911 dispatcher that he arrived home just before 4 a.m. Oct. 4 and discovered a busted window and his daughter missing. The parents would later say the front door was unlocked, lights were on and their three cell phones were missing.
Police grilled the parents and focused on whether Bradley could have been responsible for the disappearance. Police thought it was unusual that Bradley told the responding officers that she did not look for her daughter behind their home because she, "was afraid of what she might find," according to court documents.
But three hours after Irwin's 911 call, police accepted the couple's story and issued the Amber Alert.
The couple's 8- and 5-year-old sons from separate relationships were home at the time and were subsequently interviewed once by detectives. But the parents have declined to make them available again.
In the ensuing hours after Lisa was reported missing, police repeatedly said the parents were cooperating with investigators. But despite repeated requests, the parents declined to immediately make a public plea for their daughter's return as is typical in missing baby cases. The parents made a public plea the afternoon of Oct. 5 and their first national television appearances on the morning of Oct. 6. They last publicly spoke to local reporters on that day.
That evening, police would announce that the parents were no longer cooperating with detectives and it was hindering the investigation. Bradley and Irwin last spoke to investigators on Oct. 8.
Since then, their only interviews have been with national television networks who have drawn criticism in the past for paying for interviews or paying for licensing rights to videos and photos from those involved in high-profile cases. For example, ABC News paid Casey Anthony and her family $200,000 for videos and photos of Caylee Anthony.
Lisa's parents have twice allowed ABC News cameras into their home on Lister Avenue while NBC News was given access in recent days.
Lisa's parents attended a candlelight vigil for their daughter Sunday night. Bradley said Monday that there is a simple reason why the parents aren't speaking publicly.
"We are grieving," she said.
An anonymous benefactor is paying for the services of Joe Tacopina and Bill Stanton, a former New York police officer who is now a private detective. Both Tacopina and Stanton have stressed in recent days the importance of video from a gas station showing a man walking into woods near Lisa's home in the overnight hours when she went missing.
"Maybe the Kansas City Police Department knows something I don't, and they're doing a fine job, but until I hear more, I still think the assailant, the perpetrator came from outside the home," Stanton told CNN this week.
The department is declining to discuss their investigation other than to say almost 1,000 tips have been processed and some have taken investigators
and FBI agents out of the Kansas City area. The Missouri National Guard has even helped look for the baby.
The department's Crimes Against Children unit is overseeing the crime. The unit is within the Special Victims area. Capt. Mark Folsom is the unit's commander.
Folsom was the lead detective in the investigation of the Waldo area rapes that terrorized that neighborhood in 2009 and 2010. Folsom is known as a methodical and tireless detective who is camera shy. The department came under scathing criticism from Waldo area residents and even some council members for not making a quick arrest in the attacks and for seemingly having few leads.
While Folsom and his detectives focused on making an arrest, few details leaked about potential suspects before Bernard Jackson was arrested in May 2010 in connection with a series of Waldo area rapes in the 1980s. Jackson was convicted this summer and sentenced earlier this month to life in prison for those rapes. He is still awaiting trial in connection with charges involving the more recent Waldo rapes.
Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance. Both her and Irwin's family are supporting her and say they hope that police have uncovered more than they are revealing publicly, which was the case in the Waldo area rapes.
Stanton said the investigators have "a thankless job and I think they are heroes." He said it is vital to find the kidnappers and return Lisa to her parents' arms.
"The true bad guy is the person or persons that has done this to this child and I do believe the child is out there alive," Stanton said. "And that's why there is a $100,000 reward. I do believe the child is still out there."
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/tips-aboutmissing-lisa-irwin-pour-into-the-tips-hotline
Tips about missing Lisa Irwin pour into the TIPS Hotline
The phones haven't stopped ringing at the TIPS Hotline since Lisa Irwin disappeared. The director of the agency says they've received about 500 calls from 35 states. The information is even coming from overseas.
"We have gotten calls from London, Barbados, Mexico, Canada," said Detective Kevin Boehm.
He said the tips are appreciated, but many of them are very vague. He said those tips are looked at and then easily dismissed.
"What we are really looking for is specific information about Lisa or suspect information where people can provide a name, a license plate number that detectives can follow up on," said Boehm.
The phone line is staffed 24 hours a day. Boehm believes it's important for tipsters.
"If it were a voice mail they are likely not to leave the tip or if they do, there is a high probability that they may leave out some information," said Boehm.
Boehm said the number of calls is high, but other cases have yielded more than 3,000 calls.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-irwin-police-tough-questionsparents/story?id=14810300#.TxvgiYH7mOe
Police 'Need' Separate Interviews with Parents
Investigators want the parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin to submit to separate interviews and answer a list of "tough questions" that detectives "need answered."
Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young made his statement as the investigation into the toddler's disappearance entered its fourth week without any suspects or leads to the girl's whereabouts.
Police are still intent on interviewing the parents, Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 29.
"We need them to sit down apart from each other, with detectives, and answer the tough questions detectives have for them concerning what they may or may not know about anything, who came and went [the night Lisa disappeared]," Young told ABCNews.com. "There's a whole list of things that they may know."
Young said he is "not disputing" family attorney Joe Tacopina's claims that the family has cooperated and answered other questions, such as specific questions regarding tips and leads. But that is not sufficient, he said.
"The bottom line is detectives need to sit down with them unrestricted and they need to answer questions that we need answered," he said.
The captain rejected any suggestion that the case has hit a dead end.
"It would be far from reality to call this a cold case," Young said. "We're still looking at everything."
Young made his comments as Tacopina unleashed more criticism of the investigation, telling "Good Morning America" today that the parents have cooperated with numerous searches and interrogations.
"It really is maddening to me to listen to this police spokesperson come out there, and instead of informing the publicand more importantly the family about leads and the status of the investigation and the manhunt, he comes out and makes these statements," Tacopina said. "And, quite frankly, they've [parents] done everything they've been asked to do...They have nothing to hide. They want answers."
When asked if there are restrictions on the conversations Lisa's parents will have, Tacopina said, "Oh, there's a restriction. I'm imposing that the questioning is going to be in good faith and fair and not the questioning that was done within an hour of baby Lisa's disappearance."
Tacopina claimed police accused Bradley of murdering her child within an hour of beginning to interrogate her.
"That's just not good investigatory tactics and it doesn't build good faith in them," Tacopina said.
He said Bradley would be willing to sit down for questioning "as long as the investigators doing the questioning are ones who have not previously determined guilt before having a stitch of evidence. We want a fair investigation."
Tacopina and another lawyer for the parents Cyndy Short have criticized the investigation in recent days.
Young declined to comment on Tacopina's remarks today other than to say, "I stand by all my previous statements."
Tacopina said the focus of the investigation should return to the three people who claim they saw a man carrying a baby dressed only in a diaper walking on the road in two different places on the night Lisa disappeared. "That should raise all the red flags that it raises in my head to anyone who's out there really trying to do an investigation that includes a hunt for Lisa, and hopefully an alive and well Lisa," he said.
Mike Thompson, the witness who claims he saw a man carrying a baby on the side of the road around 4 a.m. the night Lisa disappeared told ABC News police questioned him again on Monday. "Yesterday they showed me a paper with six pictures on it," Thompson said. "And I picked out the man they had been showing pictures of."
The man in the photograph has been questioned by the police several times, but the other witnesses, a couple who live three houses down from the Irwin house, said the photo did not match the man they say they saw with a baby the night Lisa disappeared.
"No, I don't recognize him," the woman said when shown the photo. "He was tall and slender and, as far as his head, we thought he was bald."
Baby Lisa has been missing since the night of Oct. 3 and an anonymous benefactor is offering a $100,000 reward for her safe return or the conviction of whoever took the little girl.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2011/10/25/no-comment-police-possibleeyewitnesses-baby-lisa-case-0?iref=storysearch
No Comment from Police on Possible Eyewitnesses in Baby Lisa Case
Police would not comment Tuesday on the significance of surveillance video that appears to show a man walking less than two miles from Lisa Irwins home on the night she disappeared.
Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young also declined to comment on eyewitness reports of a man seen carrying a baby wearing just a diaper in the area in the early hours of October 4. A couple living a few houses from Irwins parents saw a man and baby around 12:15 am, and another witness, Mike Thompson, saw a similarly-described man around 4:00 am about three miles away.
Lisas parents reported her missing from her crib around the same time that Thompson said he saw the man and baby. The video obtained by CNN was recorded at a gas station around 2:15 am. The walking figure is too far away to make out much detail.
According to ABCs Good Morning America, Thompson said he was reinterviewed by authorities yesterday.
Attorneys for Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, have repeatedly said police should be focusing on these possible sightings instead of on their clients, who they insist had nothing to do with their daughters disappearance.
Attorney Joe Tacopina said in an interview on GMA Tuesday that it is maddening to hear a police spokesman suggest Bradley and Irwin are not
being fully cooperative with investigators.
Theyve done everything theyve been asked to doThey have nothing to hide and they want answers, Tacopina said.
Still, he did place one restriction on the parents sitting down to talk to police again. He said they would only agree to be re-interviewed as long as the investigators doing the questioning are ones who have not previously determined guilt before having a stitch of evidence.
He claimed that detectives accused Bradley of murdering Lisa just one hour after she was reported missing.
Tacopina also dismissed the cadaver dog hit in the couples bedroom described in a search warrant affidavit, saying the dog could have picked up the scent of a dirty diaper or toenail clippings. He maintained that is not necessarily evidence that a dead body had ever been there.
You dont hook your case on a dog wagging its tail in a bedroom, he said.
Young reiterated to ABC News Tuesday that, while the parents have been cooperative in some ways, there are more questions that they need to address.
"We need them to sit down apart from each other, with detectives, and answer the tough questions detectives have for them concerning what they may or may not know about anything, Young said.
Bradley and Irwin remained mostly silent in public on Monday. Asked why they would not speak to the local media, Bradley told KCTV they were not talking to reporters "because we are grieving.
One of their attorneys, Cynthia Short, said they did not want to speak to reporters because they are afraid of the attention the case is bringing to their family, according to KMBC.
Bradleys estranged husband has now spoken out about the case to NBC News. On NBCs Today Show Tuesday, a reporter quoted Sean Bradley as saying Deborah has always been a good mom.
Sean Bradley told NBC he has been interviewed by the FBI.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/estrangedhusband-talks-about-missing-baby
Estranged husband of Lisa Irwin's mother talks about missing baby
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin kept their heads low as they walked into a relative's home Tuesday afternoon.
The couple is keeping quiet about the disappearance of their daughter, but Deborah Bradley's estranged husband is talking.
Sean Bradley told NBC News that Deborah "has always been a good mom." The two have a 5-year-old son together.
Sean Bradley didn't know what to make of the investigation.
'I'm still confused by what's going on. This is craziness to me," Sean Bradley
said.
Family members said Deborah Bradley always wanted a little girl. They said she named Lisa after her deceased mother.
Police are staying quiet about the investigation. The Irwin family attorney wants to keep the focus on the search effort.
The parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin say they are concerned for their other children as national attention to the search continues to grow.
KMBC's Marcus Moore reported that Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley were seen with their two young boys as they walked into a relative's home on North Walrond Avenue Monday afternoon.
What I see and what Ive seen so far is a very young couple who have young children, starting out, still building the family, family attorney Cyndy Short said.
Short said the couple is trying their best to keep life as normal as possible for the boys as the search for their missing 11-month-old sister continues.
We had a talk just yesterday about her wanting to provide the kids a Catholic education, and how important that would be to her, Short said.
Short also said the couple has one fear: that the spotlight and attention is focused on them.
Someone who sees a child that might meet the description would say, I dont need to make that phone call. Thats the fear, Short said. What we want to do is say, Please, make the phone call, even if youre not sure. Just make the phone call.
The baby was reported missing early on the morning of Oct. 4. Since that time Kansas City police and the FBI have conducted several searches of the area and most recently, the property at 3620 North Lister Avenue.
This is an ordinary family that lives paycheck to paycheck, who has had an extraordinary thing happen to them," Short said.
An attorney representing the family of a missing Missouri 11-month-old said the girl's parents are "stumped" as to what happened to her, but are "an open book" for investigators.
A prayer vigil held for Lisa Irwin on Sunday was important to parents Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, as it showed them others in the community support them, attorney Cyndy Short told CNN Monday.
"They're on a journey that no one has a road map for," she said of the couple.
Lisa was reported missing at 4 a.m. October 4, after Jeremy Irwin arrived home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window that had been tampered with. Bradley said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the night before.
Bradley said in an NBC interview last week that she was drunk the night Lisa disappeared and that she had last seen the baby about four hours earlier than initially reported.
Bradley, Short said, is "a young mother. She's 25 years old. She's, like all of us, making her way through life."
The couple's oldest son is Jeremy Irwin's, and their middle son is Bradley's son, Short said. "Lisa was the little girl that was going to hold this family together." She was wanted, looked forward to and "well-loved," Short said.
Asked about Bradley's admission that she was drinking the night Lisa vanished, Short said she did what a lot of parents do when their children are in bed -- shared some drinks with a friend. "It's just not that unusual until your life gets turned upside down," she said.
Authorities had expressed frustration early in the investigation after Lisa's parents had stopped cooperating with investigators, police Capt. Steve Young had said. However, a family spokeswoman attributed the frustration to "miscommunication," and meetings with the toddler's parents resumed shortly afterward.
The couple has "cooperated in every way they can possibly cooperate" with investigators, Short said. Bradley has spent about 40 hours total talking with authorities, she said, and the family has signed consent forms, provided physical evidence and allowed their sons to be interviewed. "They've been an open book."
Bradley, she said, is "very open and she's been very honest. There are many things about our lives that we would prefer to keep to ourselves, and she's done the opposite."
Young told CNN Tuesday that police investigators plan on interviewing the parents separately. Young said he did not dispute reports that the family had cooperated and answered questions, but the police department detectives still had unanswered questions.
A cadaver dog searching the family's Kansas City home indicated a positive "hit" for the scent of a body, according to documents released Friday.
On that information, Short said that law enforcement typically begins such investigations inside the home, then if warranted the probe moves outside the family. "We don't know exactly what happened here, so we need to keep broadening the investigation," she said, adding she is hopeful that the investigation is going in that direction.
Between 30 and 50 investigators, including police and FBI personnel, were involved in the search as of Tuesday, the Kansas City Police Department said. Some 900 tips had been received by investigators, the department said.
Surveillance video surfaced over the weekend from a BP gas station less than two miles from the family's home, showing an unidentified person walking along the road about 2:15 a.m. October 4. The station's manager, Anuj Arora, said it's unusual to see anyone walking at that time of night in the area.
On what Lisa's parents believe happened to their daughter, Short said, "They don't know. I mean, someone came into their home in the middle of the night and took their beloved child away from them ... They are stumped." She said the couple has provided a wealth of information to police, including the names of people who have had access to their home.
Lisa's parents want people to continue looking for the child, she said. "We are praying and hoping. Hope is alive for us."
October 26th 2011:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45051152/ns/today-today_news/t/brothersbaby-lisa-irwin-be-interviewed/#.TzL1I8j7mOc
Brothers of Baby Lisa Irwin to be interviewed
Investigators will interview the young half-brothers of missing 11-month-old Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin again about the night she disappeared, police said on Wednesday.
Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, had not allowed follow-up interviews of the boys since they were questioned for less than an hour shortly after the girl was reported missing from the family's Missouri home.
The boys, reportedly ages 5 and 8, will be interviewed on Friday by child services specialists rather than police, Kansas City police spokesman Darin Snapp said. One son is Bradley's and the other is Irwin's.
Bradley, the baby's mother, has said she put Lisa to bed in her crib the evening of October 3, and that she was gone early the next morning when Irwin, the baby's father, returned from work at 4 a.m. Bradley has said both boys reported hearing some noises the night their halfsister went missing. Police questioned the parents extensively in the first few days after the girl's disappearance but the couple has since limited the communication. Police are asking that they be interviewed again and separately, Snapp said. Police have said they are not suspects.
In recent days, the search for Lisa has become less visible but is no less
persistent, FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said. Investigators have continued to follow up on leads, but the almost-daily searches of woods and neighborhoods around the family home have tapered off.
"People are getting the impression it's slowing down," Patton said, adding that was not the case. "When a child goes missing we put every resource into it. (Agents) are not frustrated. They are doing their job."
Some recent attention has focused on surveillance video from a gas station near the Irwin home that showed a person emerging from the woods early on October 4. It was unclear if the person was carrying anything.
That came on the heels of witnesses telling network news shows over the weekend they saw a man carrying a baby dressed only in a diaper outside on that same night. A couple on Irwin's street said they saw the man at about 12:15 am while another witness said he saw a man with a baby at about 4 am some three miles away.
Kansas City police spokesman Sergeant Stacey Graves said on Tuesday that police have reviewed the gas station video. Police have declined to comment on the witness reports.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15878701/dna-will-be-taken-during-reinterview-with-lisas-brothers
DNA will be taken during re-interview with Lisa's brothers
Baby Lisa Irwin's two older half brothers will be re-interviewed Friday about what they heard when their sister went missing more than three weeks ago.
Kansas City police said Tuesday that a trained child services specialist will meet with the 6- and 8-year-old boys. A police officer will not be present.
Police previously interviewed the two boys right after their sister vanished from her Northland home. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say she had been snatched from her crib. Debbie Bradley, the girl's mother, said she last saw her daughter the night before when she put her down to sleep.
The parents had allowed the two boys on Oct. 4 to be interviewed by "a specially trained social trained social worker in an environment that would be in their best interest and permit the investigators to learn what they could from the children," according to a statement issued Wednesday afternoon from the McCallister law firm.
The Kansas City firm is representing Irwin and Bradley.
Irwin and Bradley had balked at the boys being interviewed again. They had concerns about the process and police focusing so much on the parents. In the statement, the law firm said Lisa's parents "continue to cooperate with police to find their missing baby."
Police said the interview will be non-confrontational and insist it will not be an "interrogation." It is unclear whether the boys will be interviewed together or separately.
According to authorities, Irwin and Bradley had to consent to a second interview, and it is part of why it took so long to talk to the boys again after the initial questioning.
Police also said they will be DNA testing the boys with a mouth swab procedure.
Authorities need the information to eliminate certain DNA found on evidence collected at the home.
Police said lab work done on those items are starting to come back, but will not say how much is left to examine.
The McCallister law firm said Irwin and Bradley considered their sons' best interests "against the desire of the law enforcement to bring their boys in for a second interview." The parents agreed to the interview as long as they were done "in a safe place and would be done by a specially trained social worker."
Erin Miller Weiss works at Sunflower House in Johnson County and is a forensic interview specialist. She said it is important to provide a safe setting for children during such interviews. This includes books, toys and crayons.
"We want to make sure this is the type of conversation where we're only going to tell the truth and they're not in any trouble," Weiss said.
She said detectives and others watch the interviews via closed-circuit television. The interview specialist will take a single break to ask investigators if they want any additional questions asked.
"The forensic interview is designed to be non-leading, non-suggestive and just be fact finding in nature and child focused," Weiss said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/mother-of-one-of-lisairwins-half-brothers-speaks-out
Mother of one of Lisa Irwins half brothers speaks out
On the heels of announcement that Baby Lisa Irwins two half brothers will speak to investigators Friday, NBC Action News spoke to the biological mother of one of the boys.
Rasleen Raim is the mother of the 8-year-old that was living in the North Lister home. Raim and Jeremy Irwin, Lisas father, once lived together in the same Northland home. But in 2008, the couples custody battle played out in court and Jeremy Irwin received full custody of their child.
Raim said she has not been able to see her son for years.
NBC Action News Investigator Ryan Kath traveled to Marshall, Mo., the day after Lisa vanished and spoke to Raim in person.
Ryan asked, What did you think when you heard about the baby?
I thought about my boy, I thought it was mine, Raim said.
How much do you miss him?
I can't even sayI miss him a lot.
We spoke to Raim on the phone Wednesday night and she said she was worried about her son.
We tried to speak to Raim on camera but her attorney Dorothy Savory did
not want her talking to the media. The attorney did say she would release a statement on her clients behalf. But as of 10 p.m. Wednesday, we did not receive a statement.
The Irwin family attorney said the two boys will speak with trained professionals Friday and try and offer whatever details they can to piece together what happened the night Lisa vanished.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/26/justice/missouri-missing-girl/index.html? iref=storysearch
Police: Parents of missing Missouri girl refuse separate interviews
The parents of a missing Missouri girl have refused to be interviewed separately by authorities, Kansas City police said Wednesday.
But the attorney representing Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, parents of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin, said the couple is not opposed to separate interviews, but do not want what police requested -- an unrestricted interview with no attorneys present.
"Being questioned separately is not the issue," said attorney Cyndy Short. She said the couple has been cooperative and has previously been interviewed separately as well as together. They don't mind being interviewed separately as long as the detectives are fair, open-minded and nonaccusatory, she said.
Lisa was reported missing about 4 a.m. October 4, after her father, Jeremy Irwin, arrived home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window that had been tampered with. The girl's mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the night before.
Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said Tuesday investigators had planned to conduct the separate parent interviews, but said Wednesday the couple had declined. Young said he did not dispute reports that the family had cooperated and answered questions, but the police department detectives still had unanswered questions.
Meanwhile, Lisa's half-brothers, who were in the family's home the night she disappeared, will be re-interviewed by authorities on Friday, Kansas City police said Wednesday.
The boys will be interviewed by a "child services specialist trained to interview kids," Young said. The interview will be non-confrontational, he said, and a police officer won't even be in the room.
"Not an interrogation," he said. "They are kids, after all."
The boys are 8 and 6, Short said. Young said they were previously interviewed just after Lisa disappeared, both for under an hour.
Details were being worked out for a re-interview of the boys, Short said.
Bradley said in an NBC interview last week that she was drunk the night Lisa disappeared and that she had last seen the baby about four hours earlier than initially reported.
The couple said in the same interview they had refused to let authorities reinterview Lisa's older brothers.
"They said they heard noises (the night Lisa disappeared)," Bradley said. "I
don't know if that was before we went to sleep or after." She said she had not talked to her sons about it because she was reluctant to put them through "anything else."
The couple's oldest son is Jeremy Irwin's, and their middle son is Bradley's son, Short told CNN in an interview Monday.
"Lisa was the little girl that was going to hold this family together," Short said, adding the child was wanted, looked forward to and "well-loved."
Asked about Bradley's admission that she was drinking the night Lisa vanished, Short said Bradley did what a lot of parents do when their children are in bed -- shared some drinks with a friend. "It's just not that unusual until your life gets turned upside down," she said.
Authorities had expressed frustration early in the investigation after Lisa's parents stopped cooperating with investigators, Young had said. However, a family spokeswoman attributed the frustration to "miscommunication," and meetings with the toddler's parents resumed shortly afterward.
On that information, Short said that law enforcement typically begins such investigations inside the home, then if warranted the probe moves outside the family. "We don't know exactly what happened here, so we need to keep broadening the investigation," she said, adding she is hopeful that the investigation is going in that direction.
Surveillance video surfaced over the weekend from a BP gas station less than two miles from the family's home, showing an unidentified person walking along the road about 2:15 a.m. October 4. The station's manager, Anuj Arora, said it's unusual to see anyone walking at that time of night in the area.
On what Lisa's parents believe happened to their daughter, Short said, "They don't know. I mean, someone came into their home in the middle of the night and took their beloved child away from them ... They are stumped." She said the couple has provided a wealth of information to police, including the names of people who have had access to their home.
Lisa's parents want people to continue looking for the child, she said. "We are praying and hoping. Hope is alive for us."
October 27th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lawyer-refutesclaims-by-police-that-lisa-irwin%27s-parents-have-refused-separateinterviews
Lawyer refutes claims by police that Lisa Irwin's parents have refused separate interviews
The attorney for the parents of a missing Missouri toddler will hold a news conference Thursday as police continue their search for the 11-month-old girl.
The news conference comes a day after Kansas City police said the missing
girl's parents declined to be interviewed separately by authorities.
The couple's attorney disputed the police account and said Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, parents of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin, are not opposed to separate interviews. But they will not do what police requested, an unrestricted interview with no attorneys present, the attorney said.
"Being questioned separately is not the issue," said attorney Cyndy Short. She said the couple has been cooperative and has previously been interviewed separately as well as together. They don't mind being interviewed separately as long as the detectives are fair, open-minded and nonaccusatory, she said.
Lisa was reported missing about 4 a.m. October 4, after her father, Jeremy Irwin, arrived home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window tampered with. The girl's mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the night before.
Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said Tuesday investigators had planned to conduct the separate parent interviews, but said Wednesday the couple had declined.
Young said he did not dispute reports that the family had cooperated and answered questions, but the police department detectives still had unanswered questions.
Meanwhile, Lisa's half-brothers, who were in the family's home the night she disappeared, will be re-interviewed by authorities on Friday, Kansas City police said.
The boys will be interviewed by a "child services specialist trained to interview kids," Young said. The interview will be nonconfrontational, he said,
and a police officer won't be in the room.
"Not an interrogation," he said. "They are kids, after all."
The boys are 8 and 6, Short said. Young said they were previously interviewed just after Lisa disappeared, both for under an hour.
Police also said they are seeking DNA tests on the boys in order to eliminate them from all the DNA found in the home during a police search.
On that information, Short said that law enforcement typically begins such investigations inside the home, then if warranted the probe moves outside the family.
"We don't know exactly what happened here, so we need to keep broadening the investigation," she said.
Short said Lisa's parents don't know what happened to their daughter.
"They don't know. I mean, someone came into their home in the middle of the night and took their beloved child away from them ... They are stumped," the attorney said.
She said the couple has provided a wealth of information to police, including the names of people who have had access to their home.
The family of a missing Missouri baby said Thursday that it will not speak publicly until next week, making the announcement one day after Kansas City police said the girl's parents had declined to be interviewed separately by authorities.
The family, through its attorney, had scheduled a press conference for Thursday. But that event, and all others involving the media, were "being postponed until next week," the family said in a statement.
"The last few weeks have been exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family, it has exhausted Lisa's parents and her friends and family," the family said. "Therefore, the consensus is we all need a rest."
Eleven-month-old Lisa Irwin was reported missing about 4 a.m. October 4, after her father Jeremy Irwin, arrived home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window tampered with. Her mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 the night before.
Authorities conducted a two-hour search Thursday for clues, including looking in and around Chaumiere Lake in Chaumiere Woods Park located in north Kansas City, about two miles from the baby's house. Two cadaver dogs capable of picking up scents in the water were part of the effort.
But there was no indication that authorities detected anything new in the search.
No one has been named as a suspect in the case. The girl's parents have been questioned by, and sometimes been at odds with, those investigating Lisa's disappearance.
That includes this week, after Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said that investigators had planned to conduct interviews with each parent separately. But he said a day later, on Wednesday, that the couple had declined.
Young said that he did not dispute reports that the family had cooperated and answered questions previously. But he added that police department detectives still had unanswered questions.
The parents' attorney, Cyndy Short, explained that her clients are not opposed to separate interviews, insisting they have been cooperative and have previously been queried by police, both apart and together.
But she said that they will not agree to what police requested -- an unrestricted interview, with no attorneys present. The pair don't mind being interviewed separately as long as the detectives are fair, open-minded and non-accusatory, according to Short.
Meanwhile, Lisa's half-brothers -- who were in the family's home the night she disappeared -- will be re-interviewed by authorities Friday, Kansas City police said.
The boys will be interviewed by a "child services specialist trained to interview kids," Young said. The interview will be nonconfrontational, according to Young, and a police officer won't be in the room.
"Not an interrogation," the police captain said. "They are kids, after all."
The boys are 8 and 6, according to Short. Young said they were previously interviewed just after Lisa disappeared, both for under an hour.
Police also said they are seeking DNA tests on the boys in order to eliminate them from all the DNA found in the home during a police search.
A cadaver dog searching the family's Kansas City home indicated a positive "hit" for the scent of a body, according to documents released last Friday.
On that information, Short said that law enforcement typically begins such investigations inside the home, then if warranted the probe moves outside the family.
Between 30 and 50 investigators, including police and FBI personnel, were involved in the search as of Tuesday, the Kansas City Police Department said. Some 900 tips then had been received by investigators, the department said.
Short said that Lisa's parents don't know what happened to their daughter. She said that the couple has provided a wealth of information to authorities, including the names of people who have had access to their home.
"They don't know. I mean, someone came into their home in the middle of the night and took their beloved child away from them ... They are stumped,"
the attorney said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/investigatorslaunch-new-search-for-lisa-irwin-about-10-miles-from-her-home
Investigators launch new search for Lisa Irwin in park about 2 miles from her home
The search for Lisa Irwin took investigators on Thursday to a park about two miles from the 11-month-old girls home.
Authorities with the FBI and Kansas City Police Department searched Chaumiere Woods Park, in the 3700 block of NE 43rd Terrace. That's near Interstate 35 and Chouteau Trafficway, about two miles north of Lisas home in the 3600 block of Lister Avenue in Kansas City.
NBC Action News reporter Lindsay Shively reports one boat was in a lake there, and two more ground crews were searching the area. All three had dogs. At various points in the search the dogs could be heard barking, but nothing was pulled from the lake. Police say the search was not based off of any specific tip.
After searching the area for several hours, investigators left without finding any evidence in connection with the Lisa Irwin investigation.
Lisa was reported missing on Oct. 4. Her parents said Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, came home around 4 a.m. and Lisa was not in her crib.
Sgt. Stacey Graves with the Kansas City Police Department said nearly 800 leads have been followed up on by police.
http://nancygrace.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/27/investigators-cadaver-dogsscour-lake-for-missing-baby-lisa/?iref=storysearch
Investigators & Cadaver Dogs Scour Lake For Missing Baby Lisa
A team of 30 investigators and three cadaver dogs scoured a small lake Thursday in the search for missing 10-month-old Kansas City baby, Lisa Irwin.
For nearly two hours, K-9 handlers and cadaver dogs circled the lakes banks while officers searched the water by boat.
Police say they targeted the lake located in a city park along Interstate 35 in efforts to widen their search area. The area is less than two miles from the family home where Lisa was last seen and a mile away from where multiple witnesses reportedly spotted a man carrying an unclothed baby the night Lisa went missing.
Were starting to expand the search further and further away from the home, Kansas City police officer Darin Snapp told HLN. It was not from a tip. Snapp said there is no known connection between Lisas family and the search location.
Police say the area and had not been previously searched.
The dogs didnt hit on anything during the canvass, according to Snapp. The search did not result in finding anything related to baby Lisas case.
Snapp says although detectives have been assisted by cadaver dogs used to locate human decomposition, Lisas case continues to be classified as a child abduction case. This is officially a child abduction since the beginning and it hasnt changed, he said.
Law enforcement said Wednesday the missing infants parents finally agreed to let authorities talk with her two half brothers who were the only others in the family home with Bradley the night Lisa vanished.
Since then, the parents attorney Joe Tacopina reportedly pulled the plug on the interviews, scheduled for today, telling police hed contact them next week to reschedule.
Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young says his department has been asking to re-interview the boys for weeks.
A childrens forensic specialist planned interview the boys, ages 5 and 8. Police will not be present during the questioning. However, Young said the interviews will be videotaped.
Lisas parents also agreed that police may take DNA buccal swab samples from the boys. Investigators say they plan to use the samples for elimination.
There are DNA samples in the lab that their DNA needs to be compared to, Young said.
Lisas brothers have not been interviewed since the day Lisa was reported missing. At the time, a child specialist interviewed each boy for less than an hour.
Things were different the first day and in the first few hours, Young said. Certainly a lot of information has been gathered since then and its important to speak to the boys again.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing around 4 a.m. on October 4, after her father Jeremy Irwin arrived home from working a night shift and found his daughter was not in her crib. Irwin told police he noticed a window to the family home had been tampered with and the front door was unlocked. Lisas mother Deborah Bradley says she last saw her daughter at 6:40 p.m. the night before.
Bradley and Irwin, who have had a rocky relationship with law enforcement since reporting their daughter missing, came under additional fire this week amid police claims that the couple refused to submit to separate interviews.
We need to be able to sit down with them separately, Young said, Currently they have not agreed to sit down apart from each other and talk to detectives. Young said separate police interviews are standard procedure in criminal investigations.
The couples attorney Cindy Short issued a press release today confirming earlier reports on Friday that she was no longer representing Lisas parents.
Short told HLN before her resignation that the issue was not whether her clients would be interviewed independently, but rather whether they would be permitted legal representation during police interviews. Short added that her clients had been interviewed separately in the past and that they would agree again to separate interviews, so long as law enforcement permitted them to have their attorney present.
Short also cancelled a media tour of Lisas home scheduled for Thursday.
Police say they still need Lisas parents to answer questions about things only they might know.
Our door has been open for weeks, Young said. Weve made it clear what we need.
The Kansas City attorney for the parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin abruptly postponed a scheduled media tour on Thursday of the home where the baby disappeared.
The baby was reported missing by her parents early on the morning of Oct. 4.
The tour Thursday would have been the first time the local media had been allowed inside the house at 3620 North Lister Avenue.
"The last few weeks have been exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family, it has exhausted Lisa's parents and her friends and family," attorney Cyndy Short said in the news release. "The consensus is we call need a rest until next week."
Short issued the news release about 9 a.m. The tour of the home had been scheduled for 11 a.m.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/local-mediagets-first-look-inside-lisa-irwins-home
Irwin attorney cancels home tour, media events until
next week
Members of the Kansas City media were expecting to get their first look inside the home of Lisa Irwin, the 11-month-old girl who was reported missing more than three weeks ago.
However, later Thursday morning, the family's attorney, Cyndy Short, cancelled the tour and a 12:45 p.m. news conference citing the family's exhaustion.
"The last few weeks have been exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family, it has exhausted Lisa's parents and her friends and family," Short said in a news release. "There fore the consensus is we all need a rest...therefore the pool camera photo walk-through and press conference scheduled for today and tomorrow are being postponed until next week."
Along with the release, Short's office attached a new flyer "asking for all Kansas City residents to help find Baby Lisa."
NBC got a look inside the home over the weekend, but local media have yet to be inside the home.
Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say her mother and two half brothers were inside the home sleeping when Lisa disappeared sometime late Oct. 3 or early Oct. 4.
Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, says he came home from an overnight shift as an electrician to find the girl missing.
The half brothers, Jeremys 8-year-old son and Deborahs 5-year-old son, will be interviewed Friday for the first time since the day Lisa was reported
missing.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/27/lawyer-cancels-media-tour-of-irwin-homecites-exhaustion/
Police Extended Baby Lisa Search to Northland Lake
Late Thursday night, the attorneys for Lisa Irwins parents canceled the meeting child interview specialists were scheduled to have with baby Lisas two older brothers on Friday.
The boys, ages 6 and 8, were in the house on the night Irwin disappeared. Police said they wanted to ask some follow-up questions and get DNA samples to rule out unidentified DNA samples collected from the home.
Its unclear why the interviews were canceled or if they will be rescheduled for a later date.
Earlier on Thursday, the attorneys for the family also abruptly canceled a promised media tour inside their Northland home. The tour of the home in the 3600 block of North Lister was to be led by Cyndy Short, the attorney for Irwins parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Short said, The last few weeks have been exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family, it has exhausted Lisas parents and her friends and family.
Short says that all Kansas City appointments for Thursday and Friday have been postponed until next week.
Authorities have searched the home for almost 17 hours in total since Lisa Irwin was reported missing from her crib by her father in the early morning hours of October 4th. She was last seen in her crib by her mother the previous evening.
As for Kansas City police officers, they spent the day searching a lake behind a McDonalds restaurant at I-35 and Chouteau. Police used canine units in their search, but said they were not led to the lake by any tips, but were just expanding the search to include everything that they could think of.
Police have not said what, if any, evidence was found during their search.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/family-attorneycancels-interview-with-lisa-irwins-half-brothers
Family attorney cancels interview with Lisa Irwin's half brothers
Kansas City police say Joe Tacopina, attorney for Lisa Irwins family, has canceled an interview with Lisas half-brothers.
It was scheduled for Friday. It will supposedly be rescheduled for sometime next week.
Lisas half-brothers were to be interviewed for the first time since the day the 11-month-old girl disappeared.
The boys, ages 6 and 8, were interviewed by police, one for about 30 minutes and the other about 50 minutes, on Oct. 4, the day Lisa vanished. But detectives have more questions.
Earlier on Thursday, the family's local attorney, Cyndy Short, canceled a local media tour inside the home of Lisa and a news conference , citing the family's exhaustion.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15896385/interivews-with-baby-lisas-brothersscrapped
Interviews with Baby Lisa's brothers scrapped
Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have canceled plans for a trained specialist to interview their two sons about the disappearance of their missing daughter.
The 5- and 8-year-old half brothers were scheduled to be interviewed for a second time Friday. The specialist was also to take DNA samples from the boys.
But Kansas City police said about 10 p.m. Thursday that those interviews were off at the request of Joe Tacopina, the New York attorney who is representing Bradley and Irwin.
Darin Snapp, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said that Tacopina did not give a reason. Tacopina indicated that the interviews would be rescheduled for next week and police hope that occurs, Snapp said.
Police have said they needed the two boys to answer questions about what they saw and heard in the hours in which their sister went missing from her Northland home more than three weeks ago. Police had sought the boys' DNA in an effort to compare it against DNA collected from the home.
Tacopina was in Rome earlier this week and could not be reached for comment Thursday night.
Relations between the couple and detectives have been tense since the initial hours when baby Lisa went missing. The couple faced tough questioning from detectives.
The boys were initially interviewed by a trained specialist in the hours immediately after their sister went missing and an Amber Alert was in place for the Kansas City area.
The cancellation of the interviews comes the same day that the Kansas City area attorney for the couple called off a news conference and a tour of their home. Kansas City police also helped lead a two-hour search of a nearby pond Thursday, but turned up nothing.
Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with the disappearance of her daughter. Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say someone had snatched his sleeping daughter from the crib of their home.
No suspects have been identified publicly by police.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/10/27/3233889/interviews-of-baby-lisasyoung.html
Interviews of Baby Lisa's young brothers on hold
Todays planned interviews of Lisa Irwins two brothers has been postponed.
It may never happen now, because the case took a bizarre turn late
Thursday as two attorneys for the family appeared to be in open conflict.
Kansas City attorney Cyndy Short said she had heard reports that New York lawyer Joe Tacopina had fired her from the case.
Hes not in a position to fire anyone, Short told The Star. I work for the client, not him.
Police told The Stars reporting partner, KCTV-5, that Tacopina indicated the much-anticipated interviews with the brothers might happen next week.
Tacopina declined comment to The Star.
But Short said that if she has her way, the interviews with the brothers, ages 8 and 5, would likely never happen for the sake of the boys and the case. The brothers were interviewed earlier, and shes worried about additional trauma to them.
Ive done research and see more potential for harm than good with the interview, Short said late Thursday. It wont happen tomorrow and maybe never.
But if it does happen, the interviewer would face special challenges with subjects so young.
You have to be very careful about the questions you ask and the words you use, said Erin Miller Weiss, a social worker and forensic interviewer who is not involved in the Irwin case.
According to Kansas City police, the family has not allowed the boys to be
interviewed since Oct. 4. That was the day Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, reported that the then-10-month-old girl had been abducted from the family home.
The two boys reportedly were in the house on North Lister Avenue the night Lisa vanished; police have not revealed anything about what the boys already have said.
As in the first interviews of the two boys, police planned to use a specialist trained in child forensic interviewing to speak to the children in a nonconfrontational setting.
Thats important both for drawing out valid information and for minimizing any trauma, said Susan Crain Lewis, president of the advocacy group Mental Health America of the Heartland.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15888077/two-parents-share-their-storiessimilar-to-case
Two parents share their stories similar to case
Police are conducting a new search in the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin. Thursday they announced they are searching the area of I-35 and Chouteau Trafficway.
Two parents with two stories eerily similar to the Baby Lisa case are opening up about their own experiences.
Gill Abeyta has devoted 25 years to searching for missing children, but the baby Lisa case hit especially close to home and there was no chance he was staying away.
"It was the closest I have ever had in my life. That is why I immediately came here, almost like re-living it," said Gill Abeyta with Families of Missing Children.
When Abeyta heard a 10-month-old Kansas City girl was reportedly abducted from her crib overnight, it took him back to 1986 when his son Christopher was kidnapped, also taken in the middle of the night.
Christopher has never been found.
"I was a victim still am a victim. We were accused my wife was accused we took lie detectors," said Abeyta.
Abeyta drove from Colorado two weeks ago, but the family did not know who Abeyta was and had no interest in talking with him, the door literally slammed his face.
But Abeyta was not leaving Kansas City with at least trying to figure out what happened to baby Lisa.
"I came to finish what I came to do. I'm not a know-it-all. But I lived it and since I've lived it I can identify it," said Abeyta.
Working with the National Center of Missing Children out of Washington, Abeyta came with his own theories based on 25 years experience in missing children cases.
He talked with anyone he could find that might have information and turned his findings and theories over to the FBI.
Abeyta met with the family Tuesday for the first time and offered some advice from someone who has walked in their shoes.
"The difference between us and them is we talked to anyone at any time. You are looking for information. It is a puzzle - you have to put the pieces together," said Abeyta
In 2004 Tina Porter faced every parent's nightmare, her children were missing. Now she is urging baby Lisa's parents to use every resource available.
"I think they are probably scared. And I think they are probably overwhelmed. I would be. I mean I was," said Tina Porter.
She thinks back to the summer of 2004 when her children Sam and Lindsey were missing.
She hopes Lisa's parents know there are other local parents who know the kind of pain they are going through.
"The biggest question I would ask is, did the police talk to you this way, or was it just me? I can tell you it is not just you. They talk to all of us like that," said Porter.
She said even though it was tough to put herself out there day after day, Porter believes Lisa's parents should embrace the help of fellow Kansas Citians in the search.
"They see me handing out fliers. They see me with the buttons. Every time
there was something going on I was there. It is good for the public to see. They want to know what all are you doing," said Porter. "Guess who was behind me? It was the community. And for whatever reason that gave me the strength to get up and do what I had to do."
Porter would also like to see Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley embrace local media as well.
"It is good for the public to see you. When they see you they see your kids," Porter said. "They are not using the local media. I used every one of the local channels. I partnered with all the local channels so I could get as much coverage as I could."
Porter's children were found three years later when her ex-husband admitted to killing them.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-stillmissing-why-would-someone-take-her
Baby Lisa still missing: Why would someone take her?
There are five main reasons someone would abduct an infant, Gil Abeyta said during a phone interview Wednesday evening.
Of course there could be some strange scenario that doesn't fit into one of the five categories, he said, but history shows that these are the five main reasons an infant would be abducted:
Love - a woman who wants a baby Ransom - not seen much in the U.S. in recent years
Accident - someone accidentally kills a baby and then tries to cover it up Revenge - it speaks for itself Sale - very rare in missing infant cases in the U.S.
Gil said that since ransom and sale are very rare in missing infant cases in the U.S., the three most likely scenarios would be love, accident and revenge.
Since investigators said early on that abductions occuring out of love - a woman who wants a baby for a number of reasons, including that she cannot have a baby or is grieving because she's lost a baby - are typically resolved quickly, the two scenarios police are likely focused on are accident and revenge.
Gil's infant son was abducted from his crib 25 years ago and was never found. He's been through what Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, are going through.
Now fast-forward 25 years and Gil is out helping others. He says he's helped solve hundreds of missing person's cases and is on the ground in Missouri offering his help to find Baby Lisa.
The family has not embrassed him the way he'd hoped, Gil said during a phone call Thursday evening. "I came to help find Baby Lisa, to let her parents know someone else has been through what they're going through," he said.
He said he hoped to provide them with support and suggestions on what can be done to find Baby Lisa. He continues to say the most important thing people need to focus on is finding the baby.
His wife, like Deborah, was accused of having something to do with their baby's disappearance. It took many years before police would finally reopen the case to look at it with fresh eyes. He's hoping to one day learn what happened to his son.
Baby Lisa's parents say Lisa was abducted from her crib sometime between 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
A woman who understands the terrible experience the Irwin family is going through is sending a message of support to them.
"I think they're probably overwhelmed. I would be, " said Tina Porter.
In 2004, Porter's children -- Sam and Lindsey -- disappeared. For three years, there were countless searches, clues and tips.
Porter told KMBC's Martin Augustine that she understands the emotions and pressures Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley are feeling after their 11month-old daughter, Lisa Irwin, disappeared.
Porter said she wants the parents to know that she is a resource for them, and that she wants them to get out there and be seen embracing the community that is trying to find their daughter -- police included.
"Guess who was behind me? It was the community. For whatever reason, that gave me the strength to get up and do what I had to do," Porter said.
Porter's ordeal ended tragically. Her ex-husband, Daniel Porter, confessed to
killing the children, Augustine reported.
Porter said she also understands the parents' fears that police are investigating whether they had anything to do with their daughter's disappearance. Porter said the same thing happened to her when her children first disappeared, saying that it comes with the awful territory.
October 28th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15898355/short-forced-off-the-baby-lisa-case
Short forced off the baby Lisa case
Cyndy Short, a Kansas City area attorney, is no longer representing the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin.
Sources tell KCTV5 that Short was forced off the case Thursday. Short was reportedly fired at the direction of Joe Tacopina, a New York attorney, who joined the case last week.
He could not be reached for comment Friday.
KCTV5's Jeanene Kiesling asked baby Lisa's parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, about Short no longer representing them when they returned to a relative's home Thursday night.
"This is the first I've heard of it," Bradley replied. "You know as much as I do."
Chris McCallister, Short's husband, said his wife would not be going to the office Friday and would not be doing interviews.
"She does not work for Joe. She works for Debbie and Jeremy," McCallister said. "She works for the family."
But shortly before noon Friday, Short acknowledged she is no longer on the case.
"Cyndy Short, Esq. has confirmed she is no longer working with the family of Lisa Irwin as their local counsel," the law firm said in the release.
She did not explain the details surrounding her departure from the case.
Short had planned to meet Thursday afternoon with local reporters to discuss the case but abruptly canceled the news conference Thursday morning. Police said Tacopina also scrapped today's interviews by a trained specialists with Lisa's older half brothers.
Lisa's parents called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that someone had kidnapped their sleeping daughter from her crib in their Northland home.
Tacopina and Short have taken different approaches in working with national and local reporters. Tacopina held a news conference last week but since then has only done interviews with the national media.
By contrast, Short repeatedly answered questions from Kansas City reporters and had scheduled a tour of baby Lisa's home on Thursday morning before it was scrapped. The family previously has allowed ABC News and NBC News
into the home, but declined requests from local reporters.
Tacopina told Kansas City police that he expected the interviews with Lisa's two brothers would go ahead next week. But Short earlier on Thursday told the Star, KCTV5's reporting partner, that if she had her way that the brothers would not be interviewed again because the trauma it would cause to them and the family.
Bill Stanton, a former New York detective who is working as a private detective on the case, told KCTV5 Friday that he would return to the area on Sunday. He declined comment on Short's departure from the case.
However, Stanton was seen at the home where Irwin and Bradley are staying Friday night by KCTV5's Jeanene Kiesling.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/local-attorneyrepresenting-parents-off-lisa-irwin-case
Local attorney representing parents no longer involved in Lisa Irwin case
The local attorney for the family of 11-month-old Lisa Irwin who was reported missing more than three weeks ago says she's no longer involved in the case.
No reason was given for Cyndy Shorts removal. She sent a one-sentence statement, only saying "Cyndy Short, Esq. has confirmed she is no longer working with the family of Lisa Irwin as their local counsel."
"Cyndy Short was excellent, very thoughtful, very incisive," said Carl Cornwell, a well-known defense attorney who has worked with Short on high-
profile cases.
Short was brought in to help the Irwin family as a local lawyer. Along with New York attorney Joe Tacopina, Short had been representing Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, the parents of Lisa.
Tacopina apparently pushed Short off the team after just a week.
Cornwell said it appears Short and Tacopina disagreed about whether the two boys, Lisa's half -brothers, should be re-interviewed by police.
"That is a direct, strategical conflict," said Cornwell.
Keith Cutler is on the Missouri Bar Association's lawyer to lawyer dispute resolution committee.
He said lawyers disagree, but it's rare to see it play out in public.
"Whether they are arguing over strategy or have differences of opinion, I think that goes on in just about every case. Because when you have highly trained, highly skilled minds together, there are going to be differences in approaches, differences in strategy," said Cutler.
Lawyers say if you, as a client, are caught between fighting attorneys - you have to sit them down, talk it out, and choose one or the other if they still can't agree.
Lisas parents reported her missing on Oct. 4 when they say Jeremy Irwin came home around 4 a.m. and discovered she was not in her crib.
Bradley and Lisas two half-brothers were sleeping inside their north Kansas City home at the time of her alleged abduction.
Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have been interviewed several times by police, but their level of cooperation has come under question as the investigation has drawn on. The Kansas City Police Department at one time said they had stopped cooperating all together and more recently said they have refused to submit to separate interviews, but Tacopina has denied those claims, saying they have stayed cooperative ever since their daughter was reported missing.
Lisas half brothers, ages 5 and 8, were to be interviewed Friday for the first time since Oct 4, but police said late Thursday Tacopina had informed them the interview was canceled .
No reason was given for the canceled interview, which was to also include the collection of a DNA sample from both boys.
Earlier Thursday, Short cancelled a plan media tour of the Irwin home and a news conference planned to provide an update to the case.
Police say they have investigated hundreds of leads into Lisa's disappearance, but have not named any suspects in the case.
The family of a missing Missouri baby continued to make news Friday, cutting ties with its attorney hours after canceling a police interview with the girl's two half-brothers.
Cyndy Short, the attorney who had been speaking for the family of 11month-old Lisa Irwin, is no longer working with the family, her Kansas City, Missouri, law firm announced Friday in a statement. There was no immediate indication as to who, if anyone, will represent the family instead.
Meanwhile, Kansas City Police Captain Steve Young said late Thursday that the Irwin family's lawyer -- at that point, presumed to be Short -- had canceled a police interview with the girl's two older brothers.
The boys, ages 8 and 6, were in the family's Kansas City home when the girl was reported missing on October 4. They were previously interviewed just after she disappeared, both for less than an hour, Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said.
The "nonconfrontational" re-interview planned for Friday would have been conducted by a child services specialist without a police officer in the room, according to Young.
"(It's) not an interrogation," he said. "They are kids, after all."
It was unclear whether the boys' interviews will be rescheduled.
Authorities have also said they are seeking tests on the boys, in order to eliminate them from all the DNA found in the home during a search.
Police have said the infant's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, will not submit to separate interviews. But Short, speaking earlier as the couple's attorney, disputed that account.
"Being questioned separately is not the issue," Short said. She said the couple has been cooperative and has been interviewed separately as well as
together. They don't mind being interviewed separately as long as the detectives are fair, open-minded and nonaccusatory, she said.
Lisa was reported missing about 4 a.m. October 4, after her father arrived home from work to find the door unlocked, the lights on and a window tampered with. The girl's mother said she last saw Lisa at 6:40 p.m. the previous day.
A cadaver dog searching the family's Kansas City home indicated a positive "hit" for the scent of a body, police said.
On that information, Short said law enforcement typically begins such investigations inside the home, and then, if warranted, the inquiry moves outside the family.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-irwin-interviews-brotherscanceled-attorney/story?id=14834151#.Tyd7toH7mOc
Interviews with Brothers Canceled, Attorney Dismissed
An overnight shake-up in the search for missing Missouri 11-month-old Lisa Irwin canceled interviews with her two half-brothers and forced one of the family's attorneys off the case.
Baby Lisa's 5 and 8-year-old brothers had been scheduled to sit down with child specialists today for interviews about the night Lisa disappeared and to have DNA samples collected, but those interviews were abruptly called off
Thursday night by the Irwin family's attorney Joe Tacopina.
Tacopina said he would call police next week and reschedule the interview, according to ABC News' Kansas City affiliate KMBC. Attorneys will reportedly still allow DNA samples to be taken from the boys' cheeks.
Parents Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 29, had denied investigators access to the boys in recent weeks. Child specialists spoke to the boys on Oct. 4, the day after Lisa's disappearance, but investigators have not had access to the boys since then.
Investigators hoped to "bring them back to see if they remember anything that might be able to help find their younger sister," Kansas City Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp told ABCNews.com.
The boys were reportedly sleeping with Bradley in her bed the night that Lisa disappeared and may have heard noises in the house. ABC News also learned that the family's Kansas City attorney Cyndy Short was forced off of the legal team overnight, for unknown reasons. Short did not respond to ABCNews.com's request for comment, but her office said she is preparing a statement.
On Thursday Short canceled a scheduled media tour of the Irwin home and a news conference hours before the events.
"That last few weeks have been exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family. It has exhausted Lisa's parents and her friends and family," Short said in a statement. "Therefore, the consensus is we all need a rest until next week."
Baby Lisa has been missing since the night of Oct. 3 and her parents maintain that she was kidnapped from her crib. Police have investigated
nearly 1,000 tips and leads, but have not named any suspects.
Shortly after Lisa vanished, Bradley said that three of the family's cell phones that had been sitting on the kitchen counter were taken along with her daughter. Police have been mum about the phones, but a Kansas City woman told "Good Morning America" today that she received a phone call from one of those phones on the night Lisa disappeared.
"I received a phone call, well my phone did, the night that baby Lisa went missing," Megan Wright said. "It was apparently a 50 second phone call. I don't know who answered it or what was said or who was on the other end of the phone."
Wright said investigators tracked her down and have questioned her four times.
"I told them that I'd been through the neighborhood with my ex-boyfriend," Wright said. "I didn't know the family, didn't recognize the pictures, had never seen baby Lisa until I saw her picture on the news."
Wright is the latest person to come forward as some sort of witness to the mysterious night. Three other people have said they saw a man carrying a baby dressed only in a diaper the night Lisa disappeared. While police have investigated these leads, no suspects have been named and countless searches have led to dead ends.
On Thursday, investigators searched a pond at Chaumiere Park with searchers on a raft with scent dogs. The search lasted about an hour and investigators said they found nothing significant.
Kansas City Police spokesman Darin Snapp said it was not a tip that led them to search the pond, according to KMBC. Snapp said investigators looked at a
map and decided to expand the search.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/bill-stantonback-in-town-on-lisa-irwin-case
Bill Stanton back in town on Lisa Irwin case
The local attorney is off the case and the family's private investigator is back in town.
Thats the latest on the ongoing search for 11-month-old Lisa Irwin
NBC Action News learned that private investigator Bill Stanton picked up the parents overnight and took them to an undisclosed location.
Cyndy Short said she is no longer working as local counsel for the family of Lisa Irwin but did not give a reason.
The family's other attorney, New Yorks Joe Tacopina would not comment about Short's departure.
Tacopina also canceled the re-interview of Lisa Irwins older half brothers.
"He wanted the two brothers, the siblings, to be interviewed, Cyndy Short didn't want that. That is a direct, strategical conflict," said Carl Cornwell, a local attorney.
Tacopina said the boys' interview will be rescheduled sometime next week.
In the meantime, it appears Stanton is back in town and back on the case. A visit that has volunteers concerned about the focus of the case.
"This should be about baby Lisa, not attorneys and private investigators. We need to focus on finding baby Lisa," said Edith Fine-Duskin.
NBC Action News has tried contacting Stanton but he has not returned phone calls.
A vigil is scheduled for 7:00 Saturday night in front of the Irwin home.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/29/2081635/kclawyer-stops-work-onmissing.html#storylink=misearch
KC lawyer stops work on Lisa Irwin case
Kansas City lawyer for the family of baby reported missing more than three weeks ago announced Friday she has stopped representing the family, leaving them with one New York-based attorney.
Cyndy Short said in a one-sentence e-mailed statement that she "is no longer working with the family of Lisa Irwin as their local counsel."
Short did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking an explanation about her departure and her brief tenure representing Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
Bradley and Irwin reported their 10-month-old daughter, Lisa Irwin, missing
Oct. 4 after Jeremy Irwin returned from a late shift at work. Police have conducted several searches and cleared hundreds of leads in the baby's disappearance, but say there are no suspects.
The family's other lawyer, Joe Tacopina of New York, has declined to say who hired him to represent the family. He also did not immediately respond Friday to e-mail and phone messages asking about Short's announcement that she was no longer involved.
It was unclear Friday who would serve as local counsel for the family.
Short's departure comes the same day the couple's other two children had been scheduled for a second interview with a forensic specialist. The boys' parents say their sons were in the family's home the night of the baby's disappearance and were interviewed by a specialist Oct. 4.
On Wednesday, Short said Bradley and Irwin decided to allow the boys to be interviewed again and that those second interviews were expected by the end of this week.
"In the end the decision to allow a second interview was made after assurances that the interviews would be done in a safe place and would be done by a specially trained social worker," Short said in a statement Wednesday.
On Thursday, Short said the last few weeks had been "exhausting to everyone working on behalf of the Irwin family" and that she was postponing "all appointments in Kansas City today and tomorrow."
Tacopina then called investigators late Thursday to say the family requested that the boys' interviews be postponed until next week, said police spokesman Capt. Steve Young. Tacopina did not set up a date for the second
interviews, Young said.
The second interviews with the children, like their first interviews, would be done with care and that the parents or lawyers would not be allowed in, he said.
"It will be set up just like all child interviews are," Young said. "Attorneys and parents will not be around to even watch them. That's just the way it is."
Jim Roberts, spokesman for the Clay County Prosecutor's Office, said his office would not compel the children to be interviewed a second time because the parents are their legal guardians, and as such the parents "are largely in the driver's seat as far as that goes."
http://fox4kc.com/2011/10/28/baby-lisas-parents-call-cops-on-tina-porter/
Baby Lisas Parents Call Cops on Tina Porter
The day started with Kansas City attorney Cyndy Short being taken off the case. It ended with the parents of baby Lisa calling the cops on Tina Porter and Bill Stanton whisking the family away to an unknown location.
As the investigation stretched into its 25th day, Tina Porter reached out to Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, to offer her help. She wasnt welcomed.
I said, Im Tina Porter, I want to speak to Jeremy and Deborah, Porter said. The response she got: Well, you can go through their attorney.
Porters kids, Sam and Lindsey, were missing for three years. She searched
high and low and talked to anyone who would listen. Tinas ex-husband eventually led police to their bodies.
Porter was only at the home for seconds before she was turned away. And the line about the attorney didnt go over well with her.
Are you kidding me? Thats who got them in this mess, she said. They dont need a damn attorney.
Ironically, Lisas parents have one less attorney now. Theres speculation Kansas City-based attorney, Cyndy Short, was fired by New York-based attorney Joe Tacopina. But Short would only confirm shes no longer working with them.
It just doesnt make sense, Porter said. Shes a fantastic lawyer.
Defense attorney Matt OConnor admits he doesnt have anything to do with the case, but as a professional, a father and a member of the Kansas City community, he has a strong opinion.
Once again, instead of wheres the child, what happened, were talking about who her lawyer is? Really? Thats sad, he said.
As for Porter, she said she feels each day this continues, more and more people are pulling away.
When this is all over and said and done, and whatever happens with Lisa, if they expect the community to wrap their arms around them, I think they got another thing coming, she said.
After that statement, Porter left. A couple minutes later the police pulled up, at the request of Lisas family.
Police asked FOX 4 crews what happened and they told them that Porter had left after trying two times to speak with the family. After the porch light was turned off, she was discouraged from any more attempts.
Police then left and shortly after, family consultant Bill Stanton showed up. A few minutes later he and others packed up a minivan. Once that was done, Jeremy Irwin, Deborah Bradley, their two boys and other family members left in a caravan to an unknown location.
And thats how day 25 ended, and still no sign of baby Lisa.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15902698/tina-porter-turned-away-in-effortsto-assist-baby-lisas-parents
Tina Porter turned away in efforts to assist baby Lisa's parents
Tina Porter's attempts to speak with the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin were rebuffed Friday night.
Porter went to the home where Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin are staying in an attempt to offer her insight and assistance.
Bradley and Irwin reported their then 10-month-old daughter missing on Oct. 4. Porter's two children were killed by their father in 2004.
Porter was told to speak to an attorney for Irwin and Bradley about her desire to offer assistance. Porter left the home but then went back up to determine which attorney she should contact.
The police were then called. Porter had left the neighborhood by the time officers arrived, but Porter was outraged Friday night.
She previously has said that baby Lisa's parents should regularly speak to the Kansas City media in an effort to get their daughter home. Porter spoke to national media, including Dr. Phil, but was always available to local media.
Porter also said having community support is invaluable especially to have the strength to get through the dark days.
Bradley and Irwin have not held a news conference with the local media since the week that their daughter went missing. However, they have conducted several interviews with the national media who have drawn criticism in the past for paying interview subjects for the use of photos and video.
Bradley said Monday that she wasn't speaking to local reporters, "Because we are grieving."
Porter's children, Sam and Lindsey, were killed by their father in 2004. The father, Dan Porter, refused to discuss his children's whereabouts for three years, including insinuating that he had given his children away. He finally confessed to killing them and burying them in woods in eastern Jackson County.
Porter has pushed for changes to Missouri law when it comes to parental custody disputes. She wants police to have more access to information about custody disputes including protection order.
An Amber Alert was not issued in the case of Sam and Lindsey because they had been with their father when they went missing.
Jackson County opened a playground in Independence in the children's memory.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-public-askshard-questions-asks-why-won-t-parents-talk-to-police
Public asks hard questions, asks why won't parents talk to police?
The public is perplexed and asked, among other things Friday, why missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwins parents are refusing to meet with detectives to answer questions that police say only they can answer.
If the baby was abducted in the middle of the night as the parents allege, it doesn't make sense to the public why they are holding back on talking with police, and why they wont allow their sons to be re-interviewed.
As theyve watched this story unfold, the actions of Baby Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, have perplexed the nation and cast a shadow of doubt upon the parents. Many question their repeated refusal to talk with detectives and to allow their children to speak to professionals when their now 11-month-old baby is missing.
So what if police said Deborah failed a lie detector test, they say. Go back and offer to take another one. Saying you failed might have been a police tactic. So what if youre exhausted, your baby is missing and you may hold the key to finding her.
Ed Smart was so exhausted when his daughter went missing that following police interrogation he collapsed and landed in the hospital. He was out the next day and it didn't stop him - he was back at it, and stayed at it until he was cleared of all suspicion. And he was highly suspected of having something to do with Elizabeth's disappearance. Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night while she slept with her younger sister who witnessed the kidnapping, and who was questioned about what she saw. That family did not hold back, they pressed forward and did whatever they could to find Elizabeth. Fortunately, her story had a happy ending when she was found 9 months later. Elizabeth is now working to help families whose loved ones go missing.
Police have, for weeks, asked these parents to come back in to talk to them and to allow their two sons, ages 5 and 8, who were in the home the night Baby Lisa went missing and who say they heard noises, to come back in for further interviews.
Police have repeatedly said that answering their questions could help put pieces of the puzzle together that could lead them to Baby Lisa.
Interviews with the children are not done by police. They are done in a safe, child-friendly environment with professionals trained to make the experience least difficult for the children.
Police have asked Deborah and Jeremy to come back in for further interviews to answer questions theyve developed during their investigation into their babys disappearance. They continue to refuse. The public is asking why? Is it the parents decision?
Whos calling the shots?
Some are concerned that attorneys, or even someone else, is calling all the shots and that Lisas parents are following their lead because theyre scared, and because they dont have a roadmap on how to handle the situation
theyve found themselves in.
Until Friday, Deborah and the babys father, Jeremy Irwin, were represented by high-profile New York defense attorney Joe Tacopina and local attorney Cynthia Short.
It was reported that Short was fired by Tacopina Thursday night, but Short fired back Friday saying he cant fire her because he didnt hire her she was working for the parents. She did, however, announce she would be stepping down from the case.
Some say its just more drama in a case thats been filled with nothing but drama, and a sense that the most important thing is being forgotten finding Baby Lisa.
It was suggested these parents ask themselves: How much experience does my attorney have in finding missing babies? How vested is my attorney in finding my baby?
Gil Abeyda, who is on the ground, has offered help to Lisa's parents, he's not been well-received. It's not easy for him to understand why these parents would not welcome him with open arms. He has 25 years of experience in helping others find missing children. He came to Kansas City because this story hit so close to home - 25 years ago his son Christopher was abducted from his crib in the middle of the night and was never found.
Gil pointed out that perhaps these parents are not in control of how their baby's case is unfolding. When he went to offer his help he was told the family had been "ordered" not to talk to anyone. He says the family seemed like zombies when he was there, that they appear mixed up and that they don't seem to be able to function well.
He's worried for them and for the chidlren. He said they seemed like wounded people and that he felt the seriousness of the situation in the home. He also said he could see intense pain and suffering. What does it all mean?
He said it felt to him that the parents were like hostages in their relative's home.
Hard questions
A call was received Friday by a woman who wishes to remain anonymous. She asked that these questions be posed:
Did the interviews for the boys, that police say could lead to answers in their missing sisters case, get canceled Friday because their attorney, Joe Tacopina, is still in Rome negotiating his soccer deal with As Roma?
It was reported Friday that Tacopina made the call from Rome. When asked if he knows the call was made from Rome, Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young said he doesn't know where the call originated and is uncertain if taking DNA swabs from the children is still "part of the deal."
The caller then said, I want to ask, is Tacopinas involvement in this case more about Tacopina than Baby Lisa? Is he exploiting these parents? Is he taking away from finding the baby for his own egotistical reasons? Is he a media hound?
Did Tacopina get pulled into the case by Wild Bill Stanton two weeks prior to his announcement he was representing the parents, or was it much sooner? [Stanton is a private investigator/consultant hired by an anonymous wealthy benefactor soon after Baby Lisa went missing.] Tacopina didnt seem to have much solid information and never said anything productive. If he was working with the parents for two weeks, youd think he would have had more
to say.
These are but a few of the many questions swirling in this case.
Police have questions, need answers to move investigation forward
Police continue to say that Deborah and Jeremy are hindering their ability to move the investigation forward because they are refusing to come back in and answer questions detectives want to ask them independently. Questions, police say, only they can answer.
It is incumbent upon police to interview and re-interview parents when there are inconsistencies in their stories, as is the case here. These parents will remain a main focus of the investigation until they are cleared of any suspicion in their daughters disappearance.
Deborah and Jeremy are not alone. Theyre not the first, and they wont be the last, to go through intensive police interrogation. It is normal operating procedure, and must be done because in most missing childrens cases parents or other family members are responsible for the childs disappearance.
Therefore, one of the first things police must do is clear the parents. The purpose of questioning parents whose children go missing is not to exhaust them or put them through more distress. Police know the parents are hurting. Instead, experts say they do it so they can clear the parents and their family, and so they can work together as a team to try to find the missing child.
Non-cooperation from parents is a major hindrance in a missing child case, and is often seen when parents are later determined to have had involvement. The public knows this, and when parents refuse to cooperate, a
shadow of doubt is cast upon them and they begin to appear as though they have something to hide.
Public opinion is important the public is often responsible for assisting police in finding missing children.
As police have developed their case they have also developed a list of questions that they say only the parents can answer. Its hard for the public to understand why parents would hold back from answering questions that police say could help find their beautiful baby girl?
What Deborah and Jeremy may not know is that they could hold the key to where their daughter is and may not even know it.
People offer help, their help is rejected
Other parents of missing children have come forward this week offering their stories, letting the family know theyre not alone. They, too, were interrogated beyond exhaustion. They said its something you just do - you do it for your missing child.
Precious time has been wasted - time that cannot be recovered. Attorneys blame police, accusing them of putting too much emphasis on the parents.
Police continue to follow-up on the hundreds of tips and leads theyve received over the past nearly four weeks since Lisa vanished. The nation has watched and followed this case closely. They know how much time and effort police, the FBI, and other local, state, and federal agencies have put into finding Baby Lisa.
Police say the need the parents to answer questions only they can answer.
Gil Abeyda, who is all too familiar with what this family is going through because he went through it himself 25 years ago, is worried. He said moments - even seconds count when a baby is missing. Its now been 25 days and it doesnt appear the urgency is on finding Baby Lisa. It appears the urgency is on defending her mother. His focus, during our numerous and lengthy interviews, has been very clear find the baby.
What he doesnt understand is how, when a baby is missing, the familys lawyer can find fly to Rome, and the family can parade off in a caravan to take a weekend break. How is that conducive to finding Baby Lisa, he asks?
It was reported late Friday night at around 10 p.m. Stanton returned to the home on North Walrond, where Lisas parents have been staying with relatives. Shortly after arriving KMBC News reports he left with the family in a convoy of at least four vehicles. Their destination was unknown.
A woman who has followed Baby Lisa's case closely, and who has followed other missing persons' cases, said in an email Saturday, "Something to think about in terms of how the parents are acting. When Polly Klass and Adam Walsh went missing the internet didn't exist, at least in the form it does now. So those parents didn't have to contend with very public lynch mobs from all over the world....."
October 29th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15902780/tina-porter-turned-away-stantonreturns-family-leaves
Day 26: Monday will mark 4 weeks since baby was last seen
It is Day 26 in the search for missing baby Lisa Irwin, and once again, on Saturday, people gathered outside her home to pray for her safe return.
Her parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, were not there, and the family has been laying low all weekend. The parents left the relative's home where they had been staying Friday night and have not been seen since then.
Investigator Bill Stanton told Fox News Saturday night that the family was being harried by unwanted visitors and he needed to get them away.
Last week their local attorney, Cyndy Short, was fired.
No statements from any family members or their attorneys are expected until next week.
Monday will mark four weeks since baby Lisa was last seen.
Friday night Tina Porter tried to offer her help to Lisa Irwin's parents but she was turned away.
"They are not being friendly with the community, not opening up to anybody. Who really hides in that situation? They should be out there beating the streets looking for their daughter, which they're not doing at all," she said angrily to reporters after being turned away.
Shortly after she left, police arrived at the request of someone in the house. Reporters told police that Porter did not create a confrontation.
Bradley and Irwin reported their then 10-month-old daughter missing Oct. 4. Porter's children went missing in 2004 but their bodies were found three years later when her ex-husband admitted to killing them.
Also Friday night, KCTV5's cameras were rolling when Stanton showed back up at the house where Lisa's parents were staying. Family members were seen loading items into multiple cars and driving off but Stanton refused to answer KCTV5 reporter Jeanene Kiesling's questions asking if the parents were being moved.
Around 11:30 p.m. Friday, Lisa's paternal aunt, Ashley Irwin posted on Facebook for the first time since Wednesday.
"Let go and let God," was all she wrote in the post.
Reaction like Porter's shows the building frustration for many people who just want to know what happened to baby Lisa. Some are saying the focus on details like the attorney shake-up is a distraction.
"Someone needs to get a grip on this case and bring it back to normalcy so it becomes what it is, a missing baby case," said Pat Peters.
Well-known Kansas City defense attorney Peters has been watching the baby Lisa case unfold over the last three and a half weeks but, as an attorney, Peters said he can't believe the focus has been on everything but the baby girl.
"This may be a national case but it's not playing well in Kansas City. This looks bad. Why is this circus going on?" said Peters.
Peters said when Cyndy Short was hired on as local counsel the case started
heading in the right direction but, after just nine days, Short was fired. Kiesling asked Bradley about Short no longer representing them and Bradley said that was the first she heard of it, leaving many to assume the conflict was between New York attorney Joe Tacopina and Short. It seems Tacopina is calling the shots and Peters said that's backwards.
"It's the client who decides who is representing them. For them not to know, there's a problem," said Peters.
Peters said the dismissal of Short in such a dramatic and public fashion only adds to his belief that this case has been mishandled since the beginning.
"This should be playing out quietly, parents helping the police, police should be developing leads and following suspects. It shouldn't be playing out in the media. It doesn't help bring baby Lisa back," said Peters.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-s-mother-sex-sean-bradley-charged-drive-by-shooting
Baby Lisa's mother's ex, Sean Bradley, reportedly charged in drive-by shooting
In yet another twist in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin, Examiner.com was alerted Saturday that in 2008 Sean Bradley, Baby Lisa's mother's husband, then 23, was reportedly arrested and charged in a driveby shooting in Lee's Sumitt.
This was confirmed in a Kansas City Star article dated Nov. 9, From 'mother hen' to media villain: the life of Baby Lisa Irwin's mom that read:
-- Sgt. Sean Bradley's service ended in March 2007. The couple returned to
Independence and moved in with Debbie's dad. But Sean couldn't find a job and struggled in the civilian world, Hazel says. A 2008 news article says he was arrested for discharging a weapon; he told police he was suffering from war-related stress.--
Sean Bradley is not Baby Lisa's father. He and Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, are still married. Deborah recently announced her engagement to Baby Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin. Confused? Read 'Meet the family' below to better understand the dynamics of the baby's family.
Details of the drive-by shooting incident varied somewhat in two online articles, as you'll read below, but one thing was consistent: Sean Bradley's location, which coincides with public records that link Deborah and Sean to one another.
Reports of the 2008 incident Examiner.net reported that Sean Bradley, a Johnson County, Kansas man, was charged in a drive-by shooting in Lee's Summit. The article stated that Bradley, 23, of Overland Park, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon after knowingly shooting a firearm at another motor vehicle within the city limits of Lee's Summit.
Lee's Summit police officers were contacted, the article stated, at around 2:30 p.m. Saturday. However, a Kansas City Star article reported the incident occured at around 2:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning.
The incident was reported to have occurred on U.S. 50 near Chipman Road in Lee's Summit. According to Examiner.net, an officer with Lee's Summit witnessed Bradley discharging a firearm into another vehicle. This was not confirmed in the Kansas City Star article.
It was reported that according to a probable cause statement, five to seven gunshots were heard coming from the area. The suspect vehicle was then
located in the grass between Chipman Road and Interstate 470.
Bradley allegedly told the officer he was a veteran of the Iraq War and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He told the officer that he had a flashback while driving and woke up with his gun in his hand. He did not know, he claimed, what happened and was unable to provide further information. The statement said he had thrown the gun onto the passenger side floorboard and pulled over until police arrived.
The article indicated that Sean, 26, of Overland Park, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon after knowingly shooting a firearm at another motor vehicle within the city limits of Lees Summit, the news report read.
In a Kansas City Star article written Sept. 29, 2008, Sean M. Bradley, then 23, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon in a drive-by shooting early Sunday morning around 2:30 a.m. Bradley claimed to suffer from posttraumatic stress from serving in Iraq. He was charged with shooting at another driver in Lee's Summit.
According to the Kansas City Star article, a witness told police that Bradley argued with one of his passengers and got lost as he drove in Lees Summit after leaving a casino. He started mumbling about war, and then he fired a gun several times, striking the drivers mirror of a vehicle that he had tried to ram on U.S. 50 near Third Street, witnesses told police. No one was hurt.
Bradley pulled over and talked to his passengers about war until police arrived.
Meet the family:
Sean Bradley is the husband of missing Baby Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley. He is not the baby's father. He and Deborah have a son together, 5-year-old
Michael. Deborah has had custody of their son. Sean said during a news interview last week that he had not seen his son in two years, was worried about him, and hoped to get him back.
During a Today Show interview Tuesday, Sean said he and Deborah have not divorced because they cant afford it. There are conflicting reports whether he is still a reservist in the Army or if he was discharged.
Deborah Bradley, 25, lives with Baby Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, 29. Just after Baby Lisa went missing they announced they were engaged to be married. But reports indicated thats not possible, because Deborah is still married to her 5-year-old sons father, Sean Bradley. Sean is a reserve in the Army.
Deborah and Jeremy are Baby Lisas biological parents. Their two other children are Baby Lisas half brothers, Deborahs 5-year-old son and Jeremys 8-year-old son, both from previous relationships. Deborah, Jeremy, the two boys, and Baby Lisa all shared a home at 3620 N Lister Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, until the baby went missing. The family first stayed in a hotel and then with relatives after the baby's disappearance. Jeremy Irwin never married his 8-year-old sons mother, Rasleen Raim, who once shared the home located at 3620 N Lister Avenue that he shared with Deborah before Lisa vanished.
Jeremy and Rasleem split in 2008, and following a court custody battle Jeremy received full custody of their child.
Raim now lives in Marshall, Missouri, and said Sunday shes not been able to see her son in years. When she first heard about the abduction at the N Lister home, she feared it was her son who she said she misses very much, and says shes worried about her son. Fox News report.
Baby Lisa was reported missing Oct. 4. Her parents say she was abducted
from her crib between 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
Public records
Now 26-year-old Sean M. Bradley is linked to the following locations:
Independence, Jackson County, Missouri Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas Lee's Summit, Jackson County, Missouri Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Independence, Missouri: Missouri Case Net - a search for Deborah Lee Bradley show a judgment against Sean Bradley for child support filed December 4, 2009, and that both Sean and Deborah resided in Independence at that time. The records also show Sean Bradley was born in 1985, making him 23 in 2008, now 26. Marriage Certificate records show Deborah and Sean Bradley were married in Independence, MO.
Overland Park, Kansas: The 2008 news reports regarding the shooting show Sean Bradley was from Johnson County, residing in Overland Park, which coincide with public records that link him to Overland Park.
Fort Bragg, North Carolina: Public records show Sean lived in Fort Bragg, NC, confirmed by numerous recent media reports. Deborah was reportedly a military wife living in Fort Bragg whileSean served in the U.S. Army.
Lee's Summit: The location where Sean Bradley was arrested in the drive-by shooting.
October 30th 2011:

Bill Stanton, the New York-based private investigator who is consulting the family of missing baby Lisa Irwin, said that he and the baby's family would be keeping a low profile this weekend.
On Friday, the family left the home on North Walrond Avenue where they have been staying. There is no indication where they have gone.
Stanton did not return calls to KMBC 9 News, but he texted reporter Cliff Judy that he was, "Laying loooooow :)."
11-month-old Lisa Irwin has not been seen since Oct. 3. Police have not announced any active searches for the baby this weekend.
Kansas City attorney Cyndi Short, who confirmed on Friday that she was no longer representing parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, said Sunday that she would continue to search for the baby as a concerned citizen. Short scheduled a news conference on Monday, which will be carried live on KMBC.com.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/local-attorney-saysshe-ll-continue-looking-for-baby-lisa-as-a-citizen
Local attorney Cyndy Short not giving up on Baby Lisa - public relieved
The public praised local attorney, Cynthia Short, for not giving up in the search for missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin despite, they said, being bullied by high-profile New York-based attorney Joe Tacopina.
This weekend the public said they felt they were on a roller-coaster ride.
One minute they hear the one person they thought was actually doing good for Baby Lisa, Cyndy, was fired.
Then they heard she couldn't be fired because she wasn't hired by the person saying he was firing her - Tacopina.
Then she publicly announced she was stepping down from the case.
The next thing you know, she's back, saying she's not giving up on Baby Lisa. She's now going to search for the baby as a concerned citizen. (KMBZ)
Cyndy had issued a statement Saturday that she was stepping down from working on the case. This came hours after Tacopina, who reportedly spent last week in Rome, said hed fired her from the case.
Her husband fired back "He cant fire her, he didnt hire her." Cyndy fired back saying the same thing, adding, "I was working for the family."
While for the most part the public says they're happy she's back, some have questioned the position she took about Lisa's step-brothers being reinterviewed in their missing sister's case.
Cyndy said if she had it her way they would not be re-interviewed, Kansas City Star reports.
The public is asking, what are these attorneys, what are the parents waiting for? Studies show that every moment, hour, and day that passes lessens the chance that Lisa will be brought home safely.
The first time Lisas half-brothers were questioned was the day Baby Lisa went missing. The children were exhausted after being awakened very early that morning. The questioning of one child lasted 30 minutes, and the questioning of the other child lasted 50 minutes.
Much has changed over the past four weeks, including a four-hour timeline change of the last time their mother saw Baby Lisa. Deborah initially reported the last time she saw her baby was at 10:30 p.m. Her story changed two weeks after Lisa vanished when she announced that the last time she remembers seeing her baby was 6:40 p.m., that she was drunk that night, and that she may have even blacked out.
Deborah didn't say what time she may have blacked out. What if the boys were still awake? If she doesn't remember seeing her baby after 6:40 p.m., then there's a chance she doesn't remember what the boys were doing after that time, or if they were asleep or awake when baby Lisa was abducted, as her parents allege.
None of this information was available to police or to the specialist who interviewed the children the day Baby Lisa was reported missing. For more on this, read: Why are missing Baby Lisa's parents refusing to allow brothers' interviews?
Gil Abeyta, whose son was abducted from his crib 25 years ago and never found, is on the ground and working day and night as a catalyst trying to find Baby Lisa. He said Sunday he trusts Cyndy and that he believes her heart is in the right place.
What Tacopina and "Wild" Bill are doing, he says, is something he's simply not seen before in missing persons cases. And he's worked on these cases for years. He's helped find hundreds of missing children. "How many missing children have 'Wild'Bill and Tacopina found?" an anonymous caller asked Saturday?
Matt O'Connor, who has nothing to do with Baby Lisa's case and spoke as a lawyer, community member, and as a father, told Fox4KC News Sunday:
It just doesnt make sense. Shes [Cyncy] a fantastic lawyer. Now, once again, instead of wheres the child, what happened, were talking about who her lawyer is? Really? Thats sad.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/gil-abeyta-on-theground-working-day-and-night-as-catalyst-for-baby-lisa
Gil Abeyta: On the ground, working day and night as catalyst for Baby Lisa
He's been on the ground, working day and night for weeks searching for clues and doing everything he can to help find missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Gil Abeyta knows what Baby Lisa's parents are going through. He's been there himself. The thing that drove him to take the thousand-mile trip from Colorado to Missouri was the similarities in his case and Baby Lisa's parents', Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin's case.
Twenty-five years ago a stranger came into their home and abducted their infant son, who was never found.
His wife and Deborah share something in common - they were accused of being responsible for the disappearance of their own babies.
Gil says he doesnt' think Deborah's guilty of harming her baby. Being irresponsible, perhaps, but doing harm or possibly killing her own baby, he says he just doesn't see it. If he's wrong, he says, then so be it. For now, he goes with his gut and must press forward in trying to find out what happened to this precious baby girl.
Time, he says, is ticking. Gil doesn't understand what the parents' highprofile New York-based attorney Joe Tacopina, or the consultant they brought in, also from New York, "Wild" Bill Stanton, are doing and why the parents are allowing them to run the show.
When he appeared at the family's home he expected to be welcomed with open arms, as is usually the case.
Not so in this case. The door was all but slammed in his face. His determined nature is what got his foot in the door.
What he found once inside was not what some might expect. Deborah was doing dishes and didn't acknowledge his pressence. He was first told to leave, that the family had been given "orders" not to talk to anyone.
"Orders?" He questioned. "I didn't come 1,000 miles to be turned away," he told them.
Gil said he tried to explain to the family that the media is there to help them, the public is there to help them. Shunning them is not the answer. He said he asked them, "Why are you hiding like zombies? Hell with the attorney," he said. His sentiment has been, and continues to be, "We need to find this baby!"
While people are jumping to conclusions, blaming Deborah for her daughter's disappearance, he wonders if she and Jeremy aren't victims of a very different kind. Something he says he's never seen before, in all the 25 years he's helped to find hundreds of missing children.
Imagine for a moment ... a mom is awakened in the middle of the night and questioned, "Where's Lisa? She's not in her crib?" Her head is pounding, her heart is throbbing, she can't remember a thing. Fast forward a few days to the public disecting and scrutinizing her every word, police accusing her of killing her baby and of failing a polygraph test, if indeed that's what they told her.
Parents of missing children really can't win. If they cry, people say their tears aren't real. If they don't cry, they're cold and don't care. If they talk they disect and scrutinize their every word, if they don't talk they must have something to hide.
What if the reason Deborah's story appeared to change was that, in all honesty, she really had forgotten details of that evening because she had blacked out after having too much to drink and mixing her drinking with antianxiety medication.
What if? Gil asks.
Before long in rides "Wild" Bill Stanton who identifies himself as a private investigator. Quickly he's attacked by locals ... no one seems to like him. Not media, not police, and certainly not local PIs who say Wild Bill isn't even licensed in the State of Missouri.
It's not long before he rides away, and in comes the big guns - high-profile New York-based attorney Joe Tacopina. The public goes wild with the announcement that parents of a missing baby would work with the same
attorney who defended a murderer, Joran van der Sloot.
Tacopina is not well-liked in New York. In fact, he's been said to be the most hated lawyer there. He's most known for his defense of Van der Sloot accused in the 2005 kidnapping of Natalee Holloway. Van der Sloot later confessed to extorting money from Natalee's family. Natalee's case was never solved. He walked away a free man.
Fast-forward a few years and Van der Sloot admits to killing a 21-year-old Peruvian woman, Stephanie Flores. Tacopina's response to Van der Sloot's confession was that Van der Sloot disintegrated and desocialized because Natalee's parents would not let up and harrassed him. (CNN)
This is the man representing a young Missouri couple in their missing baby case. For most people watching this, nothing makes sense.
While the world watches and everyone takes a stab at what might have happened that night, a baby is missing and the spotlight seems to be on everything other than that simple and basic fact.
Gil comes back to the questions: Why is everyone so focused on the parents, and not so focused on finding the baby? Where is the community? Where are the search parties? You'd think that when an infant is missing thousands would bind together to find her. Instead you see one lone woman standing by her car, frustrated at the fact that no one is there to help her search for Baby Lisa.
You hear about a man on the ground, exhausted, yet getting up at 3 a.m. for interviews because he's committed to finding this baby.
Gil questioned the family, asking them why they were following the directions of Tacopina and Stanton when clearly, it appeared what they were instructing
them to do was only making matters worse.
The question remains - why won't Deborah and Jeremy go back in independently of one another - and be re-questioned by police since that's what police say is needed to help them move forward to find their baby?
Why do they continue to refuse to allow their 5 and 8-year-old boys, who were there that night and who say they heard something, to be reinterviewed by specialists who know how to work with children and who provide a safe and non-threatening environment so they can help the children feel comfortable to speak with them. To possibly tell police what they heard or saw that night.
Gil's take on the situation is that Deborah and Jeremy know they're not wellliked, they don't have the public behind them. They are held up in a family member's home like animals in a cage. They aren't able to go out in public because if they do media will be there to video their every move.
Heaven forbid they smile or take their kids to the park. If they do they'll be accused of not caring that their baby is missing. Gil knows, it happened to them. At some point, he said, you have to take a sanity break and do something fun. Shoot hoops, go out to eat. Something. You have to keep your sanity so you can press on another day.
These parents, Gil says, didn't ask for Stanton or Tacopina - he says they inherited them by this "anonymous wealthy benefactor." He also believes someone else is leading the show, someone who in his opinion, is young and completely inexperienced.
He questions what their true motives are, and wonders why they can't see that decisions made over the past few weeks have not appeared to be in the best interest of the baby.
On Saturday, exhausted and frustrated, Gil said he thinks the New Yorkers are preying on the innocent. He's not alone, people have been calling and commenting online that they believe these men are in this for themselves, not for Baby Lisa.
Gil, and others, questioned how the lead attorney in a missing baby case - a case where very single moment counts - could assist while he's in Rome all week?
He said that while yes, parents need breaks here and there, he doesn't understand how the family would go take a break for an entire weekend while their baby remains missing.
Gil tried to explain to Deborah and Jeremy's family that someone is misleading them, that everything they're suggesting the couple do is making them look guilty in the eyes of the public.
His take-away while visiting with the family was that these high-profile men don't care about public opinion because they feel good publicity, bad publicity, it's all publicity.
He beleives they're wrong, and that the public can be used as a great tool in missing children's cases. He's been doing this for 25 years, he's learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work. And this, he says, in his opinion is not working. He hopes he's wrong, of course.
He says that Baby Lisa's parents don't have the intelligence to deal with this. He doesn't mean any disrespect, he means that young parents aren't given a handbook on how to cope with a missing child. That's why he came in to offer his experience and expertise.
"They're like zombies, they can't function," he said. "They're like wounded
people. I saw the pain and suffering. It was very sad. They need help. They're not working, they probably have no money coming in. They need people to show compassion and love. They need people to help them, not judge them."
The problem is that their lawyers are keeping those who do want to help them away.
Gil said that once Stanton came on the scene the parents were told to stop talking with local media which he felt was a big mistake. He wishes he'd gotten there before Stanton, he might have been able to avoid some of the craziness we've seen in this case.
He feels Stanton didn't really know what was going on or the severity of the situation, and that he was mostly there looking for noteriety. Again, one hopes not. Gil feels Stanton neutralized the parents, told them he'd take over and that they no longer needed to talk. They were exhausted and probably didn't know what else to do but accept the help.
Gil was disappointed when he saw Tacopina roll into town, then roll back out so quickly after making his appearance on national TV. He believes Stanton and Tacopina may have convinced these parents that they should be the only ones talking. By doing so, Gil said, they've turned everyone against these parents. Parents who could be innocent.
Once Stanton and Tacopina were gone he said the parents were left to sit around the house, doing basically nothing, as their baby remains missing.
Gil told Nancy Grace last week that if the public continues to beat on these people and continues to push them when they have no outlet, something terrible might happen, someone could even commit suicide.
This case has taken so many twists and turns that people closely following the case say they cant keep up. Most people are saying they think what's transpired over the course of the past four weeks borders on ridiculous and is taking away from finding the baby. Read: Public asks the hard questions.
Some have said if this is someone's idea of a good strategy, they fear whoever is at the helm is sorely mistaken.
Gil said putting these parents in seclusion, keeping them from the public, is only hurting their chances of finding their baby. He said Sunday that parents whose children are missing should talk, be open, and keep no secrets. It only makes them look guilty.
He feels they need to talk to police, talk to the media, and gain public support. He would like to see them take control of their own case. Sadly, so long as they trust in the people with the big bucks things aren't likely to change anytime soon.
It appears, to the general public, that the parents have something to hide. Gil says that could be a complete misconception and that they could simply be frightened and controlled by others.
And at the end of the day, at the end of a crazy weekend when:
Complaints lead attorney, Tacopina, spent week in Rome Interviews with Lisa's brothers canceled by Tacopina Friday Friday's announcement Tacopina fired local attorney Cyndy Short Cyndy's husband firing back Saturday saying, "He can't fire her, he didn't hire her!" Cyndy firing back Saturday with the same sentiments, then stepping down from the case
Cyndy coming back Sunday announcing she'll continue looking for Baby Lisa as a concerned citizen "Wild" Bill back in town Friday night Local mom, Tina Porter, whose kids went missing and later found dead, came to talk and help the family She was turned away, told to call their lawyer Stanton and Irwin/Bradley family seen getting into cars and vans and heading out of town Next thing, police arrive asking to see Tina, the Irwin/Bradley family called the police on her Stanton says they need a break, sent a text "We're laying lowwwwww"
Matt O'Connor, who has nothing to do with Baby Lisa's case and spoke as a lawyer, community member, and as a father, told Fox4KC News Sunday:
It just doesnt make sense. Shes [Cyndy] a fantastic lawyer. Now, once again, instead of wheres the child, what happened, were talking about who her lawyer is? Really? Thats sad.
October 31st 2011:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45103609/ns/todaytoday_people/t/investigator-tours-home-missing-baby-lisa/#.Tsk10HJIuOf
Investigator tours home of missing baby Lisa
A private investigator hired to find missing infant Lisa Irwin finally had his first look Monday inside the family home from which the child disappeared in early October.
Former New York City police officer Bill Stanton took NBC News along for a look inside the home, where he believes an intruder came through the front door or through a window in front of the family room and snatched then-10month-old Lisa Irwin from her crib in the early hours of Oct. 4. Cameras were not allowed inside the house in this instance, but NBCs Peter Alexander was granted access by the family with a camera crew last week.
The babys parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, have both come under increasing scrutiny. Bradley altered the timeline she originally gave police regarding when she last saw her baby and admitted that she was drunk on the night the child disappeared. However, Stanton does not feel that her inconsistencies paint her as being involved in her daughters disappearance. It may conflict, but that doesnt make a person guilty, Stanton said.
Irwin and Bradley are currently in seclusion and not speaking to the media. Stanton said both continue to be in anguish over the disappearance of their child.
I look in their eyes, and I see pain, Stanton said. How many tears can you shed 24-7?
Jeremy Irwin, who had been awake for nearly 24 hours, came home from an overnight shift at his electrician job at 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 4 to find the front door unlocked, the lights on and his daughters crib empty, he has said.
Kansas City police have not produced any suspects or strong leads, although a next-door neighbor of the Irwins told NBC News last week that she spoke to investigators about seeing a man carrying a diaper-clad baby in the neighborhood around 12:15 a.m. on the night Lisa Irwin disappeared. To me, that is imperative, that is glaring, Stanton said of the claim. This needs to be followed up by everyone.
We havent at all eliminated the possibility of an outside intruder, nor have we eliminated the possibility of some terrible accident or other incident that happened to that child within that house, former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt told NBC News.
An FBI cadaver dog received a positive hit on the scent of a dead body right near Bradleys bed inside the house, Alexander reported last week. Joe Tacopina, an attorney hired by the couple, called the hit a red herring.
Police have been pushing for unrestricted interviews with the couples two young sons, ages 5 and 8, who were in the house when Lisa Irwin disappeared. The interviews have been postponed thus far, but sources close to the family told NBC News that they could happen soon.
A local attorney who was part of the familys legal team has been fired, sources close to the family told NBC News. The attorney claims she will continue to look for the baby as a private citizen. Neighbors have also assisted in searches and posted flyers and bumper stickers urging the safe return of Lisa Irwin.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-irwin-defense-attorneysfeuding/story?id=14849616#.Txy8eYH7mOd
Missing Baby Lisa Lawyers Split in Feud
The Kansas City attorney who was representing the parents of missing 11month old Lisa Irwin said today that she was fired by high-powered New York defense attorney Joe Tacopina.
"Tacopina and I were not able to work as a team," attorney Cyndy Short said at a news conference today. "Our goals and our approaches are so different that one of us had to go."
Short was dismissed shortly after she gave media tours of the Irwin home, which the family now says they learned about after the fact.
"After hearing there was a press conference and listening to Mrs. Short's statement, we are further convinced that we made the correct decision," parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin wrote in a statement e-mailed to ABCNews.com. "One of the reasons we relieved Mrs. Short was because she was holding her own press conferences, making statements to the media, and giving tours of the home that we were finding out about after the fact."
The family also wrote that they learned the FBI felt Short was not "productive" in their relationship with the family.
The family said they wish the focus to remain on the search for Lisa and that Tacopina has secured "very prestigious local lawyers to join the team representing the family."
Short said she had been working pro bono for Bradley, 25, and Irwin, 29. Short said she did not know where any of the money was coming from to pay the family's legal bills or any details about the benefactor who is offering a $100,000 reward for finding Lisa or finding her abductor.
Lawyers for Baby Lisa's Parents Split
"When I got involved in this case, I did it to stand up for Jeremy and Deborah and to prevent any kind of wrongful arrest or conviction," Short said.
The police investigation so far has centered around the parents. The police have complained that the parents aren't cooperating, and last week planned interviews of the couples' young sons were cancelled at the last minute.
In return, Tacopina and Short has criticized the investigation.
Short said she believes 11-month-old Lisa was "stolen" from her home and maintains that Bradley and Irwin are good parents.
"I know that Deborah and Jeremy are a loving couple," she said. "Everything I've seen about the way they treat their children and the loving home they've created tell me that they are caring parents."
Short said she felt "an advocate was required" for the family "because of the way the press was painting things and also because the relationship with the police was so tense."
Short said she was no longer the family's attorney or liaison for the family with the police or media, or the family's public voice.
"My team is very saddened that we are no longer serving the family as we did in the last 10 days," Short said. "However, we still care very much about them and will continue to be available to them, even if we are not allowed to see them or talk to them."
Short commented that while Tacopina was in Rome, she was on the ground in Kansas City working on the case.
"I contacted them and the last thing we talked about was the love we felt for each other and that they felt they needed to stay with Joe," Short said. "I made it very clear that it was not going to work for me to work with him. Joe and I make different choices and we have from the beginning. Therefore, he's in and I'm out."
Tacopina did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Short. Tacopino also evaded questions on "Good Morning America" today about whether the postponed interviews with Lisa's 5 and 8-year-old brothers would eventually take place.
"I'm not going to give a date of an appointment or whether or not there is an appointment," Tacopina said. "Every necessary interview will be had with law enforcement."
Tacopina said he believed investigators should focus on the three witnesses who said they saw a man carrying a baby in a diaper the night Lisa disappeared. He called this "vital information." He also insisted that Bradley and Irwin have been cooperative.
"We have agreed to do everything that they've asked us to do, as long as it's being done in good faith," Tacopina said. "What has happened here in this investigation is that the investigation has become a little too adversarial."
"I'm representing two victims," Tacopina said. "I'm a victim's advocate attorney in this case. I'm not a criminal defense lawyer. They're not charged with anything."
Baby Lisa has been missing since the night of Oct. 3 and her parents maintain that she was kidnapped from her crib. Police have investigated nearly 1,000 tips and leads, but have not named any suspects.
Tacopino said the search for Lisa needs to be expanded away from the home.
"The police are frustrated because they can't find answers," Tacopina said. "I have no problem with them looking at the parents and focusing on them, but don't narrow your investigation to the point where that's the only scenario
they want to look at."
Tacopina left the relative's home where Bradley and Irwin had been staying and went with the parents to an undisclosed location.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15908951/local-attorney-continues-search-asconcerned-citizen
Short: "1 of us had to go."
Some harsh words came from the former lawyer for baby Lisa's family as she spoke out Monday since leaving the case last week.
Cyndy Short, a Kansas City attorney who is no longer representing the parents of baby Lisa Irwin, said that she will continue searching for the missing baby.
Short told reporters Monday that she differed with New York attorney Joe Tacopina on their goals and approach to the case and that "one of us had to go." That someone, Short said, was her.
"I was here for 10 days working on the case while Mr. Tacopina was in Rome," Short said. "Mr. Tacopina and I were not able to work as a team. Our goals and approach were so different that one of us had to go. That someone was me."
The two had been representing parents Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, who say someone must have snatched their baby girl Lisa Irwin in the middle of the night as the mom and two other boys slept.
The girl was 10 months old when she was reported missing on Oct. 4, and police say they have no suspects.
Short said she spoke to Irwin and Bradley about her leaving the case.
"The last thing we talked about was the love we have for each other and that they felt they needed to stay with Joe," she said. "There are a lot of cases, sadly, in this country in which children have been taken by strangers. That's my theory."
Those words didn't soothe baby Lisa's parents.
In a statement, Bradley and Irwin said Monday afternoon that they made the right decision in firing Short, particularly after hearing about Short's statements.
Short held a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the McCallister Law Firm, 917 W. 43rd St. in Kansas City.
In a statement issued Sunday, Short said she and "her team" will "continue in the search for baby Lisa as concerned citizens."
Short represented baby Lisa's parents for less than two weeks.
Monday marks four weeks since baby Lisa was last seen. Her first birthday is Nov. 11.
The following is the statement from Irwin and Bradley in its entirety:
"After hearing there was a press conference and listening to Mrs. Short's statement, we are further convinced that we made the correct decision. One of the reasons we relieved Mrs. Short was because she was holding her own press conferences, making statements to the media, and giving tours of the home that we were finding out about after the fact. Moreover, we learned the FBI felt Mrs. Short wasn't being productive in the relationship between the family and the agency.
"We want the focus to remain where it should always have been which is on the search for Lisa. Mr. Tacopina has secured very prestigious local lawyers to join the team representing the family.
"We will not be answering any further question at this time regarding Mrs. Short."
Tacopina declined to say who the new local attorneys are.
The parents gave access to Good Morning America the first weekend after they reported their daughter missing. This was before Short or Tacopina became involved in the case.
Private investigator Bill Stanton was in the home Monday afternoon with representatives of the ABC morning show. This is at least the third time that the family has allowed ABC News into their home. Local reporters have been denied such access.
http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/wrong-lawyer-representing-baby-lisairwins-parents/
Wrong lawyer is representing baby Lisa Irwin's parents
Kansas City lawyer Cyndy Short said today that she continues to believe that 11-month-old Lisa Irwin was stolen from her home. And she shed some light on why she is no longer representing the babys parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley.
At a news conference outside of her Kansas City law office, Short said she and New York lawyer Joe Tacopina were not able to work as a team.
Our goals and our approach were so different that one of us had to go, and it was me, Short said. I think Mr. Tacopina thought I would be less aggressive, maybe, less involved.
It sounds as though Tacopina wanted a local co-counsel who would basically be on call if needed, certainly not a highly competent lawyer who actually wanted to get the case resolved. If so, Short was definitely the wrong cocounsel for Hollywood Joe. She works her cases hard. In the 10 days she was involved in the Irwin case, she organized a team of 17 volunteers to participate in community efforts to find Lisa and to support the family.
I did it to stand up for Jeremy and Deborah and avoid a wrongful arrest and conviction, Short said. I saw a family that needed help and services in order to cope with immense stress.
Short said she basically told the parents they would have to chose between her and Tacopina and they chose Joe.
I will say this again that was a mistake. Tacopina and his sidekick, not-soprivate investigator Bill Stanton, are in this to grandstand on national newscasts and enhance their reputations as celebrity ambulance chasers.
Short, who was working pro bono, was in it to help the family. She said shell
continue trying to find a resolution to the case, though not in a legal capacity.
In explaining the differences between herself and Tacopina, Short had one line that kind of says it all: I was here for 10 days working on the case and he was in Rome.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15919668/womans-cell-phone-connected-tosearch-for-missing-baby
Woman's cell phone connected to search for missing baby
A woman says investigators have questioned her four times about a cell phone call made from one of Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin's cell phones just a few hours before they reported their daughter missing.
Megan Wright told CNN Monday that the telephone call came in between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
Bradley and Irwin told police about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 that their daughter had been snatched was from her crib while she was sleeping. Bradley initially said she last saw her daughter at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3, but later said she was drunk that night and last saw her daughter around 6:30 p.m.
Bradley and Irwin have repeatedly insisted that the kidnapper stole the family's three cell phones but the cell phones weren't working because of nonpayment. In court documents filed in mid-October, police said they have yet to recover the cell phones.
"I didn't have my phone at the time, but apparently there was a 50 second phone call from one of the family's phones to my cell phone. About 50
seconds long," she said. "I don't know what was said or who called or who answered my phone. But that's what the police have been questioning me about."
Wright said she received her phone back between 11 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Oct. 3, just a few hours after the mysterious phone call was received.
Wright, who has been residing in a home about a mile from baby Lisa's home on Lister Avenue in the Northland, said she does not know either Irwin or Bradley.
She said she and seven other people she lives with share the cell phone, which is why she doesn't know some of the details about the phone call.
"We have eight people that live here and only one cell phone at the time so it was pretty much community (property)," she said. "Whoever needed my phone."
But Bill Stanton, a New York private detective working on the case, told Fox News this weekend that Wright may know someone connected to the case.
Wright dated a neighborhood handyman known as "Jersey."
"He's an ex-boyfriend of mine," Wright said Monday. "We dated for about five months. I met him when I lived further down on Brighton. He was just a friend of a friend. He and I were together, for like I said, about five months. After I ended up moving in here, we broke up shortly afterwards and it was a couple of weeks before baby Lisa went missing."
Wright said she did not know whether "Jersey" knew Bradley or Irwin. She said as a drifter he went door to door looking for work and may have stopped
at their home.
Whether "Jersey" or someone else received the 50 second phone call was unknown Monday night. It was also unclear Monday how Wright's cell phone could have received such a call from one of the Bradley-Irwin cell phones since the parents had said they were incapable of making phone calls.
Kansas City Police Department spokesman Steve Young said he could not discuss investigators interviews with Wright. However, Young did say the man known as "Jersey" has been interviewed and cleared of any involvement in the baby's disappearance.
"We spoke to him and are moving on," Young said.
Police have cleared more than a 1,000 leads. Lisa went missing four weeks ago. Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance, but police have not publicly identified a person of interest in the case.
Wright told CNN that she had placed an online advertisement for an electronics item and used the cell phone number called by the Irwin-Bradley cell phone. She said the FBI saw the number and set up a fake appointment to buy the item shortly after baby Lisa went missing, Wright said. That is when the first interview occurred.
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20538450,00.html
The Baby Lisa Case: Gone Without a Trace
Nothing seemed normal to Jeremy Irwin when he came home from work at 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 4. For one thing, he says, the front door to his single-
story, three-bedroom home in Kansas City, Mo., was unlocked. Several lights were still on. A window in the front was open, and a screen was pushed in. His fiancee, Debbie Bradley, 25, and their two boys Blake, 8, and Michael, 5, were all asleep. But then Irwin checked in on their 10-month-old daughter Lisa, who liked sleeping with a stuffed Barney tucked in her crib. "I turned the light on in her room, and I found she wasn't there," says Irwin, 29. "And that's when all hell broke loose, and we started freaking out and running all over the house looking for her. And she was nowhere to be found."
Two weeks later Baby Lisa is still nowhere to be found-and her parents are facing suspicion they had something to do with her disappearance. The case has proved baffling to investigators across several agencies; on Oct. 16, 25 members of Missouri's National Guard and 50 other law-enforcement officers performed a shoulder-to-shoulder search of the woods near Irwin's home, while local police and FBI agents continued sifting through more than 650 leads. Yet so far there are no official suspects and, it seems, no clear idea of what happened to Lisa-the happy, cherubic baby her family calls Pumpkin Pie. "We're not getting very far in digging up new information that will help us solve the case," says Kansas City Police spokesman Capt. Steve Young. Police say they are disappointed in the level of cooperation they have received from the couple. And Bradley and Irwin told People they will not allow their two boys to be interviewed by police again.
In the absence of answers, attention has focused on Baby Lisa's parentsparticularly after Bradley failed a lie-detector test (she says police told her she wasn't being truthful when she claimed not to know where Lisa was). Irwin and Bradley insist they are innocent and say they believe Lisa was kidnapped by an intruder. Their attorney Joe Tacopina, who defended Joran van der Sloot in the Natalee Holloway case, says his clients "had nothing to do with the disappearance of their baby girl." The couple sat down with PEOPLE to talk about the case and re-create the events of the strange night their baby seemed to vanish into thin air. "People are going to think what they think, and that's fine, as long as they keep looking for my daughter," says Bradley. "I do not believe someone took my baby to hurt her. She is still alive somewhere."
Bradley has been separated from her husband and Michael's father, Sean Bradley, for four years. She met Irwin, a contract electrician, three years
ago, when she was working as a cashier at a Payless ShoeSource and he came in to fix a blown panel. She and her son moved in with Irwin and Blake, his son from a previous relationship, and last year she got pregnant with Lisa. "She was like, 'Yeah, I finally get my little girl!'" says Festival Foods cashier Rebecca Guerrero, 23, who knows Bradley, a stay-at-home mom, from her frequent visits to the store. "And Baby Lisa's just a beautiful, smiling, very happy baby. Deborah showed her off very proudly." They are, says Bradley, "a typical American family. We have dinner together, we go to garage sales, we watch movies-all the normal stuff everybody does."
Then came Oct. 3, a day on which several odd things happened. Irwin, who works at a friend's electrical company during the day, had a side job remodeling the lighting in a nearby Starbucks that evening. He spent time with his family between shifts, then drove to work around 5:30 p.m. "I told Deborah I should be home by 10 or so," he says. But the job was trickier than expected, and he didn't leave the Starbucks until after 3:00 a.m. And because they hadn't paid their cell phone bill and their service had been restricted, Irwin wasn't able to let Bradley know when he'd be home. Bradley says she was never worried because "I knew he was at work." Still, it was the first time Irwin had ever worked that late at night.
Earlier that day Bradley had gone to Festival Foods and bought baby wipes, baby food, pasta, mac and cheese and a box of wine. "I asked about her kids, and she's like, 'Oh, they're good,'" says Guerrero, who later told the FBI that Bradley didn't seem depressed or anxious at all. Bradley cooked a chicken dinner for herself, the boys, a neighbor and the neighbor's 4-year-old daughter. Though she initially told police she last checked on her daughter around 10:30 p.m., she says she put Lisa down around 6:40 p.m.-slightly early because the little girl had been fussy that day. Then she and the neighbor sat and talked while the children watched a movie.
Bradley admits she had several glasses of wine-enough that she felt drunk and may even have passed out. She also told FOX News she had taken a dose of antianxiety medication that day. And she admits she forgot to close the window in the computer room, which she believes is the likely entry point for an intruder, and "that's something I have to live with."
When Irwin came home, he checked on his sons and saw Michael was not in his bottom bunk. He found him snuggling Bradley in the master bedroom (he'd had a nightmare, Bradley says, and she let him sleep with her). "Then I see a cat on the bed," says Irwin, "and we don't have a cat." Bradley woke up and explained she'd taken in a stray kitten she'd found outside.
Still, Irwin was unnerved. "I said, 'What the hell's going on around here? The front door is unlocked, the window's open and the screen is popped out.'" That's when Bradley, he says, shot up in bed, alarmed. Irwin rushed down the hallway to look in on Lisa. Her stuffed Barney was still in the crib, and her bottle was on the floor. But Lisa was gone. "We're running in circles, literally running into each other, looking for her," says Bradley. "I mean, it's a complete panic." Irwin called 911 on a work phone he had borrowed. While waiting for the police, "we just kind of looked at each other, and we basically realized, 'Oh my God, somebody took her,'" says Bradley. "My kids were crying and asking me, 'Where's Pumpkin Pie? Is she gone? Are we going to get her back?' And I couldn't give them any answers. I still can't."
Bradley says she volunteered to take a lie detector test but that when she took it she was "terrified and nervous and worried about my daughter. They told me I failed." (She says police didn't test Irwin because they verified his whereabouts.) The couple say police presented a theory that Lisa had been accidentally harmed and that Bradley panicked and tried to cover it upsomething they both strongly deny. "What I think is that somebody was watching us, and they saw Jeremy's van was not there. And that just happened to be the night the window was open," says Bradley. And what about all the odd occurrences-the lights still on and the stray cat, all on Irwin's first night shift? "There were tons of strange things that happened," she admits. "But I have no idea why; I was sleeping. No crime makes any sense until it's solved."
Police aren't commenting on the specifics of the case, including why the couple's three cell phones, left in the kitchen, were also apparently taken that night. But they denied being close to arresting Bradley, something she says she feared was imminent. Officials have questioned a homeless man known to ride around the neighborhood on a red bicycle and also searched an abandoned house where diapers and a child's backpack were found, but neither lead has produced a suspect. Meanwhile an anonymous woman put
up a $100,000 reward and hired a private investigator, Bill Stanton, to look into the case. "You have to expect people to have their eyes on [the parents]," says Stanton, 47, "but let's keep one eye on the possible 'other.'"
Most of the neighbors on the couple's quiet, tree-lined street have been supportive, helping with searches and handing out fliers. "I just hope it was someone that wanted a baby and is taking good care of her now," says Thelma Beagley, 77, who lives two doors down. "That's what all of us wantjust to bring little Lisa home safe and sound." Some, however, have their doubts. "I'm still skeptical about the couple," says Bill Anders, 56, a neighbor and former deputy sheriff. "Why are the cell phones missing? You take the baby, and then you're going to go over and take three cell phones? I just have this gut feeling that they're involved."
So far, that seems to be all there is to go on-gut feelings. The house where Baby Lisa once played sits empty now, after Irwin and Bradley moved into a relative's home several miles away to escape the crush of media. In the backyard a jungle gym and yellow slide go unused; inside, in Lisa's nursery, angel pictures and knickknacks keep vigil over an empty crib. "My mom loved angels, and Lisa is named for her, so I put a lot of angels in her room," says Bradley, tearing up for the first time in the interview. "And I believe the angels are always watching over my baby." The Night in Question What happened in the hours before and after Lisa Irwin disappeared?
MONDAY, OCT. 3
5:30 P.M. Jeremy Irwin leaves for work. Debbie Bradley cooks dinner for her sons and a neighbor.
6:40 P.M. Bradley says she put a fussy Baby Lisa to bed and a few minutes later checked on her again.
10:30 P.M. Bradley's neighbor leaves after a night of drinking. Bradley, feeling drunk, goes to bed.
TUESDAY, OCT. 4
3:45 A.M. Irwin comes home from work and sees a window open. He checks in on Baby Lisa and finds that she is missing.
4:00 A.M. Irwin calls 911 and police arrive. Not much later, investigators begin the search for Baby Lisa.
What the Parents Believe "Lisa's perfect, she's smart, she's amazing. I can totally understand why someone would want her"
Debbie Bradley
On when they realized their daughter was missing:
Jeremy: "Immediately, when I saw that she wasn't in the crib and wasn't in my bed."
On finding themselves the targets of suspicion:
Jeremy: "I think we're probably going to be in the crosshairs until they find whoever has Lisa."
Debbie: "It's not about clearing my name. We'll take these bullets for my
daughter."
On what they say to their boys:
Debbie: "We are telling them that we are a family and must be strong for Lisa."
November 1st 2011:

http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/01/police-question-deborah-bradleys-brother-inbaby-lisa-case/
Police Question Deborah Bradleys Brother in Baby Lisa Case
The uncle of missing Northland baby Lisa Irwin was questioned by police on Tuesday as the search for the missing 11-month-old child approaches the one month mark.
Police did not release the name of the man, identified as the brother of Deborah Bradley, mother of Lisa Irwin. Authorities say that the man went with police from the home on North Walrond in Kansas City voluntarily, and they say that he is not in custody or considered to be a suspect in the investigation.
The Irwin family had been staying with relatives at the home on N. Walrond since the child disappeared.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/breaking-news-babylisa-case-mom-s-brother-leaves-with-detectives
Moms brother leaves with detectives
Missouri baby Lisa Irwins maternal uncle was seen leaving a relatives home where Lisas parents have been staying since she went missing.
KCTV 5 reports that on Tuesday two members of the Kansas City Police Department arrived at the home on North Waldrond where baby Lisa's parents and brothers have stayed since she went misisng, and after the first few days they stayed in a hotel.
It was reported Friday that two detectives entered the home, spent 30 minutes inside, and were seen leaving with the uncle. This is the baby's mother, Deborah Bradley's brother, the same brother who was seen in surveillance video shopping with Lisa's mother the night the baby went missing. She purchased a box of wine and baby products, and later admitted to getting drunk and possibly blacking out that night.
The uncle was seen returning to the home after being gone about two hours. He returned about 12:45 p.m. and was dropped off by two people inside a car registered to a rental car agency in Independence.
Police have not said why they made the house visit.
Asked to provide any details about the morning's events, Kansas City Police spokesman Capt. Steve Young said this is an active case and the brother is just talking with detectives. He said he cannot provide the brother's name.
Lisa's parents, half-brothers, and other family members were seen with
"Wild" Bill Stanton, a New York consultant working with the family, on Friday evening leaving in several vehicles and heading to an undisclosed location.
Baby Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, have still not sat down with authorities for unrestricted, independent interviews since two days after Baby Lisa went missing, KCTV 5 reports. Interviews that police say could help their babys case move forward.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15925815/deborahs-brother-leaves-withdetectives
Missing baby's uncle meets with detectives
A maternal uncle of missing baby Lisa Irwin voluntarily met Tuesday with Kansas City Police Department detectives.
Phil Netz is the brother of Debbie Bradley. He was with his sister on the afternoon of Oct. 3 when Bradley purchased a box of wine and food items at a Northland grocery store.
Bradley has said she drank enough that night to pass out drunk. Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say that his daughter had been snatched from her crib by a kidnapper while he was on an electrical job and while Bradley was sleeping.
Police say they still want to re-interview Irwin and Bradley. Police last interviewed them on Oct. 8 and restrictions have been placed on all interviews since Oct. 5, authorities told KCTV5.
But on Tuesday, two members of the Kansas City, MO police department came to the home on North Walrond where the parents had been staying
before leaving Friday night.
The two detectives left with Netz after half an hour inside the home. The uncle was gone about two hours. He returned about 12:45 p.m. and was dropped off by investigators.
Police have not said why they made the house visit. When asked about the visit, they told KCTV5 this is an active investigation and they are still conducting interviews.
This comes a day after Cyndy Short, the family's former local attorney, explained her departure as local counsel for Irwin and Bradley.
Short said she had major disagreements with the family's New York attorney, Joe Tacopina, about how to interact with media.
Short admits her contact with local media may have upset the family and Tacopina.
Regardless of her involvement with the legal team, Short said she still believes in her former clients' innocence.
"We still care very much about them, and we will continue to be available to them to support them emotionally and to help them rally community support even if we are not allowed to see them or to talk to them," said Cyndy Short.
Tacopina announced Tuesday that Kansas City attorney John Picerno will serve as local counsel for baby Lisa's parents. Picerno said he would not answer questions Tuesday.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/01/v-mobile/3243027_a-look-back-ata-critical-night.html
Baby's last night at KC home detailed
The night before her 10-month-old daughter disappeared, Deborah Bradley spent several hours talking with a friend, smoking cigarettes and drinking five to 10 glasses of wine.
Bradley became so intoxicated that she could not recall later whether she checked on Lisa Irwin in her crib before going to bed herself about 10:30 p.m., according to a source familiar with the familys recollection of events from Oct. 3 and 4.
For the first time, the source provided details of what happened, according to Lisas parents, in the hours leading up to the moment they realized Lisa was gone from their Kansas City home on North Lister Avenue.
It was an unusual night for the family. Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin, had taken on an extra work assignment to help the family catch up on bills. Normally, he would have been home at night.
According to the source:
Irwin came home from his day job as an electrician about 2:30 that afternoon, which was the first Monday in October. He stayed long enough to have dinner with his family and play with the children.
About 4:30 p.m., Bradley and her brother, Phillip Netz, left to go a neighborhood store to buy a box of wine and baby supplies. Irwin stayed with Lisa and her half-brothers, ages 8 and 5.
About 5 p.m., Netz and Bradley returned from the store. Netz soon left. About 30 minutes later, Irwin headed to work at a Starbucks, but he did not expect the work to keep him away from home as long as it did.
Samantha Brando, a next door neighbor in her 20s, came over to the Irwin house with her 4-year-old daughter. The daughter played with Lisas halfbrothers.
Bradley put Lisa in her crib about 6:40 p.m., while Brando headed to a store to purchase liquor for herself.
Brando returned to the Irwin home about 7 p.m. and sat on the front stoop with Bradley. The two smoked cigarettes, talked and drank into the night.
By 10:30 p.m., Bradley, who had consumed five to 10 glasses of wine, was intoxicated. She told Brando that she was going to bed. Brando left.
The boys fell asleep in bed with Bradley. The door to Lisas bedroom already was closed to block out noise from the boys playing earlier.
Irwin finished his work at Starbucks at 3:45 a.m. and drove to his Northland home. Though he had worked through much of the night, he had not called home from Starbucks.
At home, he noticed the front door unlocked and the lights on, which was unusual. He walked to the computer room and realized the window was open. He tried to shut it but couldnt because it wouldnt work properly.
He walked to the boys room and saw that the older boy was in his bed on
the top bunk. The younger boy still was in bed with Bradley.
The door to Lisas room was open, but Irwin did not peek inside. He walked by and entered his bedroom.
A stray cat that Bradley had brought into the home was at the foot of their bed. Bradley awoke. Irwin asked her what was going on, why the front door was open and the lights were on. Bradley said she did not know.
Irwin then realized that he had not checked on Lisa. He went to her room. Her crib was empty. He went back to his bedroom and asked Bradley about the babys whereabouts. Bradley said she didnt know.
Irwin ran to the Brando home and banged on the front door. He asked Brando if Lisa was there. She asked why Lisa would be there and not at home.
Panic ensued. Irwin called police on his work cellphone, after noticing that the home cellphones were missing.
Calling out the homes address, a dispatcher told officers to respond on a reported residential burglary in progress.
Seconds later she said, Contact Jeremy. He noticed his screen is busted and his 10-month-old daughter is missing.
He advises that he didnt witness anything and doesnt know how long shes been gone.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15927416/tacopina-announces-new-localcounsel-in-baby-lisa-case
Tacopina announces new local counsel in baby Lisa case
New York attorney Joe Tacopina announced Tuesday that a Kansas City attorney will now serve as local counsel for Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, whose daughter was reported missing four weeks ago.
Defense attorney John Picerno is replacing Kansas City attorney Cyndy Short who was forced off the case late last week. Picerno has previously spoken publicly about how he would handle Irwin and Bradley's defense.
In an interview last week with the Kansas Star, KCTV5's reporting partners, Picerno said the thought of putting his clients in a room with police officers makes him nervous
"My own view is that my clients should never talk to police," Picerno told the newspaper. "I tell them, The prisons are full of people who talked to the police. The police are going to do what they are going to do, with or without your cooperation and your statement.' " The following is Tuesday's statement from Tacopina in its entirety:
"Please note that Kansas City Attorney John Picerno will be joining the team of attorneys representing Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin in their quest to bring home their baby girl, Lisa.
Neither Mr. Picerno nor I will be fielding any further press inquiries at this time. There will also be no further comments made to the media by either the attorneys, the investigators, or the family. That would include no other "media house tours" or "press conferences". This standing position may change at any moment as developments occur.
While, understandably, the media and the public at large have a great interest in the hunt for baby Lisa and its search for answers, we feel at this time that the focus needs to shift back on the investigation and hopeful recovery of Lisa, both alive and well. In the past week, we have observed potentially vital information regarding possible sightings of Lisa, corroborated by multiple and independent witnesses, take a backseat to announcements of witness meetings with law enforcement and attorney press conferences. The family believes that these distractions shift the focus away from where it should be placed.
Additionally, I would ask that the media please respect the privacy of the Irwin family in this enormously difficult time. We were forced to relocate Deborah, Jeremy, and their two young sons out of a family home because members of the media (and some members of the public) continued to approach it with various requests.
Lastly, I would ask that all potential "tips" be appropriately relayed to local law enforcement or the FBI. They are the trained professionals charged with the responsibility of assessing all potentially relevant information.
Thank you all for your continued concern and understanding."
The parents of missing Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin met with their new local attorney on Wednesday at the home of the missing baby's uncle.
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin returned to the home of Phil Netz, Bradley's brother, at midday. They had been staying at the home on North Walrond Avenue for most of the time since Lisa disappeared on Oct. 3, but left the house for an undisclosed location last week.
Family members said they left the location in order to avoid an overwhelming number of requests from the media and the general public.
Bradley and Irwin met with John Picerno, the Kansas City attorney who joined the case this week. Picerno had no public comments on Wednesday about the case or his role in it.
Lisa Irwin disappeared from her crib at the family's home on North Lister Avenue. Bradley said she last checked on the baby late in the evening, but also drank wine with a neighbor on the front step that night after putting Lisa to bed. Jeremy Irwin left to do an overnight electrician's job and returned at 4 a.m. and found the baby missing.
The neighbor, a woman named Samantha, has spent a lot of time with the couple since Lisa disappeared. She was at the home on North Walrond Avenue while Bradley and Irwin met with Picerno on Wednesday.
Thursday will mark one month since Lisa Irwin was last seen.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/01/metro-baby-looks-similar-to-baby-lisa/
Baby Looks Similar to Baby Lisa; Parents Deal With Stares
Its been almost a month since baby Lisa Irwin was taken from her home. She matches the description of a lot of babies around the metro with blond hair and blue eyes. Some parents who have babies with those features are finding that out.
John Hoops thought he was being paranoid. Now, he realizes that anywhere he goes with his 11-month-old daughter Harper, people stare.
Ill walk by and people will stop in the parking lot and whisper to each other, Hoops said. I like to think its because shes a really cute baby.
Hoops is home with Harper during the day while his wife works. He then works at night. Hoops says he understands why some people do a doubletake.
Im the mystery man with the cute little baby, he said. Thats what people are thinking.
Hes walks his daughter through their neighborhood just a few miles from where baby Lisa disappeared. He sees cars drive by two or three times trying to get a good look at his baby. He says the worst incident was a lady at a coffee shop who kept looking at Harper and then pulled up a picture of baby Lisa on her cell phone.
She kept looking again and again, he said. I thought it was funny and tried to play it off saying, Its not her, and she turned around and said, Ill determine that.
Hoops says he understands why people do a double-take.
Harper has more hair, her eyes arent as blue as Lisas, he said.
In a way its a good thing that people are being vigilant. What happened to baby Lisa is a heart-breaking mystery.
I couldnt imagine coming home to an empty crib, he said.
Police are still running down leads on Lisa Irwin. If you think youve seen her,
police encourage you to look carefully at her picture and make sure the baby youve seen isnt just another cute, chubby-cheeked baby.
November 2nd 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15940122/source-says-4-hour-window-forabduction
Source says 4-hour window for abduction of Baby Lisa
Lisa Irwin's parents and witnesses have told police that the missing infant was snatched during a four-hour period last month, KCTV5 has learned.
The source detailed to KCTV5 the events that Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have reported to police after their then 10-month-old daughter went missing.
The source requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. The details shed fresh light on the events leading up to Lisa's disappearance, which were both typical and unusual for the family.
Irwin discovered his daughter missing about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4 and called 911 before 4 a.m. An Amber Alert was issued about three hours later, but police initially had questions for Bradley, who has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance.
The girl remains missing. Police have investigated more than 1,000 tips.
Here are the details of Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 as provided by the source this week:
Irwin spent the morning and early afternoon of Oct. 3 working as an electrician. He came home about 2:30 p.m. He ate with his family and played with Lisa, his son and Bradley's son.
Bradley and her brother, Phil Netz, left the home about 4:30 p.m. to go to the Festival Foods in the Northland to purchase a box of wine and baby items. Surveillance video captured them strolling through the grocery store and making the purchases around 4:45 p.m.
One of Bradley's relatives initially told KCTV5 that the alcohol was purchased for an upcoming family event. But Bradley later told reporters that she opened the box that night.
Netz and Bradley returned to baby Lisa's home about 5 p.m. Netz left his sister's home shortly after that, and Irwin headed to perform electrical work at a nearby Starbucks at about 5:30 p.m. He expected to be home later that night.
The next-door neighbor, Samantha Brando, was at the home before Netz and Bradley left. Brando came over with her 4-year-old daughter who played with Lisa's older half brothers. It is unclear whether she returned to her home or hung out with Irwin while Netz and Bradley went to the grocery store.
Brando left at about 6 p.m. to purchase alcohol for herself. She returned about 6:30 p.m. and her daughter reportedly remembers seeing baby Lisa in her crib about 6:30 p.m. when Bradley put the baby, who was battling a cold, down to sleep.
Bradley and Brando then sat on the front stoop, drinking, smoking cigarettes and chatting into the night.
Bradley admits she drank at least five glasses of wine and as many as 10 glasses between when she returned from Festival Foods and 10:30 p.m. She has defended her actions.
"She was sleeping. I don't see the problem with me having my grown-up time," Bradley told a reporter about her getting drunk while overseeing three young children. "I take good care of my kids."
She has said she may have passed out and was so intoxicated that she doesn't remember if she checked on her sleeping daughter when she went to bed at 10:30 p.m.
Bradley initially had said she last saw her baby at 10:30 p.m. but later said it was 6:30 p.m. when reporters raised questions about the Festival Foods surveillance video.
Brando says she last saw the baby at 4:30 p.m. Brando says she stayed outside talking to another neighbor until 11:30 p.m. and noticed nothing amiss so that the abductor could not have taken baby Lisa before then. Brando told police that the lights were out in baby Lisa's house when she went inside and to bed around 11:30 p.m.
The Starbucks job kept Irwin longer than he expected, but he did not use his work cell to call home. Bradley has said she was not alarmed by the delay.
Police have been able to verify that Irwin was at the Starbucks until about 3:30 a.m. and nothing unusual occurred.
Irwin returned to his home about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4 and immediately noticed that the front door was unlocked and the lights were on. He discovered the window to the computer room was open and attempted to close it but was unable to do so.
He does not remember if the door to Lisa's room was open or not. He found his son in his bunk bed and Bradley and her son together in her bed along with a stray kitten she had just taken in.
Irwin was initially angry to discovery the kitten and the lights were on. He knew the family was in such dire financial straight that their cell phones could not make outgoing calls because of nonpayment. He was concerned about the electric bill and finding a cat at the foot of his bed.
Irwin says he woke up Bradley and asked her about the alarming signs in the home. Irwin said he realized he had not checked on Lisa and rushed to do so and found her crib empty.
This discovery sent the couple into a panic. The family's three cell phones were also missing from a counter. Irwin dashed to Brando's house demanding to know whether she had Lisa. She said she did not and asked why Lisa would be there instead of her own home.
As Bradley crumpled to the floor in a heap and sobbed, Irwin called 911 via his work cell phone. The dispatchers sent officers to check out a residential burglary in progress and that Irwin had reported his daughter missing. The officers were told of a previous theft complaint involving Irwin.
"The address is 3620 North Lister and the call notes are that he noticed that his 10-month-old daughter is missing and he's not sure how long she's been gone. And the screen is busted and he didn't witness anything," the dispatcher tells an officer.
Within four minutes of arriving, the first police officers asked for the assistance of higher ups.
Kansas City police have rejected releasing the 911 telephone call by Irwin or the dash cam video from the patrol car of the responding officers, citing it as an ongoing investigation as allowed by the Missouri Open Records law.
A month later, the question of where is baby Lisa captivates the Kansas City area, the nation and indeed the world.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/babylisa-irwin-source-details-timeline-of-day-and-night-of-disappearance
Baby Lisa Irwin source details timeline of day and night of disappearance
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is now detailing the hours that led up to the disappearance of Baby Lisa Irwin.
NBC Action News has confirmed the source has had direct contact with multiple family members, including the parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
Events of October 3, 2011, according to source.
2:30 p.m. -Jeremy Irwin arrives home from work as an electrician, but must return later to work overtime.
4:30 p.m. -Neighbor checks in on Baby Lisas crib and finds her apparently fine. -Deborah Bradley and her brother go to a supermarket to purchase baby
food and a box of wine. Jeremy Irwin stayed home with children.
5:00 p.m. -Deborah Bradley returns from store with wine and baby food.
5:30 p.m. -Brother leaves Irwin home. -Family finances are stressed, so Jeremy Irwin returns to work overtime as an electrician at a Starbucks.
6:00 p.m. -Neighbor, who checked on baby earlier returns for a moment, then leaves to purchase additional alcohol.
6:30 p.m. -Neighbor returns and neighbors daughter sees Baby Lisa apparently safe. -Deborah Bradley puts Lisa in crib.
6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. -Neighbors daughter plays inside with the boys of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. -Deborah Bradley and neighbor consume alcohol and smoke cigarettes on front porch. -Bradley consumed approximately five to ten glasses of wine.
10:30 -Neighbor goes home. Deborah Bradley turns out lights and goes to sleep
with boys in her bed. -She believes she checked on Baby Lisa but is unsure, possibly because of the alcohol. -Lights go out
Events of October 4, 2011, according to source.
3:30 a.m. -Jeremy Irwin returns home from work. -Irwin is angered to see lights on and a window screen damaged, but doesnt immediately notice Baby Lisa is missing. -A stray cat was sleeping on their bed. -Facing financial concerns and concerned about electricity bills, he awakens Deborah Bradley to ask why lights are on. -Deborah Bradley is groggy. -Irwin checks on Baby Lisa, finding her missing. -Irwin runs next door, banging on neighbors door, asking if Lisa is there. -Irwin noticed the family cell phones were missing and called police from his work mobile phone -Irwin and Bradley grab a flashlight and begin what has now become a month-long search.
New York attorney Joe Tacopina announced Tuesday that a new Kansas City attorney will help represent the parents of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin.
John Picerno will join the legal team for Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley.
"While, understandably, the media and the public at large have a great interest in the hunt for baby Lisa and its search for answers, we feel at this time that the focus needs to shift back on the investigation and hopeful recovery of Lisa, both alive and well. In the past week, we have observed potentially vital information regarding possible sightings of Lisa, corroborated by multiple and independent witnesses, take a backseat to announcements of witness meetings with law enforcement and attorney press conferences. The family believes that these distractions shift the focus away from where it should be placed," Tacopina said in the news release.
Tacopina said that there would be no immediate plans for news conferences, house tours or other events involving the family or their representatives.
He said the family left the home where they had been staying because of numerous requests from the media and some members of the public.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deborah Bradley's brother, Phil, was interviewed by Kansas City police. Sources told KMBC 9 News that the questioning was voluntary and lasted less than two hours.
Bradley's brother was with her when she went to a store hours before Lisa Irwin disappeared. She bought a box of wine and some baby supplies during that shopping trip. Jeremy Irwin, the baby's father, was home with her and her two brothers.
Jeremy Irwin left the house later that afternoon for an electrician's job and Bradley stayed with the baby and drank wine with a neighbor. The neighbor's younger daughter said she last saw the baby at 6:30 p.m. Bradley told police she last remembered checking on Lisa at about 10:30 p.m.
Jeremy Irwin said the baby was gone when he returned to the house at about 4 a.m.
Lisa's brothers were initially questioned by specialists on the day the baby vanished. Another session with them was planned last week but was later postponed. It has not been rescheduled, but was expected to be soon.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/irwin-familyattorney-has-defended-several-high-profile-clients
Irwin family attorney has defended several high profile clients
Kansas attorney, David Langston, calls John Picerno a friend. He found out yesterday that Picerno is now taking on the Lisa Irwin case.
He's extremely well prepared when he goes to court, he knows his case inside and out and he's a very good advocate for his clients, said Langston.
New York attorney, Joe Tacopina, hired Picerno to be the local attorney after Cyndy Short was relieved of her duties. The family hasnt made any public appearances since Picerno came on the case.
This isnt the attorneys first high profile case. Picerno represented a family member of Albert Pujols in a death case in 2009. Hes also taken on several murder trials.
I think it's a wise move by Mr. Tacopina to employ a good well known strong lawyer to be his local council, said Langston.
Langston doesnt believe Picerno will sit in the background on the Irwin case, rather hell be Tacopinas teammate.
I don't think that he would accept a subordinate role as far as the legal work goes they will share the responsibilities if a case is filed, said Langston.
Tacopina isnt saying if he or his team is being paid to help the Irwins.
November 3rd 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15953146/neighbor-says
Report: Neighbor says he passed polygraph in missing baby case
A man who lives next door to the home of baby Lisa Irwin says he has met repeatedly with detectives and passed a polygraph.
CNN interviewed Wednesday the husband of Samantha Brando, who is good friends with Debbie Bradley and spent much of the evening Oct. 3 drinking and smoking cigarettes with Bradley. CNN is not identifying the husband, who declined an on-camera interview.
Reporter Jim Spellman said a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department confirmed that the neighbor has been cleared of any involvement in the disappearance of baby Lisa. The spokesperson said the department "has moved on from him," according to CNN.
Representatives for the Kansas City Police Department did not immediately respond to requests from KCTV for comment on Thursday.
The then 10-month-old infant was reported missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 when Jeremy Irwin arrived home from performing electrical work at a Kansas City Starbucks and discovered his daughter was not in her crib. Irwin and Bradley say that their daughter was kidnapped while she was sleeping.
However, Bradley has said she expects police to arrest her in connection with her daughter's disappearance.
Police focused on Brando's husband because he had moved out of his home just hours before Irwin went missing, CNN reported. The couple had marital problems.
Brando and her husband met with a marriage counselor in the early afternoon on Oct. 3. The counselor suggested that the couple attempt a trial separation and the husband left the home about 5 p.m. Oct. 3, CNN reported. He then went to a friend's home.
A source familiar with the case earlier this week told KCTV5 that Brando and her 4-year-old daughter were inside baby Lisa's home about 4:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Bradley told People magazine that she cooked dinner for her family, Brando and her daughter, which they shared about 5:30 p.m.
Brando sat outside drinking and smoking cigarettes with Bradley from about 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Bradley then went to bed while Brando stayed outside talking to a neighbor, the source told KCTV5.
Brando's husband told CNN that he spent the night of Oct. 3 with a friend. He showed CNN texts between him and his wife on Oct. 3. At 10:33 p.m., the neighbor wrote to Brando that he loved her and their daughter and to kiss her goodnight. Brando responded at 10:54 p.m. that she and their daughter loved him too.
The man told CNN that he went to bed. He got up about 5 a.m. to go to his job at the Whiteman Air Force Base. The man said he received a call from Brando at 5:59 a.m. Oct. 4 to alert him that Lisa was missing.
The man said he worked his scheduled shift and rushed back to Kansas City afterward to see if he could help in anyway find the baby. The man to that end he cooperated with authorities when they focused on him, allowed his home to be searched repeatedly and ultimately took the polygraph test last week.
Lisa was last seen a month ago. Police have not identified a suspect in her disappearance. (Update: This story originally said Brando worked at Whiteman Air Force base but Spellman said in mid-February that Brando worked at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph.)
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15930233/day-30-new-information-in-case-ofmissing-baby
Day 30: New information in case of missing baby
Police have spoken to a northland handyman because of his history of home break-ins in Lisa Irwin's neighborhood, and say they have "moved on," stating that they have never called him or anyone else in the investigation a suspect.
John Tanko, 42, nicknamed "Jersey," appeared in Clay County court Tuesday on charges not related to the baby Lisa case. Early on in the investigation, police were anxious to find Tanko and question him about the night Lisa disappeared.
Neighbors near the baby's home said he would break into a house just a block from Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin's house and squat in the home while the owner lived out of state.
Thaer Alkhaezraji lives just a block up on North Lister from baby Lisa's home.
Alkhaezraji said he has called the police on Tanko two or three times, claiming Tanko was breaking into the house across the street.
"He caused a lot of problems," said Thaer Alkhaezraji. "We chased him one time over here but he never lived here," said Alkhaezraji.
Alkhaezraji said Tanko would break into the house through a window which could be why police were wanting to talk to him.
A window was open and screen pushed at Lisa's home the night she vanished.
According to court documents, Tanko even went as far as to list this address as his home address on court papers.
And yet another tie to Tanko is a woman who says the FBI has questioned her about her cell phone.
Megan Wright said one of the cell phones supposedly stolen from Lisa's home made a 50-second call to her phone the night Lisa went missing, but Wright denies any contact with the family.
"We have eight people that live here, and only one cell phone. It was pretty much a community phone," said Wright.
Police are not naming anyone as suspects or persons of interest in this case as the investigation pushes through it's fifth week.
November 4th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/tips-slowingdown-in-search-for-lisa-irwin-police-say
Tips slowing down in search for Lisa Irwin, police say
Kansas City police say there's been a slowdown in the number of tips received in the monthlong search for a baby reported missing from her home.
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin reported their 10-month-old daughter, Lisa Irwin, missing Oct. 4. The baby's parents have said they believe the child was abducted from her crib overnight while other members of the family slept.
Police spokeswoman Stacey Graves said Friday that police have received more than 1,100 tips and have cleared nearly 1,000. But she said the number of calls to police has recently tapered off.
She said the nature of the investigation hasn't changed, and that police continue to search for the baby.
Graves said up to 50 detectives continue to work on the case and that there are no suspects.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/15962122/police-maintain-still-activelysearching-for-missing-baby
Police: Still actively searching for missing baby
The Kansas City Police Department is still actively searching for missing baby Lisa Irwin, authorities said Friday.
Police confirmed that their search is still active. This follows a media report that the police had called off active searches for the baby.
Baby Lisa has been missing a month after her parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, called 911 to report her missing about 4 a.m. on Oct. 4. Lisa's first birthday is next week.
Sgt. Stacey Graves, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department, said Friday that detectives have received 1,205 tips and cleared 959 of them. She did not provide any additional details on the progress of the investigation.
Police have been unable to schedule a second interview with baby Lisa's older half-brothers. Joe Tacopina, the New York attorney representing baby Lisa's parents, had said the interviews would occur this week.
The 5-year-old and 8-year-old boys were interviewed by a trained child specialist on Oct. 4 in the hours after Lisa was reported missing. Police watched the interviews via closed circuit television.
Police wanted a second interview and DNA samples from the boys. That had
been scheduled for a week ago, but it was canceled by Tacopina. Cyndy Short, who was removed from the case last week, had said she objected to allowing the boys to be interviewed again, saying it would not be productive.
Defense attorneys who aren't involved in the case have said they would not allow the boys to be interviewed again, in part because it would be traumatic to them.
But others content that the boys could have heard or seen something that would lead to Lisa's safe return.
When Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her Utah home, her then 9-yearold sister was in the room. The sister initially told her family she recognized the kidnapper's voice but could not place it.
About six months later, the sister remembered how she recognized the kidnapper's voice. This identification led to the safe return of Elizabeth Smart and the conviction of the man who masterminded her kidnapping.
Irwin and Bradley have not spoken to local reporters since the first week that they reported their daughter missing, but earlier this week allowed Good Morning America to film the two boys trick or treating.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/A-month-laterstill-no-sign-of-Lisa-irwin
A month later, still no sign of Lisa Irwin
Through an entire month of noise and confusion, rumors and searches, there's still one sad question that hasn't been answered: Where is Lisa Irwin?
Her father came home in the pre-dawn hours of Oct. 4 to find Lisa's mother passed out in a bedroom.
Jeremy Irwin found the front door unlocked at his modest home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue and lights on throughout the house.
He also found a bedroom window that had been tampered with in the front of the house
Irwin woke the baby's mother, Deborah Bradley and went to check on his then-10-month-old Lisa, a source told NBC Action News reporter Russ Ptacek .
Irwin discovered his baby was gone.
Thus began the case that has fascinated the nation, all while confounding police.
The 911 call that brought police to the house was made on Jeremy Irwin's work cell phone. Cell phones belonging to the family were gone.
It didn't take police long to issue an AMBER Alert for the baby.
Word went out to area media about the baby, white, with blonde hair, a bug bite and a cold.
The first television reporters, photographers and the equipment used for live shots arrived on North Lister Avenue.
That began what's been nearly a round-the-clock media presence in the Northland neighborhood.
Jeremy and Deborah didn't talk to reporters that first day, but spent hours with detectives.
Kansas City Police Department spokesman Steve Young told reporters a few tips had been called in, but none proved helpful.
More than 100 officers rotated into the neighborhood to search nearby woods near the family's house. In addition, police walked the area, knocking on doors and asking 300 people if they had any information about the missing baby.
The pattern was in place.
Over the next several weeks, police would search woods, ponds, landfills and any other spot they thought might lead them to Lisa. But the searches didn't reveal the clues police needed.
A memorial sprang up in the front yard of the Irwin home on North Lister and concerned citizens began prayer vigils.
About two weeks into the investigation, hopes were raised when soiled diapers were found in an abandoned house about a mile from the Irwin home. A Scooby Doo backpack, baby food and men's clothes also were found, according to a report on NBC Action News.
Police quickly determined the diapers were not connected to Lisa Irwin.
At the same time, police caught up with a handyman known on the streets as "Jersey.''
He was often seen in the Irwin's neighborhood and police wanted to know if he could provide them any information about the missing baby.
Young said detectives were doing the necessary leg work by interviewing anyone connected to neighborhood or Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley.
The most explosive information revealed thus far came in a search warrant document obtained by NBC Action News and other media outlets.
In the document, police state an FBI cadaver dog "hit'' on the scent of a deceased human in the area of the floor of Deborah Bradley's bedroom near the bed.
The document also revealed detectives thought they received conflicting information from Bradley.
Despite those concerns, detectives did admit each search done had recovered evidence helpful to the investigation.
Police have not said what evidence they found.
Lawyers and others working for the Irwin and Bradley maintain the couple had nothing to do with Lisa's disappearance.
The story of Baby Lisa Irwin's disapperance is starting to move off the front
pages and lead story slots in the local media.
But even with the media spotlight dimming a bit, the question is a month old and still has no answer: Where is Baby Lisa?
November 5th 2011:

Volunteers Hold Baby Lisa Search
Volunteers searched Saturday in hopes of finding clues in the disappearance of missing baby Lisa Irwin.
People, including the baby's grandparents, combed through the woods near 53rd Street and Randolph Road. Witnesses have reported seeing a man carrying a baby in that direction on the night Lisa Irwin disappeared.
"The last sighting was at 48th Street and Parvin (Road), right down the road," said search organizer Edith Fine-Duskin. "They were walking this way."
Police said the number of tips in the case has begun to slow down. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474TIPS.
Lisa Irwin disappeared from her crib at her family's home on North Lister Avenue. She was last seen on Oct. 3.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/police-can-t-saysuspect-cleared-claim-not-searching-for-baby-lisa-ridiculous
Police: Can't say suspect cleared; claim not looking for Baby Lisa 'ridiculous'
Kansas City Police were asked to confirm if they are no longer looking for missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin and if they've cleared a neighbor who was recently interviewed and given a lie detector test.
KCPD spokeswoman Stacey Graves said in an email Thursday that the claim they're not looking for Baby Lisa is'ridiculous' and that they do not confirm whether or not they clear potential suspects.
"We will not stop looking for Lisa until we find her," Graves said. "For someone to imply we have stopped searching for Lisa is ridiculous."
Was neighbor cleared?
There are conflicting reports as to whether Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwins next door neighbor, Samantha Brandos husband, has been cleared of any involvement in Baby Lisas disappearance.
KCTV5 News reported Thursday that a KCPD spokesman confirmed the neighbor has been cleared and that the department had moved on from him.
However, asked to confirm that KCPD cleared the neighbor, KCPD spokeswoman Stacey Graves wrote in an email Friday, "I cannot confirm the below statement. We are not providing specific information in regard to the investigation, which would include 'clearing' a person detectives have
contacted."
According to KCTV 5, CNN correspondent Jim Spellman appeared on HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell Show Wednesday discussing the husband of Samantha Brando the next door neighbor who was drinking with Deborah the night her baby went missing who allegedly told Spellman he was the subject of the investigation for some time and that hed been cleared.
According to a transcript of the show Spellman said, Listen, police say that he [neighbor] has been talked to, cooperated, and that police have moved on is the language they use.
The fact that police have talked to the neighbors husband, that hes cooperated, and that police have moved on in their investigation does not mean they have cleared him.
Graves was asked to confirm the following:
Does KCPD consider Mike Thompson (the man on a motorcycle who said he saw a man with a baby walking near an intersection a few miles from the baby's home around 4:10 a.m.) a credible witness Did Thompson positively identify a man he saw in a lineup of photos he was shown at the police station: Who provided the photos for Thompson to identify the potential suspect? Did Thompson say the baby had on a diaper and white t-shirt? Did the husband of the neighbor who was drinking and smoking with Deborah the night Baby Lisa went missing pass a lie detector test? Are police still looking at him as a potential suspect?
Graves responded in an email Wednesday saying,
Sorry, we are unable to talk about specifics of the investigation. Unfortunately, this response applies to all of your below questions.
As of yesterday, we have received 1164 tips/leads and have cleared over 940 of those. We are actively investigating the case and are still searching for baby Lisa, Graves wrote.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-witnesspositively-identifies-man-with-salt-and-pepper-hair
Witness positively identifies man with salt and pepper hair
A potential witness, who previously said he saw a man at an intersection holding a baby dressed in a diaper and t-shirt who looked like missing Baby Lisa Irwin, told Examiner.com Thursday that the man appeared to have 'salt and pepper' colored. hair.
Mike Thompson was riding his motorcycle the early morning that Lisa vanished. He said at around 4:10 a.m. he saw a man wearing a t-shirt and white pants walking near an intersection off Hwy I-435 about three-and-ahalf miles from the babys home. He said the man was standing under a streetlight about 30 feet away and appeared to have medium-length hair that was darker on top and slightly graying on the sides.
Baby Lisa was reported missing by her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, between 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3, and 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
The following incidents occured between the hours of 12:15 a.m. and 4:10 a.m. Oct. 4: A couple reported seeing a man carrying a baby wearing only a
diaper at 12:15 a.m; police reviewed surveillance video from a gas station less than a mile from the family home that showed a man emerging from woods at 2:15 a.m.; at 2:19 a.m. a dumpster fire was reported at nearby townhomes; and at 4:10 a.m. Thompson reported seeing a man carrying a baby wearing only a diaper and t-shirt at an intersection near I-435. See details below.
There are wooded areas, including some heavily wooded areas, on the 3.5 mile path from the family home to the gas station, townhomes, and the intersection near I-435. One might assume that if someone traveled this path carrying a 30-pound baby they would likely have traversed through these wooded areas to avoid being seen.
Gil Abeyta, who is on the ground assisting in the search for Baby Lisa, said, "It would take a person with good physical stamina and possibly military training to be able to pull that off."
Details of sightings and dumpster fire
12:15 a.m. Sighting around corner from 3620 N Lister Avenue, KC
A young couple living around the corner from the Bradley/Irwin home reported seeing a tall, thin man walking with a baby. The couple said the man was wearing a t-shirt and the baby was wearing only a diaper.
Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young said in an email Monday, "A husband and wife contacted detectives the first morning about seeing a man around midnight with a baby around the corner from the babys family home." It was reported that police initially rule out the couples report. GMA reported that the couple was eventually interviewed by police four times.
2:15 a.m. Surveillance video sighting at 5002 Parvin Road, KC
A surveillance video from a GP gas station located at 5002 Parvin Road shows an individual walking along a wooded area. GMA reported that the man seen in the video appears to be wearing white clothing. [Update: Kansas City Private Investigator Ron Rugan said he investigated the area and that it was a tree-lined street with a neighborhood behind the trees, not a heavily wooded area as some have reported.]
KCPD spokesman Young said in an email Monday that the video from the gas station showed nothing of value.
Distance from Bradley/Irwin home: 0.91 miles
2:19 a.m. Dumpster fire at 5057 NE 37th Street, KC
A dumpster fire was reported at the N Brighton Townhomes located at 5057 NE 37th Street, KC (call to manager of N Brighton Townhomes on Nov. 4 confirmed the dumpster fire occured at this location at the address listed above.) The witness reporting the fire said he saw flames three to four feet above dumpster and that it appeared accelerants were used to start the fire.
Police searched the dumpster, found charred clothing, and this week confiscated the dumpster.
Distance from 2:15 a.m. sighting: 0.65 miles
4 a.m. Sighting 48th Street and Randolph, KC
Witness Mike Thompson was traveling on his motorcycle and exited I-435 at 48th Street. He saw a man holding a baby at the intersection of Randolph
and 48th Street, not far from Crowley Cemetery. Thompson said he was about 30 feet from them, and that the man was standing under a street light. He said the man did not seem awkward in the way he held the baby and that he carried the baby in one arm with the its body against his side, one leg in front and one leg behind. During their short encounter he could see the baby was wearing a white t-shirt and diaper. He said the man was wearing white pants and a t-shirt and appeared to have medium length hair that was dark on top and graying on the sides. He described the man as muscular, 57 tall weighing about 140 to 150 pounds, in his 30s or 40s.
Distance from 2:19 a.m. dumpster fire: 3.06 miles
Police said it took Thompson more than two weeks to come forward after the initial report to say he saw a man with a baby, Young said Monday. The NY Daily News reported Thompson waited about a week before calling police. Thompson also told KMBC on Oct. 21 that he had waited a week before contacting police.
On Thursday evening, HLNs Nancy Grace said it is not unusual for witnesses to come forward some time after an incident occurred. Thompson lives nearly 100 miles from Kansas City and was not aware that Baby Lisa was missing when he saw the man and the baby. As news reports emerged Thompson remembered that hed seen the man with the baby and discussed what he saw with his cousin who urged him to call police.
The New York attorney hired to represent Baby Lisas parents, Joe Tacopina, is adamant that these incidents should be taken seriously and believes they could be relevant to the babys disappearance.
Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young said Monday, None of the bits of info have lead to any big developments. Baby Lisa was 10 months old when she was reported missing. Her one-year birthday is November 11. She is described as having blue eyes and blonde hair. At the time of her disappearance she weighed between 26 and 30 pounds. Her mother reports she was last wearing purple shorts and a purple
shirt with white kittens on it. She is described as having two bottom teeth, though that will quickly change. She has a beauty mark on her right outer thigh and had a cough and cold before she went missing.
An anonymous donor has offered a $100,000 reward for the safe return of Baby Lisa or for information that leads to a conviction of her abductor.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/05/3250061/from-mother-hen-tomedia-villain.html#ixzz1curmspRb
From mother hen to media villain: The life of Debbie Bradley, missing baby Lisa Irwin's mom
He can't sleep. He has trouble focusing his thoughts or quieting roiling emotions after each news story about his missing granddaughter.
And baby Lisa Irwin's first birthday looms five days away.
"That's gonna be the oh-my-God moment," said David Netz Jr., weeping. "I can't even imagine what that day will be like. What will we do? How will we get through that? I don't even know how to ask Debbie and Jeremy what we should do or how to help them through that."
Since the mystifying Oct. 4 disappearance of the 10-month-old, much of the nation has been introduced to her parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, as the latest breathless, blow-by-blow, cable-crime-case sensation.
The coverage has been anything but favorable to his daughter Debbie. The family's attorneys will no longer allow interviews with her or Irwin.
"Most of my family says, 'Trust nobody.' But it's making things get even worse, I think," Netz says. So he and a couple other members of the extended family are speaking out, helping The Kansas City Star pull together some of the threads of Deborah Lee Netz Bradley's life of 25 years.
Netz shifts easily from streaming tears to fist-clenching anger -- against the media, the police and others who disbelieve his daughter in the disappearance of her baby.
"People are judging whether Debbie's crying enough, or if she's crying too much, or if her lip curls up in some body language secret, or if Jeremy doesn't show enough emotion."
Another deep sigh.
"This whole thing is insanity times 10."
Netz, 48, acknowledges the troubles in the family tree, the frays in the bonds. Alcoholism. Estrangement. Divorce. Untimely death.
Debbie's mother left him more than once. And his daughter moved out of his house the first time as an angry 16-year-old. Still, he says, the two stayed connected, with visits at least once a week.
It feels like the whole world is judging his daughter without knowing anything about her, he says. He's pained by Web postings that range from vitriol to know-it-all opinions by armchair sleuths.
Added to that is the media encampment at the family's homes in the Northland.
"My God, Debbie and Jeremy can't even relax and smoke on the back porch without seeing hidden cameras popping out of brush. It's horrible."
Last week, the family moved again, to a location unknown to most.
"Nobody knows how they'd react until this happens. I'm sick of hearing, 'If they really cared they'd be doing so and so.' ... And through it all, little Lisa is out there somewhere, that's what gets me...."
His voice goes silent, as he sobs.
If the world only knew, he says, they'd stop comparing Debbie with other infamous mothers like Casey Anthony and Susan Smith.
Take the time the family dog bit Lisa's older half-brother in the face. Netz scooped up the bloody toddler and ran across the street to where Debbie was. "She started screaming, and we rushed (him) to the hospital."
That's why Netz discounts the theory that she would try to hide an accidental or negligent death of Lisa.
"She would have picked that baby up and run up and down the street screaming for help," he said of his daughter.
"No, she didn't do this. She's not hiding anything. She's told the whole world about her drinking. ...
"If they knew how Debbie prayed and prayed for a baby girl ever since her
mother died because she wanted to name her Lisa," he says, "then they would know there is no way she could do anything to the baby, or God forbid, if something horrible happened, she wouldn't be able to keep that secret.
"Debbie tells everything."
----
The day of the Amber Alert, Hazel Bradley, Debbie's mother-in-law, heard about it from a neighbor. She rushed inside to keep her 9-year-old away from the TV.
But she was too late. Her daughter had slipped in from the school bus, saw the news and was crying: Somebody took Debbie's baby! They took her!
Bradley held her as they watched the live press conferences. She texted her stepson, Sean Bradley, who is still legally married to Debbie.
Sean hasn't talked with his wife for more than two years. Hazel hasn't been in contact, either, but photographs of Debbie still are scattered throughout her house. She's lived in Hazel's Independence home at different times.
Sean is the father to Debbie's 5-year-old son, who lives with her and Irwin. Hazel says Sean hadn't known that Lisa was born.
Hazel just ached for Debbie when she appeared on television.
"She looked so scared and was hurting so bad. I couldn't stop watching."
Overwhelmed by the insinuations, Hazel was shaken. The 39-year-old woman is re-examining every minute detail of her past with her daughter-in-law. It was 2002 when the Bradleys first met the Fort Osage High sophomore.
Debbie was working at QuikTrip, the same store that employed Sean, a junior at William Chrisman High School.
Hazel says she was self-conscious about her weight, but typical for a teen. She liked the happy and bubbly girl right away.
There were enough tears, though, for her mother who had died the previous year. "She was struggling ... really missing her, and she wasn't getting along with her dad."
The two women had those empty places in common. Hazel's husband, Michael, an Army Desert Storm veteran, had just died of a heart attack at age 42. Married only a short time, she was a young widow, caring for her and Michael's 4-month-old daughter; her little boy from a previous relationship; and her dead husband's two teenagers, Sean and his sister.
When Debbie asked to move in, Hazel said yes, but set the ground rules: no drugs or drinking, nightly curfews and no fooling around with Sean.
The family settled in. Debbie helped with the baby girl. Little by little, Hazel learned the story.
Debbie was the oldest child of David and Lisa Netz. They divorced in 1992, and Lisa Netz moved back home to the Delaware/Pennsylvania area to be closer to her mother and siblings. She took Debbie and her two younger brothers, Tony and Phillip.
"She told us how her mom loved to brush her hair when they watched TV," Hazel says.
David Netz moved east, too, to stay close to his children. He bought a house in New Castle, Del. Lisa and Debbie lived in the basement, David and the boys on the first floor.
In 2001, Lisa died unexpectedly. Her heart, Debbie told the Bradleys. The saddest part: She died on Phillip's 10th birthday.
"She told me Phillip was the one who found her," Hazel remembers. Lisa had promised her little boy that he could stay home from school, and they would go buy him a toy. He'd asked for a scooter.
"What a horrible thing for those three kids to go through."
Debbie had just turned 15.
----
Lisa Netz's obituary, published in The Star, said she was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for eight years.
David Netz and other family members told of Lisa's struggles with drinking, how one of her sisters sometimes would step in and take the three children to her own home until Lisa could sleep it off.
"Alcoholism is a horrible disease," he says.
The children had a little counseling after their mom's death, but Netz said they blamed him for her drinking, her death, all of it. And the in-laws, the Chivalettes, fought against Netz taking the children back to his hometown.
Netz says he tried his best as a divorced dad but that he was working 60hour weeks and knows he wasn't as present as he should have been.
It wasn't like that in the beginning
"Debbie was a girly girl, a daddy's girl, too," he says, smiling. "She loved the color pink, loved clothes and loved her 'slippery' black shoes. She liked those shoes called Jellies, too."
She was always a "mother hen" to her brothers, he says. After her mother's death, "she did it even more."
But after the return to Independence, father and daughter fought constantly.
Debbie dropped out of high school in her sophomore year, met a boy and moved out.
----
It was Hazel who helped Debbie get ready for Sean's senior prom. The girl chose a sparkly purple dress. Hazel took her to Independence Center and bought her a silver tiara, earrings and a necklace.
Prom night, she brushed Debbie's hair like Lisa once did, and pinned it into an up do. She also did her makeup.
"She looked beautiful." The photo from that night is quickly found, causing fresh tears.
It wasn't long afterward that Hazel asked Debbie and Sean to move out. She'd caught them in bed together.
"I told them that if they were going to be like grownups they needed to get their own place. That's something I will not tolerate in my house with all the other children here," she says.
Weeks later, the teens announced wedding plans -- and the news that Sean had enlisted in the Army.
"That broke my heart," says Hazel. "I felt like I helped them rush into stuff they weren't ready for."
Debbie's father signed the paperwork allowing her to marry at 17. "I liked Sean," he explains, "and I knew he had enlisted, and I worried that Debbie would get pregnant and find herself alone."
The wedding was held in the Netz backyard. Sean's biological mom flew in from the West Coast. But the event was marred for Hazel: Sean and Debbie were still mad at her and barely spoke. Hazel hates the memory of it.
"At least they asked me to come."
----
According to military records, Sean Michael Bradley enlisted on Aug. 7, 2003, and entered training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Transferred to Fort Bragg, N.C., for paratrooper training, he became part of the 37th Engineer Battalion. He was deployed to Afghanistan and returned to show his family a mangled bullet-resistant vest that he said saved his life.
Debbie delivered a baby boy at Fort Bragg in late November 2005. A year later, Hazel took her brood to North Carolina and joined them for two weeks. She took them all to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for a vacation.
Hazel saw so much joy with Debbie then. She remembers thinking "how good a mother she was."
At the Army post, Debbie bought clothes and shoes for her youngest brother, Phillip, back in Independence.
Sgt. Sean Bradley's service ended in March 2007. The couple returned to Independence and moved in with Debbie's dad. But Sean couldn't find a job and struggled in the civilian world, Hazel says. A 2008 news article says he was arrested for discharging a weapon; he told police he was suffering from war-related stress.
Bills were mounting. The tension was too much. Debbie and Sean separated.
Debbie tried again to live with the Delaware relatives but was drawn back to the Kansas City area once more. Again, she went to Hazel's.
It was wonderful having her little grandson. Hazel stops here and looks up. "I love Debbie, too."
Sean was living with his sister by then. Debbie tried hard to get back with him -- sometimes spending two hours putting on makeup and choosing an outfit when he came to pick up his son. But Hazel says he wasn't interested.
And for some reason, Sean seemed to feel uncomfortable around his little boy. He stopped visiting him. He still pays child support, Hazel says.
"He's a very good kid," but the war left its scars, she says.
Debbie talked of getting her G.E.D. and insisted that her youngest brother, Phillip, graduate. But she didn't go back to school. Instead, she started leaving the house at night, taking Hazel's truck without asking when the family slept.
"I never knew for sure where she went or what she did," Hazel said. They had words. Debbie was again asked to leave.
"It's just immature things," she says. "I kept thinking she would settle down."
The Bradleys looked into the cost of divorce, but because of the little boy, the legal fees were daunting for both families.
Sean, now 26, lives in Lenexa. Numerous attempts to contact him for this story were unsuccessful.
Debbie took her son back to her father's house in east Independence, where her brother Tony still lives, too. She soon moved into Hawthorne Place apartments not far away and began working at Payless ShoeSource,
according to Hazel.
There, she met Jeremy Irwin, an electrician who made some repairs. He was a graduate of Kearney High School and was working as an apprentice in the trade, said an Irwin family member.
Irwin already had a child, now 8, from another relationship.
About three years ago, Debbie gave Irwin's address for a traffic ticket. The address was for the North Lister Avenue home from which baby Lisa disappeared. Lately, the family has been staying at the North Walrond Avenue residence rented by Debbie's brother Phillip.
She never called Hazel again.
"I miss Debbie. She was a good mother ... There's just no way she could have done this, and she's just not smart enough -- not that she's dumb -but she couldn't cover up something like this so well."
----
Not all of Debbie's family rallied around her.
Her uncle, Johnny Chivalette III, called her twice from Delaware, the second time to ask her to confess.
"She hung up on me. But you have to understand. Our family is so dysfunctional," he said. He also wrote her a letter calling for her to give up. He sent a copy to The Star.
He'd already called the Kansas City Police Department and had a conference call with four detectives.
Chivalette said he told them how the tragedies of alcoholism wove through the family, causing pain and dysfunction, how siblings refuse to talk with each other, often for years.
Some family members think Chivalette just represents more of the dysfunction. Indeed, he concedes he has served time in prison.
Considering her mother's genes, Chivalette thinks Debbie shouldn't be drinking at all. But the night of Lisa's disappearance, according to a source close the family, she'd consumed at least five glasses of wine while chatting with a neighbor on the porch.
"I don't think she'd do something on purpose," Chivalette says, "but I can see her hiding something after that. ...
"Look, I hope they find baby Lisa with a clean diaper and a full tummy, but with my family, it'll probably end worse."
----
The family drama has become reality TV and fodder for supermarket mags.
"Twisted Secret Life of Baby Lisa Mom," the National Enquirer blares, touting a gossipy tale of Debbie -- "a slender, buxom brunette ... considered the most beautiful of the soldiers' wives" -- allegedly trying to steal another Army wife's man at Fort Bragg.
The blogs have been brutal, too. One called for the immediate execution of Bradley and Irwin.
Garbage, says Netz.
All the family members have been hounded by national media, such as Nancy Grace, whom he dubs "Nancy Dis-Grace." Hazel said one show promised she wouldn't be bothered by any media if she signed an exclusive agreement.
For a while, Debbie and Jeremy talked freely with national TV personalities until apparently gagged by their attorneys. ABC's Good Morning America gets the scoop now -- on Halloween, its crews followed the family trick-ortreating.
Netz has stopped watching television in disgust. He's not opening Facebook or reading emails, and he screens all calls.
He has angry words for the police, too.
He says officers called Debbie white trash in their interviews, told her to cut the innocence act, that it was obvious she'd killed Lisa. They said they'd found the body, showed her burnt clothes, he says.
"Then, they told Jeremy that Debbie had confessed to them that Lisa wasn't his, even though she looks just like him! Eleven hours they talked with both Jeremy and Debbie, and when they asked for a break, the police announced they weren't cooperating!"
The police deny those accusations. Legally, though, they can say anything
they want in interviews and interrogations.
Netz feels his daughter would have cracked if guilty.
"If they had anything, anything on Debbie they'd have arrested her by now." His hand clenches.
"But they have nothing."
Baby Lisa is out there, somewhere, Netz says.
"She was absolutely beautiful, and she was always cooing and laughing and chewing on her hand. I used to tease Debbie and say, 'That kid is just hungry. Give her a pork chop, will ya?' "
"They can take her away, but they can't take away her memory. ... She is so special to us."
Again, he stops talking. He wipes his eyes.
"Yeah, I think she's still alive...
"Tell people to keep looking."
November 6th 2011:
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/father-of-abductedbaby-reaches-out-to-baby-lisa-s-family?CID=examiner_alerts_article
Father of abducted baby reaches out, questions actions of Baby Lisa's parents
No one can understand the pain a parent of a missing child goes through except other parents whove been through it like Gil Abeyta who says his son was abducted from his crib in the middle of the night 25 years ago.
Baby Christopher was never found.
Abeyta arrived in Kansas City soon after Baby Lisa Irwin went missing. Her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say she was abducted from her crib in the middle of the night while the family slept. A story eerily similar to his own.
"I had to be there," Abeyta said during a phone call Saturday. "I had to offer my help and support to these parents."
The story began much like his own. Abeyta said he knew Baby Lisa's parents would welcome him with open arms, parents of missing children always do. He was in for a big surprise.
Over the past month he's met with the family, spoken with attorneys, police, and the FBI, met with witnesses, neighbors and anyone else he could find to talk to about this missing baby.
Now he's left wondering why these young parents have allowed others to dictate what they will do, even though the majority of people, including experts and police, are saying it's not the right thing to do.
It's always hard and it's always sad meeting with parents whose children are missing. But it's imperative, Abeyta said, that they have a support system of people who have been there and who are experienced in what they're going through.
That's why he made the thousand-mile drive to meet with these parents. To offer his support and help in finding Baby Lisa.
Not long after arriving, Abeyta made the journey from his new home - a hotel room in Kansas City - to Deborah and Jeremy's relative's home on North Waldron where they stayed shortly after Baby Lisa disappeared and until they were whisked away to a secret location by their New York-based private investigator late last month.
Abeyta said nothing he's ever experienced in his years working with families could have prepared him for what he would encounter in the moments to follow.
He walked up the path to the front door, the same lump in his throat he has when he meets parents for the first time. He knocked on the door and was shocked at what he heard. "We have orders not to talk to anyone," Deborah's cousin, Mike LeRette told Abetya.
Abeyta said that of all the families of missing children he's worked with over the past 25 years he had never encountered a stiuation like this, he had never encountered parents who were virtually silenced.
Taken aback by LeRette's statment, Abeyta said to him, "I didn't come 1,000 miles to walk away." He convinced the family his intentions were good - they finally let him in.
Once inside the home, Abeyta says Lisa's parents were like zombies and says Deborah didn't even acknowledge he was there. "She was cleaning the kitchen," Abeyta said. "She didn't even come shake my hand or say hi."
Abeyta tried to explain that a lack of communication will bring nothing but problems and that if they don't talk to the police and to the public, they can expect they'll be looked at suspiciously.
He told them he could see they had problems and that as someone who's already been through this, he could understand what they were going through. Remember, his meeting with the family was in the early days not long after Lisa had gone missing.
Abeyta questioned why the family was allowing a New York-based attorney and private investigator to take over their case, when it appeared clear to him they were not in this to help the family.
He said they listened to him for about 30 minutes, but said very little.
It was his first, and his last face-to-face meeting with the young couple and their family. He said if only he'd arrived a day sooner, things might have been very different. Unfortunately LeRette had already arrived and had already had time to talk with the family.
Abeyta said tension, pressure, and sadness filled every square inch of the home. He said he feels the baby's parents lost complete control over their situation once LeRette came into town from Texas with offers of big money from an anonymous wealthy benefactor.
LeRette, Abeyta said, is young and doesn't appear to have the ability or maturity to handle a situation this complex. But, he said, "Mike's the trail to the money so, good or bad, he stays."
It is believed the benefactor may have had prior connections with New Yorkbased private investigator "Wild" Bill Stanton who was hired to assist the family in finding Baby Lisa.
Locals said they quickly discovered "Wild" Bill wasn't even licensed to practice in the State of Missouri, and that he quickly changed his title from "Private Investigator" to "Consultant."
They said his coming into town purporting to be someone he's not didn't bode well with the community, local private investigators, or local media. Stanton was quickly disliked.
Also chosen to assist Deborah and Jeremy is New York-based defense attorney Joe Tacopina.It wasn't long before the public realized Tacopina had represented Joran van der Sloot in the Natallee Holloway case, a man who later admitted to murdering another young woman. They could not understand why a couple with a missing baby would need to hire a highprofile defense attorney from New York. It just didn't make sense.
The family, attorney, and the PI would not disclose the name of the benefactor who reportedly says she doesn't want the attention focused on her. This has further cast a shadow of suspicion on this family and those who represent them.
Abeyta says he beleived that between LeRette, Stanton, and Tacopina, these young parents were not, and are not in control of their own situation. "In fact," Abeyta said, "the person doing most of the talking for the family during our short meeting was LeRette."
Abeyta says he believes that allowing the New York attorney and PI and a young, inexperienced distant cousin to take over their missing child's case may prove to have caused them more harm than good in the long run. Only
time will tell.
Abeyta said during a phone call Sunday that he cant get Baby Lisas grandparents off his mind. Hes a grandfather now so he has a sense of what they must be going through. Hes reaching out to them in hopes they will accept his help and support. He said talking cant hurt, but it sure can help.
It's obvious Baby Lisa's grandparents are hurting, based on an article written by the Kansas City Star Sunday: From mother hen to media villain: The life of Deborah Bradley. This article helps to shed light on some of Abeyta's observations during his short visit with their family.
Abeyta says he understands the pain these parents are going through. When he heard that Deborah had collapsed on the floor and trembled upon learning Baby Lisa wasnt in her crib he could relate thats exactly what his wife did when their baby Christopher was abducted.
Baby Lisa's case has taken twists and turns Abeyta never expected or could have foreseen. He was as shocked as anyone else when Deborah admitted on ABC's Good Morning America, two weeks after her baby went missing, that she'd not only been drinking the night Baby Lisa vanished but that she might have blacked out that night and didn't remember seeing her baby after 6:40 p.m., not the original 10:30 p.m. time she'd given.
He believes public opinion is vital in missing persons' cases and fears that because Deborah was honest about her shortcomings that night people focused on her instead of the fact that Baby Lisa is missing.
One would think that when a beautiful baby girl is missing her community would be rallying together organizing ground searches and would be printing and distributing flyers. Where were they? Where are they now? Why no massive volunteer ground searches like we see in so many other missing persons' cases? Why are people in Lee's Summit, a community close to Kansas Ctiy, complaining they're not seeing missing Baby Lisa flyers in store
windows?
As much as Abeyta can understand and relate to what Baby Lisa's parents were going through in the early days after she disappeared, he hasn't understood for some time how Deborah and Jeremy are handling their missing baby's case.
He doesn't understand why they've allowed a high-profile New York attorney to take over the case, allowed the dismissal of a local attorney who in his opinion was the best thing they had going, and why they've chosen to not cooperate with police.
He doesn't understand how these parents could rely on advice of an attorney who was in Rome for over a week while local attorney Cyndy Short was on the ground working with a team of 17 professionals trying to find this baby. He doesn't understand how these parents can rely on the assistance of a New York "private investigator" who rides in and out of town in his shiny Cadillac, leaving the family looking worst each time he comes and goes.
Abeyta questions how much experience these two men have in working on missing baby or missing children's cases.
He also doesn't understand how going into hiding is going to help them find their baby.
And most of all, he can't understand why this family would not accept help and advice of people who have been there before, who have gone through what they're going through.
He reiterated that in most missing children's cases parents welcome him with open arms and don't want him to leave.
In this case, he barely made it through the front door for what he called a not-very-productive 30-minute interview with the family in which the baby's mother, Deborah Bradley, didn't even acknowledge his presence.
Abeyta has been in Kansas City for nearly a month asking nothing of anyone and working day and night to help in the search for Baby Lisa. He believes shes still alive. He is well aware of the skeptics who believe the baby is dead and who blame her parents for her demise.
For now, Abeyta says, he will continue on his path to the truth about what happened between the hours of 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3, and 4 a.m. Oct. 4 - the time her parents claim someone abducted her from her crib.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-updatepotential-suspect-profile-submitted-to-fbi
Potential suspect profile submitted to FBI
Gil Abeyta, whose infant son was abducted from his crib 25 years ago, and who has made it his mission to assist other families in finding their missing children, said Friday that he and his team prepared and submitted to local police and the FBI a report on a potential suspect in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Abeyta came to Kansas City soon after Baby Lisa went missing to offer his assistance and support.
Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young said early on that he believes people in the community know what happened to Baby Lisa and hopes someone will come forward.
Abeyta said Friday, I believe the answer is right before us, its all around us. We just have to find it.
News reports emerged over the past couple of days that a potential suspect claims to have passed a lie detector test and claims he was cleared by police, though police will not confirm this. Abeyta said some truthful people fail lie detector tests, and some untruthful people pass. He also said police don't clear suspects until the case is solved.
"That doesnt matter to me," Abeyta said during a phone interview Saturday. "My wife took a lie detector test and supposedly failed, and of course she was not guilty."
Abeyta said Friday, "A person's background can provide them enough training that they can pass a polygraph test even when they are being untruthful." Conversely, he said, "There are cases where people have failed polygraph tests while they were being truthful."
A Google search on the validity of polygraph testing supports Abeyta's assertions that they are not always accurate, including: What is polygraphy and do lie detectors work? and Scientific validity of polygraph testing.
"So Im not excited if he passed a lie detector test because of the lack of past credibility of lie detector tests. They are a great investigative tool for the police, combined with interviews, but they are most often not admissible in a court of law. They can work great in some cases, but again, there are people who can falsely pass lie detector tests," he said.
Abeyta said, "Police don't clear anybody in an ongoing missing persons' investigation. Once they're a potential suspect they should never be cleared until the case is solved.
"I would hope that the authorities would continue following closely on this individual as we feel strongly he had not only the motive - revenge - but also the ability to pull this off," Abeyta said.
Abeyta believes events that occurred the afternoon of Oct. 3, and that appear to have escalated throughout the evening and into the early morning hours of Oct. 4, could have caused the potential suspect to snap and act on impulse. He surmises the abduction of Baby Lisa was not planned prior to that day.
He also believes the man has the ability, through his extensive training and professional experience, to not only kidnap the baby but to evade and elude police. This man is by no means an amateur, Abeyta said Friday.
Abeyta's daughter, Denise Alves, who is part of his team that assists in finding missing children, said Friday, "We want police to go the extra mile with this potential suspect. We don't want, however, the suspect to be accused of something he might not have done."
"The goal here," she said, "is to be sure police are not missing anything and that they won't stop looking into the possibility a potential suspect might be guilty because he may have passed a lie detector test."
Having worked on so many missing children's cases and solving some, not all, Abeyta said Saturday. I can say that this is a very unusual case."
Abeyta says he doesn't understand why Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, have refused to fully cooperate with police. Abeyta goes into more detail here: Father of abducted baby reaches out, questions actions of Baby Lisa's parents.
In missing children's cases police must quickly work to rule out the family,
including the child's parents because statistics show that in most cases they are responsible for the child's disappearance. They also must work to rule out people close to the family, including friends and relatives.
The process of elimininating those close to the missing child can be accomplished in a shorter amount of time if police have the cooperation of everyone involved.
This would include family members granting requested interviews, including anyone present at the time of the abduction, including young siblings. In this case, Lisa's 5 and 8-year-old half-brothers were there and, according to their mother, heard something the night Baby Lisa went missing.
Police say the children are potential witnesses and that they have repeately asked Baby Lisa's parents to allow them to be re-interviewed to assist in their investigation. The boys' parents have repeatedly refused.
The boys would be interviewed by specialists trained in working with children while causing the least amount of trauma. They provide a safe, nonthreatening, child-friendly environment to allow the child a safe place to tell what they might have seen or heard. Children's testimony have proven beneficial in helping solve crime and missing persons' cases.
Withholding these interviews, as is the case here, only delays the process and makes the work of police that much more difficult.
In the potential suspect's case Abeyta said, "We're not trying to ruin a guy's life, we're trying to be sure that no stone is left unturned and that people remember one thing - a baby's life is still at stake. We believe this baby is still alive, that much time has been wasted, and that the clock keeps on ticking," he said.
"We have a potential suspect, we have an eyewitness who positively identified the suspect in a lineup of photos," Abeyta said. "We don't say we have a guilty person. It's not our job to investigate and solve these cases it's the job of police and the FBI."
While Abeyta believes Baby Lisa is still alive and was abducted, as the family claims, there are those who would disagree.
Statement Analyst Peter Hyatt believes baby Lisa died the night she disappeared. He said on his Statement Analysis blog Sunday, We will eventually learn that 10:30 p.m. was a key time in the life, and death, of baby Lisa Irwin, from the sensitivity of this time as pointed out by Deborah Bradley.
He says that from the earliest media appearances where her pronoun usage showed deception, to the lies about the cell phones, Deborah Bradley has told the nation that her child was kidnapped by a stranger, but linguistics point to a homicide in the home itself, at the hands of the mother, with possible assistance from the brother, or Jersey the ex boyfriend of fameseeking Megan Wright, Hyatt said.
He says both parents, Deborah and the babys father Jeremy Irwin, have indicated their baby is dead. They have spoken about her in the past tense.
He made a profound statement that indicates how strongly he believes his assessments of this case are correct when he said, Bradley knows how Lisa can be found, but in the coldness of self-preservation, she will not tell, and her lawyer will keep her quiet. This will force law enforcement's hand to go the route of a Grand Jury. It delays and it costs, but it will not succeed in her quest to cover this crime. She and Tacopina will make tax payers pay, and pay dearly, as well as pay via emotions and effort, both the searchers and the public, as the nation hurts for this child of Neglect.
Criminal Profiler Pat Brown wrote on the Women in Crime Ink blog, Once
upon a time we believed parents of missing children: we never doubted that the people standing in front of the camera, crying and begging for their child's return, were playing us. But after we got burnt by the performance of Susan Smith and a number of others, we have become more skeptical.
Brown said experts now replay videos to see if a parent is crying real tears, they watch their body language. They examine every bit of evidence because they dont want to be duped again into expending emotion on a parent who will turn out to be a killer.
Its frustrating, she points out, when valuable time is spent searching for a child when the parents know exactly where she is.
Baby Lisa is missing and many people are not accepting the parents' story at face value and throwing them their unconditional support. They are searching for inconsistencies in their story, for proof that the baby was abducted, for alibis that are supportable, and for behaviors that don't seem right, Brown said.
And, unfortunately, for Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, they are not faring well in the analysis.
Brown points out that the parents have not fared well going over hurdles that parents must go over to prove to the public their innocence. If I add up this list, I have to say the parents havent done so well going over these hurdles.
Public suspicion is likely increasing, rather than decreasing, she said.
Brown said, I would say as a criminal profiler, the evidence and behaviors indicate the parents are more likely to have involvement in the disappearance of Baby Lisa than a stranger to have abducted her. But, without proof or solid evidence, this set of inputs could be misinterpreted -
an abductor might have managed to sneak in and out without detection; maybe he did turn on the lights and steal phones because he is a major weirdo.
She says the parents may have odd behaviors, even personality disorders, which cause them to act in a manner that arouses suspicion but they still didnt do anything criminal.
But, Brown said, Because they are not passing the hurdle test very well, the police are going to be all over them, people are going to stop looking for the baby, and, if no abductor is ever caught (and the parents aren't found guilty), then, like the Eisenburgs and the McCanns, a cloud of suspicion will always hang over their heads.
Going back to what Abeyta said, he doesnt understand, if these parents are innocent, why they wont fully cooperate with police.
Hes been through this himself. Though police accused his wife, though they looked at her under a fine microscope, though they said she failed two polygraph tests, Abeyta said he had no need to hire a defense lawyer, or any lawyer for that matter.
His wife was never named a suspect in their babys case. Deborah has never been named a suspect either. If she has nothing to hide, the general consensus is talk to police, let the children who were in the house and say they heard a noise the night Baby Lisa went missing be interviewed, let police get the DNA cheek tests done so they can rule out DNA samples sitting in a lab that have yet to be identified.
Cooperate with police. If theres nothing to hide, if these parents are innocent of any wrongdoing, theres no reason, Abeyta said, that they should not fully cooperate with police.
Its been just over 25 years since Abeyta's own baby, Christopher, was abducted from his crib. He was never found and Abeyta has made it his mission to not only find his own son, but to assist others in finding their missing children.
His daughter, Denise, said, "He takes the knowledge he's gained over the past 25 years to help other families of missing children.
"I was chosen for this," Abeyta said. "I had education and training to help me before I started my search for Christopher, and then countless other people's children. But would I have chosen this life?" he asked. "No, I would have chosen a normal life," he said.
November 7th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/15979398/kcpd-nothing-significant-inneighborhood-search-for-baby-lisa
KCPD: Nothing significant in neighborhood search for Baby Lisa
Neighbors combed woods and other areas near the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin on Saturday.
The search included areas where witnesses said they saw a man carrying a baby in the hours in which she went missing. Lisa's maternal grandparents participated in the search.
Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said Monday afternoon that nothing significant was provided to investigators from
the volunteer search. Clothes similar to those owned by baby Lisa were reported to have been found during the search.
CNN's Jim Spellman reported Monday afternoon that searches found clothing similar to what Lisa is wearing in one of the photos with her brothers. The baby's mother, Debbie Bradley, checked and those clothes were still at the family home on North Lister Avenue, Spellman said.
The baby was last seen five weeks ago by her mother. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that someone had snatched his daughter from her crib while she was sleeping.
The infant's older half brothers, ages 5 and 8, were interviewed the day she was reported missing. Police would like a have a trained child specialist to conduct a second interview.
Young said Monday that the parents' New York attorney, Joe Taocpina, has not rescheduled those interviews, which were canceled last month.
Baby Lisa's first birthday is Friday.
November 8th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Former -FBI-Agent-say-she-now-expects-the-Lisa-Irwin-case-to-take-years-if-everto-be-solved
Former FBI Agent says he now expects the Lisa Irwin case to take years if ever to be solved
A spokesperson for the Clay County Prosecutors Office said the Lisa Irwin case is moving very slowly and thinks it could be a long while before the case moves forward.
A former FBI agent agrees. Michael Tabman was with the agency for 24 years and at one point, was the second-in-command of the Kansas City office. Now, he is a security consultant, speaker and author. Tabman has been following the case from the beginning and had hopes the baby girl would somehow show up.
But now, five weeks after Lisa Irwin was first reported missing, he expects the investigation to continue for years.
Sometimes there are just no breaks in the case. There are cases that are just not solved. We have thousands of children who are fortunately not returned to their families. The instances of infants not being returned are infinite but they do exist. Now I see this investigation taking years if ever to be solved," said Tabman.
Tabman said he thinks police have been aggressive and thorough.
Police will follow any leads they get but at a certain point, there are no more logical leads for them to follow unfortunately. As more time passes, it becomes more difficult because leads dry up, people have nothing more to tell you, people start making up leads, you have speculation on the Internet, and now it's up to police to weed out the legitimate leads from the not so hot leads, said Tabman. So the job becomes tough for them and I think they are doing the best that they can. But, when every lead goes cold, there is just one less place to turn, one less person to talk to, one less opportunity to find little Lisa.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/policewe-are-in-discussions-with-lisa-iriwns-family
Police: We are in discussions with Lisa Irwin's family to interview her half brothers
The Kansas City Police Department tells NBC Action News that theyre now in discussions with the family of Lisa Irwin to interview the two half-brothers of the missing baby.
Jeremy Irwin, Lisas father, reported her missing on Oct. 4. Both boys were briefly interviewed that same day, but investigators want to re-interview them.
A child forensic specialist was supposed to interview the brothers on Oct. 28, but at the last minute, it was canceled by the familys New York lawyer, Joe Tacopina. Kansas City police said a new date for the boys to meet with a forensic specialist has not been set yet.
In another development, Headline News is reporting a third person was hanging out with Lisas mom, Deborah Bradley, and another neighbor the night Lisa disappeared. The man told HLN in an interview that he lives two doors down from Lisas home and spent about 90 minutes on Bradleys porch, smoking about four to five cigarettes while he was there.
He said he was new to the neighborhood and went over to Bradley and other female neighbor to introduce himself. The man said the FBI and police department interviewed him weeks ago and took a DNA swab from him.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-updatepolice-say-brothers-interviews-not-re-scheduled
Police say brothers' interviews not re-scheduled
Reports that missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin's two half-brothers were scheduled to be re-interviewed by child specialists this week are false, Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said in an email Monday.
Asked to confirm if news reports that the intruder theory is falling apart in this case, Young said it was media's interpretation and not something confirmed by police.
Asked if police have named any suspects or persons of interest in this case Young said, "No."
Asked if police have moved on from the reported sightings of a man walking with a baby at 12:15 a.m. and 4 a.m., and the gas station surveillance video showing a person emerging from woods at 2:15 a.m. the night Baby Lisa vanished, Young said, "It has not led us anywhere."
Asked if police are still looking for a live Lisa Young said, "We're looking for everything."
Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, claim their baby was abducted from her crib in early October while the family slept.
Jeremy worked his first overnight shift that night and said when he returned home at around 3:45 a.m. he found lights on in the house, the front door unlocked, and a front window tampered with. He checked on their boys, one was in his bedroom, the other was sleeping with Deborah. He says when he checked baby Lisa's crib she was gone. He called police around 4 a.m..
According to Deborah the boys, ages 5 and 8, heard a noise the night their sister was allegedly abducted.
The children were interviewed for less than an hour the day Baby Lisa was reported missing. The interviews were stopped because the children were tired. The plan was to have the children re-interviewed and for some reason, the parents refused.
For weeks police have asked the parents to bring the children back in so they can meet with child specialists trained in working with children.
The delay, police say, has hindered their investigation.
Parents whose children go missing need to cooperate with police. Statistics show parents are responsible in most missing childrens cases. This leaves police no choice but to have to work to eliminate them as suspects. The process can be quick or it can be delayed when parents dont cooperate with police or if their story changes.
Deborah and Jeremys stories have changed and they have not cooperated with police.
Not only have police asked to re-interview the children, they have asked the parents to come back in to answer questions police say only they can answer.
Police have repeatedly asked the parents to allow DNA cheek swab testing of the two boys, a non-invasive, quick, and easy process.
The parents have, for weeks, repeatedly refused all of these police requests.
The public asks why, if these parents have nothing to hide, do they refuse to cooperate with police when police have repeatedly said it is hindering their investigation and causing undue delays in the search for their baby daughter.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Kansas -City-woman-who-got-call-from-missing-Irwin-phone-wants-her-namecleared-in-case
Kansas City woman who got call from missing Irwin phone wants her name cleared in case
A woman Tuesday identified a man she said was using her phone when it got a mystery call from one of the three cell phones stolen from the house the night Lisa Irwin disappeared on Oct. 4.
NBC Action News investigator Russ Ptacek uncovered a September restraining order in Clay County against the man Megan Wright claims has physically and emotionally abused her.
Below is the transcript from the interview with Wright on Tuesday:
Wright: "I absolutely had nothing to do with this. The whole reason I'm involved in this case is because I was trying to be nice and let people use my phone.
I just set it down on the table. Told everybody I was going downstairs with my boyfriend at the time. Told them if they need it feel free.
I was downstairs probably from 5:00 that night until midnight when I was looking for my phone again."
Russ: "So at the time the mystery call came, what happened?"
Wright: "I'm not sure, from what I was told from people who were upstairs at the time said Dane had the phone all night. I don't know if it was answered if it went to voicemail or if he was on the phone at the time.
Honestly I have no clue. I don't know if he answered and tried to leave."
Russ: "But you believe this person had the phone all night."
Wright: "From what I've been told, yes, but without me being upstairs and seeing who had the phone it is hard for me to say."
Russ: "So where is this person now?"
Wright: "I have absolutely no idea. He fell off the face of the earth.
He actually was questioned by FBI."
Russ: "Did you ever ask him about that call?"
Wright: "I battered him about it."
Russ: "What did he say?"
Wright: "He denied answering it. Didn't know anything about it. He did admit answering the phone to a detective who had called, I guess later on that evening or the next day."
Russ: "Where's your phone?"
Wright: "It's been in police custody. I guess it's with the FBI."
Russ: "He denied getting a phone call?"
Wright: "I don't know what was said."
Russ: "But you said you brow beat him about this. And he denied getting a phone call?"
Wright: "He denied answering the phone."
November 9th 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/local-pi-sheds-lighton-why-no-search-parties-for-missing-baby-lisa
Local PI sheds light on why no search parties for missing Baby Lisa
Local private investigator Ron Rugen said in private Facebook message Tuesday, The local community's overall believability of Bradley and Irwin is
reflected by lack of those participating in search parties. They just cannot seem to drum up many to go out and conduct citizen searches.
Hes right. Glaringly absent from this case are the search parties. A community binding together, day and night, looking for this baby. Offering help to police, printing and passing out fliers, and doing anything and everything they could possibly do to help find this child. Thats normally how it works.
Rugen, a former radio news director, says he has worked as a private investigator for 17 years, and began working in Kansas City two years ago.
Reflecting on the past year, Holly Bobo comes to mind. She is the 20-year-old nursing student who was abducted from her driveway in Darden, Tennessee last April. Her entire community rallied for her.
Thousands of people gathered together day after day. They braved severe storms, including hurricanes, and kept on going. They endured hot days too, and spent their nights picking ticks off their bodies. They didnt care.
Until police announced their desire for the public to stop searching for Holly, they were there. Day after day, taking time off from work and selflessly giving of their time and money to help bring this young woman home. Sadly, shes never been found.
It's not that Kansas City doesn't have a big heart, Rugen said. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is that Bradley and Irwin suffer from believability.
How many of us who are parents would be resting indoors rather than going out looking for our child, or passing out fliers? Rugen asked. I couldn't sleep or eat if I were in that position. Whether you believe it was an
abduction or one or both of the parents are culpable, I think they are getting bad advice on how to handle this crisis.
He appears to have hit the nail on the head. Sadly, the biggest loser in all of this is Baby Lisa.
Criminal Profiler Pat Brown wrote on the Women in Crime Ink blog, Once upon a time we believed parents of missing children: we never doubted that the people standing in front of the camera, crying and begging for their child's return, were playing us. But after we got burnt by the performance of Susan Smith and a number of others, we have become more skeptical.
Brown said experts now replay videos to see if a parent is crying real tears, they watch their body language. They examine every bit of evidence because they dont want to be duped again into expending emotion on a parent who will turn out to be a killer.
It appears she, too, hit the nail on the head when she said, "It's frustrating when valuable time is spent searching for a child when the parents know exactly where she is."
Gil Abeyta, who has been in Kansas City for weeks helping in the search for Baby Lisa, pointed out Tuesday that the longer time passes before Baby Lisa is found the less chance there is that justice will be served in this case.
This is a very unusual case, Abeyta said, one unlike any other hes seen in his 25 years helping families whose children go missing. If the family doesnt want to help themselves, it seems the community doesnt want to help either.
I drove by the Bradley/Irwin house last night, Abeyta said. In the past when I went there you couldnt find a place to park. Media were camped out
everywhere. Machines were pounding, people running up to talk, and now, nothing. There were three people there praying last night, thats it. The loud machines are gone, police are gone, people are gone, media packed up and left town, the lawyers gone and so is the private investigator. And the house sits empty. And who is looking for Baby Lisa?
Abeyta's biggest hope is that Baby Lisa is still alive, his biggest fear is that people aren't looking for her and the more time passes, the less likely justice will be served if she is no longer alive.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/Suspicsi ons-in-Baby-Lisa-case-prompt-mystery-phone-owner-to-defend-herself-onnew-Facebook-page
Suspicions in Baby Lisa case prompt mystery phone owner to defend herself on new Facebook page
Frustrated with the media and chatter on Facebook, the woman who owns the mystery phone in the Baby Lisa case created her own Facebook public figure page in an effort to defend herself.
Megan Wright said police told her that the night Lisa Irwin disappeared, someone dialed her cell phone number using one of three phones the family reported taken Irwin home. Ok, this is a f****** mad house once again, Wright said about suspicions raised on a Baby Lisa discussion page on Facebook. So here's the plan: I'm going to create my own page regarding the case. If you have a question, post it as a comment on my wall.
Posters on the Justice for Lisa Irwin Facebook page openly questioned whether Wright was on drugs and why the times the call was made to her phone changes.
The events of the evening and timing are concerning, said one Facebook member. Maybe I am just confused.
Via a direct message to me on Facebook, Wright said she was not responsible for the changes in the timeline concerning the mystery call.
The only information I know is what police told me originally 8:00 p.m., Wright wrote. Then it was 2:30 a.m. Now shortly before midnight. Who friggen [sic] knows?
In her Facebook posts , Wright acknowledges living in a home with eight other people.
She lived in a flop house, with known meth addicts, said one poster. I'm not saying she has a drug problem, I'm asking.
If this is a drug house and all these people are supposedly using drugs, why no arrests, wrote another.
So Wright turned to creating her own page, Megan Q&A, Baby Lisa
I'm so tired of struggling to answer questions, people asking the same questions etc..., Wright posted. It's getting a little too absurd for me.
So please bare [sic] with me, give me like 10 minutes, Wright wrote Facebook members on the Justice for Lisa Irwin page. Then I'll post a link. Thanks for letting me preserve the last little scrap of my sanity.
Wright posted new details on her page and answered questions about drug use and the living situation.
No, I was not on meth, Wright wrote on Facebook. I went to the Waffle House around 3:00 a.m. because I was irritated about the situation with my phone and my friend thought it would be good for me to get away. Any more questions about my actions that night?
Wright had been in a relationship with a handyman police questioned in the case and shared her phone with the man she says used it the night Baby Lisa disappeared.
Many posters are asking her whether either of the men would be capable of being involved in Baby Lisas disappearance.
I refuse to speculate on who did anything, Wright writes. That's how my name got thrown in the gutter, people making assumptions and not thinking first. I do believe that he had my phone all night. But other than that, I'm not sure. Just because he had my phone doesn't make him guilty of anything.
After I got my food stamps at 6 a.m. I did a little shopping, Wright wrote. I took a nap when I got home, and ended up feeling rather sick and stayed in bed most of the next day. Any more questions about my actions that night?"
According to her posts, she left her phone in a different part of the house and didnt notice anything unusual until several hours later.
I went looking for my phone at some point, Wright posted on Facebook. It was brought to me by a friend and I noticed that my call logs and messages had been deleted. I went on a rant, asking who had it and why my things were deleted.
She wrote that she doesnt know whether the man who used her phone knows the Irwin family, but said several people in the home had access to the phone.
There were eight people living in the house, and that got warped into 7 other people having access to my phone, Wright wrote. There were 5 adults and 3 kids [with another on the way] plus various friends of house members who frequently used my phone.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-meganwright-went-into-panic-mode-when-police-questioned-her
Megan Wright 'went into panic mode' when police questioned her
Megan Wright said Monday that she went into 'panic mode' when police approached her saying her cellphone had received a call from one of the stolen cellphones belonging to the parents of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Megan found herself in the spotlight when news spread that her cellphone had received a 50-second call from one of the three missing phones
Baby Lisa was reported missing by her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, on October 4. Bradley and Irwin said she was abducted from her crib sometime between 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4. Her father called to report her missing 15 minutes later.
"When the police first told me that the Irwin's phone [never specified if it was Deborah's or another family member's number] was the number that had
called me, I went into panic mode," Megan said in a private Facebook message Monday.
"I knew I didn't have my phone at the times they told me the call was made, and I was trying my best to ask everyone around that may have had my phone that night: who had my phone, who answered the call [if it was answered, I guess there is a possibility that the 50 second call was a voicemail left on my phone] and what may have been said, as well as who the caller was," she said.
"Not knowing any of these answers at the time when I was being interviewed /interrogated by police and FBI has caused me a lot of grief," Megan said. Asked how she felt when she first learned Baby Lisa was missing Megan said, "When I first heard that baby Lisa was missing, my heart dropped."
"That kind of thing happening, especially so close to home, was unnerving and hard to hear," she said. "I'm the type of person that tries to see the best in people and I wish we lived in a world where things like this didn't happen."
Early Thursday morning Megan, responding to overwhelming support she received for speaking out about Baby Lisa, said, "DENEGO DELINQUO: I REFUSE TO FAIL. This has been a motto shared between myself and my baby brother [name omitted] for years. It's the main reason I've continued posting, answering questions, doing interviews, putting myself out there for public opinion. I refuse to fail Lisa Irwin. She deserves to have someone stand up, no matter the cost, to help in any way bring her home. I may not be able to save the world, but I can make a difference in it.
Asked what her best memory of the night Baby Lisa vanished was Megan said, "My memory of the night Lisa vanished was that I was spending time with some close friends in the basement where I was living. We were talking, listening to music, catching up etc.
"I had left my phone upstairs for the other adults in the house to use because anyone that I might want to talk to [for the most part] was downstairs with me," she said.
Megan said she'd never seen Baby Lisa or any of her family before she went missing. "I had walked through the neighborhood where the family home is before, but never had any contact."
Megan said, "I try not to form an opinion about whether the phone was stolen from the Irwin house, or if it was borrowed, or if the family had been given my number as a contact number for someone else in the house."
"There are so many theories floating around," she said, "and it makes it hard to separate fact from speculation. For all I know it could have been a wrong number. The possibilities are literally endless.
Megan said there were a number of people who used her phone as their primary contact number because "in a house of 5 adults [plus friends and acquaintances who came and went] because it was the only one available at the time. And because I was downstairs all night, I'm not sure who was upstairs with access to my phone when all this happened."
Asked how many people lived in the house where she was living at the time of Baby Lisa's disapperance, and if they were all adults, Megan said, "The house I was living at had two families living there, plus me. Five adults and three kids, with another on the way."
Local Kansas City Private Investigator Ron Rugen wrote on his blog Wednesday that internet rumors described the house as a meth house.
Megan told Rugen, Its very tough to see the house presented that way, because its not the case. The people are wonderful and caring and
considerate and as nice as could be. Just because they helped out friends doesnt make them drug users or anything else that was said in that report, she said.
Megan told Rugen that she moved out Sunday night and is staying with a friend for the moment.
When asked if she told police that Deborah had her phone number written on her hand, Megan said, "On Oct. 8 I was interviewed downtown by KCPD for 6 hours.
"In that time, I was told by the detective that Deborah had shown her palm to another detective with my phone number written on it. He didn't say if she got out a pen and wrote it in front of him, or just showed it to him. What ever the case, this turned out to be false. I have been cooperating with several individuals who have been closely involved with the case conducting their own investigations and I was told that they spoke to the police officer and found out that this was made up," Megan said.
"From the beginning the police thought it was crazy for a 20 year old young woman to drop her phone and not think about it for 6-12 hours at a time. The police had lied to me several times during my interrogation [I found out after the fact] to try to get me to change my story."
Megan has created the Megan Wright: Q & A, Baby Lisa Facebook page. She indicated on her page that shed like to pose their questions as new posts, not responses to other peoples posts. She will respond when she can.
Hazel H. wrote on Megans wall, He whom does not answer questions like promised, may have something to hide.
Megan had written in a private Facebook message Tuesday that she has
intermittent computer access so it may take her time to respond.
November 10th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16012022/interviews-with
Baby Lisa's half brothers interviewed about missing sister
A trained child specialist interviewed missing baby Lisa Irwin's older half brothers Thursday afternoon.
The specialist has worked with the FBI, authorities said. The FBI helped oversee the interview, Kansas City Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp said.
The two half brothers were in the home when Lisa went missing. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing at 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Her parents say she was snatched from her crib by a kidnapper, but her mother, Debbie Bradley, has said she expects to be arrested in connection with the case.
Bradley was the last to see the baby before she was reported missing.
Lisa's first birthday is Friday.
The boys, ages five and 8 years old, were first interviewed in the hours after their sister went missing. The younger boy was interviewed for 30 minutes while the older boy was interviewed for 50 minutes, police have said.
Police had then sought a second interview with the boys after investigators had gathered more information. They also sought their DNA to compare it to DNA in the home.
Kansas City Police Department informed the media about the interviews at 4:30 p.m.
Irwin and Bradley along with their Kansas City attorney returned to the residence of Bradley's younger brother just after 7 p.m. Thursday. The two boys were not with their parents.
FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said both the FBI and Kansas City Police investigators participated in the interview process. The trained specialist would conduct the interview in a special room aimed to make the boys feel comfortable while the investigators would observe via closed circuit television.
Patton refused to confirm a report that the FBI had flown a specially trained child specialist in from Washington to conduct the interviews. Authorities have also declined to say where the interviews were conducted or how long they lasted.
Bill Stanton, a New York private detective who is serving as a spokesman for baby Lisa's parents, said Thursday night that Bradley and Irwin continue to cooperate with investigators. He said the interviews with the two boys occurred voluntarily.
He said he does not believe the boys will offer any critical information that could break the case open, but said the interviews could only help the case. He said one of the boys heard a "tapping" noise during the hours in question.
Bradley says the two boys fell asleep with her but Irwin's son went to his bed during the night. The older boy was in his bed when Irwin came home, he has said. The younger boy was with his mother who has said she drank five to 10 glasses of wine and passed out after 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
Stanton said he has not spoken to the boys about what they may have heard or seen the night their sister went missing. He said their parents have not either indepth because they did not want to be seen as coaching the boys or tampering with the investigation.
"I did not want to get in the way of the investigation," he said.
Stanton reiterated that he has faith in the FBI and Kansas City Police Department. He also said he believes Lisa is still alive and reiterated that he believes her parents had nothing to do with her disappearance.
"I choose to believe that the baby is alive," he said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/officialsinterview-half-brothers-of-lisa-irwin
FBI's forensic specialist completes interviews with Lisa Irwins half brothers
Police say, for now, they have completed their interviews with the two halfbrothers of missing Lisa Irwin. This is the second interview as part of the investigation.
The interviews conducted by a female forensic specialist flown in by the FBI, began at 4:00 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., a police spokesman said they had concluded.
Police did not disclose details of the interview.
Officials say the interviewer, who specializes in gathering information from traumatized children, is not an FBI Agent.
Retired FBI Agent Michael Tabman said the interviewer would gather the information "gently."
"Come off softly, try to understand how to develop that rapport," Tabman said. "What does the child like and not like, watching, certainly, body space and language. And again, they wouldn't ask the child, most likely, very specific questions."
The boys, ages 5 and 8, were interviewed by police, one for about 30 minutes and the other about 50 minutes, on Oct. 4, the day Lisa vanished.
The family initially consented to a second interview, and then their New York attorney canceled the interviews and fired their local lawyer.
In a Today Show interview on Oct. 17, Lisa' mother, Deborah Bradley, was asked about the brothers.
"They said they heard noises, but I don't know if that was before we went to sleep or after," Bradley told NBC. "I have not sat down and talked to them about it, specifically to not have to put them through anything else."
New York investigator Bill Stanton described the noise to NBC Action News Thursday, shortly after police began the interview with the boys.
"It's my understanding that one of the boys heard, he says he may have heard a tapping sound," Stanton said. "What I've come to learn is that in the beginning of the night, she believes both of the boys went to bed with her."
Stanton believes one of the children moved to another bedroom before Bradley woke up to find Baby Lisa missing.
The specialist interviewed the brothers individually. Each interview was videotaped. According to police, the lawyers, family and detectives were in another room while the interviews were conducted.
The police department has been in discussions with the family all week to set up these interviews.
A police spokesman described the development a "baby step," saying detectives still want to test the boys for DNA and bring in both parents for new interviews.
Police said they have run out of places to look for Lisa who disappeared from her crib more than five weeks ago and whose first birthday is Friday, but the hunt for Lisa continues behind the scenes.
The frantic search that began when Lisa was reported missing has morphed into a less visible review of evidence. Investigators have received 1,271 tips and cleared 966 of them. Law enforcement officers initially combed the neighborhood, nearby wooded areas, industrial sites and landfills but those searches ended weeks ago. Police said that doesn't mean the investigation has lost its steam.
"We are not doing any physical field searching just to do it," Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said Thursday. "If we have another idea, thought or piece of information on where to do that, we will do it before you can blink.
But we aren't going to do it just to do it. We're not going to close our eyes and start throwing darts."
Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, came home around 4 a.m. Oct. 4 after a rare late shift at work and discovered the baby was gone. He said a window was ajar, all of the lights were on, the front door was unlocked and three cellphones were missing.
Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, admits she spent the previous evening sitting outside with a neighbor, smoking cigarettes and getting drunk on boxed wine, and says she last checked on the baby around 6:30 p.m.
She has said police have accused her of being involved in the child's disappearance, and that she failed a polygraph test. In tearful early statements to the media, Bradley repeatedly insisted she doesn't know what happened to her child.
Discrepancies in Bradley's story -- she initially told investigators she checked on the baby around 10:30 p.m. -- and the parents' apparent unwillingness to speak separately with detectives have cast the family in a negative light.
Bob Lowery, executive director of the Missing Children's division with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said the time that has passed since the disappearance and the lack of solid information have heightened concerns over the girl's fate.
"Someone out there knows what happened to baby Lisa," he said. "Someone could have seen something and is reluctant to call police. That person needs to come forward and share that with the Kansas City Police Department. Hardly ever has there been a scenario like this where someone doesn't know."
John Hamilton, a criminal law professor at Park University and 26-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department, said the case has reached a stage in which investigators are spending much of their time going over evidence to see if they have missed anything.
"Right now what you have to do is revisit what you have and pretty thoroughly analyze it, then read back to see if there's a connection that dawns on you," he said. "You're always waiting for that next tip or phone call, but that's out of your control."
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/10/authorities-now-interviewing-lisa-irwinsbrothers/
Authorities Interview Lisa Irwins Brothers
The young brothers of missing 11-month-old Lisa Irwin were interviewed by authorities on Thursday over what they saw the night that the child went missing from her crib in her familys Northland home.
Irwin family attorney John Picerno told FOX 4 News that the children were interviewed for a total of two hours on Thursday evening by a forensic interviewer flown in from Washington, D.C., by the FBI.
The boys were scheduled to be interviewed two weeks ago, but those interviews were cancelled by the family at the last minute.
The family is relieved that the boys have been interviewed, that it went well, and they wont have to be interviewed again, said Picerno.
Picerno would not elaborate on the questioning, except to confirm that it happened at undisclosed location. He says the family agreed to the re-
interview of the boys when he took the case on November 1.
Picerno says the FBI requested the delay to give it time to schedule the special forensics expert who is interviewing the half-brothers. The female questioner brought in by the FBI has more than 10 years experience and has done more than 1000 interviews, according to Picerno.
Police confirmed that their detectives were in a separate room and could communicate questions to the expert who interviewed the boys. The boys were interviewed separately.
Irwin was last seen in the crib of her home in the 3600 block of N. Lister on October 3. Her first birthday is Friday.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/10/3259120/missing-babys-brothersinterviewed.html#storylink=misearch
Brothers of missing baby Lisa Irwin interviewed again by authorities
The half brothers of missing Northland infant Lisa Irwin were re-interviewed by authorities Thursday night on the eve of the girls first birthday.
A specialist from the FBI, trained in interviewing children who may be crime victims or witnesses, was brought in from Washington, D.C., to conduct separate interviews with the boys, ages 5 and 8. The interviews were videotaped and lasted a total of about two hours, a family attorney said.
Theyre done now, and the family is very relieved that they wont have to be interviewed again, said John Picerno, one of the attorneys representing Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
The boys had been interviewed once before, on Oct. 4, the day their sister was reported missing from the familys home in Kansas City, North.
Since then, Kansas City police and FBI investigators have looked into hundreds of tips and leads.
Picerno said that the family plans to commemorate Lisas birthday today in private and asks that their privacy be honored.
Its going to be a tough day for them, Picerno said.
Picerno said he and co-counsel Joe Tacopina of New York believe that investigators were too quick to point blame at Bradley and Irwin in the hours after their daughter was reported taken.
There seemed to be an immediate rush to judgment exclusive of all other leads, Picerno said.
Picerno also contested the public perception that the parents have not been cooperative.
Nothing can be farther from the truth, Picerno asserted.
Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Steve Young reiterated Thursday night what he has said previously that investigators are continuing to follow up all leads and tips they receive and that they have no suspects in the case.
November 11th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16017789/baby-lisas-first-birthday-and-stillfew-clues
New search on baby Lisa's first birthday
Lisa Irwin turned 1 year old Friday as the Kansas City Police Department searched a Northland area for the missing baby.
KCPD spokesman Capt. Steve Young said an area near the Stroud's chicken restaurant was searched again.
"Just the next idea, nothing more," Young said in email to KCTV5.
This came the day after Lisa's two older, half-brothers met with a trained child specialist with the FBI.
John Picerno, a Kansas City attorney for baby Lisa's parents, discussed the interviews with the brothers in a news conference Friday morning.
He said the boys were in "good spirits" after the interviews. He said Lisa's parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, took the boys for a fast-food meal afterward and purposefully did not ask them about their interviews.
Picerno said the boys are traumatized by their sisters' disappearance. He said when he first met with them, Irwin's 8-year-old son asked him, "Are you going to help us find Lisa?"
Picerno said the woman who conducted the separate interviews with the boys has been doing forensic interviews for 10 years and has done more than 1,000 such interviews. He said the entire interviews were videotaped at Irwin and Bradley's request on the advice of legal counsel.
The parents' New York attorney had canceled planned interviews two weeks ago. Picerno said the delays since then had been working around the schedule of the FBI specialist and that Thursday was the first day it was possible for her to come from Washington to Kansas City.
Kansas City police have asked for the parents to submit to separate interviews in which tough questions will be asked. Young reiterated Friday that police are not asking for Bradley and Irwin's attorneys to be excluded from the interviews, but that the couple not be interviewed together.
Picerno outlined the hours that Bradley and Irwin submitted to interviews in the first days that their daughter went missing. He said neither he nor Tacopina will allow Irwin and Bradley to submit to hostile, accusatory interrogation techniques by authorities.
Altogether, they have been interrogated more than 30 hours on five occasions, he said.
"This bit about no cooperation is just, is just fantasy," Picerno said. "They've cooperated from Day One."
Lisa's father reported her missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Irwin and Bradley contend that a kidnapper abducted her from her crib as she was sleeping
The boys were 5 and 8 years old when Lisa went missing and were originally interviewed in the hours following.
Kansas City Police and the FBI have not said if the boys revealed anything helpful in the interviews.
Picerno said neither he nor the parents purposefully talked to the boys about their interview. He said because of the intense media presence outside of the home, the boys spent the night with another relative after the interviews concluded Thursday evening.
Irwin and Bradley are in seclusion Friday and plan no public appearances to mark their daughter's birthday.
"That is a private matter and will remain a private matter," New York attorney Joe Tacopina said on behalf of his clients.
To mark Lisa's birthday, a balloon release was held outside her North Lister Avenue Friday evening.
Tacopina was in New York on Friday and conducted an in-studio interview with a morning television program that last week filmed Lisa's brothers trickor-treating. He said it is a tough day for the family but they still believe Lisa is alive.
Bill Stanton, a New York detective who has been retained by an anonymous benefactor to work with Irwin and Bradley, gave KCTV5 an update on the case Thursday.
When Stanton joined the case last month, he said he would be bringing a team of investigators to help unravel the mystery. But in the weeks since then, he has served more as a spokesman for the family and admitted he is mainly working as an "observer" in the case.
He said he appreciates the work that the Kansas City Police Department and FBI are doing on the case. He said he has "utmost faith" in the investigators.
Stanton said the parents continue to cooperate with investigators. He said he purposefully has said few words to Lisa's brothers other than pleasantries. He said it is important that neither he nor the parents be seen as coaching the boys or tampering with the investigation.
"I did not want to get in the way of the investigation," he said. "Everybody has been screaming why weren't the boys interviewed and now they've been interviewed and now they will say they were coached, no matter what the findings."
Stanton also discussed those close to the case other than the parents who could offer interesting insights.
Police have questioned John "Jersey" Tanko, a handyman who worked in the area, and James Brando, who lived next door to baby Lisa and moved out just hours before her parents reported her missing.
Kansas City Police said they have "moved on" from both men, but KCPD spokesman Capt. Steve Young said Friday that no one has been cleared in case new information arises that warrants a review. Tanko is in jail on separate charges.
Brando told CNN that he cooperated with detectives. He said he took and passed a polygraph test.
Stanton said he finds Brando "interesting," but he is not a focus.
"He's not the prime person I'm looking at this," he said.
However, he said Tanko and his former girlfriend, Megan Wright, do have his attention.
"We keep hearing his name again and again," Stanton said.
Wright has said her telephone received a phone call from a phone associated with Bradley and Irwin in the hours before Lisa was reported missing. Wright has said she did not have the phone at the time the 50-second call was received.
Wright originally said the call came in around 8:30 p.m. but this week said the phone call came in at 11:57 p.m.
Police have not confirmed Wright's account and Stanton does not know what the telephone records for the phones associated with Irwin and Bradley show. He said he has seen part of the records, but not all of them and has not reviewed them extensively.
He did not explain why, as an investigator, that he has not looked at the records in detail. He also did not explain whether anyone associated with Irwin or Bradley has a connection to Wright.
CNN reported this week that neither Stanton nor any of his investigators have interviewed Wright.
Stanton said he is still convinced that Lisa's parents had nothing to do with her disappearance and that the focus should be getting her home.
"When you start adding up what you know what you don't know and what you think you know most indicators are pointing outside the home," he said.
Kansas City police said more than 1,200 tips have been reported and detectives have cleared 900.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/police-searchfor-lisa-now-1-year-old-continues-behind-the-scenes
Police: Search for Lisa, now 1 year old, continues behind the scenes
Lisa Irwin turns 1 year old Friday, and police say the hunt for the girl who has been missing for over a month continues behind the scenes because they have run out of places to look for her.
The frantic search that began when Lisa was reported missing Oct. 4 has morphed into a less visible review of evidence. Investigators have received 1,271 tips and cleared 966 of them. Law enforcement officers initially combed the neighborhood, nearby wooded areas, industrial sites and landfills but those searches ended weeks ago. Police said that doesn't mean the investigation has lost its steam.
"We are not doing any physical field searching just to do it," Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said earlier this week. "If we have another idea, thought or piece of information on where to do that, we will do it before you can blink. But we aren't going to do it just to do it. We're not going to close our eyes and start throwing darts."
The baby's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, haven't spoken publicly since allowing a national news show's television crew to follow them around while their two sons trick-or-treated on Halloween night. They also
haven't been as open with investigators as police would like, further complicating the search, Young said.
"I'm not saying they're not cooperating," he said. "They have met some of our needs. What I've been talking about specifically is sitting down, separate from each other, to be interviewed by detectives. In regard to that, no, that hasn't happened since the 8th of October."
The family did bring the two sons to the police department Thursday to be interviewed about what they saw the night Lisa disappeared, Officer Darin Snapp said. Bradley and Irwin had earlier resisted allowing the interviews because they said they didn't want the boys to be traumatized by investigators, but police ensured they would be questioned by experts who specialize in dealing with children.
Joe Tacopina, the New York attorney representing the parents, declined Thursday to comment on the boys' interviews but suggested he would issue a statement about the case Friday. Tacopina has said neither the family nor attorneys would be doing any more media interviews so that they could focus on the search for Lisa.
Jeremy Irwin has said he came home around 4 a.m. Oct. 4 after a rare late shift at work and discovered the baby was gone. He said a window was ajar, all the lights were on, the front door was unlocked and three cellphones were missing.
Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, admits she spent the previous evening sitting outside with a neighbor, smoking cigarettes and getting drunk on boxed wine, and says she last checked on the baby around 6:30 p.m.
She has said police have accused her of being involved in the child's disappearance, and that she failed a polygraph test. In tearful early statements to the media, Bradley repeatedly insisted she doesn't know what happened to her child.
Discrepancies in Bradley's story -- she initially told investigators she checked on the baby around 10:30 p.m. -- and the parents' apparent unwillingness to speak separately with detectives have cast the family in a negative light.
Bob Lowery, executive director of the Missing Children's division with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said the time that has passed since the disappearance and the lack of solid information have heightened concerns about the girl's fate.
"Someone out there knows what happened to baby Lisa," he said. "Someone could have seen something and is reluctant to call police. That person needs to come forward and share that with the Kansas City Police Department. Hardly ever has there been a scenario like this where someone doesn't know."
John Hamilton, a criminal law professor at Park University and 26-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department, said the case has reached a stage in which investigators are spending much of their time going over evidence to see if they have missed anything.
"Right now what you have to do is revisit what you have and pretty thoroughly analyze it, then read back to see if there's a connection that dawns on you," he said. "You're always waiting for that next tip or phone call, but that's out of your control."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisa-irwin-police-deny-attorneysclaim/story?id=14931954#.Tyo9RMj7mOc
Police and Parents Spar on Tot's Birthday
The parents of missing Missouri tot Lisa Irwin marked the girl's first birthday
today by holding a news conference in which their lawyer claimed that police have indicated that they are suspects in Lisa's disappearance.
The police denied indicating to the parents that they are suspects, marking the latest round of sparring between the parents and police.
Lisa disappeared from her Missouri home on the night of Oct. 3 and her parents have maintained since then that the little girl was abducted from her crib.
When asked if he thought police consider parents Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 29, suspects, criminal defense attorney John Picerno replied, "Absolutely. They've told them as much, Debbie in particular."
Picerno said he was "not at liberty" to elaborate further on the issue.
The Kansas City Police Department denies the claim that Bradley and Irwin are suspects.
"We don't have any suspects," Police Capt. Steve Young told ABCNews.com today. "We still would like to speak to them again."
Police say Bradley and Irwin have not agreed to sit down separately for extensive police interviews since Oct. 8 and say there are still questions they would like answered from the couple. Authorities say the parents have responded to questions regarding specific tips or issues, but have not agreed to unrestricted questioning.
Picerno said that Lisa's parents have participated in over 30 hours of interviewing and, "At this point, there's nothing more to be said." He said that if the police wish to ask specific questions, both he and Joe Tacopina are
open to taking the questions and relaying them to the parents.
Young replied, "I don't think it works that way."
Tacopina said that the infant's first birthday is a somber day for the family, especially Lisa's parents.
"This is a very tough day for them," Tacopina said on "Good Morning America." "This is not a day of celebration right now. Obviously, they're very hopeful. They believe that Lisa is still alive, but they're going to recognize this day and deal with this day very privately. This is not going to be something that they wish to share with anyone."
Dozens of supporters have left birthday messages on Lisa's Facebook page, along with photos of cakes and pink donuts with sprinkles.
The Irwin family has maintained a low profile for the past several weeks, with attorneys saying they would not be speaking with the media for the time being.
But after several weeks of postponement, Bradley and Irwin finally allowed Lisa's two step-brothers to be interviewed by an FBI child specialist on Thursday. The 5 and 8-year-old boys were interviewed for about two hours and the conversations were videotaped.
"[The FBI agent present at the interview] said that it went fine, the boys did fine and there were no new developments," Picerno said.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/11/baby-lisa-family-attorney-accusations-ofnoncooperation-%E2%80%98fantasy%E2%80%99/
Baby Lisas Parents Considered Suspects
An attorney for baby Lisas parents said they are considered suspects in her disappearance. John Picerno, attorney for Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, admitted as much during a news conference held on Friday, the same day that marks Lisas first birthday.
Picerno refused to elaborate, saying only that police consider the parents suspects, Debbie, in particular.
But Picerno defended the family, shooting down accusations that the parents still arent cooperating with police.
This bit about no cooperation is just fantasy, he said.
Picerno insisted Lisas parents have cooperated with police from the first day she was reported missing on Oct. 4. He continued to lay out the dates and duration of interviews that Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley gave to police.
According to Picerno, Jeremy and Deborah were interviewed separately by police, without an attorney, for a total of 19 hours on Oct. 4. Two days later on Oct. 6, police interviewed them again separately for a total of nine hours without an attorney. On Oct. 8, the parents were interview again for approximately three hours. It was during this third interview that, according to Picerno, things turned nasty.
During the third interview, attorney Sean OBrien represented the parents.
He told me about what went on in that interview, and he ended that third
interview, Picerno said. He had had enough.
For now, Picerno said police are being directed to pose questions to him or Joe Tacopina, not to Lisas parents.
They can fax me, email Joe or myself any question they may have, and well answer it, Picerno said. But what were not going to do is let our clients be subjected to interrogation techniques.
When questioned about the parents refusal to talk to local media, Picerno bristled.
I dont know that theres any duty on their part to talk to local media, he said. And I dont see that as them being uncooperative.
Picerno added that he thinks it just makes local reporters mad.
Were not here to make you guys happy, Picerno said. Were here to help them find Lisa.
Also during the news conference, Picerno said Lisas parents had nothing to do with the delay in police interviewing Lisas half-brothers. A scheduled interview with the children was hastily canceled a couple of weeks ago, not because of the parents, but because the interviewer wasnt available, according to Picerno. The boys were finally interviewed Thursday night by a forensic interviewer flown in from Washington, D.C., by the FBI.
Picerno said the FBI told him the interviews yielded no new clues in finding Lisa.
Friday marks Lisas first birthday. Picerno asked that the media respect the familys privacy.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/11/11/2098863/baby-lisas-attorney-explainsparents.html
Attorney for Lisa Irwins parents explains their cooperation situation with police
An attorney for the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin said Friday that his clients will not sit down for separate interviews, as Kansas City police are requesting.
Speaking on the first birthday of the Northland girl, John Picerno said that Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin already have been interviewed/interrogated about their daughters Oct. 4 disappearance for more than 30 hours spread across five occasions.
At this point theres nothing more to be said, said Picerno, who joined the case two weeks ago.
He said the idea that the parents have not been cooperative is just fantasy.
Bradley and Irwin have been interviewed separately twice without attorneys, he said.
The third time they were interviewed, with an attorney present, it got nasty, according to Picerno.
The attorney called off those interviews, he said.
He had enough, and thats enough for us, Picerno said.
That attorney, Sean OBrien, confirmed Friday that he had stopped those interviews because of the accusatory nature of police questioning.
It was clear to me it was not going to produce any relevant information, OBrien said.
OBrien said that Bradley and Irwin consented to that interview even though previous interviews also had involved accusatory tactics.
They still wanted to give information because they know the police are the best hope of finding their baby, he said.
Picerno said he believes that police are absolutely focusing too much on the parents, and he said his clients have indicated that police are treating them like suspects.
They told them as much, Debbie in particular, he said.
But a Kansas City police spokeswoman on Friday disputed that anyone had been singled out as a suspect.
We have no suspects in this case, said Police Sgt. Stacey Graves.
Picerno said Friday that if police have questions they want answered, the
questions can be relayed to him or co-counsel Joe Tacopina of New York, and they will get answers.
What were not going to do is let our clients be subjected to interrogation techniques, Picerno said.
Police conducted another search of a wooded area in the Northland on Friday, Graves said. The search near Vivion Road and Interstate 35 was not prompted by a specific tip but was part of the ongoing effort to expand the search area. It did not yield any new information, she said.
Also on Friday, Picerno spoke about Thursday nights interviews that an expert conducted with Lisas two older half brothers. Picerno said an FBI agent told him the interviews went well but yielded no new developments.
Picerno said he wont have access to videos of the interviews unless charges are filed.
The whole ordeal has been traumatic for the two boys, who are 8 and 5, Picerno said. He described meeting them for the first time.
Are you going to help us find Lisa? he said the older boy asked him.
And finding Lisa is the familys primary focus, he said.
The team representing the family is conducting an independent investigation of Lisas disappearance, but Picerno declined to discuss specifics. He said anything the team uncovers will be relayed to police.
He asked that the media leave Lisas parents alone Friday, a difficult day
because it marked Lisas first birthday.
Later Friday, Picerno, citing information from the FBI, provided details about calls involving family cellphones reported stolen on the night of Lisas disappearance.
Speaking on Fox News Channels America Live With Megyn Kelly, Picerno said that a call was placed from one of the familys cellphones at 11:57 p.m. on Oct. 3. That call went to the phone of a Northland woman named Megan Wright.
Wright has said that someone else had her phone that night and that she does not know Bradley or Irwin.
The records also show that someone tried to access the voice mail and Internet browser on Bradleys phone between 3:17 and 3:32 a.m. on Oct. 4, Picerno said. The activity took place one-fifth to one-third of a mile from the familys home, he said.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16012022/interviews-with-brothers
Baby Lisa's half brothers interviewed about missing sister
A trained child specialist interviewed missing baby Lisa Irwin's older half brothers Thursday afternoon.
The specialist has worked with the FBI, authorities said. The FBI helped oversee the interview, Kansas City Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp said.
The two half brothers were in the home when Lisa went missing. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, reported her missing at 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Her parents say she was snatched from her crib by a kidnapper, but her mother, Debbie Bradley, has said she expects to be arrested in connection with the case.
Bradley was the last to see the baby before she was reported missing.
Lisa's first birthday is Friday.
The boys, ages five and 8 years old, were first interviewed in the hours after their sister went missing. The younger boy was interviewed for 30 minutes while the older boy was interviewed for 50 minutes, police have said.
Police had then sought a second interview with the boys after investigators had gathered more information. They also sought their DNA to compare it to DNA in the home.
Kansas City Police Department informed the media about the interviews at 4:30 p.m.
Irwin and Bradley along with their Kansas City attorney returned to the residence of Bradley's younger brother just after 7 p.m. Thursday. The two boys were not with their parents.
FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said both the FBI and Kansas City Police investigators participated in the interview process. The trained specialist would conduct the interview in a special room aimed to make the boys feel comfortable while the investigators would observe via closed circuit television.
Patton refused to confirm a report that the FBI had flown a specially trained child specialist in from Washington to conduct the interviews. Authorities have also declined to say where the interviews were conducted or how long they lasted.
Bill Stanton, a New York private detective who is serving as a spokesman for baby Lisa's parents, said Thursday night that Bradley and Irwin continue to cooperate with investigators. He said the interviews with the two boys occurred voluntarily.
He said he does not believe the boys will offer any critical information that could break the case open, but said the interviews could only help the case. He said one of the boys heard a "tapping" noise during the hours in question.
Bradley says the two boys fell asleep with her but Irwin's son went to his bed during the night. The older boy was in his bed when Irwin came home, he has said. The younger boy was with his mother who has said she drank five to 10 glasses of wine and passed out after 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
Stanton said he has not spoken to the boys about what they may have heard or seen the night their sister went missing. He said their parents have not either indepth because they did not want to be seen as coaching the boys or tampering with the investigation.
"I did not want to get in the way of the investigation," he said.
Stanton reiterated that he has faith in the FBI and Kansas City Police Department. He also said he believes Lisa is still alive and reiterated that he believes her parents had nothing to do with her disappearance.
"I choose to believe that the baby is alive," he said.
November 13th 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/no-normal-personwould-have-taken-baby-lisa-so-who-might-have
No normal person would have taken Baby Lisa - so who might have?
There is no normal person, in their right mind, who would abduct a baby like missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin, Gil Abeyta said during a phone conversation Sunday.
"It takes a special person to take a human being," Abeyta said.
Abeyta has worked for 25 years helping families recover their missing children. His own 7-month-old baby was abudcted from his crib 25 years ago. Unfortunately he's never been found.
Over the years Abeyta has gained knowledge he only wishes he had when his son went missing, knowledge that might have helped them find his baby Christopher.
While yes, it's possible this could have been a complete stranger abduction, the likelihood is extremely slight. More likely it is someone known to the family.
Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say Baby Lisa was abducted from her crib sometime between 6:40 p.m. on Oct. 3 and 4 a.m. on Oct. 4.
When looking at what type of person might have taken Baby Lisa, Abeyta suggests police, the FBI, and the community focus in on locals and not give up because they might pass lie detector tests or have possible alibis. An alibi is only as reliable as the person who provides it.
"Look at all the players and characters," Abeyta said. "Who they are, how they might fit in. Start by eliminating the ones who are the least likely involved and look for a motive."
There has to be some kind of motive behind a baby kidnapping, Abeyta said. Unless a person is completely out of their mind, a person isn't going to just go into someone's house and steal a baby. If they were completely out of their mind, they would likely have left a trail behind them and been caught by now.
The person who likely took Lisa knew what they were doing and were likely knowledgable enough to be able to elude and evade police and the FBI for over five weeks now.
Look at the timeline, Abeyta says. The person would have to fit within the time period of when Baby Lisa was abducted.
Characteristics of someone who might have abducted Lisa:
A person likely known to the family A person seeking revenge against one or both of Baby Lisa's parents, or even another family member Someone who is selfish and/or jealous and felt threatened by one of Lisa's parents Someone in great physical condition who likely traversed through woods in
the middle of the night Someone knowledable with the area, including the nearby woods A person with the training or background to pull something like this off A person who was social and became distant after Baby Lisa vanished A person with marital problems who might blame those problems on one of Lisa's parents A person who experienced a recent trauma or major life stress Noticeable change in personality or behavior, including acting suspiciously Someone with specialized training in phones or other technology Someone who learned their spouse was cheating and somehow blamed one of Lisa's parents, even if they were not directly involved in the affair Someone who recently lost a baby, including through a miscarriage A person who acts noticeably odd at social events such as vigils
Abeyta said if the sightings that night are correct then one would assume the person traveled by foot. The person would have traveled about three miles while carrying a baby. The person would have likely traveled through wooded areas, guided only by the light of the moon.
If this were the case, the person would have to be very familiar with the area and would have had a puspose for being in the area off Hwy I-530 near Randolph.
The person would also have to be in great physical condition to travel on foot through those conditions, likely someone who worked out at a gym or in his own home gym. He would have to be familiar with the terrain.
If the person started the dumpster fire, it would make sense that both sightings were of a man who was lightly dressed and a baby who was also lightly dressed. The clothing could have been burned to removed traces of
DNA.
Why would the person have traversed by foot rather than by car? Possibly because they were trying to avoid surveillance cameras and their vehicle being identified.
Why were the two descriptions, one of a man seen by a couple just around the corner from the Bradley/Irwin home who was described by the couple as being tall, thin, and likely bald, while the other was described as a man slightly shorter, stockier build, and possibly longer hair? Abeyta said it's hard to see at night so perhaps that played a role in the different descriptions. Another explanation could be that the main player had an accomplice who helped him pull this off.
Abeyta said this is the most odd case he's ever worked on. Usually, he said, parents cooperate and want to talk and work together to find their missing child. In this case, Abeyta believes the attorneys and PI have muddied the waters.
He said he beleives Deborah and Jeremy are no longer in control of their own destinies. He hopes that people close to the situation will continue to watch those around them for signs in change in behavior, especially from the time the baby vanished until now.
Gil holds onto the hope that Baby Lisa is still alive and continues to say time is of the utmost importance. If you have information don't be afraid to share it.
Earlier this year a man revealed information about a surveillance video that ultimately showed the abduction of a teenage girl. The tape was just about to be erased, as many surveillance tapes are due to memory space. He revealed the importance of having that tape reviewed by police, but said he did not want police to know he was the person who provided the information.
Had he not received the phone call asking if he had any helpful information, he said he would never have called police. He was scared. Why? He had nothing to hide. Ultimately, the police saw the abduction on the tape and by that night had arrested the man responsible. Within two days he led police to the girl's body.
If you have information it is vital that you share it. If this information had not been revealed a murderer would still be walking the streets, able to do this to another innocent human being.
November 14th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/motherof-baby-lisa%27s-older-half-brother-battles-for-custody-of-boy
Mother of Baby Lisa's older half brother battles for custody of boy
An attorney for the mother of Baby Lisa's 8-year-old half brother said she filed an emergency custody case Monday to remove the boy from Deborah Bradley and the boy's father, Jeremy Irwin.
Also Monday, police announced that they want to talk to a new witness in the case about the mystery call made from a phone taken from the Irwin home. A court official acknowledged papers were filed on behalf of the boy's mother, Rasleen Raim, at the Clay County Courthouse, but declined to provide details.
"Now, more than ever, she is concerned about her babys safety, comfort and peace of mind," Attorney Dorothy Savory said in a statement. "Rasleen
misses her son and has always, and will forever, love him."
Raim is the mother of the 8-year-old half brother that was living in the North Lister home.
Raim and Jeremy Irwin, Lisas father, once lived together at the Northland home where Lisa vanished.
In 2008, the couple fought over custody of the child and Jeremy Irwin received full custody.
Savory said she filed Emergency Motion for Temporary Custody and a Motion to Modify Child Custody/Visitation.
"Mrs. Raim has always kept her son, Blake Irwin, in her thoughts and prayers," Savory said.
In an October interview with NBC Action Action News Investigator, Raim said she has not been able to see her son for years.
Ryan asked, What did you think when you heard about the baby?
I thought about my boy, I thought it was mine, Raim said.
How much do you miss him?
I can't even sayI miss him a lot.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/14/man-claims-roommate-had-phone-night-ofmysterious-irwin-call/
Man Claims Roommate Had Phone Night of Mysterious Irwin Call
Theres some new information in the search for missing baby Lisa Irwin. A metro man said he knows who was using Megan Wrights phone when it received a call from a phone belonging to Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley the night the child disappeared.
Megan Wright said she didnt have her phone when it received a call from a phone reportedly taken from Lisas Northland house. A former roommate of Wright says that at the time of the mysterious call, he lived with five other adults and children, including Wright, at a home about a mile away from the Irwin home in the 3600 block of North Lister.
The man, who asked FOX 4 to conceal his identity, says that another man in the home known only as Dane may have used the phone that night. The man says that Dane is known to be involved with guns, drugs and trouble.
He was the only one that had the phone that night, no one else used the phone that night, it was in his possession the whole night, said the man, who says that Dane was acting secretive and edgy on the phone that night.
As for any involvement in the case, the man says that he doesnt believe that Dane would harm a child, but assisting in a cover-up would not be out of character. He says that Dane disappeared about a week after Lisa Irwin vanished.
He also added that he was unaware of anyone in the house knowing either
Deborah Bradley or Jeremy Irwin, Lisas parents.
Kansas City police would neither confirm nor deny that they were looking for Dane.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/police-want-totalk-with-new-witness-in-baby-lisa-mystery-phone-case
Police want to talk with new witness in Baby Lisa mystery phone case
Kansas City police say they can't find, but want to talk to a new witness that surfaced regarding the mystery phone calls made from one of the missing phones at the home of Baby Lisa.
The man police want to talk with had custody of the phone that received the mystery call the night Baby Lisa disappeared, according to Megan Wright, the phone's owner.
"Wed like to talk to him. Hes not a suspect, just another person we believe might have some information we can use," said Kansas City Police Capt. Steven Young. "Nothing more, or different from the long list of people weve spoken to."
Young declined to identify the man by name.
Megan Wright told NBC Action News she owned the phone and that it was being used that night by a man named Dane who lived in a home she shared with others.
"I'm not sure, from what I was told from people who were upstairs at the time said Dane had the phone all night," Wright said. "I don't know if it was answered if it went to voicemail or if he was on the phone at the time."
"He denied answering it," Wright said. "Didn't know anything about it. He did admit answering the phone to a detective who had called, I guess later on that evening or the next day."
Police and Wright said they are unable to find the man now.
"I have absolutely no idea. He fell off the face of the earth," Wright said.
Police emphasize the man is not the focus of their investigation, but just one of many people they believe might have clues in the case.
November 15th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/baby-lisamystery-call-timeline-gets-new-details-from-police-and-attorneys
Baby Lisa mystery call timeline gets new details from police and attorneys
NBC Action News has obtained new details from Kansas City police and the attorney for the Irwin family that establish a clearer timeline in the Baby Lisa mystery phone call.
The new information puts an exact time on the mystery call family attorneys
say was made the night Lisa Irwin disappeared and explains a mystery call made at 8:30 reported by the receiving phones owner, Megan Wright.
Police say that 8:30 call was made after Lisa's disappearance by investigators.
Theres no mystery on that one, Police Capt. Steven Young said about the 8:30 call. The 8:30 one, that was a detective calling that number.
Previously Wright had said the mystery call was the call around 8:00.
In a Facebook message to me, she said that's what detectives told her.
""The only information I know is what police told me originally," Wright wrote. "8:00 p.m. Then it was 2:30 a.m. Now shortly before midnight.. Who freggin (sic) knows?!"
The familys local attorney, John Picerno, said the authorities gave him times of the phones activity the night of the babys disappearance, Oct. 3 going into the early hours Oct. 4.
Thats what weve been told by the FBI, Picerno told NBC Action News.
New Phone Timeline
11:57 p.m.
Call made from Deborah Bradley phone to Megan Wright Phone
3:17 a.m.
Attempt to check voicemail and access Internet on Deborah
Bradleys phone
3:22 a.m. Second attempt to check voicemail and access Internet on Deborah Bradleys phone
8:30 a.m.
Police call Megan Wrights phone.
Picerno said one of the phones taken from the Irwin home made a call to Megan Wrights phone at 11:57 pm, Oct. 3.
The call went to Megan Wrights phone. Wright and attorneys for the family say there is no relationship between Wright and the family.
Wright said she put her phone on a table that night for about five hours and told a group of friends she was living with they could use it.
I was downstairs probably from 5:00 until midnight when I was looking for my phone again. Told everyone I was going downstairs, Wright said. Told them if they needed it, go ahead, feel free.
She said police interviewed her, and a friend named Dane Oct. 4 after detectives called her phone pretending they wanted to buy a GPS device she was trying to sell.
Police say the man they dont know the mans whereabouts, but although they do want to talk with him again, he isnt a suspect.
He said at 3:17 a.m. and 3:22 a.m. on Oct. 4, someone tried to access the voicemail and Internet on Deborah Bradleys missing phone.
Wright says she, and the man she said had custody of the phone that night, did receive a call to that number from police.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/baby-lisa-stolen-cellphones_n_1092662.html?ref=lisa-irwin
Stolen Cell Phone Proves Baby Lisa's Parents, Deborah Bradley And Jeremy Irwin, Are Innocent: Lawyer
A lawyer representing the parents of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin says that a call made on a cell phone stolen the night the child vanished proves the couple's innocence, according to a Reuters report.
At 11:57 p.m. on Oct. 3, a call was placed on one of three cell phones allegedly stolen that night from the home of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, attorney John Picerno said during an appearance Saturday on Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeannie" show.
A record of the call identified the intended recipient as Megan Wright, who says she doesn't know Bradley or Irwin. Wright can't offer any information about the mystery caller, because she didn't answer the phone that night, according to the report.
Bradley has said that she put Lisa to sleep earlier that evening, and that the child had disappeared by the time her husband arrived home at 4 a.m. the next day.
The use of the phone to dial a stranger allegedly supports their theory that a burglar broke in and abducted their daughter.
"What it tells you is our clients are telling the truth," Picerno said.
Bradley and Irwin have maintained their innocence since their daughter, who first birthday was on Nov. 11, disappeared from their home during the middle of the night.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16043329/baby-lisas-parents-expected-tomove-back-into-home
Baby Lisa's family returns to their home
The parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin returned to their Northland residence Tuesday afternoon. The family packed Tuesday morning, left a relative's home about noon and moved back in just before 12:30 p.m.
Joe Tacopina, the New York attorney for Lisa's parents, supported his clients along with Lisa's older half brothers returning to their home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
"To get some normality back into their lives and, most importantly, their two little boys' lives," he said.
Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin showed no emotion before the cameras as they were moving Tuesday but Tacopina said emotions were churning through them. He said his clients still hold out hope that Lisa will return home.
Tacopina met late Tuesday with reporters, including local reporters. He said they are trying to "put their world back together as difficult" as it is without
Lisa especially for her brothers.
"Walking into that house - without Lisa there - was very tough for them," Tacopina said.
The move comes exactly six weeks after Jeremy Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say that his daughter had been snatched from her crib while sleeping.
It also comes the day after the mother of Irwin's son filed for custody of the 8-year-old boy. Tacopina said the mother has not seen her son in six years even though she was allowed to have supervised visits with her son.
"It's despicable to see a lady that hasn't seen her son or paid child support in six years all of a sudden claim to have an interest," Tacopina said.
According to court documents, Irwin filed for a declaration of paternity in 2005. Shortly thereafter, he won custody of his son. The mother was barred from having custody or control of her son.
Dorothy Savory, an attorney for Raim, said she filed the emergency motion because she is concerned about her son's well being in light of recent events. She said her son has always been in her thoughts and prayers.
"Now, more than ever, she is concerned about her baby's safety, comfort and peace of mind," Savory said in a statement. "Rasleen misses her son and has always, and will forever, love him."
Irwin, Bradley and Lisa's brothers have been primarily staying with Bradley's younger brother, Phil Netz, since they reported Lisa missing. Lisa's first birthday was Friday, which was a day after her two older brothers were re-
interviewed about her disappearance.
The couple said three phones were also stolen from their home.
Tacopina told KCTV5 Tuesday that he believes the person who stole the phones also kidnapped Lisa.
Investigators have pored over more than 1,000 tips in the case.
Bradley initially said she last saw her daughter at 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3, but later said she was drunk that night and last saw her daughter around 6:30 p.m.
Bradley and Irwin have repeatedly insisted that the kidnapper stole the family's three cell phones. In court documents filed in mid-October, police said they have yet to recover the cell phones.
Besides Bradley's timeline changing, the timeline from a woman who received a telephone call from Bradley's phone on Oct. 3 has also changed.
Megan Wright, who lived near the Lister home, initially said the FBI had contacted her about her telephone receiving a telephone call from Bradley's phone about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 3. However, she recently said the telephone call came in at 11:57 p.m.
She has said she did not have the telephone at the time and that someone else took the phone call. It is unclear as to whether it was a 50-second phone call, as Wright claimed, or was routed to a call center because of nonpayment as representatives for Lisa's parents claim.
"The phone number that was dialed from Deborah's cell phone about midnight that night was never dialed from Deb's cell phone ever before," Tacopina said Tuesday. "We firmly believe that the person who had that cell phone also had Lisa."
Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance, but police have denied that and have not publicly identified a person of interest in the case.
Kansas City police have said they want to re-interview Irwin and Bradley separately at a police facility and ask tough questions to help rule them out. Attorneys for the couple have declined the request, saying previous questions were heavy-handed and accusatory.
Tacopina said Tuesday that he does not understand why Kansas City police need to re-interview Bradley. He said he won't consent to an interview without knowing what questions will be asked and establishing some ground rules.
"We want to know is there something we are missing, but they don't want to reveal that to us. To me, it is more of an adversarial proceeding ," he said. "These people are victims of a horrific crime and we will welcome the day that they are treated like they are victims."
Bradley and Irwin have endured 40 hours of interviews over five separate times, Tacopina said.
"The tactics that have been employed, particularly against Deborah, that have been quite frankly cruel," he said. "They even led Deborah to believe they had a lead to entice her to come down to the precinct. She does not have any answers as to what happened to her daughter... If she did, believe me, she would be shouting them out."
Tacopina said "we have a very good rapport" with the FBI and praised their handling of the case.
A television camera went into Netz's home about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Tacopina has been conducting exclusive interviews with Good Morning America and a GMA reporter was at the home Tuesday. The ABC program was allowed to film Lisa's half brothers trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Shauna Elliott, who has a 1-year-old, said she knows it must be tough for Lisa's family to return to their home without Lisa.
"I don't think I could go back," she said. "But sometimes you have to go through the tough times."
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisairwins-parents-moving-back-home
Lisa Irwin's parents moving back home
Lisa Irwins parents are moving back to their Kansas City home in the Northland, their New York-based lawyer said Tuesday.
The move, confirmed by attorney Joe Tacopina, comes seven weeks after the now-1-year-old girl disappeared.
Tacopina said the family is trying to regain a sense of normalcy for the other two children.
He said it was a difficult and emotional decision. Tacopina said when they came back to the house, Deborah Bradley broke down in tears when she saw
Lisas bedroom. She was looking inside as if she was looking for a miracle.
The family had been staying with a family member who lives near their home in the 3600 block of North Lister.
Lisas parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, reported her missing around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 when Jeremy said he came home from an overnight shift of work to find she was not in her crib.
Police said Tuesday they are still in talks with Lisas parents to set up separate interviews with them, something that has not been done since Oct. 8.
Last Friday, John Picerno, the local attorney also representing Lisas parents, said they have remained open to answering investigators questions, but they would not let our clients be subjected to interrogation techniques.
Investigators also want to bring in Lisas half-brothers to collect DNA samples. The boys were interviewed last week for the first time since the day Lisa disappeared.
Police have not publicly named a suspect, but Picerno said last week investigators told Lisas parents they consider them suspects, and are specifically focused on Lisas mother, Deborah Bradley.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/mental-healthexperts-see-short-term-drawbacks-for-irwin-family
Mental health experts see short term drawbacks for Irwin family
About a dozen friends and family members gathered outside the Irwin home Tuesday to say a prayer. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin were inside the home for the first time since mid-October. The family moved back in on Tuesday.
"It's very hard for them obviously being in that home without Lisa but they have 6 and 8-year-old's that have to be considered here," said family attorney Joe Tacopina.
Tacopina said the family is looking for a sense of normalcy.
"To put them back into a setting with their own bedroom, their own clothes, and toys, is important. Put them back with their neighbors," said Tacopina.
Neighbors said they are glad to see the family back in the home. Neighbor Norval Nichols said he supports the decision.
"We are all close here. We are a community. We watch out for each other and if they have any troubles or need anything, we'll help them," said Nichols.
Mental health experts said going home was a positive for the family, but there could be short-term drawbacks.
"If they feel the neighbors are being judgmental, you will find they will isolate themselves, that they will not feel that this is home anymore," said counselor Debbi O'Malley.
Tacopina said the family has kept their boys in school. Bradley and Irwin remain hopeful they will find their daughter alive.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/15/3267345/mother-of-lisa-irwins-halfbrother.html#storylink=misearch
Mother of Lisa Irwins half-brother seeks custody
The mother of Jeremy Irwins oldest child has filed a court petition involving custody of their son, according to the mothers lawyer.
Rasleen Raim, the mother of the 8-year-old boy, filed the petition in Clay County, said attorney Dorothy Savory. It seeks to modify the parents child custody and visitation agreement and includes an emergency motion for temporary custody of the boy, Savory said.
Mrs. Raim has always kept her son in her thoughts and prayers, Savory said in a written statement. Now, more than ever, she is concerned about her babys comfort and peace of mind. Rasleen misses her son and has always, and will forever, love him.
Her son was in the Irwin home the night his half-sister, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin, vanished in early October, six weeks ago today. Another half-brother, who turned 6 on Monday, also was in the Kansas City home that night. He is the son of Deborah and Sean Bradley.
New York Lawyer Joe Tacopina, who is representing Irwin and Deborah Bradley, reacted harshly to reports of the petition, calling them unbelievable.
I dont think it will be a serious challenge, Tacopina said.
Tacopina said he spent the day interviewing a witness in the case and being with the family as they settled back into their home on North Lister Avenue. The couple and their children havent lived there since Lisa disappeared.
They have to get some normality back into their lives, particularly for the boys, Tacopina said. They need to be back in their own bedroom with their own clothes and toys.
Bradley had a difficult moment as she walked into Lisas bedroom and looked into the empty crib. She was very emotional, Tacopina said.
The couple had been staying with a relative at another Northland home.
Meanwhile, investigators continued to track down some of the 1,315 tips they have received in the case that have come from across the country. Police said they had talked to everyone they wanted to and were not looking for anyone specific to question despite television reports that indicated there was a new witness in the case.
Aspects of the case that have been reported by media outlets as developments in recent weeks mostly involve information that police knew early in the investigation, police said. That includes information about the use of Bradleys cell phone, police said. Bradley reported the phone, and two others, stolen with the baby.
The phone was used at 11:56 p.m. the night Lisa vanished and also early the next morning. Although attorneys for Bradley and Irwin have released some information about the use of the phone, police declined to release specific information, saying, Its a pretty big part of our investigation.
November 16th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/baby-lisalawyers-spar-over-custody-battle-for-missing-baby-s-older-half-brother
Baby Lisa lawyers spar over custody battle for missing baby's older half brother
New York attorney Joe Tacopina said the mother of Baby Lisa's half brother abandoned the boy and called her attorney's custody claims "outrageous" and "fictional."
"The application is outrageous and will be vigorously challenged by the Irwin family," Tacopina wrote.
Monday, the attorney representing Raseleen Raim issued a statement saying the mother is "concerned about her babys safety, comfort and peace of mind."
Attorney Dorothy Savory filed a motion at the Clay County Courthouse to remove custody from Jeremy Irwin. "That statement is comprised of very touching words written by a lawyer but are fictional when it comes to this woman and the 8 year old boy she abandoned," Tacopina wrote. Mrs. Raim hasn't seen her son, who she claims to care so much about, for six years, despite a court order allowing visits.
"Further expressing her concern for her son, she hasn't paid court ordered child support to help Blake," Tacopina wrote. "Of course those facts were absent from the lawyer's statement."
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/16/3270248/attorneys-trade-barbsover-baby.html
Attorneys trade barbs over baby Lisas brother
A lawyer working on a custody issue smoldering at the margins of the missing baby Lisa Irwin case fired back Wednesday at comments made by another attorney the day before.
The back and forth started Tuesday, when a lawyer representing Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, complained about a custody petition filed by attorney Dorothy L. Savory.
Savory represents Rasleen Raim, the mother of Jeremy Irwins 8-year-old son, who is a half-brother to Lisa, the baby reported missing from her Northland home six weeks ago. Raim is seeking temporary custody of her son to care for his safety, comfort and peace of mind.
Attorney Joseph Tacopina, who represents Lisas parents, on Tuesday described the petition against Jeremy Irwin as unbelieveable and accused Raim of trying to glom on to her 15 minutes of fame in the high-profile case.
In September 2005, a Clay County judge awarded Irwin sole custody of his son and ordered that any visitation with Raim had to be supervised and arranged through Irwin.
In a press release Wednesday, Savory wrote that Tacopinas allegations against Raim were false.
She knows what life is like to have her baby taken away from her, Savory wrote. Mrs. Raim understands how it feels to be gravely prevented from having a relationship with her son.
Savory did not respond to messages asking whether Raim had sought visitation and was denied. Nevertheless, Raim now wants to be more involved in her sons life, Savory wrote.
Mrs. Raim only desires to have frequent, meaningful and continuing contact with her son, Savory wrote. She knows that it is in the best interest of her son to have both parents in his life, unless otherwise determined by the court.
Raim also asked Bradley and Irwin to remove her sons photos from any and all websites while this investigation continues.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16058743/prosecutor-mum-on-grand-jury-inbaby-lisa-case#.TsQ6NZHQxwk.twitter
Prosecutor mum on grand jury in baby's disappearance
Clay County's prosecutor declined to discuss the investigation into the disappearance of then 10-month-old Lisa Irwin.
Prosecutor Dan White had asked Clay County grand jurors to meet on the case in October. He subpoenaed local media outlets for raw materials, which the media outlets fought. The request was stayed.
White said Tuesday that he could not discuss specifics of the case, but he said Clay County does not call special grand juries. He said the county always
has a grand jury meeting to consider matters, such as the recent indictment of a Catholic priest accused of possessing child pornography.
Jeremy Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say his daughter had been snatched from her crib while sleeping. The baby's mother, Debbie Bradley, initially said she last saw her daughter around 10:30 p.m. but later said she had drank up to 10 glasses of wine, passed out and last saw her daughter about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
The couple said their three cell phones were taken by the kidnapper. Bradley's cell phone made a call at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3. Megan Wright owns the cell phone but says she did not have the cell phone at the time the call was made.
Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in the case, but representatives for the couple have thrown suspicion on several people who had access to the cell phone that Bradley's dialed.
CNN recently reported that White's spokesman said it would be "years" before there are answers about Lisa's disappearance.
"There's no case," CNN quoted spokesman Jim Roberts as saying. "If it gets solved, it'll get solved years from now."
White said it was an offhand remark taken out of context by the reporter.
"That was a mischaracterization of what Mr. Roberts said," White said. "It was an offhanded comment he probably regrets at this time and wishes he hadn't made."
White said "no comment" when asked specific questions about the
investigation and whether he believes an arrest will be made in connection with Lisa's disappearance.
November 17th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16070535/witness-in-bab
Witness in baby Lisa case returns to KC
A witness in the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin has returned to Kansas City.
Sources tell KCT5 that the man is someone investigators want to talk to in an effort to verify someone else's statement. The sources emphasized that the man is not a person of interest in the disappearance of the baby.
Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, reported her missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 3. They said she was snatched from her crib while sleeping and their three cell phones were stolen.
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Lisa's parents, said this week that he believes the person who stole the cell phones also kidnapped Lisa.
Tacopina contends that the kidnapper stole Bradley's cell phone and used it to make a call at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3. A woman who lived in the area, Megan Wright, has said her cell phone received the call, but she did not have the phone at the time.
Wright has told media outlets that a man she called "Dane" had the phone at that time. That person is the man who returned to Kansas City on Thursday.
KCTV5 went to Dane's home Thursday afternoon and could not locate him.
Neighbors tell KCTV5 that the home has seen quite a bit of police activity since baby Lisa went missing and officers were inside the home for more than two hours last week.
Irwin and Bradley moved back to the home from which Lisa went missing on Tuesday.
They spent part of Thursday afternoon tidying up their yard and rearranging the mementos that well wishers have left for Lisa and her family.
The family put up a sign asking anyone with information about Lisa's disappearance to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. They declined to speak with reporters but were warmly received by neighbors.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/baby-lisamystery-phone-man-acknowledges-having-phone-that-received-call-fromirwin-family-cell
Baby Lisa mystery phone man acknowledges having phone that received call from Irwin family cell
In his first comments, the Baby Lisa mystery phone man said he has no connection to the missing baby, but he and his father acknowledge he did have the phone that received a call from one of the missing Irwin phones.
Police have said he is not a suspect, so we are not identifying him by his last name.
The truth will rise to the top, the mystery phone man, Dane said. I have no connection with Megan Wright or the missing child.
The NBC Action News Investigators spoke to the mans father on the familys front porch and exchanged text messages by phone with Dane.
A woman with whom he was in a relationship accused the man of threatening to kill her in a restraining order issued in September.
Every day I have been scared and terrified to go home at night, the victim told the court in a written statement. He says he has nothing to lose and hell be satisfied once Im dead.
The man declined to answer follow up questions, specifically whether he answered the 11:57 p.m. call the night Baby Lisa disappeared.
Every day I have been scared and terrified to go home at night, the victim told the court in a written statement. "He says he has nothing to lose and hell be satisfied once Im dead.
Sure he did have the phone, yeah, said the mans father in a brief exchange with the NBC Action News Investigators. He was at the house (where the phones owner lived). Ill give you that.
Dane said he had been out of town hunting until yesterday, but had been interviewed by police before that.
The police have contact with me and have so the whole past month, Dane texted. I just hope we can focus the important point of finding the missing
child.
I used Megans cell phone to have my phone turned on and some rides lined up for the next days of moving into my new place, Dane texted.
Megan Wright, the owner of the phone that received the call the night Baby Lisa disappeared, is Danes former roommate.
She had a onetime relationship with a handyman who worked in the neighborhood who is now in jail on unrelated charges.
Why dont you investigate the girl, and her boyfriend, Danes father said. You guys are like taking this girls word for everything.
Im just being thrown in a mix of people trying to push blame off of themselves to keep face, Dane texted the NBC Action News Investigators. Its sad my name could be involved in something so heartbreaking.
Dane declined to answer specific questions or to meet in person.
I contacted the police and they said not to contact you, Dane texted. It only feeds the media frenzy of lies. Im a good person who has been thrown in a mess of lies and finger pointing.
November 18th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16077691/picerno-witness-claims-handymanpaid-300-for-kidnapping
Picerno: Witness claims handyman paid $300 for kidnapping
An attorney for the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin said Friday that a witness claims a neighborhood handyman was paid $300 to kidnap her.
Kansas City attorney John Picerno said the information has been turned over to the authorities.
Picerno said he, New York attorney Joe Tacopina and private detective Bill Stanton met with the 17-year-old girl Tuesday. Picerno said the girl who claims the handyman bragged about the kidnapping to another man.
The teen said she was with the second man following a vigil for the baby and he claimed the handyman made the claim, Picerno contends.
"She didn't seem to have a care in the world one way or the other. I believe her when she told me that's what she heard," Picerno told Fox News' Megyn Kelly. "But obviously, without having interviewed that individual myself I can't attest to his credibility."
He said representatives for Lisa's parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, are attempting to locate the man that the teen allegedly spoke to about the handyman. He said the man who spoke to the teen is part of a "transient/homeless group of people." He did admit that his claim involving Tanko is a "big if."
Kelly stressed that Picerno's allegation is "triple hearsay."
The attorney did not explain who would have paid Tanko or their motive for doing so.
Picerno was out of town but through an email to KCTV5 repeated his account to Kelly.
The handyman, John "Jersey" Tanko, is in jail on a charge of tampering with a motor vehicle. His public defender, Horton Lance, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Kansas City police say they have interviewed Tanko about Lisa's disappearance but said they have "moved on" from him. They have not cleared him or anyone as a suspect in the disappearance of the baby in case new evidence warrants a review.
When asked about Picerno's comments Friday, Capt. Steve Young told KCTV5 in an email, "We are following up on everything involving Jersey and all other leads."
Tanko had been dating Megan Wright, who lived in the neighborhood, whose phone was apparently dialed by Bradley's phone at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3. Wright has said she did not have the phone at the time the call was made.
Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say that someone had snatched his daughter from her crib while she was sleeping. Bradley initially said she last saw her daughter about 10:30 p.m. but later admitted she had drank heavily in the hours before her daughter went missing and last remembered seeing her daughter about 6:30 p.m.
The family's three cell phones were stolen and Tacopina insists that the person who stole the phones also kidnapped Lisa. The 11:57 p.m. call allegedly went to Verizon's call center because Bradley's phone could not
connect with other phones because of nonpayment.
Picerno said because no charges have been filed that the parents' attorneys cannot subpoena Verizon's phone records. He said much of the information he knows about the telephone calls come from a meeting with the FBI in early November.
Tacopina has repeatedly criticized the Kansas City Police Department's handling of the case. Picerno said Friday that representatives for Lisa's parents are communicating almost daily with the FBI.
Lisa's parents and older half brothers primarily had been staying with Bradley's younger brother Phil Netz until Tuesday when they moved back to their home on North Lister Avenue.
"They are doing remarkably well," Picerno said.
He added that he spoke with Irwin Friday morning and that Irwin said "everyday has gotten better." He said Irwin plans to return to his job as an electrician next week and they are working to get "back 100 percent to their normal life."
As far as Lisa's room, the family has made few changes, Picerno said.
"Baby Lisa's room is pretty much as it was before she was taken. Police did not really take that much out of the home," he said.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/KCPD-ischecking-into-rumor-handyman-bragged-about-300-Baby-Lisa-theft
KCPD is 'checking into' rumor handyman bragged about $300 Baby Lisa theft money
Kansas City police are now looking into rumors a new witness may have heard a handyman bragging about a $300 payment to steal Baby Lisa.
An attorney for the Baby Lisa Irwin family said the Irwin team has spoken with a teen who claims she heard the statement from a male friend, but they haven't spoken to the man.
"We're looking for him," Kansas City attorney John Picerno said in an email to NBC Action News about the man who may have heard the statement.
Picerno said he had spoken to a teenage girl who claims a friend told her he heard a neighborhood handyman brag about the incident.
"We heard about it and are checking into it, just like we have on all leads," said Kansas City Police Capt. Steven Young.
The handyman, known as Jersey, has been in police custody since shortly after the disappearance of Baby Lisa on unrelated charges.
Neighbors said he was a regular in the neighborhood prior to the disappearance.
The woman whose phone received a call from one of the cells stolen from the Irwin home, Megan Wright, said she had dated Jersey shortly before the disappearance.
Police have repeatedly said he is not a suspect.
November 19th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/$300baby-lisa-kidnap-rumor-denied-by-teen-who-supposedly-implicatedhandyman-in-disappearance
$300 Baby Lisa kidnap rumor denied by teen who supposedly implicated handyman in disappearance
A teen located by the NBC Action News Investigators denies ever saying a neighborhood handyman "bragged" about a $300 payday for kidnapping Baby Lisa Irwin.
"No," said the teen. "I havent seen him since like September 11 th.
In a story published Friday, an attorney for the Irwin family said he was trying to track a teen who supposedly claimed a neighborhood handyman told him he'd been paid to take the infant. The NBC Action News Investigators found the 17-year-old as he was about to go to work as a dishwasher at a Kansas City restaurant.
In the restaurant parking lot he denied ever saying the handyman told him anything about events surrounding the Oct. 4th disappearance of Baby Lisa.
He acknowledged discussing the possibility the Irwin neighborhood handyman named Jersey could be involved.
"I told someone, I was like (expletive), Jersey was the kind of person where you could say here, heres $300, take care of this baby, and he would have done it," he said. "Thats all Ive said. I havent seen Jersey since weeks before all this happened actually."
The handyman could not be located for a couple weeks after the infant's disappearance.
Police have said he is not a suspect and is currently jailed on unrelated charges.
Kansas City attorney John Picerno responded to our e-mail inquiry saying, "I'm on vacation out of town."
Private investigator Bill Stanton said he had not spoken to the witness himself, and wasn't sure whether the Irwin legal team had interviewed the teen.
"Well, they might have, they may have," Stanton said. "I'm not sure, but then again. It's the press that makes the headlines."
"Until there's further investigation, I'm going to take him at his word," Stanton said. "I met his alleged girlfriend and she and her mother were giving this information. While it's interesting, it may be people who are over zealous."
November 20th 2011:
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-probablydead-parents-likely-suspects-truth-or-speculation-1
Baby Lisa probably dead, parents likely suspects truth or speculation?
Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young confirmed in an email Friday that recent news reports saying missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin is likely dead and that her parents have been named suspects in her case are based on speculation and have not been confirmed directly by KCPD or the FBI.
For some, reading headlines that Baby Lisa is likely dead is "beyond painful and troubling," one anonymous caller said Friday. Many people are holding onto the hope that this baby is still alive, despite the odds stacked up against her. Some people firmly believe Deborah had something to do with her daughter's disappearance, others believe she had nothing to do with it.
At the end of the day the only two things left are hope and a desire for justice for Baby Lisa. Hope that she's still alive, and if she's not, that whoever hurt this precious baby would be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Babys parents named as suspects?
Theres a substantial difference between a lawyer saying his clients were interrogated and made to feel like suspects, as is the case with Baby Lisas parents Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 29, and actually being named suspects or persons of interest by police.
Recent headlines could lead a person to believe the parents have officially been named suspects in Baby Lisas case:
Baby Lisa Irwin still missing: parents now suspects in the case Police called parents of missing Baby Lisa Irwin suspects, family attorney says Lisa Irwin: Parents suspects for missing baby Baby Lisas parents officially deemed suspects in disappearance
The International Business Times, writing about Baby Lisas parents becoming prime suspects, references a statement made by John Picerno, their new local defense attorney.
The article indicates various media reports cited a statement made by Picerno wherein he said Deborah and Jeremy are prime suspects and that police were absolutely focusing on his clients.
A Fox News article titled, Police called parents of missing Baby Lisa Irwin suspects, family attorney says.
The article states that Picerno said during a news conference that police told the couple they are suspects in their daughters disappearance. Picerno is then quoted as saying, Oh, theyve told them as much sure Debbie in particular.
Told them as much, is very different than police saying they have been named suspects in their babys disappearance.
To date investigators have said they have no named suspects in the case. They still want to sit down with Baby Lisas parents because they have questions that need to be answered, questions only the babys parents can answer, answers, police say, that could help move their case forward and help find Baby Lisa.
Deborah and Jeremy's lawyers say the couple has spent hours with police and that they didnt like the accusatory tone police were using, or how they directed their questions. So theyve refused to sit down with them again.
It was clear to me, their previous attorney, Sean OBrien said, it was not going to produce any relevant information. They [parents] still wanted to give information because they know the police are the best hope of finding their baby.
People are scratching their heads wondering how this lawyer can say these parents want to provide information when they refuse to cooperate with police. Deborah and Jeremy are right - police are their best hope of finding their baby, and unfortunately far too much time has been wasted. Police say they havent sat down with this couple since Oct. 8. Baby Lisa was reported missing Oct. 4.
Deborah and Jeremy's high-profile New York-based defense attorney, Joe Tacopina, said last week that these parents will not meet with police again. The lawyers want a list of questions they can give to their clients to answer. Gil Abeyta, whose own baby was abducted 25 years ago and who has helped countless families of missing children since, said it doesnt work that way and these lawyers know that.
Deborah and Jeremy reportedly said they didn't like the direction of police questioning and at one point said they'd only talk to police if police agreed to shift their line of questioning from them as possible suspects in Baby Lisa's disappearance to a kidnapping.
Until and unless police receive answers they need they can't rule a person out, including and especially the child's parents. Statistics say parents or extended family members are almost always involved.
The fact the parents' story changed and that they've repeatedly refused to cooperate with police by failing to go back in to be questioned when
requested, not allowing their two sons from previous relationships who were in the home and heard a noise the night of the abduction to be reinterviewed by child specialists, or to allow the children to be DNA-tested to help police rule out DNA samples sitting on a shelf that they had yet to identify, makes them look guilty and appear like suspects.
Asked if police questioned and interrogated him for hours and felt the questioning was moving in the direction of him or his wife having something to do with his baby, Christopher's, disappearance, would he go back in if police told him they had generated new questions during their investigation? Questions that police said only he or his wife could answer, answers that might help bring their son home?
Abeyta, said, "We wouldn't walk to the station, we'd run! It's to be expected that parents will be the first police will look at. If there are inconsistencies in their stories they're going to need to question them until they are certain they had no involvement. Is it uncomfortable? Sure, it's horrible but it's a necessary evil that families of missing children have to go through."
"Also," Abeyta added, "as police develop their investigation new questions are generated and it's these questions that only the parents can answer. Without the answers police are hindered in moving forward in some aspects of their investigation."
Baby Lisa probably dead?
One retired Kansas City Police officer does not believe Baby Lisa is still alive. Dave Bernard recently retired from Kansas City Police and told KMBC News that hes very familiar with Baby Lisas case. You know, at this stage, I dont know. I doubt that shes still alive.
This is not what people who are holding onto hope that shes alive want to hear. But does he have a point? Bernard has investigated cases like Lisas. He was the lead investigator in the Precious Doe murder case.
Bernard retired in September just days before Baby Lisa went missing. He still knows how police and investigators are approaching the case.
You can speculate on (whether) she was taken and abducted or whatever, but you concentrate on what is probable, and what most likely happened here, and see where that takes you, Bernard told KMBC.
Police can't dismiss the cadaver dog hit, regardless of how Tacopina tried to downplay it by saying cadaver dogs can hit on dirty diapers and toenails. Point is, if cadaver dogs were mostly inaccurate, and were hitting on every dirty diaper and toenail in their path, the FBI would not spend the money or time it takes to own, care for, and train these dogs.
Bernard explained that police continue to follow up on leads and process evidence. With tears in his eyes, he said, Behind the scenes, I mean, youve got all these investigators that are out running down leads. Calls may be coming in requiring further investigation, so theyre out doing that or maybe a piece of evidence theyve come across needs to be analyzed or tested, that sort of thing. So yeah, theres a lot of stuff going on that the public doesnt see.
Several people responded publicly to the ibtimes.com article Missing Baby Lisa Irwin Probably Dead, Says Retired Kansas Police Officer.
DogLovers7 said, we don't know she is dead. we must have faith. maybe one of the "druggies" took and sold her and hopefully she is w/ parents who wanted a baby and take care of her a whole lopt [siq] better than the terrible parents she has!
Faithrekson fired back saying, And do you know her parents?? Or do you base your vile comments about them on what you read in the tabloids??? For shame.
DannyDietz responded, From the facts that have come out regarding this case the parents seem to be lacking in some crucial parenting skills. The mother opening admits to getting hammered and last checking on her sick child at 630PM that night. Granted this maybe tough to actually believe as it seems that everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie but regardless it come straight out of the mothers mouth and NOT from the tabloids.
There seems to be a growing trend of young mothers with children 'randomly' going missing (Tyler Dasher, Sky Metalwala, Caylee Anthony, Baby Kate, and Baby Lisa). One could certainly argue in all of these cases that the children would have certainly been better off in another house hold with actual loving and caring parents," Dietz said.
'Cleared' vs. 'moving on'
It has been reported by various news outlets that some people, who were investigated in Baby Lisas case as potential persons of interest, have been 'cleared' because police have said they were moving on with the case.
Moving on and clearing a potential person of interest or suspect are two very different things, Gil Abeyta said last week. His baby was abducted from his crib 25 years ago and was never found. Hes been down this path and says a person, once questioned, is never completely 'cleared' until the case is solved.
November 21st 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/prosecutor-s-officeon-john-jersey-tanko-felony-charges-arraignment-hearing
'Jersey' remains incarcerated on felony charges, arraignment hearing Wed.
Jim Robert, spokesman for the Clay County Prosecutors office confirmed by phone Monday that John Tanko aka "Jersey" remains incarcerated at the Missouri Department of Corrections and is scheduled to be arraigned this week on a felony one charge; he is held on $10,000 bond.
Missouri Department of Corrections Public Information Officer, Angie Morfeld, said during a phone call Monday that Tanko was arrested on Oct. 14 for violation of parole and was later charged on a felony one count of Tampering with a Motor Vehicle.
He was charged with felony one after operating a Chrysler van without the owners consent, Robert said.
Robert said Tankos arraignment hearing on the Oct. 14 charge is scheduled Wed., Nov. 23 at 8:30 a.m. at the Clay County Courthouse, Division 4.
He said Tanko requested an attorney and will be represented by a public defender. Tanko is expected to enter a plea at Wednesdays hearing. Hell probably enter a not-guilty plea, Robert said.
The Clay County Jail Clerk said Tanko has prior felonies, which Morfeld confirmed and that are detailed below.
Tanko, described as a homeless handyman, has been the topic of conversation in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin.
Her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say Baby Lisa was abducted from her crib between the hours of 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4.
Many have speculated Tanko might have been involved in Baby Lisa's disappearance. Police say he's been questioned and they've moved on. His current felony charge is not related to the missing baby's case.
Previous charges
Morfeld said that in 2008 Tanko was charged with two first-degree felony counts of Tampering with a Motor Vehicle and one second-degree felony Burglary charge. She said he received a four-year sentence for those three charges and was held on $10,000 bond. His bond amount hasnt changed, Robert said.
Tanko was incarcerated in Clay County Jail from July 13, 2008, through May 28, 2009, when he was transferred to the Missouri Department of Corrections.
According to the Clerk at the Clay County Jail, an inmate can spend no more than one year at a county jail while awaiting sentencing or trial.
Morfeld said Tanko was incarcerated at the Missouri Department of Corrections from May 28, 2009 through Feb. 4, 2011.
Paroled, living at a Community Release Center
Tanko was paroled and moved to the Kansas City Community Release Center on Feb. 4, 2011, his residence until he was arrested on Oct. 14, 2011.
Morfeld explained that the Release Center is a place where inmates can live once they are released from jail if they have no home to return to. They are
able to leave the premises to work and perform other normal tasks, and are expected to return at a certain time of day.
She said Tanko absconded from the Release Center twice. A warrant was issued on April 11, 2011, and he was returned to the Release Center on July 23, 2011. He remained at the Release Center until September 7, 2011, when he once again absconded, Morfeld said. He never returned.
Tanko was arrested on Oct. 14 for violating his parole and on the Tampering with a Motor Vehicle felony one charge.
When asked if the charges were in any way related to the missing Baby Lisa case, Robert said no and stressed that Tanko is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
November 22nd 2011:

http://kcmetro.com/localnews.php? url=http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/22/3281893/kc-police-disbandbaby-lisa-command.html
Kansas City police disband command post in Lisa Irwin case
Kansas City police have shut down the command post where investigators had been working exclusively on the Lisa Irwin case.
Detectives and FBI agents who had been working as a task force out of a room at Kansas Citys police training academy now are back in their usual offices, police said Tuesday. Police said the move reflected a necessary shift
in resources as leads in the case have slowed and other crime cases have piled up.
For more than six weeks, a large group of detectives from the Crimes against Children unit had been focusing solely on finding Lisa Irwin, who was 10 months old when she disappeared Oct. 4 from her home on North Lister Avenue.
But that put a strain on the detectives left in the unit to investigate all the citys other reported child abuse, sex abuse and neglect cases, police said. The other cases and victims were suffering from the lack of available investigators, police said.
A core of seven or eight detectives will remain assigned to the baby Lisa case, police said, but the detectives now also will take on other cases from their respective units. FBI agents also will continue to work with police at the same level as before, police said.
If new leads develop, police said they can call upon other detectives from other units who previously have assisted in the case.
The people who are working this are not going to let this go, Capt. Steve Young said. But we have other cases and other victims.
http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/23/kcpd-disbands-irwin-search-command-post/
KCPD Disbands Irwin Search Command Post
Police say that they have disbanded the Northland command post used by investigators into the disappearance into Lisa Irwin stretches into its sixth week.
According to police, the Irwin investigation has put a big strain on investigators working on others crimes. Authorities have been using an office at the Police Training Academy as their command post, but as leads have slowed down in the case, police and FBI agents are now going back to their normal duties and units as other cases have been piling up.
Irwin disappeared from her crib in her home near 36th Street and North Lister on October 4th. Since then, dozens of investigators have worked to find her, which has put a strain on detectives left to investigate other cases of child abuse, sexual abuse and neglect cases.
Despite the disbanding of the task force, police say that there will still be as many as eight detectives on the Irwin case, and that they will still continue to follow all leads in the case.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16109537/police-shut-down-command-post-inkc-babys-case
Police shut down command post in baby Lisa case
Police have shut down the command post where investigators had been working on the case for missing baby Lisa Irwin.
Kansas City police Capt. Steve Young said detectives and FBI agents are now back in their usual offices. Investigators had been using a room at the Northland training academy.
Investigators have pored over more than 1,000 tips in the case, and police say they closed the command post because those leads in the case have decreased.
Seven or eight detectives will work on the search for answers in Lisa's disappearance.
"The number will vary each day," Young said. "There is one detective who is assigned to the case, like always."
Jeff Lanza, a retired FBI agent, said closing the command post means leads are drying up or "going cold." But Lanza stressed this doesn't mean the case will never be solved.
"But it doesn't mean it can't warm up in the future," Lanza said. "It just means cold right now... As leads come in, they will take action when action is needed."
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say that someone had snatched his daughter from her crib in her Northland home while she was sleeping. Her mother, Debbie Bradley, initially said she last saw her daughter about 10:30 p.m. but later admitted she had drank heavily in the hours before her daughter went missing and last remembered seeing her daughter at about 6:30 p.m.
Lisa was 10 months old at the time of her disappearance. Her first birthday was Nov. 11.
Volunteers plan to search Saturday the area of a closed casino at Interstate 435 and Highway 210. A Dallas psychic says she believes baby Lisa was dumped in that area.
Stephanie Almaguer says the baby accidentally drowned in her home.
Young told KCTV5 that authorities are aware of Almaguer's reported visions. He said numerous psychics have contacted police but little information has been usable.
Also on Friday, John "Jersey" Tanko was in court. The public defender for the Northland handyman says he is not a suspect in the disappearance of baby Lisa.
November 23rd 2011:

Volunteers are organizing a search of the area around Kansas City's old Sam's Town Casino on Saturday in hopes of finding evidence in the Lisa Irwin disappearance.
Dallas psychic Stephanie Almaguer said she has had visions that the baby was accidentally killed in her home and the body was dumped near the former casino near Interstate 435 and Missouri Highway 210. The site is just a couple of miles from the Irwin home.
Almaguer is a school security officer who has been on medical leave. She said it gave her time to focus on the Irwin case.
"As crazy as it sounds, I see things," she said. "I see, like, visions and I get feelings and I hear things."
She has never been to the area, but people in Kansas City who have followed her blog said she described the site perfectly. The casino closed in 1998 after three years in operation.
"I don't know how I did it, but if it fits, search it," Almaguer said. Volunteers plan to search the area near the old Sam's Town Casino after a psychic said Lisa Irwin's body may have been dumped there.
Almaguer is one of numerous psychics who have joined the search for the baby, who was reported missing from her home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue on Oct. 4.
After weeks of extensive searching, police have broken up their command post and disbanded the special squad of investigators looking into the case.
The New York attorney for Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, Joe Tacopina, said the couple has repeatedly cooperated with investigators, but said he will not allow his clients to be interrogated by police.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16112553/attorney-says-tanko-not-suspect-inbaby-lisa-case
Attorney says Tanko not suspect in baby Lisa case
A man who did odd jobs in the neighborhood from which baby Lisa Irwin went missing was arraigned Wednesday on an unrelated charge.
John "Jersey" Tanko pleaded not guilty to felony tampering with a vehicle. His trial was set for April 9.
Tanko was arrested Oct. 14 in connection with an Oct. 13 incident. Police questioned him about baby Lisa's disappearance but ultimately said they have "moved on." Kansas City police and the FBI have not cleared anyone in
the case if new evidence arises that warrants additional scrutiny.
But his public defender, Horton Lance, said he is not treating his client as a suspect in the disappearance of baby Lisa and he has received no indication otherwise from police.
KCTV5 had contacted Lance last week about remarks made by John Picerno, an attorney for baby Lisa's parents. Lance told KCTV5 Friday that he was unaware of those remarks.
Last week, John Picerno told a television reporter that a witness claims Tanko was paid $300 to kidnap the then 10-month-old baby.
Picerno said the girl claims Tanko bragged about the kidnapping to another man.
The teen said she was with the second man following a vigil for the baby and he claimed the handyman made the claim, Picerno contends.
That second man has subsequently denied making such a claim according to media reports.
Picerno and New York attorney Joe Tacopina are representing Lisa's parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. Neither Picerno nor Tacopina responded to attempts to reach them Wednesday for comment.
Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that his daughter had been snatched from her crib while sleeping.
The tampering charge was initially filed last month against Tanko, but the
case was refiled by Clay County Prosecutor Dan White on Nov. 15.
KCTV5 sought to have a camera in the courtroom for Tanko's hearing, but Horton objected.
November 26th 2011:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/psychic-helps-inbaby-lisa-search
Psychic helps in baby Lisa search
A psychic says she knows where baby Lisa Irwin is and today, volunteers helped search that area in an effort to figure out where the missing oneyear-old may be.
More than a dozen people looked through the woods near the former Sams Town Casino along I-435 and Chouteau Tfwy.
During the search they found a four to five foot well full of water.
The group contacted police who say they will look into the report, but have not said when.
"I don't want to find anything. I want to find Lisa alive. I still believe she is alive. There could be other stuff we're missing like the missing cell phones, clothes," said Edith Fin-Duskin.
A vigil is set to be held Tuesday night at the Irwin household at 36th and N. Lister.
November 27th 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/police-say-no-reasonnot-to-search-well-found-by-psychic-baby-lisa-case
Police say no reason not to search well found by psychic in Baby Lisa case
Police say there's no reason not to search the well that was discovered during a search for missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin Saturday.
The search was said to be based on a vision from Dallas, Texas psychic Stephanie Almaguer. Some two dozen members of the local Kansas City community searched an area, including a well, near the river Saturday.
The search began at 9 a.m., KCTV 5 News reports, from the Chouteau Bridge over to Hwy 210. Most of the search focused on the Cerner property that was formerly Sam's Town Casino.
The public questioned if police plan to conduct a professional search of the well. Kansas City Police spokesman Steve Young said in an email Sunday afternoon, "We are exploring the possibility of searching it soon. Numerous resources are needed to get it done, but no reason not to search it."
Capt. Young, discussing Saturday's search, said in an email Saturday, "We know of the search but are not affiliated with it."
Volunteers had called police after the well was discovered. According to an iReport on CNNs website Missouri Police Detective Albertson arrived at the scene and about a dozen searchers led Det. Albertson to the thicket where the old well made of brick was located. It was reported that this well had not been discovered or searched since Baby Lisa vanished.
The report indicates Detective Albertson investigated the well and after 30 minutes of conversation with volunteers he led the group of volunteers back up the steep embankment to head home. Detective Albertson had no comment on further investigation of the well and Missouri River front.
Stephanie claims on her blog that Baby Lisa, whose parents reported she was abducted from her crib sometime between the hours of 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3, and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4, accidentally died in her home and was then dumped in an area resembling the Kansas City location. She said she saw a river by a tower and other elements that locals connected to this property, KCTV 5 News reports.
Stephanie, who now feels scorned by people she thought she could trust, took to her blog to express her anger and outrage.
One of her comments, that generated conversation Sunday, read:
AND TO THE U G L Y BITCH OR BASTARD (HARD TO TELL WHICH ONE, YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN, BUT WITH LONG HAIR) WHO SAID MY BLOG WAS WORTHLESS - YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU CAN GO. WHO THE HELL MADE YOU JUDGE AND JURY OVER ME? AND YES, I JUST CURSED ON MY BLOG - IMAGINE THAT! EVERYONE BELIEVES I'M A LIAR, FRAUD, SCAM ARTIST, ETC...ANYWAY - MIGHT AS WELL LIVE UP TO IT, HUH....ONE LAST COMMENT - TO EVERYONE WHO USED ME, CRITICIZED ME~ WHAT AND WHY I DO WHAT I DO, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO PUT DOWN MY CHILDREN - F***OFF
November 28th 2011:

http://fox4kc.com/2011/11/28/custody-battle-for-jeremy-irwins-son-movesforward/
Custody Battle for Jeremy Irwins Son Moves Forward
Since October 4, Jeremy Irwins life has been in the spotlight as investigators search for his missing baby girl, Lisa. Among those caught in the glare of media coverage is his eight-year-old son, Lisas half-brother.
The boys biological mother, Rasleen Raim, has gone to court, saying shes concerned for her sons safety, comfort and peace of mind. Shes asked the court to give her custody of the child. Irwins attorney says, that would be a difficult case to make.
They have to prove that there are changed circumstances of a continuing and substantial nature, John Picerno says.
Picerno says the boy and his other half brother have been kept out of the spotlight, and he says Deborah and Jeremy are good parents, the only strike against them he says was October 4.
The one night where someone came into the home, and the baby was kidnapped, Jeremy and Debbie, according to the KCPD and the FBI are not suspects, Picerno explains.
Picerno adds history is in Jeremy Irwins favor.
Were in a situation where Jeremys raised this boy the whole time, Picerno said. Shes been gone since the boy was two. Hes now eight. She has not seen him other, with one exception, the chance meeting that they ran into each other when Jeremy was out and about with the boy.
Picerno says he questions why Raim is making the move now for custody after all these years. Still, a judge has the final say on December 7 in a Clay County courtroom.
November 29th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Gagorder-discussed-in-custody-battle-over-Lisa-Irwin-s-half-brother
Gag order hearing delayed in custody battle over Lisa Irwin's half-brother
A hearing regarding a gag order in the custody battle over one of Lisa Irwins half-brothers has been delayed until Dec. 7.
Neither the boy's mother Rasleen Raim nor father Jeremy Irwin, who is also Baby Lisa's father, were in court for the 9 a.m. hearing Tuesday regarding the gag order in the court battle fover their son.
The attorney for Raim did not appear for the hearing. Irwin was represented by Kansas City attorney John Picerno.
Earlier this month, Raim, Irwin's ex-girlfriend, filed for temporary custody of their 8-year-old son. She said it was for his "safety, comfort and peace of mind."
One-year-old Lisa Irwin disappeared from Irwin's Northland home on October 4.
Irwin's attorney said Rasleen hasn't seen her son for six years and that Jeremy plans to fight the petition.
Picerno said his clients will not go through another round of separate interviews with police regarding Lisa, despite the standing request from KCPD.
He said Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin were interviewed for a total of 30 hours individually on October 4, Oct 6 and Oct 8. He said the only time they were represented by an attorney was on October 8.
Picerno said his clients were interrogated during the meetings and that it wouldn't be "productive" or in "their best interest" to go through it again.
KCPD spokesperson Capt. Steve Young said, "Some of the questions may have made Deborah and Jeremy uncomfortable but we are trying to find a missing child."
The family of missing baby Lisa Irwin are asking for prayer vigils in front of their house to stop. A vigil was held Tuesday night in front of the home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. It has been more than eight weeks since the baby went missing from her home.
A group has been holding regular vigils at the Irwins' home since Lisa was reported missing on Oct. 4.
Family members said they hope prayers for their missing daughter will continue.
"We've had such great response. That needs to continue until Lisa comes home. Every day is a struggle just to get through it," said Lisa's grandfather Rick Irwin.
An attorney for the Irwins said the family will pray privately.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/30/3294479/baby-lisas-parents-endvigils.html#storylink=misearch
Parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin want vigils outside home to end
The family of a missing Northland infant has asked that vigils discontinue in front of their home on North Lister Avenue.
People praying there for Lisa Irwin were told Tuesday that they no longer were welcome to gather in front the residence. John Picerno, an attorney for Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, said the family will continue private vigils.
Edith Fine-Duskin, the leader of the group called Lisas Angels, said she did not understand why the family no longer wanted vigils, which have been held in front their home since Lisa disappeared on Oct. 4.
It hurts because it is like she (Deborah Bradley) is pushing us all away, Fine-Duskin said.
A family member told Fine-Duskin that the parents wanted to return to a sense of normalcy, and the vigils were troubling to Lisas half-brothers.
This would be one day a week and you would think she would want us out there, she said. I still believe Lisa is alive; I dont know where she is.
Fine-Duskin said she would look for another location to hold vigils and the group would continue looking for Lisa, who was 10 months old when her parents reported her missing. The group has conducted searches and distributed fliers seeking information about her disappearance.
Police reported no new developments in the case.
I did (vigils at) that place because that is Lisas home and where she was taken, said Fine-Duskin. I feel that was the best place.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/vigilgroup-doesnt-understand-why-irwin-family-wants-them-gone
Lisa Irwin's family asks for end to vigils outside home
A group of people publicly praying for Lisa Irwin said they don't understand why her family wants them gone.
Edith Fine-Duskin, the leader of Lisa's Angels, says she cried when Jeremy
Irwin's mother gave her the news Monday night. Tuesday night was the final vigil on the Irwin property.
"Yes, it is disappointing. It's heartbreaking," said Fine-Duskin.
The group has held nightly vigils since Lisa's disappearance on Oct. 4. FineDuskin said she can't understand why the family wants the nightly gathering gone.
"I'm doing everything I can to bring that child back to her and her family," said Fine-Duskin.
Jeremy Irwin's father, Rick, said the family appreciates the support and hopes it will continue, just not in the front yard.
"Continuing to have them here in the yard is just overwhelming for them," said Rick Irwin.
He said while the family will never be back to normal, they are trying to recapture some of it, not only for Lisa's parents but also her two half brothers.
"Kids are resilient, but still under these kinds of circumstances, these kids are torn up inside too," said Rick Irwin.
Rick Irwin encourages people to keep praying, looking and supporting. FineDuskin said they will do just that.
"Because we haven't found baby Lisa. Why give up on a child?" she said.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley were not present at the final vigil. They left the property a few minutes prior. The group wishes Lisa's parents had participated more.
Fine-Duskin said the vigils will continue, but she is unsure where they will be held.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16148252/last-prayer-vigil-to-be-held
Last prayer vigil held at Irwin home
A group that calls themselves Lisa's Angels says they will continue to hold vigils for missing baby Lisa Irwin, but they won't be doing it in front of her parents' home.
At the request of baby Lisa's family, Tuesday night was the last vigil held outside the home on North Lister. The group has literally been holding its prayers around a flag pole in the front lawn of the home.
It has been eight weeks since Lisa disappeared, and the group has been holding vigils at the home almost nightly and were not happy they were asked to leave.
The group says they will respect the family's request and move the vigils, but they have not determined where.
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say that someone had snatched his daughter from her crib in her Northland home while she was sleeping. Her mother, Debbie Bradley, initially said she last saw
her daughter about 10:30 p.m. but later admitted she had drank heavily in the hours before her daughter went missing and last remembered seeing her daughter at about 6:30 p.m.
Lisa was 10 months old at the time of her disappearance. Her first birthday was Nov. 11.
Investigators have pored over more than 1,000 tips in the case and have recently closed a command post in the case because those leads have decreased.
Irwin's father, Rick Irwin, said the family appreciates the prayers but needs the vigils held at a different location because of Lisa's older half brothers. He said the vigils create an overwhelming and emotionally charged atmosphere for the family.
"Having the vigils here is really heart wrenching for them," Irwin said.
Irwin, Bradley and the two boys left their home before the vigil began. One person yelled out at the parents.
December 2nd 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16176773/americas-most-wanted-featuringmissing-baby-lisa-irwin
America's Most Wanted featuring missing baby Lisa Irwin
America's Most Wanted featured the case of missing baby Lisa Irwin Friday night.
The show is hosted by John Walsh, whose son was abducted from a department store and killed in 1981. Walsh has turned his tragedy into a tireless cause to help other parents find their missing children and solve other crimes.
Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, reported to police around 4 a.m. Oct. 4 that their then 10-month-old daughter had been abducted from her Northland home while she was sleeping.
The couple has not spoken with police or the local media since the first week that their daughter went missing. Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance, but police have identified no suspects.
Kansas City Police have investigated more than 1,000 tips but the case has stalled and the command center was recently dismantled.
Walsh has conducted several interviews with the national media about the search for Lisa, including Inside Edition. He urged Irwin and Bradley to work with the authorities.
"They should cooperate with police fully. They should do all the media they can and they should remember one thing - if they had nothing to do with their daughter's disappearance, they need to be the face of baby Lisa," Walsh told Inside Edition, which is carried on KCTV5.
Walsh said this week that parents have the right to get an attorney, but should do everything they can to find their missing baby including running the search effort from their home. He has thrown veiled criticism toward
Irwin and Bradley for not doing more to find their missing child.
"You keep searching if you have nothing to do with the disappearance of your child. You are there every day at the police station saying what can I do to get this baby back," Walsh said.
America's Most Wanted is now airing on Lifetime and is celebrating its 25th season. The show reportedly offered no new insights on the search for Lisa.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/americ as-most-wanted-features-baby-lisa
America's Most Wanted features Baby Lisa
It's been nearly two months since little Lisa Irwin disappeared.
Her family hopes the TV show Americas Most Wanted will help generate more leads as to where Lisa may be.
For its 25th season premiere, the show focused on the baby's disappearance from her Northland home.
While no new information is being released by the family or police, several never-before-seen photos were shown.
"I think any publicity in terms of finding Lisa is going to benefit us one way or another. The more people that see and view Lisa and see what she looks like, the better chance we are going to have in finding her, said John Anthony Picerno, attorney for Lisas parents.
The show was a main staple on Fox for 23 years.
It was canceled last spring and moved to Lifetime.
December 5th 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/lisa-irwin-familymember-sheds-light-on-why-vigils-to-stop-outside-family-home
Family members perspective why prayer vigils stopped
After a week of reports that missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin's family wants to stop prayer vigils from being held in the front yard of their home, the baby's aunt has come forward to explain why.
While it is almost inconceivable, at first glance, that Baby Lisas parents would ban local citizens from holding prayer vigils outside their home, Baby Lisa's aunt, Ashley Irwin, said it became necessary.
Ashley has been a strong voice for this innocent baby who was reported missing when she was just 10 months old. Her parents, Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 30, say someone abducted Lisa from her crib between the hours of 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4
Ashley provides insight into why Deborah and Jeremy asked their community members to stop holding the vigils outside their home. She begins by saying, The focus had totally shifted and it just wasn't about Lisa anymore.
This is why, Ashley said, that Deborah asked that the location of the vigils be changed. She [Deborah] never asked that people disband the prayer group or that people stop praying thats absurd, she said.
She just asked that it please not take place in their front yard anymore. This, Ashley said, Is one decision of theirs [Deborah and Jeremy] I support.
The story of why prayer vigils were stopped, from a family member's perspective
Lisas aunt Ashley wrote in an email, Some of those involved in the prayer vigils created unnecessary drama. She said the vigils became gossip-fests and meetings for case discussion instead of gathering to actually pray for and focus on Baby Lisa.
Some of those involved habitually talked about what other people were supposedly doing and saying and creating a rumor mill, Ashley said. A lot of unnecessary stress and drama started to surround the vigils. People were always talking about other people behind their backs and someone was always mad at somebody else for something.
This is not productive when it comes to finding a missing child. But it is all too common in missing childrens cases that drag on and when the public suspects the parents may have been involved in the childs disappearance.
Ashley said that Jeremy and Deborah were being incessantly approached with people knocking on their front door numerous times a day. She said that every time they stepped outside people would surround them and try talking to them for extended periods of time.
I understand the desire to want to talk to them, but being at someone's house 12 out of 24 hours in a day and knocking on their door and talking to them literally every single time they step foot outside their home is a bit extreme, she said.
Ashley said that people from last weekends Sams Town volunteer search were invited to attend the prayer vigil outside of the Bradley/Irwin home Tuesday night. The majority, if not all, of those people think that Deborah killed Lisa and dumped her body there, Ashley said. Hence why they were searching there in the first place.
She stressed how inappropriate it was to invite people with that mindset to the Bradley/Irwin front yard..
Ashley said Jeremy and Deborah have made it clear they do not want media in front of their home yet media were invited to be there that night. It just adds to the drama and takes away from the focus of finding Baby Lisa, she said.
Ashley has been studying for finals but says as soon as things settle down she plans to solve the problem by organizing community prayer vigils at a local park. She said the focus has been taken off finding Baby Lisa and said thats unacceptable.
HLNs Nancy Grace promises to discuss the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin this week, including the fact, Grace says, that the babys parents have ordered members of the community to stop holding prayer vigils outside their family home the home where they say their baby was abducted from her crib.
December 7th 2011:
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/gag-order-likelyin-baby-lisa-family-feud-as-jeremy-irwin%27s-attorney-agrees
Gag order likely in Baby Lisa family feud as Jeremy Irwin's attorney agrees
An attorney for the family in the Baby Lisa case said he has agreed to a gag order in the custody battle over one of the missing infants brothers.
We stipulated to the gag order as we have no interest in discussing publicly the custody of a minor child," said John Anthony Picerno, representing Baby Lisas father.
Jeremy Irwin and Rasleen Raim, a former girlfriend, are the parents of Lisa Irwins 8-year-old brother.
Last month, Raims attorney, Dorothy L. Savory, issued a news release saying she had filed emergency custody and visitation motions because of the mothers concerns over the child's safety, comfort and peace of mind.
Before agreeing to the gag order, Picerno called the mother a dead beat mom, saying she had not made previous efforts to visit the child and had not paid child support.
A court appointed advocate for the child filed for the gag order to prevent the two sides from discussing the case in the media.
Because the case involves a minor, it was unclear whether the court had made a final ruling.
The attorney for the mother didnt appear at last weeks hearing, and Wednesday, could not be reached to determine whether she has agreed to the gag order request.
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/baby-lisa-lawyerscomment-vigils-are-disruptive-to-family-strikes-a-nerve
Lawyers' comment vigils are 'disruptive' to family strikes a nerve
It struck a nerve when the attorneys representing missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin reportedly announced in an email last week that vigils held in the parents' front yard would stop because they were a "spectable ... disturbing ... disruptive", and that the baby's parents were trying to get their lives back to normal just two months after their baby vanished.
Weighing in on this hot topic are local Private Investigator Ron Rugen, Baby Lisa's aunt Ashley Irwin, organizer of the vigils, Edith Fine-Duskin, and quotes from Baby Lisa's grandfather, Rick Irwin.
National news coverage on this issue included Fox America Live reporter Megyn Kelly's interview with Homicide Detective Rod Wheeler for his analysis of what the attorney's statements meant, some of their conversation is included below.
The attorneys' email, written by New York-based defense attorney Joe Tacopina, and local Kansas City defense attorney John Picerno, reportedly said:
Vigils by a large number of people on their [Bradley/Irwin] front lawn is a spectacle, disturbing to their neighbors, and disruptive, especially to their young sons, in their attempt to return to as normal a family life as possible
under the circumstances.
Megyn Kelly said it was shocking to learn Baby Lisas parents wanted the vigils to stop and explained the prayer vigils were held weekly, not daily. Wheller agreed and said that nine times out of 10 most parents with missing children would want to come and have a prayer vigil.
Ashley Irwin explained it's not that Deborah and Jeremy wanted the prayer vigils to end. It was that they didn't want them in their front yard.
Edith said initially the vigils were held nightly. Some time ago we went to two days a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays," she said.
She also said that not all vigils were held in front of the Bradley/Irwin home. "Some were held in the basement of a woman's house three doors down," Edith said. She said that they stopped having the vigils in the neighbor's basement because "people weren't able to speak their minds and openly share their thoughts and feelings."
This is why she wanted the vigils to be held in Baby Lisa's yard. She feels that's the best place to have them. She said she won't, however, be going back to the Bradley/Irwin home to hold vigils.
I was told if we step on Deborahs property again shell file charges, Edith said. She said she didnt hear directly from Deborah that she wanted the vigils to stop, or that people would be arrested if they stepped foot on their property. She said she heard it from Jeremys mother Melanie Irwin. "We were talking. I was in Debbie's house and I thought we were getting close," she said. "I don't know what happened."
Baby Lisas aunt, Ashley Irwin, said in an email last week that the reason the parents wanted the vigils moved to another location is that the vigils turned
into gossip fests and were no longer productive or even about Baby Lisa. Ashley says due to her busy school schedule she has not attended many of the vigils but that she plans to change that in the near future, and organize some of the vigils herself.
Edith said Tuesday that the vigils were organized as a place for people to gather, talk, vent, receive comfort, discuss the Baby Lisa case, and pray.
Baby Lisas grandfather, Rick Irwin, told KCTV 5 News its not that Baby Lisas parents dont appreciate the prayers, its just simply too much for the family now that they have returned home.
Local Private Investigator Ron Rugen agreed with Irwin when he said, "I stood there when Jeremy's dad spoke to some supporters after the last vigil at the house. It's not that the family has requested no more vigils. They don't want them [supporters] in their front lawn.
My understanding is some 'vigilists' have been aggressive toward the family. When I arrived that night, ten minutes before the vigil, the parents drove right past me. I'm told someone screamed at them abusively as they got in the car.
It seems disrespectful if you're going to be guests on their property to act out like this. They're lucky they weren't cited for trespassing.
Edith said during Tuesday's phone conversation that she agrees the person yelling at Deborah and Jeremy was out of line and said there have been some disagreements amongst group members which led to the severing of several relationships.
These folks are saying, Its time to move on with our lives. Get out of my driveway, get out of my yard, and move somewhere else. What does that tell
you, I wonder? Wheeler asked.
Ill tell you what that tells me as a homicide investigator. That tells me that the Kansas City Police Department has been correct in focusing on these two people and Im talking about the mother and the step-father here, Wheller said.
Baby Lisa's grandfather Rick Irwin said, Theyre trying to get some kind of if there is such a thing as normalcy anymore and I dont know what that exactly would be but having the vigils here is real heart-wrenching for them.
"As for life getting back to normal," Edith said, "I doesnt see that happening anytime soon." She said Deborah and Jeremy are trying to get their kids back on schedules of going to school and their daily lives. But as far as normal she said, They [Deborah and Jeremy] take turns sleeping. Jeremy said he can stay up all day and night if need be.
One of them has to stay up all night, Edith said. And thats not normal. She added that Jeremy has stood by Deborahs side every step of the way, and from what she could tell, he was not putting blame on Deborah for the fact shed been drinking and blacked out the night Baby Lisa went missing.
Megyn Kelly brought up the concern that the vigils are bothering the babys six-year-old and eight-year-old half-brothers. She said she wondered if perhaps that concern is legitimate, and that perhaps these parents want to stop obsessing over the disappearance of their child.
Absolutely not, that argument doesnt make any sense whatsoever if thats the argument that theyre using. Theyre saying its time to move on with their lives, Wheeler said. Look, these two kids are the same two little boys who the parents were reluctant to have the police interrogate or talk to at first if you remember. So none of what theyre saying makes any sense whatsoever. But again, its another tell-tale sign that police are strictly looking at these two individuals.
Ashley said she was told people were going to Deborah and Jeremys door numerous times each day, and that they had invited people to the vigil who think Deborah and Jeremy killed Baby Lisa and dumped her body somewhere near the old Sams Town Casino that was searched last week.
Edith said shes spoken with Debbie and not long ago was in the Bradley/Irwin home. She said the boys asked her if she was still looking for Baby Lisa, and that she doesnt believe the vigils would disturb the children if they were told that the people outside were there praying for their baby sister and trying to help find her.
KCTV reported that things got ugly during a recent vigil, resulting in voices being raised and the Bradley/Irwin family driving away.
Edith said one of the persons who attended the vigil got out of hand and said things she shouldnt have said. She also said that if Deborah and Jeremy knew they didnt want to be home at the time of last weeks vigil then perhaps some of the drama might have been eliminated if theyd left before the people arrived. They knew what time the vigils typically started, she said.
Ron Rugen said he saw the baby's family drive away before the vigil began.
Also, she said, I wanted Tuesday to be about the boys seeing people who love them still praying and searching for their sister. I dont think the boys were bothered by the vigils.
Lisas grandfather, Rick Irwin, said the family still wants and needs the prayers, they want everyone to keep looking for Baby Lisa, and they appreciate the support they just dont want it in their front yard every night.
Kelly brought up the fact that John Walsh, host and creator of Americas Most Wanted, really went after Deborah and Jeremy during Fridays episode. She said Walsh felt the parents werent cooperating enough with the investigation. He urged them to work with the authorities saying this is what you do when you have a missing child. You should know. You cooperate with police fully. Do all the media you can.
She also said he stressed to the parents that if they had nothing to do with their daughters disappearance then they need to be the face for their missing little girl. Walsh also stressed they should be at the police station every day asking what they can do to help find their baby. Read: AMW John Walsh: Baby Lisa Irwins parents should cooperate with police fully.
Asked if he finds Deborah and Jeremys behavior inconsistent with the advice given by Walsh, whose own son was abducted and later found murdered, Wheeler said, Absolutely. Their behavior is very inconsistent. John Walsh is 100 percent correct by what he was saying. These parents need to cooperate more, and a lot more with the police department.
Walsh doesnt stand alone. Parents, media, criminal profilers, and others have repeatedly stressed the importance of Deborah and Jeremy cooperating fully with police.
Could everyone be wrong? Is there something everyones missing? If so, it might behoove Deborah and Jeremy to come forward and at the very least explain their silence and refusal to cooperate with the very agencies that could help solve their missing babys case.
Edith says she knows all too well what it feels like to lose a child. The fasttalking mom says her mission is to find Baby Lisa so her parents dont have to go through what she went through when she lost her daughter in 2003. Her daughter was killed by a hit-and-run driver who was never caught.
In every case that Ive helped, and there have been many, this is the first time when the parents havent been with us, Edith said. Asked why she believes the parents are not communicating, not cooperating, she said, I think its because theyre scared.
December 8th 2011:

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/twisted-words-wreakhavoc-missing-baby-lisa-case
Twisted words wreak havoc in missing Baby Lisa case
It was a day like many others in the case of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin - a case where assumptions, presumptions, accusations, misreporting, twisted truths, and outright lies dominate a case thats supposed to be about a missing baby.
Baby Lisa's parents, Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 30, say their baby was abducted from her crib sometime between the hours of 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4.
On Tuesday, local Kansas City Private Investigator Ron Rugen, who has spent countless hours of his own time searching for clues in the missing babys case, has now joined others who know all too well how fast their words intentionally or not - can be twisted and how fast the misinformation can spread online. Like wildfire.
Monday morning Rugen wrote on his Facebook page:
A source close to law enforcement tells me that cadaver dog in the Lisa
Irwin missing baby case hit on a blanket, a toy, and her clothes last reported wearing. If true, that means the fluid that secretes from the body upon death were possibly on those items.
Here is how his words were regurgitated online:
One writer wrote:
Rugen is a private investigator who claims to have learned from law enforcement that the cadaver dog hit on baby Lisa Irwin's blanket, toy, and last-worn clothing. His Facebook post prompted a host of speculation on Facebook pages devoted to the case that an arrest may be imminent.
Rugen never said he learned "from law enforcement," he said a "source close to law enforcement." He never indicated an arrest was imminent.
Another writer took information from the previous article and wrote:
Rugen Team Investigations of Missouri reports that Kansas City law enforcement filled them in on some evidence in the case. Apparently, those cadaver dogs who "hit" on the scent of death on Deborah Bradley's bedroom floor, also hit that same scent on other items in the home. Dogs indicated human death on one of Lisa Irwin's blankets as well as the baby's clothing that she was reported to have been last wearing. In other words, either Lisa Irwin was dead before the clothing was removed, or a very tiny person died in the clothes.
Rugen never said law enforcement "filled him in."
He said, A source close to law enforcement Theres a very big difference between the two, as was evident by Rons quick response to the writers.
The writer quickly replied:
"The source I used said that you heard from LE -- if you heard from someone *close* to LE -- that's not much of a difference, and at this point it's just semantics. There is no need to remove this article over semantics. As it stand your statement, the heart of it, is still correct --- you heard that cadaver dogs 'hit' on these items. Unless that is incorrect, I will not remove it."
Rugen wrote:
Opinions are one thing, but outright misinformation by saying I said something I didn't is different. It's not semantics. CLOSE to LE is NOT LE.
He explained that misquoting something like this can have critical consequences. While initially met with resistance, Rugen said the writer later acquiesced and agreed to write a follow-up article.
Further, Rugen did not state as fact:
Dogs indicated human death on one of Lisa Irwin's blankets as well as the baby's clothing that she was reported to have been last wearing.
Rugen said:
If true that means the fluid that secretes from the body upon death were possibly on those items.
He did not say:
Either Lisa was dead before the clothing was removed or a very tiny person died in the clothes.
Rugen wrote in an email Tuesday evening, "In my original post I said a source close to law enforcement shared this information with me. I never said or implied I had privileged information directly from law enforcement.
"Obviously, the handful that wrote this story and were too lazy to interview me directly, either sourced their story via histrionic rants on Facebook pages from persons who use this as their singular social outlets and have no reading comprehension, or they got their information from another internet 'report' and rewrote it. Either way, they are not journalists in any sense of the word.
"Further, for these writers to imply there are pending arrests appear to be assumptions and supposition and likely have no basis for fact," Rugen wrote.
Update: On Thursday, as promised one of the writers did write a follow-up article in an attempt to clear up any misreporting the day prior. What she writes further shows how misinformation can quickly spread online, which was the purpose of this article:
"It was mistakenly reported by several online sources that Ron Rugen shared that he talked to law enforcement about Lisa Irwin. It was widely written that he was told about items that were removed from the home of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. However, this is not true."
The writer adds:
"It's easy to misreport details when so many sources have mixed up the actual wording."
Are comments from Johnny Chiarravalloti coming from Johnny Chivalette, Deborah's uncle?
Additionally, the writers of the two above-mentioned articles also wrote about Facebook entries made by someone claiming to be Baby Lisa's mother's uncle, Johnny Chivalette.
What's disturbing is that anyone can post information on Facebook, blogs, or anywhere else online.
In this case, information has been posted on Facebook by someone using the name "Johnny Chiaravalloti". The persons claims to be Deborah's uncle and says that he knows the baby died in an accident and her family is working together to hide the evidence.
Could "Johnny Chiarravalloti" just be someone with a lot of time on his or her hands?
Last week a concerned citizen sent information sharing some of "Johnny Chiaravallotis" posts. The owner of the page begins by saying his sister, Lisa, passed away in 2001 when she was 36 years old. He says Lisa and Deborah were very close, and thats why she named her baby Lisa. Information readily available online.
He goes on to say his sister, Lisa, was a recovering alcoholic of five years and that she died of an accidental drug overdose, Oxycontin on Phillips [Deborahs younger brothers] 10th birthday. He said Phillip found his mother dead in her bed. He claims to have a long list of tragedies in their family.
This following information came from a Kansas City Star article entitled: From 'mother hen' to media villain: The life of baby Lisa Irwin's mom:
Her uncle, Johnny Chivalette III, called her twice from Delaware, the second time to ask her to confess.
"She hung up on me. But you have to understand. Our family is so dysfunctional," he said. He also wrote her a letter calling for her to give up. He sent a copy to The Star.
He'd already called the Kansas City Police Department and had a conference call with four detectives.
Chivalette said he told them how the tragedies of alcoholism wove through the family, causing pain and dysfunction, how siblings refuse to talk with each other, often for years.
Some family members think Chivalette just represents more of the dysfunction. Indeed, he concedes he has served time in prison.
Considering her mother's genes, Chivalette thinks Debbie shouldn't be drinking at all. But the night of Lisa's disappearance, according to a source close the family, she'd consumed at least five glasses of wine while chatting with a neighbor on the porch.
"I don't think she'd do something on purpose," Chivalette says, "but I can see her hiding something after that. ...
"Look, I hope they find baby Lisa with a clean diaper and a full tummy, but with my family, it'll probably end worse."
The question is, have these writers taken the time to confirm the person posting the information on Facebook is who they say they are, and that the information they are stating as fact is correct?
December 11th 2011:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/groupsays-they-believe-missing-baby-lisa-irwin-is-still-alive
Group believes missing baby Lisa Irwin is alive
There is a group of people in Kansas City who want the public to know they believe baby Lisa Irwin is alive and well.
Baby Lisa has been missing for more than 2 months now.
Her parents say she disappeared from her crib in the middle of the night. Police were called the morning of October 4.
Sunday afternoon, a group showed their support for the missing one year old baby with a march at Penguin Park.
The group says they believe they can find her.
They say they wonder why the family has not conducted their own search for their missing child.
Kansas City, Mo. resident Cindie Williams said, "I am somewhat disappointed because I believe they should be out searching with the strangers. Just wish the baby was found because it disappoints me. The baby's gone and they're not helping to locate her."
In late November, a group held a vigil for baby Lisa outside the Irwin family home.
The parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin asked the group to leave.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/12/10/2135065/family-caught-in-baby-lisanightmare.html#storylink=misearch
Family caught in baby Lisa nightmare
Shortly after baby Lisa Irwin disappeared in October, Amy noticed other shoppers looking at her and her 10-month-old baby, Lucy, in the supermarket.
I saw people peering down the aisles at me, the Overland Park mother said. But I convinced myself that they were probably just looking for a can of green beans or something.
Then three older women surrounded her.
How old is your baby? they asked. One of them pulled down Lucys blanket and lifted the babys dress to inspect her legs.
Other shoppers whispered and pointed Amys way.
They think this is baby Lisa, she realized. The woman was checking Lucys leg for the birthmark on Lisa Irwins right thigh.
The incident one of hundreds of potential baby Lisa sightings reported to police ended with Overland Park officers following Amy home and leaving only after she presented Lucys vaccination records and insurance card.
At that point, I was glad people were paying attention, said Amy, who didnt want her last name published because of fears for her babys safety. I would want that if my baby were missing.
I just thought, Wow. What a day. Its fluke.
But then it happened again. And again. Five times in all, Amy and her husband, David, have had to prove to law enforcement officers that they are indeed Lucys parents.
And that doesnt count the times shoppers have cast dirty looks. Amy worries that someone is always watching her, judging her. Shes afraid to let anyone baby-sit Lucy because they might not be able to prove their relationship with her. She wonders how the negative attention is affecting her three other children.
The family is not convinced its over. Police visited their home last week in an incident that Amy ranks as the worst of all.
I cant tell you how emotionally this has affected me, she said. Its to the point where Im afraid of going out. Its very upsetting.
Amy and David are among hundreds of parents across the country and into Canada who have been asked to prove their relationship with their child because of baby Lisas case, Kansas City police said. Of the 1,419 leads received in the case, 422 of them are baby sightings.
But Kansas City police know of no other parents who have been repeatedly targeted like Amy and David.
Kansas City Police Sgt. Sondra Zink acknowledged the case has had far-flung repercussions.
"You think about her family and the detectives and all the peripheral people," she said. "There is a trickle-down effect with the impact it has had on so many different people."
When Lisa first disappeared Oct. 4, Amy paid close attention to the case.
My heart was with the parents, she said. Obviously, I have a baby the same age, so I could really identify with them.
Amy remembers thinking her baby resembled Lisa. They are about the same age and length and they share striking blue eyes. Lucy is a little thinner, Amy said.
But never in a million years did it dawn on me that someone would report us to police, she said.
The first incident made Amy want to bolt from the store and leave her groceries behind. Instead, she paid her bill and left in tears. She met her husband for lunch at Taco Bell, where Lucy drew stares from an older couple.
They were just sitting there, not eating their food, just staring at us, Amy said.
It didnt help that Lucy was extremely fussy at the time, crying and pushing away from her parents.
Amy thought about saying something to the older couple but decided against it.
I wanted to say, This isnt Lisa, she said. But I figured it would just make me look more guilty.
After David went back to work, Amy walked to her car and buckled Lucys car seat. The older man followed her outside and scribbled down her license number.
By now, Amy was drenched in sweat. She drove home, expecting to be pulled over. Sure enough, she said, an Overland Park officer began following her. He followed for three excruciating miles.
I didnt know what they were going to do, she said. I mean, if they think I have a kidnapped baby, I didnt know if they were going to come out guns ablazing or what.
The patrol car didnt stop her and Amy pulled into her driveway. Soon an officer knocked on her door.
He asked for her babys head circumference at birth. Amy didnt know. She felt a bit inadequate.
The officer checked for Lisas birthmark, reviewed Amys paperwork and left.
A few days later, a Johnson County sheriffs deputy showed up at her door. Again, Amy displayed her documentation and mentioned the Overland Park officers visit.
I hope that doesnt continue, he told her.
But it did.
On Oct. 8, Amy and David went to Metcalf South Shopping Center. Her mother tagged along and bought David some work boots as a gift.
Not long after they returned home, someone knocked on their door. Amys 11-year-old daughter looked out the back window and saw a police officer in the back yard. Another officer was at the front door. There were three police cars. The 11-year-old was freaked out, Amy said.
The Overland Park officers brought surveillance photos of Amy taken at the mall detailed images from every angle, including captions that referred to her as middle-aged and overweight. The terms stung.
It makes you feel absolutely horrible as a person, the way they look at you, like you have a kidnapped baby, Amy said. I have no idea what my neighbors think with the police over here so often.
After 20 minutes of questioning, the officers left. Amy got a police business card this time because she wanted to start documenting the visits.
A few days later, during a trip to Walmart, she noticed an older woman following her. Amy was looking for teething tablets, which were near the childrens cough medicine.
Oh, does your baby have a cold? the woman asked. Lisa reportedly had a cold when she disappeared.
No, Amy replied.
The woman followed her to the baby clothing area, where Amy looked for socks.
What kind of mother doesnt have socks for their baby? the woman asked.
Amy explained that Lucy had outgrown her socks. You need to leave me alone, Amy told her.
Amy watched as the woman went to the customer service department. A store manager approached Amy. She refused to talk to him.
If you think there is something wrong, then you should call the police, she told him.
The police didnt come for her that time. But within a few days, she was again explaining herself to officers, who stopped her as she left a grocery store.
They took her baby from her while other shoppers stared at her. The officers searched her grocery bag and looked at her receipt.
It was 15 minutes of me standing outside this store, having people look at me like Id done something horrible, she said. Meanwhile, Lucys going crazy because this stranger is handling her. Shes at that age now where she is scared of strangers.
Things calmed down in November and Amy thought the worst was over.
But on Nov. 30, when she returned home from an errand, her husband told her an officer had stopped by. David didnt remember the officer saying where he was from.
Amy started to worry.
She called Overland Park police, who said they had not sent an officer. She called the sheriffs office. Another no. Then she called Kansas City police. She had wondered why in all this mess they hadnt paid a visit yet.
But Kansas City said it had no record of an officer going to their home.
My heart dropped to my stomach, she said. I was wondering, Whos been inside my home asking about my baby?
A Kansas City commander called Amy back and told her she should file an impersonation report with Overland Park police the minute you hang up from this call.
Amy summoned Overland Park officers, who spent 45 minutes taking down every detail of the visit. They pulled nearby surveillance images to try to identify the mans car. David and Amy checked how secure their front windows were and called their childrens school to make sure no strangers picked them up.
Four hours had gone by when the Kansas City commander again called Amy.
I have egg all over my face, he told her.
The man who had visited was a Kansas City investigator who had not yet logged the tip in the database.
Amy and David know that as long as Lisa is missing, the questions could continue.
Amys mother suggested Amy dress Lucy in boy clothes. Amy has thought about posting a note on her door that says, If this is about baby Lisa, contact Kansas City police.
Kansas City police personally investigate any leads they receive in the metropolitan area. Tips beyond an hour or two drive are delegated to the FBI.
Overland Park police said they dont know if they ever notified Kansas City about the tips about Lucy.
Kansas City police said they are taking steps to improve communication
among area law enforcement agencies for better record-keeping. They encourage people with tips to call the Tips Hotline at 816-474-8477 (TIPS) so the information will be routed directly to them.
Amy said she wants people who think they have spotted Lisa to call police, but not try to touch the baby or insult the parents.
I guess one thing this has taught me is maybe dont be so judgmental.
December 16th 2011:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16341233/attorney-in-dispute-with-baby-lisasdad-in-legal-hot-water?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Attorney in dispute with baby Lisa's dad in legal hot water
A Kansas City attorney is facing a judge's wrath after she apparently allowed her client's twin brother to impersonate him during a court hearing.
Jackson County prosecutors want criminal defense attorney Dorothy Savory held in contempt of court and removed from the case, according to court documents. She also likely will be reported to the Missouri Bar Association.
Savory is representing Rasleen Raim in a different case. Raim is suing her former boyfriend, Jeremy Irwin, in a custody dispute over their 9-year-old son. This comes after Irwin and current live-in girlfriend, Debbie Bradley, reported on Oct. 4 that their then 10-month-old daughter had been abducted from her home, but Bradley has said she is under police suspicion for being involved in her daughter's disappearance.
Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker declined public comment.
Savory released a written response Saturday, saying she "only desired to help circumvent a common practice of sending the wrong man to prison."
The issue began Wednesday when Darrel White was due in court on a robbery charge. When Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Garrett asked "Mr. White" to come forward, Darion White sat next to Savory.
The victim pointed to Darion White as the man who jerked her purse from her on Sept. 29. But while this was unfolding in court, Darrel White stepped off an elevator and was seen by the arresting officer who was outside waiting to testify.
The officer then alerted court officials.
"I'm just so furious right now," Garrett told the Kansas City Star.
The newspaper reviewed an audio recording of the proceedings. Savory admitted that the man sitting beside her at the defense table was not her client, but his brother. She maintained she did not plan to mislead the judge.
"For the dignity of this court, your actions are disrespectful," the judge could be heard saying on the recording.
When Garret called the case of State v. Darrel W. White Jr., the judge asked Savory if her client was in custody. She replied that he was not but was in the courtroom. Garrett then asked "Mr. White" to come forward.
The suspect's twin then joined Savory.
When the switcheroo became apparent, Savory noted she was recording the hearing with her own recorder and appeared mystified that her conduct was in doubt, according to the Kansas City Star.
"My client was not planning on testifying at all," she explained Wednesday. "My client was not the one I called to come to the table. This honorable court asked for Mr. White, and that's who's at the table today: Mr. White."
Garrett wasn't assuaged. He said Savory made clear her client, not his twin brother, was sitting next to her.
Savory denied the switch was made that the victim would identify the wrong man.
The hearing was continued until next month so that the county's presiding judge can determine whether Savory should be booted from the case.
A gag order has been issued in the custody case involving baby Lisa's older half brother.
December 30th 2011:

1-year-old Lisa Irwin of Kansas City, Mo., has been missing almost three months.
KMBC 9 News checked in with Kansas City, Mo., police to see if there was anything new on the case.
A police spokesman said the same detectives who were initially on the case remain on the case, and there is little else to report. The case remains classified as a missing/abducted child, the spokesman said. Irwin disappeared from her family's home on North Lister Ave. in October. Her mother, Deborah Bradley, said she last saw her daughter in her crib the night she disappeared. When Irwin's father, Jeremy Irwin, got home, he said she was gone.
January 3rd 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16439458/new-leads-in-baby-lisa-case? utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
3 months later: New leads in search for missing baby Lisa Irwin
Three months ago, Debbie Bradley said she put her ill daughter in her crib so that she could sleep.
Since then, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin hasn't been seen.
But a Kansas City attorney for Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, the baby's father, said Tuesday that there is new information in the search for the baby whose first birthday was in November.
The family's local attorney, John Picerno, said investigators have several new
leads and that one is very promising.
The attorney said both the FBI and Kansas City police have this information. He declined to elaborate or provide additional details.
Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, declined comment on Picerno's comments.
"The number of tips have dwindled in both quantity and quality," Young said. "Just like we have been from the beginning, we are open to following up on anything that is remotely reasonable."
Detectives in the Crimes Against Children unit remain the lead investigators on the case. However, the unit's commander has changed as part of Police Chief Darryl Forte's shuffling of commanders.
FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton also declined Wednesday morning to comment on Picerno's comments.
Irwin's sister, Ashley Irwin, shared this article on her Facebook page. She said there have been no new developments yet in regards to the promising lead.
"It's been in the works for weeks, so we don't know how soon we will have information we can release," she wrote. "Thank you everyone for the prayers."
Irwin called 911 at about 4 a.m. on Oct. 4 to say his daughter had been abducted, starting a massive national search. Irwin just arrived home from an overnight electrical job at a Kansas City Starbucks.
Bradley has admitted that she drank enough during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance.
Based on advice of their attorneys, the couple is refusing to meet separately with police to answer questions about their daughter's disappearance. A command post was dismantled in November.
Private, unidentified donors have established a $100,000 reward fund.
January 14th 2012

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/search-for-baby-lisairwin-sunday-police-investigating-threat-to-searcher
Search Sunday despite disturbing calls to searchers' workplaces
Volunteers searching for missing Kansas City, Missouri baby Lisa Irwin said unnerving phone calls and annoying stunts will not deter them or hinder their search for the missing baby.
Baby Lisa went missing sometime between 6:40 p.m. Oct. 3 and 3:45 a.m. Oct. 4. Her parents, Deborah Bradley, 25, and Jeremy Irwin, 30, say she was abducted from her crib while the family slept.
Volunteers plan to search for Baby Lisa on Sunday. Details about the search can be found on the Searching for Lisa Irwin Facebook page.
Recently Bonnie, one of the volunteers, was informed that her employers had received a call stating she was interfering with the search for the missing baby. When asked to identify herself the caller laughed and hung up.
According to Shelly, the administrator of the Facebook page, another searcher's boss received a similar call at her workplace. Shelly said the calls came from a pay phone and were reported to police.
Leslie wrote on Facebook Saturday night:
"If these people took the time to find out the place and number to employers then what else will they do? Some fear the whats next?
Aside from the unnerving calls to their employers, someone began posting searchers' personal information on Facebook, including maps to their homes.
Shelly said the volunteers believe they know who the person may be and believe what instigated the incidents may have been the fact that this group of volunteers appears to be searching for a dead baby, not a live Lisa.
Statistically, the chances Baby Lisa is alive are very low. That doesn't mean her family, friends, and supporters can't hold onto hope that she'll be found alive.
The discovery of a person's body in a missing person's case can provide vital information needed to determine if foul play was a factor in the person's death, and to determine the date and cause of death.
However, the chance of the information being available and justice being
served lessens the longer human remains are exposed to the elements.
Caylee Anthony's remains were not found until six months after she went missing. Justice was not served in that case in part because of the length of time before her skeletal remains were found and the lack of evidence at the site where she was found. It is feared that the longer Lisa goes missing without being found, if she is deceased, the less chances are justice will be served in her case.
These volunteers know the odds and say their mission is to find Baby Lisa. They say the recent distractions will not lessen their resolve to find her so that justice can hopefully be served.
Lisa was 10 months old when she vanished. She did not walk away on her own. Someone made her disappear. More than likely there are a number of people who know what happened to her. It is the hope that someone will come forward and say what they know so that police can solve this case.
Future search efforts
Shelly explained that all incidents against searchers are reported to law enforcement as they occur. She also said officers respond to their calls and take police reports on the incidents, and that searchers' jobs were not in jeopardy as a result of the calls.
Searcher Edith Fine acknowledged the threats to volunteers are reported to law enforcement as they occur, and that they will not allow anyone to stop them from searching for Lisa.
Shelly said its gotten to the point that people will no longer confirm publicly that they are attending a search because people can view their names on the Facebook page.
Anyone posting on Facebook or any other social networking site should use caution when providing their personal information, or personal information of others. Unfortunately, when a child goes missing and a group of people continue searching for the truth, there may be those who try to stop their efforts.
Ethel S. explained that while she was helping in the search for Hailey Cummings someone posted her personal information on Facebook out of spite because her opinion differed from the moderators of the site.
Its very childish and can even be dangerous, Ethel says. Its just mean and vindictive to do that to someone who is trying to help find a missing child.
It is the hope that the phone calls and internet shenanigans will stop. It is a waste of police time and resources and no volunteer wants to feel personally targeted for their desire to help.
Private Investigator Ron Rugen posted on his blog Wednesday that as time passes, though we may feel we are no closer to answers, we have eliminated some questions.
January 15th 2012

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Months -after-disappearance-volunteers-launch-new-search-for-Lisa-Irwin
Months after disappearance, volunteers launch new search for Lisa Irwin
More than three months after baby Lisa Irwin disappeared, volunteers launched a new search for missing girl Sunday morning.
The search is ongoing near Parvin Road and Brighton. The area was searched in 2011, after Irwins disappearance.
Police have not conducted a major search effort since mid-November.
About 10-15 volunteers assembled Sunday morning for the search.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16523636/search-teams-continue-to-scourarea-for-missing-lisa-irwin
Search teams continue to scour area for missing Lisa Irwin
Over three months after baby Lisa Irwin went missing from a Northland home, search teams continue to scour the area for the missing infant.
Police are not saying what information led them to the area, but teams will be searching again Sunday for the missing child near Interstate 435 and Parvin Road.
Police initially searched this are in the days and weeks after the infant was reported went missing. Police have not conducted a major search since midNovember, but volunteer searches have occured since then.
Police say they have no suspects in the case.
Irwin was reported missing from her family's Kansas City home in October of last year.
Jeremy Irwin, the baby's father, called 911 at about 4 a.m. on Oct. 4 to say his daughter had been abducted, starting a massive national search. Irwin just arrived home from an overnight electrical job at a Kansas City Starbucks.
Debbie Bradley has admitted that she drank enough during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/01/15/volunteers-search-for-baby-lisa-on-sunday/
Volunteers Pick-Up Search for Missing Baby Lisa
It has been more than three months since baby Lisa Irwin disappeared from her Northland home and shes still missing. While family is in seclusion and remains quiet, some concerned citizens continue to search for the baby.
Over a dozen people searched an area near I-35 & Chouteau on Sunday.
We are searching for clues for baby Lisa so we can bring her home safely, said one volunteer named Edith.
Most of the search party wore boots and carried large sticks to aid their search. The terrain has changed a lot in the weeks since police last searched the area.
At that point when they were searching, there was a lot more vegetation, said a volunteer named Shelly.
Its a long shot and each of the dedicated searchers realize that, but theres something about Lisa Irwin that has drawn them together.
We just cant let it go, Shelly said. I mean, you know, a baby doesnt just vanish you know.
The area that was searched on Sunday was targeted by the group because of its proximity to the Irwin home where lisa disappeared. Its just off the highway.
They could throw stuff over, looking on hills, throw cell phones out, Edith said. If they are changing the baby they could throw her clothes out.
Baby Lisa hasnt been seen since her mother, Debra Bradley put her to bed on October 3, 2011. Lisas father, Jeremy Irwin came home well after midnight on October 4 and the baby wasnt in her crib. The parents called Kansas City Police and the search began.
As of today, no one is in custody and baby Lisa hasnt been found. The girl remains on peoples mind and volunteers say they will continue to search.
As a mother and a grandmother, I cant let it go, Shelly said. I mean, I feel like theres not enough people out there seeing her face. Shes defenseless, innocent baby, shes somewhere.
There is still a $100,000 reward for the right piece of information Lisas location. People hope the information will lead to the babys return to her family.
January 16th 2012

http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/police-weekendsearch-for-baby-lisa-irwin-volunteer-only-not-police-affiliated
Police: Weekend search for Baby Lisa Irwin volunteer only, not police-affiliated
Kansas City Police Spokesman Steve Young confirmed Monday that there was no police search for missing Baby Lisa Irwin Sunday as reported.
Reports Monday indicated two searches took place over the weekend: A search by a group of volunteers and a separate search by police.
When asked to confirm that a police search took place over the weekend, as reported Monday, Kansas City Police Captain Steve Young said, "There was an all volunteer search this weekend; not affiliated with the pd."
Shelly, one of the volunteer search leaders, said she is not aware there was any police-initiated search over the weekend. Their group never alluded to the fact that police were involved in their search this weekend so it is unclear where the information came from.
Capt. Young said they continue to follow all worthwhile leads as they come in
on the case. "Some are better than others and as you know, none have produced anything."
It's a sad reality that over three months have passed and no one has been willing to come forward and tell police what happened to Baby Lisa.
When a child goes missing, whether it be due to an accidental death followed by a cover-up, or a kidnapping, historically more than one person knows what happened.
People who commit crimes are usually not able to keep it to themselves. In this case, there could be multiple persons who know what happened to Lisa. Withholding information from police not only implicates them if they are found out, but it also is unfair to everyone seeking answers and grieving the loss of this beautiful, precious little blaby girl.
Statistically, the chance that Baby Lisa was abducted from her crib by a stranger is very slim. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children there were only 13 cases of infants reported missing from their cribs over a 28 year period. All but one were found.
Gil Abeyta, whose son Christopher was abducted from his crib 25 years ago, agrees with those statistics. He's the father of that one baby who was never found. He drove from Colorado to help in the search for Baby Lisa. He said in all the years that he's searched not only for his son but many other missing children, to his knowledge infant abductions that are not quickly resolved are very rare. Infants removed from their cribs, even more rare.
So what happened to Baby Lisa? Those who know have a moral obligation to tell someone.
January 24th 2012
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16593021/baby-lisas-parents-making-nationaltelevision-appearance
Baby Lisa's parents making national talk show appearance
The parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin have taped an appearance on a national talk show.
Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin will appear on the Dr. Phil Show on Feb. 3.
"They sat down with Dr. Phil because of his commitment to keep the awareness level high," said Joe Tacopina, the couple's New York attorney. "He also provided Deb and Jeremy with some advice on how to cope with the situation."
The interview will air exactly four months after Lisa Irwin's parents say they last saw her.
Irwin called police about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 to say his then 10-month-old daughter had been snatched from her crib while she was sleeping. Bradley said she last saw her daughter about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3.
A national search was launched, but the baby has not been found.
Bradley has admitted that she drank enough during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance.
Private, unidentified donors have established a $100,000 reward fund.
Earlier this month, a Kansas City attorney for the couple had said there were new leads in the hunt for the missing baby.
Tacopina declined comment on those.
"As for the investigation, we are working on a few fresh leads, but cannot discuss (them) at this time," the attorney said.
Bradley and Irwin have not discussed the search for their missing daughter since the initial days in which she went missing.
Investigators have spent dozens of hours searching the family home in the Northland on Lister Avenue.
Police said the Kansas City crime lab had completed processing the critical evidence in the days and weeks after the infant went missing.
January 26th 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16612025/dashcam-baby-lisa
Dashcam captures initial rush after baby Lisa reported missing
A Kansas City police officer is sitting in a Northland parking lot when the initial call comes in at 4:04 a.m. Oct. 4.
A father has arrived home. He has found a busted front window and his 10month-old daughter missing.
The officer flips on his lights and sirens and begins racing through streets to get to Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley's home at 3620 N. Lister Ave.
The officer tells a dispatcher that his computer is malfunctioning and asks the dispatcher to repeat the information. The dispatcher says Irwin doesn't know how long that Lisa Irwin has been missing.
KCTV5 obtained two dashcam videos from the Kansas City Police Department on Thursday afternoon.
The department refused to provide KCTV5 with any dashcam video showing the initial officers interaction with Bradley and Irwin. The department cited an exception to the Missouri Open Records Law.
Lisa's first birthday has come and gone. She remains missing nearly four months later and much suspicion has been cast on the actions of her parents, particularly her mother.
Bradley has admitted that she drank enough during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. Bradley initially told police that
she last saw her ill baby in her crib about 10:30 p.m. Oct. 3, but later changed her story to say she last saw her about 6:40 p.m.
Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance, but strenuously denies any involvement.
Irwin came home from an electrical job at a Midtown Starbucks just before 4 a.m. Once he realized his daughter was missing, Irwin told police that he raced to a neighbor's home, banging on doors desperately hoping she was there.
She wasn't. He says he then called 911.
The family also discovered three cell phones were missing.
Representatives for Bradley have said she was curled up in a ball and crying her eyes out in fear and desperation for her baby as the first officers poured into the home. But police said in court documents that Bradley did not "initially look for her baby behind the house because she was 'afraid of what she might find.'"
This statement heightened suspicions about Bradley's actions.
Police have not said if the parents were inside or outside the home when they met the first officers.
The Kansas City Police Department initially denied KCTV5's request for the dashcam video, saying they were protected because of an ongoing investigation.
The Missouri Sunshine Law requires disclosure of police incident reports.
After an attorney for KCTV5 challenged the denial, the police department agreed Thursday to release part of the dashcam video.
Virginia Murray, general counsel for the police department, said the agency would release only the initial information, such as immediate facts and circumstances surrounding the initial report.
The department said additional information would be withheld because "any other information contained on either officers' in car video" is a closed record under state law.
Two officers were initially sent to the missing baby's home. Both officers were parked in their cars at 3:58 a.m. One officer's dashcam contained audio while the second one did not.
The officer that did not have audio stops for several minutes while en route. It is unclear why. That officer's dashcam video ends at 4:11 a.m.
And questions remain about what happened to baby Lisa.
Both Irwin, Bradley, their New York attorney, Joe Tacopina, and their New York private investigator, Bill Stanton, will appear on a national television talk show next month on the four-month anniversary of Lisa's disappearance. Publicists for the Dr. Phil show say they will provide their theories on what happened that fateful morning.
January 28th 2012
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/28/3397069/dr-phil-interviews-parentsof.html
'Dr. Phil' interviews parents of missing KC baby Lisa Irwin
The family of a missing Kansas City baby has taped on appearance on the Dr. Phil show.
Viewers can tune in this coming Friday to watch the interview with Lisa Irwins parents and a private investigator searching for her.
Lisa was reported missing Oct. 4 when her father, Jeremy Irwin, came home around 4 a.m. from work and couldnt find her. Irwin and Deborah Bradley say they think someone broke into the house and took their daughter.
Deborah Bradley has said police have accused her of being involved in the childs disappearance, and that she failed a polygraph test. In tearful early statements to the media, Bradley repeatedly insisted she doesnt know what happened to her child.
Despite an intensive search, no suspects have been named.
February 2nd 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16662369/tanko-pleads-guilty
Tanko pleads guilty in Clay County Court
The man who was once under a cloud of suspicion in connection with the disappearance of baby Lisa Irwin pleaded guilty Thursday morning to an unrelated felony.
John "Jersey" Tanko pleaded guilty to a Class C felony. Tanko admitted to tampering with a motor vehicle on Oct. 13.
As a repeat offender, Tanko could have faced up to 15 years in prison if prosecutors had sought to declare him a persistent offender. But prosecutors told Clay County Judge Larry Dale Harman that in exchange for Tanko's guilty plea that they will not seek that designation, effectively cutting the maximum sentence in half.
Harman set a sentencing date of March 16.
KCTV5's Heather Staggers was the only reporter in the courtroom when a handcuffed Tanko pleaded guilty during a hearing that began at 8:30 a.m.
Tanko was arrested on Oct. 14. He did odd jobs in the Northland neighborhood from which 10-month-old Lisa Irwin went missing nearly four months ago. Neighbors also accused Tanko of committing crimes in the area.
Police questioned him about Lisa's disappearance but Tanko reportedly cooperated with investigators.
Capt. Steve Young, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, reiterated to KCTV Thursday what he has previously said.
"He cooperated with us and we are satisfied with what he told us," Young said.
Kansas City police and the FBI have not cleared anyone in the case if new evidence arises that warrants additional scrutiny.
A telephone owned by Debbie Bradley, Lisa's mother, attempted to dial a telephone owned by Megan Wright who had dated Tanko. Wright had raised Tanko in connection with that phone call.
But Tanko's public defender told KCTV5's Bonyen Lee in December that his client was not a suspect in the baby's disappearance. This came after John Picerno, an attorney for Lisa's parents said a witness claimed Tanko was paid $300 to kidnap the child.
But that claim apparently fell apart under scrutiny.
Jeremy Irwin called 911 at 3:58 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that his daughter had been snatched from her crib while sleeping. Irwin and Bradley are appearing on a national television show Friday afternoon to discuss their daughter's appearance.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16666001/jeremy-irwin-we-talked-to-policeearlier-today
KCPD detectives, Baby Lisa's parents meet Thursday
The parents of Lisa Irwin met with Kansas City Police Department detectives on Thursday to discuss the missing baby's disappearance.
"Today, detectives met with the parents of Lisa Irwin and their attorney," said Sgt. Stacey Graves, spokeswoman for the Kansas City Police Department. "Detectives did not learn anything significant, but are hopeful there will be more meetings in the future."
Graves issued her statement at 8 p.m. Thursday.
This came after Jeremy Irwin said Thursday night that he and Debbie Bradley had met with detectives.
Irwin said the couple remains committed to work with police to bring their daughter home.
The couple apparently did not sit down for separate interviews. It was unclear how long the meeting lasted. The couple wasn't home in the late afternoon and returned just after 6 p.m.
Authorities confirmed that Irwin and Bradley met with the Crimes Against Children detectives. Those detectives were assigned the original case when Lisa went missing.
Irwin and Bradley reported their daughter missing at 4 a.m. Oct. 4. They said she was snatched from her crib and they had nothing to do with her disappearance, but Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with the case.
Because police have honed in on Bradley in particular, the couple's defense attorneys have declined to allow them to submit to separate interviews.
KCTV5's Sandra Olivas asked Irwin about this Thursday night.
"We are talking to the people we need to be talking to," he said. "We talked to the police earlier today."
He declined to elaborate on this.
"I can't talk about it," he said.
Irwin spoke to reporters just hours before he and Bradley's taped appearance on the Dr. Phil talk show airs. It airs exactly four months after the then 10month-old baby was seen in her Northland home.
Irwin said he is hopeful that the television program will create leads that will bring their missing daughter home. He also thanked everyone who has helped search for Lisa.
"Thank you everyone for looking in keeping your eyes peeled, she's out there somewhere," he said.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/02/3407056/police-meet-again-withparents.html
Police meet again with parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Lisa Irwin met with the babys parents Thursday for the first time since Oct. 8 but said they did not learn anything significant.
Kansas City police issued a brief statement saying they are hopeful there will be more meetings.
Police spokeswoman Sgt. Stacey Graves said the meeting Thursday was with both parents, jointly, along with their attorney. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin have declined to be questioned separately since the early days of the investigation.
The parents have taped an interview on televisions Dr. Phil show that will be broadcast today.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing on Oct. 4. Bradley told police she last saw Lisa the evening of Oct. 3.
Lawyer John Picerno said his clients discussed neighbors and others in the area who could have had access to their home.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/02/police-meet-with-parents-of-baby-lisa/
Police Meet with Parents of Baby Lisa
Police say that detectives met with the parents of missing child Lisa Irwin and their attorney on Thursday for the first time in weeks, but that there arent any new breakthroughs in the case.
Today, detectives met with the parents of Lisa Irwin and their attorney. Detectives did not learn anything significant but are hopeful there will be more meetings in the future, said Kansas City Missouri Police in a statement, adding that no details of the meeting will be released.
According to John Picerno, the local attorney for Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, the meeting lasted around 90 minutes and was productive. He told FOX 4 that there were both KCPD officers and an FBI agent at the meeting.
The now-one-year-old girl disappeared from her crib in her parents Northland home nearly four months ago. Police say that the investigation into her disappearance continues, but that the leads in the case have nearly dried up.
The search for answers in the childs disappearance have brought out volunteers to help with the search to psychics. There is a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the childs whereabouts.
The meeting comes on the eve of the familys appearance on nationallysyndicated The Dr. Phil Show.
According to private investigator and Irwin family consultant Bill Stanton, there will be a press conference on Friday following the program.
FOX 4 was unable to reach the Irwin family for comment.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16664445/baby-lisas-mom-says-shes-cominghome
Baby Lisa's mother: 'She's coming home'
The parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin told KCTV5 Thursday afternoon that they are still looking for her and believe she is still alive.
Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin spoke a day before their appearance on the Dr. Phil show airs nationally. They say they believe the show will bring
exposure to people across the country who might be able to help bring their daughter home.
"Nobody takes a baby to hurt her," Bradley said. "She's coming home."
That comment brought the most emotion from Bradley during an interview at her home. Bradley was gracious and calm as she spoke to KCTV5's Sandra Olivas, who went to the family's Northland home to ask them about the Dr. Phil appearance.
On Thursday night Irwin said, "We talked to police earlier today."
During the interview Thursday afternoon, Irwin was soft spoken as he said he believes the television appearance will get his daughter back and help bring her back to their arms.
"She is still out there. She is still missing," Irwin said. "We are still looking for her."
The Dr. Phil appearance comes four months after Lisa's family last saw her. Irwin and Bradley indicated new information would be revealed during the appearance but didn't say what it was.
"We are so excited about it," Bradley said about the television appearance. "We cannot wait for it, for her face to be all over television again and reach different people."
Irwin said he was hopeful, too.
"A lot of people will see it and hopefully someone will see her somewhere,"
he said.
Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, reiterated Thursday afternoon that detectives continue to actively investigate her disappearance, but the quantity and quality of tips has diminished in the ensuing weeks.
"It is still far from a cold case," Young said.
Irwin called 911 at 3:58 a.m. on Oct. 4 to say his daughter had been abducted, starting a massive national search. Irwin had just arrived home from an overnight electrical job at a Kansas City Starbucks.
Bradley initially told police that she last saw her ill daughter about 10:30 p.m. But she later told media outlets that it was actually 6:40 p.m.
She said she had drunk enough alcohol during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance but has adamantly denied any involvement.
Based on advice from their attorneys, the couple is refusing to meet separately with police to answer questions about their daughter's disappearance. A command post was dismantled in November.
Family members and an attorney for the couple last month said that there were new leads in the case and one is promising, but declined to provide additional details.
Lisa's first birthday was Nov. 11.
Irwin said each day is difficult without Lisa.
"Everything, every day, day to day," he said.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisairwins-mom-part-of-original-story-was-exaggerated#ixzz1lFhhMQIn
Lisa Irwin's mom: Part of original story was exaggerated
The mother of a missing Kansas City baby told Dr. Phil part of the familys initial report to police was a total exaggeration.
Lisa Irwin was 10 months old when she disappeared on Oct. 4, 2011. Her parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, reported to police that Jeremy Irwin came home from an overnight shift at about 4 a.m. to find all the lights in their Northland home on and Lisa missing from her crib.
But in an episode of Dr. Phil slated to air Friday, Feb. 3, when asked whether someone who may have kidnapped Lisa would turn on all the lights in the house, Bradley told him that portion of their story was not necessarily true.
Im not gonna sit on TV until now when Im being asked that specific question and rebuttal it, Bradley said, sitting next to Jeremy Irwin and attorney, Joe Tacopina, because to me, its just nonsense. Its just picking my words apart.
When he came into the house that morning and said all the lights were on in the house," Bradley continued, "it was a total exaggeration.
No suspects have been named in Lisas disappearance, but soon after she was reported missing, Kansas City police said Jeremy Irwins and Deborah Bradleys cooperation into the investigation wavered.
Jeremy Irwin told Dr. Phil reaction from the Kansas City community has been mixed.
Theres a lot of people that are coming forward and helping and supportive, Jeremy Irwin said. Theres also a lot of people that are out there and dont have a lot of information and are making ridiculous accusations.
NBC Action News talked to Jeremy Irwin Thursday about the interview with Dr. Phil to see what he hopes to gain from the nationally televised broadcast.
A new audience will see more recent pictures and help bring her home, said Jeremy Irwin.
Leads into Lisas disappearance quickly reached into the thousands, but on Thursday, Kansas City police spokesman Steve Young said tips have been diminishing.
But it is in no way a cold case, Young told NBC Action News in an email. It is still actively being investigated.
Thursday, detectives met with Lisas parents and their attorney. Sgt. Stacey Graves with the Kansas City Police Department said investigators did not learn anything significant but are hopeful there will be more meetings in the future.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/30361421/detail.html#ixzz1lG7Bb2Hp
Baby Lisa's Parents: 'Ridiculous Accusations' Being Made
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin said some people in the Kansas City community are making "ridiculous accusations" regarding the case surrounding their missing daughter.
The couple taped an interview for the "Dr. Phil Show" last week. Attorney Joe Tacopina could be seen sitting next to the couple as they answered questions.
Dr. Phil McGraw asked the couple how the community has been treating them since Lisa Irwin was reported missing on Oct. 4 from their home.
"Are they supportive? Are they suspicious?" McGraw asked.
"It's a little bit of both. There's a lot of people coming forward and helping, supporting and et cetera. There's a lot of people out there and don't have a lot of information and make ridiculous accusations," Jeremy Irwin told McGraw.
KMBC's Lara Moritz talked with McGraw Thursday morning about the interview. McGraw told Moritz that he understands why the community is suspicious, and he said a lot more.
February 3rd 2012
Interview Draws New Baby Lisa Tips
The appearance of Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin on "The Dr. Phil Show" Friday resulted in a flood of calls to the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline about their missing baby, Lisa Irwin.
The TIPS Hotline took thousands of calls after the baby disappeared last October, but those calls had slowed down until Friday's nationally televised interview.
"We've got both quality tips as well as some that are difficult to follow," said Kevin Boehm of the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline.
Some of calls included sightings of the baby from as far away as North Carolina and Pennsylvania, but those sightings were not recent.
Bill Stanton, a private investigator who has been working with the family, said that they decided to do the interview in order to generate tips in the case.
Four months ago Friday, Deborah Bradley said she put the baby, then 10 months old, to bed in her crib. When her husband, Jeremy Irwin, returned home from work at 4 a.m., the child was gone.
"The child was taken for a reason," Stanton said, in an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw.
He said that he was asked to appear on the show. He said he does not
believe that Irwin and Bradley were paid for their appearance.
"That's a horrible way to look at something," Stanton told KMBC 9 News in a phone interview. "To my knowledge, there was absolutely no compensation. All they want is the return of their child."
Stanton said the offer of a $100,000 reward for tips that leads to the baby's safe return still remains.
Boehm said callers often bring up that reward when they phone the TIPS Hotline, even though the money is being offered by Stanton and not Kansas City Crime Stoppers. He said that he has never been contacted by Stanton and his organization does not have that $100,000.
Stanton said he would expect police or Crime Stoppers to point him toward the right person with the right information.
"The police department would get in touch, or the TIPS Hotline would get in touch with me, and they would educate me about the validity of the tip, and it would be determine on the exchange of money," Stanton said.
Stanton said he is hopeful that the case will have a happy ending.
"I want this to end with the people of Kansas City shaking their heads with a tear in their eye as we see this baby reunited with her family," he said.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/02/03/irwins-metro-lawyer-pleased-followingfamilys-dr-phil-appearance/
Irwins Metro Lawyer Pleased Following Familys Dr.
Phil Appearance
The Kansas City-based attorney for the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin wasnt on the Dr. Phil show with the family on Friday, but he says that overall he was pleased with how their nationally-televised interview went.
Attorney John Picerno, the local attorney for Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, watched the program on a large flat-screen television in a tavern near his downtown office. The couple appeared with their lead attorney New York City-based Joe Tacopino and answered questions for nearly an hour.
Picerno says that the couple did a good job, clearing up some confusion about the case and shifting the focus from them to finding their daughter, who disappeared apparently without a trace from their Northland home last October.
I think it went very well, said Picerno, who said that he laughed when the couple was asked why they wouldnt be interviewed by police separately. That was quite humorous to me because its an untruth, the public has the belief that they refused to answer question and thats simply not true.
Picerno says that the parents were interviewed three times, in excess of 30 hours. He also says that he was pleased to see that Tacopina and Bradley publicly announce that she did not fail a lie detector test in the days after Lisa disappeared, even though she was told she did.
Its one of the ways they get people to confess to a crime, it was used in this instance to her and the fact of the matter is, it didnt happen. She did not fail it, said Picerno.
Picerno says that an interview with his clients and law enforcement on Thursday went well, and of the some 1,500 leads in the case, they have
cleared 98 percent of them. He says that police are looking at a couple of promising leads in the case.
After the show aired, Picerno said that hes 100 percent confident that his clients had nothing to do with the childs disappearance, and issued a challenge to those who dont believe him or his client.
Explain to us how, if you say they did it, with the timeline thats been in place, with the facts as the law enforcement officials know it, explain to us how she did it, said Picerno. Because there simply wasnt an opportunity for her to do it while Jeremy was at work.
Kansas City Missouri Police issued a short statement after the show aired, saying Our one and only goal from the beginning has been to find out what happened to Lisa Irwin, and we remain committed to that goal.
February 6th 2012

TIPS Hotline Gets 140 Calls On Baby Lisa Case
Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline officials said they have received 140 calls since "The Dr. Phil Show" aired an interview with the parents of missing baby Lisa Irwin.
Dr. Phil McGraw interviewed Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin last month for an episode that aired Friday on KMBC-TV. The couple reported the 10month-old baby missing from their home on Oct. 4.
Officials categorized most of the new calls, which came from all over the United States, as people wanting to give advice on where to search for the baby. Eleven tips were passed on to Kansas City, Mo., detectives to investigate.
February 14th 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16935107/dna-tests-reveal-remains-found-inva-not
DNA tests reveal remains found in VA not Baby Lisa's
The remains of an infant found in Virginia were not that of missing Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin.
Kansas City Police Department spokesman Darin Snapp said Tuesday afternoon that Lisa's DNA was not used or sent to Virginia authorities.
Rumors had spread on the Internet Tuesday that the remains were Lisa's.
The 10-month-old baby was reported missing from her Northland home at 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
Lisa's mother, Debbie Bradley, recently said she believes her missing baby will come home soon. Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, appeared on the Dr. Phil television show earlier this month.
She said she had consumed enough alcohol during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance but has adamantly denied any involvement.
Lisa's first birthday was Nov. 11.
It wasn't immediately clear Tuesday where in Virginia the baby's remains were found or when. A baby's remains were found in October in Virginia Beach but a suspect was quickly taken into custody and remains were subsequently identified.
February 19th 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16969327/local-group-to-hold-vigil-for-missing-
baby-lisa-irwin
Local group to hold vigil for missing baby Lisa Irwin
A local group will hold a vigil Sunday for missing baby Lisa Irwin. Four months ago, Debbie Bradley said she put her ill daughter in her crib so that she could sleep. Since then, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin hasn't been seen.
The prayer vigil starts at 2 p.m. Sunday in Penguin Park on Vivion Road at Norton Avenue.
It has been more than four months since the baby girl disappeared from her bedroom.
The 10-month-old baby was reported missing from her Northland home at 4 a.m. Oct. 4. Lisa's first birthday was Nov. 11.
Lisa's mother, Debbie Bradley, recently said she believes her missing baby will come home soon. Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, appeared on the Dr. Phil television show earlier this month in an effort to generate new leads in the case.
She said she had consumed enough alcohol during the hours leading up to her daughter's disappearance to black out. She has said she expects to be arrested in connection with her daughter's disappearance but has adamantly denied any involvement.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/16969868/witness-in-lisa-irwin-case-facesstabbing-charge
Witness in Lisa Irwin case now facing stabbing charge
A man caught up in the search for a missing Northland infant now faces an unrelated stabbing charge.
Dane "Diggler" Greathouse, 28, has been charged with first-degree assault in connection with a weekend stabbing in Gladstone. Greathouse was someone that police had interviewed last fall about the disappearance of then 10month-old Lisa Irwin.
Authorities say Greathouse stabbed a man at the Vienna Square Apartments at 64th Street and North Oak Trafficway about 5:45 a.m. Saturday.
The victim remains in the hospital in serious condition after his intestines were sliced, and Greathouse's bond has been set at $75,000.
During a hearing Wednesday morning, Greathouse pleaded not guilty. He will be back in court on March 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Police took Greathouse into custody at 7 a.m. Saturday. A pocket knife was recovered, according to court records. Greathouse allegedly told police that two men had been vandalizing his vehicle and he began fighting with them and stabbed one, according to court records. The injured man's friend pointed a handgun at Greathouse and he then fled the area, the suspect told police.
Greathouse told investigators he didn't call police because he feared a probation violation, but said he acted in self-defense, according to court documents.
Greathouse drew the attention of Kansas City police after Lisa's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debbie Bradley, reported her missing about 4 a.m. Oct. 4. They said she was snatched from her crib while sleeping and their three cell phones were stolen.
Greathouse became embroiled in the search for Lisa because he had access to a cell phone that has a connection to the case.
Authorities wanted to know whether Greathouse had a phone in question when someone using Bradley's cell phone attempted to call a cell phone owned by Megan Wright at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3.
Wright said investigators have questioned her four times about a cell phone call made from one of Bradley's cell phones just a few hours before her daughter was reported missing.
Greathouse had access to Wright's phone and police wanted to know if the
phone call was intended for him. Greathouse talked to police and reportedly has denied any involvement in Lisa's disappearance.
Kansas City Police Department Capt. Steve Young told KCTV5 Monday that investigators have "moved on" from Greathouse regarding the search for Lisa.
Young stressed that investigators could revisit Greathouse's connection to the case if information would warrant them doing so.
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Lisa's parents, said he believes the person who stole the cell phones also kidnapped Lisa.
Tacopina contends that the kidnapper stole Bradley's cell phone and used it to make a call at 11:57 p.m. Oct. 3.
It is unclear as to whether it was a 50-second phone call, as Wright claimed, or was routed to a call center because of nonpayment as representatives for Lisa's parents claim.
Neighbors last November told KCTV5 that Greathouse's home had seen quite a bit of police activity since baby Lisa went missing and officers were inside his home for more than two hours in mid-November.
Greathouse is now being held at the Clay County Jail where another witness in the case, John "Jersey" Tanko, is also being housed as he waits sentencing on an unrelated charge. Tanko had dated Wright, had access to her phone and had done handy jobs in Lisa's neighborhood. He was also suspected of crimes in the neighborhood.
Police have talked to both Greathouse and Tanko. Neither man is considered
a person of interest in Lisa's disappearance.
March 17th 2012

http://www.kctv5.com/story/17181731/jersey-sentenced
"Jersey" sentenced to jail time
A man who did odd jobs in the neighborhood from which baby Lisa Irwin went missing was sentenced Friday on an unrelated charge.
Four months ago, Debbie Bradley said she put her ill daughter in her crib so that she could sleep. Since then, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin hasn't been seen.
John "Jersey" Tanko will spend the next 5 years in prison after he was convicted on a charge of felony tampering with a vehicle.
Tanko was arrested Oct. 14 in connection with an Oct. 13 incident.
He did odd jobs in the Northland neighborhood from which 10-month-old Lisa Irwin went missing five months ago. Neighbors also accused Tanko of committing crimes in the area.
Police questioned him about Lisa's disappearance but Tanko reportedly cooperated with investigators and ultimately they said they "moved on."
"He cooperated with us and we are satisfied with what he told us," Capt.
Steve Young, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, previously told KCTV5.
Jeremy Irwin called 911 at 3:58 a.m. Oct. 4 to report that his daughter had been snatched from her crib while sleeping.
April 4th 2012

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/02/3534772/no-new-clues-sixmonths-after.html
Six months later, no new clues in Baby Lisa Irwin case
Lisa Irwins bedroom looks about the same as it did six months ago, when the Northland toddler disappeared. Stuffed animals line her empty crib. Photos and other items adorn the walls.
Baby Lisas story became a national topic fueled by rumor and speculation. Though her parents have not planned a public vigil to mark the six-month point, they remain prayerful that their Pumpkin Pie someday will return to her room.
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin say that someone broke into their North Lister Avenue home on a cool October night and snatched 10-month-old Lisa as she slept. They believe that whoever took her has either sold her or is raising the child as their own.
Its been tough, and they struggle with it, said their local attorney John Picerno. We are still actively searching for Lisa.
Picerno did not allow Bradley or Irwin to be interviewed for this story but said the couple are cooperating with law enforcement authorities.
However, there are no new developments or clues, and the babys disappearance remains a mystery, authorities said.
Lisa no longer is the lead story of national early morning news shows or nighttime cable television newscasts. And the local and national media are no longer stationed in front the familys home.
Picerno said the family has struggled to settle back into a normal routine without Baby Lisa.
Irwin has returned to his job as an electrician. Lisas half-brothers are back in school. And Bradley remains a stay-at-home mom who makes sure the household operates as smoothly as possible.
To occupy her time, Picerno said, Bradley has created a website aimed at finding Lisa or gathering clues to her disappearance.
As of Tuesday night, the website http://findlisairwin.com was closed for maintenance. It had contained numerous photos of Lisa with her piercing blue eyes and golden blonde hair that sometimes in the light appears be auburn.
We will be adding new information in the coming days, and will be updating this site frequently so more people will know about our child and help us, according to the website. Baby Lisa is very near and dear to our hearts!
It said Baby Lisa loves to dance and clap her hands. She can say Mama, Daddy and Bubba, the names for her half-brothers. She loves bananas, any kind of spaghetti and usually cant sleep without her pacifier.
The site also pleaded to those who may have unknowingly seen Lisa with relatives.
To the family of the abductors ATTENTION! All new Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles You may be holding our daughter in your arms!
The people who have our daughter LISA have been lying to you! If a new child 1- 11/2 yrs. old has entered your family after October 4, 2011 PLEASE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK! the website said.
Picerno said Bradley has given investigators more than 100 pages of handwritten notes and other material that contain her recollections from the night Lisa vanished and details of who else had access to their home.
A $100,000 reward remains available to anyone with information that brings Lisa home. Her parents still are represented by New York attorney Joe Tacopina, and former New York policeman and private detective Bill Stanton continues to investigate the case.
But Kansas City Police Capt. Steve Young said tips and leads have slowed. Several detectives from the crimes against children unit continue their investigation.
But they have other cases they have to work, so it is back to normal, Young said.
Lisas case still is classified as a missing or abducted child. Young said at this
point there is no evidence that Lisa has died.
At the height of the investigation, hundreds of local, county, state and federal law enforcement officers were involved. Teams searched for Lisa on horseback, on all-terrain vehicles and on foot, methodically scouring ravines, open fields, vacant lots, abandoned homes, a 40-foot well and the banks of the Missouri River. Police and the TIPS Hotline received more than 1,500 tips.
The leads are certainly not what they used to be, Young said. The goal is to find out what happened and hopefully in the process, find the child.
Young said detectives last met with the babys parents on Feb. 2, the day before their taped appearance on the Dr. Phil show. Detectives did not learn anything significant, he said.
Bradley has maintained that she had nothing to do with her daughters disappearance and has pleaded for her return. Bradley admitted that she had been drinking the night Lisa disappeared but has said she did nothing to harm the child.
Picerno said the parents have opened their home and have made themselves available to investigators.
At this point, the police cannot be displeased, he said. They (the parents) havent been suspects, but they have never been cleared. There is no evidence that I am aware of that points to her (Bradley) in the remotest way of being involved.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/04/04/baby-lisas-disappearance-continues-tostump-police-six-months-later/
Baby Lisas Disappearance Continues to Stump Police Six Months Later
Six months after baby Lisa was reported missing, police are no closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance. And her parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debroah Bradley, have not met with law enforcement since the day before their national appearance on the Dr. Phil show February 3, 2012.
Kansas City Missouri Police Sgt. Sondra Zink said police have not requested an interview with Lisas parents since they retained an attorney, however Deborah Bradley has been in contact with police on a few occasions to provide information, however those leads were not successful in furthering the investigation.
Zink said to date there have been 1,561 tips in the case. Police have cleared 1,522 of those and continue to investigate the others. Zink said there are four investigators assigned to the case, and as the investigation continues, the amount of tips has greatly decreased. In March there were only 11.
Although tips have dwindled, Kansas City Missouri Police Captain Steve Young said the case remains active. In addition, Zink said the case will remain as such until all leads have been closed and there is no new information to investigate.
Even at the time all avenues to obtain new information have been exhausted, detectives will always be immediately available to respond to anything new that would come in, Zink said.
When Lisa was reported missing in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Oct. 4, she was 10 months old. Today she would be nearing 17 months. Anybody with information in her disappearance is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/missing-LisaIrwin-Still-looking-6-months-later
Lisa Irwin: Still looking 6 months later
Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, have maintained their innocence during the entire investigation. Jeremy Irwin said he came home from an overnight shift to find Lisa missing from her room. Deborah Bradley said she was sleeping when the discovery was made.
Police issued an AMBER Alert for Lisa. Crews searched several miles around the home. Tips are still coming in for Lisa, but police said the leads have slowed dramatically. Police have worked 1,561 since October 2011, but only 11 leads were received in March.
There are still four detectives that are actively working the case on a daily basis and up to an additional six if/when the volume of leads requires, said Cpt. Steve Young.
Young said detectives will consider the case cold once all leads are investigated and cleared. The family isnt speaking publicly, but their attorney said they are still hopeful.
The family is still hopeful that Lisa is alive and will be found soon and return safely, said John Picerno.
A group of concerned citizens called "Lisa's Angels" believes Lisa is still alive. They perform searches and hang posters near the home.
"We pray to god that she is still alive and somebody brings her home and we will hunt you down and we will find you," Edith Fine-Duskin.
A former F.B.I. agent said the chances of finding Lisa alive are growing slim.
"As time goes by the chances of that baby being found alive have seemed to diminish," said Jeff Lanza.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/04/04/balloon-release-held-for-baby-lisa/
Jeremy Irwin Attends Baby Lisa Balloon Release
There was an unexpected guest at a balloon release Wednesday for missing Northland baby Lisa Irwin; her own father. Dozens of pastel colored balloons fill the cloudy evening sky for baby Lisa, who disappeared from her crib at a home off Lister six months ago.
The story seems a tangled web and caught in the middle are Lisas parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. Both have generally avoided the local media, until now.
Theres reason for most of the stuff were doing, but its been a while and obviously its a pretty hard time for us today, so I just want to let everyone know that were still here and we still appreciate everything that everyone is doing, Irwin said.
A group of about 20 volunteers in pink shirts that read, Where is Lisa?, has been holding vigils almost monthly for the baby.
Leading the prayer before the balloon release, is someone who knows all too well, what six months without their child feels like.
Rhonda Beckford is the mother of Belton teen Kara Kopetsky. She will be missing five years in May.
Six months in, you hold onto hope, but your mind still goes to the negative and of course youre always fearful that your child isnt going to come back alive so, you are kind of grieving, said Beckford.
That is what Lisas family says they are trying to cope with since shes been gone.
Were trying not to structure our lives around, Its been three months, its been six months, but the hardest is holidays, birthdays and family type stuff that she cant be at, said Irwin.
He said the only thing they can do is to try to stay together and strong.
Hopefully well find her soon, its gone on long enough, said Irwin.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/17332959/search-for-baby-lisa-irwin-growscold
Baby Lisa Irwin's father: 'It doesn't get any easier'
The national television crews have moved on and few signs remain in a Northland neighborhood about the case that grabbed the country's attention.
But six months after Jeremy Irwin called 911 to report that his daughter had been kidnapped, Lisa Irwin remains missing. Her family quietly marked the anniversary of the disappearance of the little girl they call "Pumpkin Pie."
He said Wednesday was an especially difficult day for the grief-stricken family.
"Obviously, it's a pretty hard time for us today," he said.
Irwin attended a balloon release in his daughter's behalf held in front of the family home on Lister Avenue Wednesday evening.
"It doesn't get any easier," he said. "She is still out there and we're still looking."
About 30 people attended the balloon release. Irwin thanked everyone who is helping search for his daughter or passing along tips.
"Thank you everybody for coming out and showing support," he said.
Lisa's mother, Debbie Bradley, did not attend the event.
Irwin said he and Bradley are working to maintain a normal life for their two sons in the wake of all the "craziness." He said the family is trying to stay strong and has private plans to mark the anniversary.
"Hopefully we will find her soon," he said.
The Kansas City Star, KCTV5's reporting partner, said Lisa's bedroom in her Northland home remains virtually as it did on Oct. 3, 2011. Stuffed animals line her crib while photos and other personal items adorn the walls.
"We knew from the beginning that time works against us in these cases," Capt. Steve Young, spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, told KCTV5 Wednesday.
But he emphasized that the passage of time, "doesn't diminish the dedication, effort and commitment that detectives are using toward the case."
Police have cleared more than 1,500 leads. Young said some leads remain to be checked out, but tips are prioritized and those remaining are not considered promising.
Irwin and Bradley reported their 10-month-old daughter missing at 4 a.m. Oct. 4, 2011. They said she was snatched from her crib and they had nothing to do with her disappearance, but Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in connection with the case.
Because police have honed in on Bradley in particular, the couple's defense attorneys have declined to allow them to submit to separate interviews. The couple and their Kansas City attorney last met with police on Feb. 2. The meeting was facilitated by Kansas City area resident Craig Hill of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
A representative for the group refused last month to answer questions about the meeting, referring questions to police.
The short meeting did not lead to any significant developments, police have said, but have not discussed the meeting indepth.
Police have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest. However, police and the couple's attorneys admit that police have been
unable to clear Lisa's parents.
John Picerno, the couple's Kansas City attorney, told the Star that the parents are available to investigators.
"There is no evidence that I am aware of that points to her (Bradley) in the remotest way of being involved," he said.
But Bradley was evasive and lied in public interviews about her actions in the hours before Lisa was reported missing.
Bradley initially described putting her daughter to bed at 10:30 p.m. with her favorite toys and blanket along with a pacifier. The Amber Alert issued said she was last seen at 10:30 p.m. by her mother.
"I gave her bottle and put her to sleep, and that was when we last saw her," Bradley said.
After police obtained surveillance video of Bradley and her brother purchasing a container of wine at a Northland grocery store, Bradley publicly revised the timeline of events.
She said she spent hours outside on the stoop of her home drinking with a next door neighbor whose marriage had fallen apart and whose husband moved out that night.
Bradley claimed that she had been drinking enough that night to black out and that she in fact saw her sick daughter last at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 2011, and did not follow the family's normal nighttime routine. She also could not, or would not, answer key questions about that night.
Kansas City police maintain that the disappearance is still classified as a missing or abducted child and the Crimes Against Children detectives - not homicide detectives - are investigating the case.
However, when police sought on Oct. 18, 2011 a search warrant for the home on Lister, police listed the items that they wanted to seize. Three blocks were checked.
The last one checked said the extensive search would include seeking "deceased human fetus or corpse."
A cadaver dog on Oct. 17, 2011 hit on the scent of a dead body on an area of the floor beside the bed of Lisa's parents. Police will not say whether other cadaver dogs were brought into the home and also detected the presence of a dead body, but standard law enforcement practices would lead police to have more than one cadaver dog brought in to confirm the findings.
"During an investigation, there are a lot of pieces that need to be explored. Clearly the cadaver dog is public record," Young said. "Everyone knows a cadaver dog was involved. That was one of the many parts of this investigation - unless driven by more evidence the case will remain with the Crimes Against Children Unit."
Young said police remain hopeful they will be able to crack the case of Lisa's disappearance.
The family did not seek any attention from local or national reporters to mark the 6-month anniversary or to push the case back into the national spotlight. Irwin and Bradley last spoke publicly on the 4-month anniversary.
In March, a website popped up about the case. FindLisaIrwin.com was
created by Bradley, aimed at finding her daughter, who the parents believe has been sold or being raised by someone else who wanted a beautiful baby. Updates were made and comments from supportive people from across the country were shared.
But just before the 6-month mark, the site was pulled down for maintenance. The site was back operational Wednesday after some changes were made.
Picerno told the Star that Bradley has given more than 100 pages of handwritten notes and other materials to investigators about her thoughts on the case and her recollections on the hours in question.
Lisa's paternal aunt, Ashley Irwin, issued a statement exclusively to CNN's Jim Spellman.
"At the 6-month mark, it really hits home just how long she's been gone," Ashley Irwin said.
The poignant statement said she knows her niece will have aged and have perhaps longer hair that may have darkened.
"I think about how adorable she would be in a little Easter dress and think about Mother's Day around the corner and it breaks my heart," she wrote. "The whole situation is extremely confusing, saddening and frustrating at the same time - it's definitely overwhelming. The lack of information is difficult to accept in a modern society such as ours, but we keep hoping and praying for a miracle."
Lisa Irwin's Father Thanks Supporters
Six months after Lisa Irwin was reported missing from her family's home on North Lister Avenue, friends and family members gathered to release balloons in the baby's honor.
Irwin's mother, Deborah Bradley, said she put Lisa, then 10 months old, to bed on the evening of Oct. 3, 2011. When her husband, Jeremy Irwin, returned home from work at 4 a.m., Lisa was gone.
Police said they've received more than 1,500 leads in the case and have cleared 98 percent of them.
Fewer tips have come in over the past few weeks. Police said they've only received 11 tips in the last month.
At the balloon release Wednesday, Jeremy Irwin briefly spoke to reporters to thank everyone who has been offering support.
"Even though there's been a lot of crazy stuff," he said. "(Thank you for) still looking, helping, coming out and showing support."
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/baby-lisas-aunt-releasesstatement-on-six-month-anniversary-of-disappearance
Baby Lisa's family speaks about disappearance's 6month anniversary
Missing 1-year-old Lisa Irwin disappeared from her Northland home six months ago. .
About twenty people gathered on North Lister Drive Wednesday night to pray for missing baby Lisa Irwin.
Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, to the media that the family is remembering Lisa in private.
"We're trying tnot to structure our life around it has been 3 months its been 6 months but it's --the hardest is holidays birthdays and family type stuff that she can't be at," Irwin said.
Jeremy Irwin said the family believes Lisa is still alive.
Rhonda Beckford, the mother of Kara Kopetsky who disappeared in May 2007, also made an appearance. She shares Lisa's parents' grief.
"You're grieving. But you're holding onto hope and of course we're coming up on Easter and it would be Baby Lisa's first Easter and you know that's going to be a hard milestone," Beckford said.
Jeremy Irwin stressed the importance of having a support system as the search continues for his daughter.
"We try to get together once a week and just kind of you know try to stay together, stay strong and hopefully we'll find her soon; it has been going on long enough."
Baby Lisa's Mom Calls KMBC's Kris Ketz
Six months after her baby daughter, Lisa Irwin, was first reported missing, Deborah Bradley said she is still hopeful that the child will be found alive.
Bradley called KMBC 9's Kris Ketz and spoke to him for nearly a half-hour about the case in what she described as "another difficult day."
On Oct. 3, Bradley said she put her daughter to bed. When her husband, Jeremy Irwin, came home from work at 4 a.m., the baby was gone.
Despite more than 1,000 leads, police have been unable to determine what happened. Some, privately, have said they have doubts about the story Irwin and Bradley have told them.
Ketz said Bradley initiated the call, which registered on his phone without a return number. He said she broke down and cried during their conversation.
Bradley didn't talk about many specifics in the case and hasn't since the first few days after her daughter disappeared.
But, she said, she was hopeful about a happy resolution to the case because, she said, police and the FBI have what she described as three very important leads. She did not elaborate.
The public has not heard from Bradley since early February, when she and her husband appeared on "The Dr. Phil Show."
Bradley said she hasn't felt a need to speak to local media in on-camera interviews and doesn't care if people think she isn't cooperating.
She said she's been relying on a team of supporters put together by New York private investigator Bill Stanton, and they're being proactive to try to find her daughter. She declined to be more specific about those efforts.
Bradley said she has a website that she hopes gets her side of the story across.
Also Wednesday, Jeremy Irwin joined friends and family members for a balloon release outside the family's home on North Lister Avenue.
"It shows here that they care," Irwin said. "They care about where she's at and who she's with, and they care about bringing her home safely and that's, I hope, what everybody wants."
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/04/04/6-months-later-and-still-no-signbaby-lisa
Six months later and no sign of Baby Lisa
April 4 marks a sad anniversary -- six months since a precious little Kansas City, Missouri, girl was reported missing from her home. Since then, there have been a lot of clues and a lot of finger-pointing (mostly at her parents) -but still no sign of little Baby Lisa Irwin.
Just shy of her first birthday when she vanished, her mom, Deborah Bradley, told Dr. Phil that she was perfect. But aside from that interview and a few others right after she disappeared, her parents have mostly remained silent.
Lisas parents -- Deborah and Jeremy -- have denied any wrongdoing, and
their attorney says they've cooperated with police. The couple has never been named suspects.
Tips from the public used to come fast and furious. Now theyre little more than a drip. As time passes, some say the hope of finding Lisa is fading. But Lisas aunt hasnt given up yet. In a letter given exclusively to CNN Correspondent Jim Spellman, Lisas aunt, Ashley Irwin, says, we keep hoping and praying for a miracle.
The Full Letter:
At the 6 month mark, it really hits home just how long shes been gone. I find myself reflecting on the missed milestones and life events; her first birthday, the first Christmas she would have been able to actively participate in, family dinners on birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter this upcoming weekend. She missed Mikes 6th birthday which would have been fun for her just like Blakes 8th birthday was. Shes missing out on enjoying unseasonably warm Kansas City weather with her brothers.
I envision a very different child than the one she was on Oct 3rd. Im sure shes running around and talking really well, has long hair, and maybe its even a little bit darker now (Jeremys hair was blonde as a baby and got darker as he got older). I think shes probably very active. She would be if she was at home with her brothers because she would be trying to keep up with them. I imagine shes eating all sorts of different foods, exploring and learning.
I think about how adorable she would be in a little Easter dress and think about Mothers Day around the corner and it breaks my heart. The whole situation is extremely confusing, saddening and frustrating at the same time its definitely overwhelming. The lack of information is difficult to accept in a modern society such as ours, but we keep hoping and praying for a miracle.
http://www.kmbz.com/pages/12746783.php? contentType=4&contentId=10334505
Attorney: Baby Lisa's mom never took lie detector
Dana: "That's good to know. John, there was never a lie detector test?"
Picerno: "Nope. Never taken and never failed. That's a common police tactic during an interrogation to try and get people to confess."
May 21st 2012:

http://fox4kc.com/2012/04/04/baby-lisas-disappearance-continues-tostump-police-six-months-later/
Baby Lisas Disappearance Continues to Stump Police Six Months Later
Six months after baby Lisa was reported missing, police are no closer to solving the mystery of her disappearance. And her parents, Jeremy Irwin and Debroah Bradley, have not met with law enforcement since the day before their national appearance on the Dr. Phil show February 3, 2012.
Kansas City Missouri Police Sgt. Sondra Zink said police have not requested an interview with Lisas parents since they retained an attorney, however Deborah Bradley has been in contact with police on a few occasions to provide information, however those leads were not successful in furthering the investigation.
Zink said to date there have been 1,561 tips in the case. Police have cleared 1,522 of those and continue to investigate the others. Zink said there are four investigators assigned to the case, and as the investigation continues, the amount of tips has greatly decreased. In March there were only 11.
Although tips have dwindled, Kansas City Missouri Police Captain Steve Young said the case remains active. In addition, Zink said the case will remain as such until all leads have been closed and there is no new information to investigate.
Even at the time all avenues to obtain new information have been exhausted, detectives will always be immediately available to respond to anything new that would come in, Zink said.
When Lisa was reported missing in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Oct. 4, she was 10 months old. Today she would be nearing 17 months. Anybody with information in her disappearance is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47502881/#.T-ZHBpGCeMh
Missing baby Lisa: Is debit card fraud a clue?
Their frustration with police mounting nearly eight months after their daughter vanished, the parents of a missing Missouri baby are hoping that a fraudulent debit card charge could be the breakthrough that helps authorities find their child.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, whose 10-month-old daughter Lisa disappeared on the night of Oct. 4, appeared on TODAY Monday along with their attorney to discuss the latest wrinkles in the case. In early November, just over a month after Lisa vanished, Irwin said his debit card was stolen.
The card was suspended for a fraudulent charge for $69.04 while two other charges were attempted. He said the charge was made to a British website that advertises a service to legally change your name or your childs name online.
The Kansas City police said they are investigating the claim, but that it does not appear to be a promising lead or anything more than a routine case of a stolen card. While the case of Lisa Irwin remains open, authorities have found very few leads.
We need answers
I am a mess, Bradley told Ann Curry. I am frustrated. It has been almost eight months, and were not getting any answers. We understand that the FBI and the KCPD have a job to do, but we need answers. We need Lisa. The answer to us that we are looking at is unacceptable.
On TODAY, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation of their infant daughter Lisas disappearance.
Im unhappy with what theyre telling me. Its been too long. With this (stolen card) development, theyve had it for a long time, and we still havent heard anything.
Thats a long time for somebody to steal a credit card and wait to try to use it, and thats one of the reasons why law enforcement will probably cast some doubts on the relationship between the two, former FBI criminal profiler Clint Van Zandt told NBC News.
Irwin came home from work at 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 4 to find the door unlocked, the lights on and Lisas crib empty. Bradley admits to having had several drinks that night and does not remember the last time she checked
on her baby.
A witness said that he saw a man carrying around a baby in a diaper around the time Lisa went missing, which is a lead the parents attorney, Joe Tacopina, believes should have been urgently pursued. Neighborhood handyman John Jersey Tanko, who has a history of break-ins, was questioned by police about his whereabouts that night, but was not declared a suspect.
(The police) missed massive opportunities, including three witnesses that identified a man holding a baby that matched Jersey Johns description after midnight with just a diaper on, Tacopina said. Its inconceivable that that wasnt followed up on immediately.
Tacopina also said that a phone call was made at 11:57 p.m. on the night of Lisas disappearance on Bradleys phone to a woman who is Tankos on-again, off-again girlfriend. Bradley had never dialed that number before, and her phone was stolen from the home on the night Lisa vanished.
This is not a defense of (the parents), Tacopina said. This is about finding answers and finding their baby.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/lisa-irwinsparents-hope-fraudulent-credit-charges-can-lead-to-break-in-case-ofmissing-daughter
Lisa Irwin's parents hope fraudulent debit card charge leads to break in case of missing daughter
More than seven months after the disappearance of then-10-month-old Lisa Irwin, her parents have revealed new information they hope can lead to a break in the case.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley tell NBC News Jeremys debit card was stolen about a month after Lisa disappeared, and according to Jeremy, a fraudulent charge made on the account was to an overseas company that changes babys names for a small fee.
Kansas City Police tell NBC News they are investigating the $69.04 charge, but it appears to be nothing more than stolen card numbers.
Lisa Irwin was reported missing from her north Kansas City home in the early-morning hours of Oct. 4, 2011, when Jeremy returned home from an overnight shift at work.
Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley say their door was unlocked, the lights were on in the house and Lisas crib was empty.
Searches for Lisa - highly-publicized in the days and weeks immediately after her disappearance, but which have since become few and far between have focused on neighborhoods near the Irwin home, nearby woods and have even led to a landfill across the state line in Johnson County, Kan.
Sitting alongside their attorney, Joe Tacopina, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley appeared Monday live on NBCs Today show to talk about the latest could-be development in the case.
I am a mess, Deborah Bradley told Ann Curry. I am frustrated. It has been almost 8 months and were not getting any answers.
Bradley said while she understands the police and FBI have jobs to do, the answers she has received about her daughter are unacceptable.
We need answers, she said. We need Lisa.
Jeremy Irwin says they first came across the fraudulent charge on his debit card in December, but it hasnt led to any significant leads in the case.
During the interview, Ann Curry said an NBC producer looked at the charges on Jeremy Irwins credit card, and they appear to lead to a website for a stationary paper company.
I dont know why it takes you there now, Jeremy Irwin responded, but when we first found out about this in December, thats where it used to go was the website where you can change someones name online.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/05/21/baby-lisas-parents-fraudulent-debit-cardcharge-not-fully-investigated-by-police/
Baby Lisas Parents: Fraudulent Debit Card Charge Not Fully Investigated
Nearly eight months after baby Lisa went missing, her mother told NBCs Today Show shes frustrated with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin appeared on NBCs talk show Monday morning, unveiling new information about a fraudulent transaction on Irwins debit card they think could help find their daughter but Bradley said police havent investigated it seriously.
We understand that the FBI and the KCPD has a job to do, but we need answers, Bradley said. We need Lisa. And its unacceptable the answer to us, We are looking at it, is unacceptable.
Irwin said on Nov. 6, 2011, just over a month after his daughter disappeared, a charge for $69.04 was made to his debit card that he wasnt responsible for. The charge was made to a British website that advertised name-changing services. According to the Today Show, the website now directs users to a stationary website something Irwin and attorney Joe Tacopina cant explain.
It used to go to the name-changing website, Irwin said. Theres something weird going on there where it doesnt go directly there anymore, so theres some kind of weird Internet thing going on.
Tacopina said back in November he and his investigators captured the page advertising the name changing service and turned it over to the FBI.
The cache, the page that we caught in November, when looking at this, when we found the credit card company, was a website that actually advertised change your childs name. I saw that myself, Tacopina said. Our investigators have seen it, weve turned it over to the FBI.
Two other transactions were attempted on Irwins card, but were denied. As for the transaction that went through, Tacopina said it could be just another coincidence or it could lead to answers. But Bradley said police arent doing enough.
Its been too long, and with this development theyve had for a long time, and we still havent heard anything, she said.
According to the Today Show, Kansas City police said the information provided by Irwin and Bradley is being investigated, but that it doesnt appear to be a promising lead or anything more than a routine case of a stolen debit card.
Tacopina said Bradley and Irwin remain in frequent contact with the FBI, hoping for a break in the case.
I know the FBI is in constant contact with Deb and Jeremy and without counsel intervening because this is not about a defense of them. This is about them finding answers, about them finding their baby, said Tacopina.
Tacopina also claimed the Kansas City Police Department pigeon-holed Lisas parents.
Its right to start with them as suspects, but they alleviated other potential avenues of evidence, and theyve missed massive opportunities, including three witnesses who identified a man holding a baby that matched Jersey Joes description after midnight with just a diaper on, he said.
John Tanko, also known as Jersey was a handyman police questioned after a phone call from one of the missing Irwin-Bradley phones led to Megan Wright Jerseys girlfriend. Back in November, Kansas City Police Captain Steve Young said Jersey cooperated with the police and they moved on with their investigation.
Lisa was reported missing in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 4. Irwin returned home from work around 3:45 a.m. and found his front door unlocked, lights on and Lisas crib empty. Bradley admitted to having several drinks that night and cannot remember the exact time she last checked on her daughter.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/21/3620754/baby-lisas-parents-againplead.html#storylink=misearch
Baby Lisas parents again plead for her return, seek
more from police
The parents of a missing Northland toddler pleaded Monday on national television for the return of their daughter, and they released information they say could shed new light on her disappearance.
It has been more than seven months since 10-month-old Lisa Irwin disappeared from her North Lister Avenue home. Her parents, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, say that someone broke into their home and snatched baby Lisa while she slept. They believe that whoever took her has either sold her or is raising her as their own.
During an appearance this morning on NBCs Today show, Jeremy Irwin said that someone fraudulently charged $69.04 to his debit card in November, the month after Lisa vanished. The charge was connected to an overseas company that helps people change babies names, he said. The card was suspended after that charge happened and two other fraudulent charges were attempted.
Somebody had my information and tried to use it, Irwin told host Ann Curry.
The couple said they passed that information to Kansas City police months ago, but no new details have emerged with the investigation.
I am unhappy with what they are telling me, Deborah Bradley said in the TV interview. It has been too long and with this development, theyve had it for a long time, and we still havent heard anything.
Detectives investigated the fraudulent debit card use, said Capt. Steve Young, a Kansas City police spokesman. The card was used to buy stationery but did not appear to be connected to the childs disappearance, Young said.
We are not optimistic it is going to turn into anything more than stolen card numbers, at best, he said.
Bradley said she and Irwin were frustrated with the lack of progress in the case. They have continued to cooperate with investigators, she said.
It has been almost eight months, and were not getting any answers, Bradley told Curry. We understand that the FBI and the KCPD have a job to do, but we need answers. We need Lisa. The answer to us that We are looking at it is unacceptable.
According to authorities, Irwin returned home after working a late shift on Oct. 4 and found the front door of their Kansas City, North, home open. He walked through the house and found several lights on and his daughter missing from her crib.
In the weeks afterward, police, federal authorities, members of the Missouri National Guard and volunteers scoured the area looking for the child.
Lisa still is classified as a missing or abducted child. There was no evidence to suggest she has died, police say.
Bradley repeatedly has said that she had nothing to do with her daughters disappearance and has pleaded for her return. Bradley admitted that she had been drinking the night Lisa disappeared but has maintained she did not harm the toddler.
Their attorney, Joe Tacopina, said police did not thoroughly investigate items including witness claims that on the night of the disappearance they saw a man walking near the Irwin home carrying a baby wearing a diaper.
Young said that accusation is completely false. Detectives continue their investigation, but there are fewer new leads to pursue, he said.
The detectives have not washed their hands of the case by any means, Young said.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/18574393/tacopina-kcpd-missed-massiveopportunities-to-find-baby-lisa-irwin
Tacopina: KCPD 'missed massive opportunities' to find baby Lisa Irwin
New York defense attorney Joe Tacopina criticized the Kansas City Police Department's handling of the search for missing baby Lisa Irwin in a national interview Monday morning.
Six months ago, Debbie Bradley said she put her ill daughter in her crib so that she could sleep. Since then, 10-month-old Lisa Irwin hasn't been seen.
Tacopina is representing the missing girl's parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. He said Kansas City police detectives have focused on Bradley and Irwin so much that they have missed golden opportunities.
"From the get go, the KCPD had pigeon-holed them, unfortunately," Tacopina told NBC's Today Show. "It's right to start with them as suspects, but they alleviated other potential avenues. They've missed massive opportunities."
Capt. Steve Young, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department, said investigators have worked this case aggressively.
"Accusations that we have not pursued leads are completely false," Young told KCTV5.
Young said leads have dwindled as time has gone by, but detectives are still actively working on the case.
Irwin and Bradley returned to their home Monday afternoon after their trip to New York City. They were leaving their home and declined to speak with KCTV5 reporter Mark Boyle when he sought to speak with them just before 5 p.m.
During her appearance on NBC, Bradley pleaded for answers.
"I am a mess," she said. "I am frustrated. It has been almost eight months, and we're not getting any answers. We understand that the FBI and the KCPD have a job to do, but we need answers. We need Lisa. The answer we are looking at is unacceptable."
Irwin called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4 when he discovered his daughter missing from her bedroom. The couple contends that someone kidnapped their daughter and sold her or is now raising her as their own child.
Police honed in on Bradley. She was evasive and lied in public interviews about her actions in the hours before Lisa was reported missing.
Bradley initially described putting her daughter to bed at 10:30 p.m. with her favorite toys and blanket along with a pacifier. The Amber Alert issued said she was last seen at 10:30 p.m. by her mother.
"I gave her bottle and put her to sleep, and that was when we last saw her," Bradley said.
After police obtained surveillance video of Bradley and her brother purchasing a container of wine at a Northland grocery store, Bradley publicly revised the timeline of events.
She said she spent hours outside on the stoop of her home drinking with a next door neighbor whose marriage had fallen apart and whose husband moved out that night.
Bradley claimed she had been drinking enough that night to black out and that she in fact saw her sick daughter last at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 2011, and did not follow the family's normal nighttime routine. She also could not, or would not, answer key questions about that night.
Kansas City police maintain that the disappearance is still classified as a missing or abducted child and the Crimes Against Children detectives - not homicide detectives - are investigating the case.
However, when police sought a search warrant Oct. 18 for the family home on North Lister, police listed the items that they wanted to seize. Three blocks were checked.
The last one checked said the extensive search would include seeking "deceased human fetus or corpse."
A cadaver dog hit on the scent of a dead body on an area of the floor beside the bed of Lisa's parents Oct. 17. Police will not say whether other cadaver dogs were brought into the home and also detected the presence of a dead body, but standard law enforcement practices would lead police to have more than one cadaver dog brought in to confirm the findings.
In the interview with the Today Show, Tacopina singled out three eyewitnesses who said they saw a man carrying a baby wearing little or no clothing in the hours in which baby Lisa went missing. A couple and a man on his motorcycle traveling in the area described their encounters
"It's inconceivable they weren't followed up on immediately," Tacopina said.
Tacopina said the man they described matched the description of John "Jersey" Tanko, a handyman accused of committing crimes in the area.
"The person we think should be looked at very carefully here," is Tanko, Tacopina said.
Tanko, who Tacopina repeatedly called "Jersey Joe," was questioned by police and is now serving time in a Missouri prison for attempting to steal a vehicle in the Northland.
The couple contacted police after seeing a man in a T-shirt carrying a baby clothed only in a diaper. The couple has not publicly described the man they saw.
However, the motorcycle rider actually described a person who matched the description of a man who lives next door to the Irwin-Bradley family and whose wife spent much of the evening of Oct. 3 with Bradley. And the motorcycle rider's story has evolved in additional interviews.
Police say they investigated the neighbor, who took a lie detector test, and have "moved on." They also used similar language about Tanko.
In the Today Show interview, Tacopina and the couple made much about fraudulent charges made to Irwin's credit card.
A charge for $69.04 was made Nov. 6. Two other charges were attempted, but the transactions were not completed. The credit card company contacted Irwin and the account was suspended in 2011.
Irwin and Tacopina said the $69.04 was to a website based in the United Kingdom that allows someone to change their child's name.
However, the website is now advertising stationery and police say the fraudulent purchase appears to have been for stationery.
"It use to go to the name-change website," Irwin said. "There is something weird going on there where it doesn't go directly there anymore."
Young said the credit card lead has not been exhausted, but is unlikely to lead to a breakthrough.
"We have been aware of and investigating this lead for quite a while," Young said. "However, we aren't optimistic that this will turn into anything more than a stolen credit card number at best."
Bradley expressed her frustration that the credit card tip hasn't lead to determining where her daughter is.
"I'm unhappy with what they're telling me. And it's been too long," she said. "With this development, they've had it for a long time, and we still haven't heard anything."
The couple did not raise the stolen credit card during interviews in February in conjunction with the four-month mark of their daughter's disappearance. It is unclear why it is coming to public light now some months after the credit card was used fraudulently.
Former FBI criminal profiler Clint Van Zandt told NBC that he understands why police are doubtful that the stolen credit card is tied to Lisa's disappearance.
Tacopina said his clients are in constant contact with FBI agents about Lisa's disappearance. He said this occurs without attorney intervention.
"This is not about a defense of them. This is about finding answers to find their baby," he said. "They speak with the FBI agents frequently and routinely."
John Picerno, a Kansas City attorney representing the two, said the United Kingdom website is offering few details about the purchase including who made it and from where. The purchase was made to a company called R-Z-Q Limited.
He said Bradley and Irwin desperately want answers.
"Their heart is broken," he said. "Their child is gone."
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/baby-lisa-irwinsparents-speak-out-about-a-possible-lead-in-the-investigation-kcpd-notoptimistic
Baby Lisa Irwin's parents speak out about a possible lead in the investigation; KCPD not optimistic
Kansas City Police have followed up on more than 1,500 leads in the Baby Lisa Irwin disappearance investigation.
Weekly, the Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline receives between two and three tips.
According to Steve Young, public information officer for KCPD, usually the tips dont lead anywhere significant.
They are waiting for the big tip in the case.
We've had success over the years but we understand with certain cases we've had upwards of 3000 tips come in before we get the right tip that breaks the case, Kevin Boehm of KC Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline said.
However, Baby Lisas parents think the KCPD has something big under its nose already. Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin sat down with NBCs Ann Curry Monday morning to talk about a potential lead in the case.
According to the couple and their attorney, Jeremy discovered a fraudulent credit card charge a month after Baby Lisa went missing. He claims, at the time, the website where the purchase took place specialized in changing your or your childs name.
Jeremy, Deborah and Attorney Joe Tacopina believe the incident is more than just coincidence and should be looked into.
Police agree.
"We have been aware of and are investigating that lead. However, it doesn't look promising. And, may not turn out to be more than stolen credit card numbers at best," Young said.
Detectives have been able to find little information on the transaction. In fact, as far as we are able to tell, it appears that the purchase was for stationary," Young said.
Jeremy Irwin admits the website has since changed. I don't know why it takes you there now but when we first found out about this in December, that's where it used to go... the web site where you can change somebody's name online, he explained.
Their frustration is mounting with every day that passes.
"It has been almost eight months and we still haven't gotten any answers," Bradley said.
"Every tip that comes in, we hope that it resolves some kind of a crime, to give the families peace of mind, Boehm explained.
June 23rd 2012:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/family-friendsrelease-balloons-for-baby-lisa
Family, friends release balloons for Baby Lisa
The family of missing baby Lisa Irwin says they have no idea where dozens of
yellow and purple balloons will land today. But, they know each one carries an important message.
The parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley released the balloons from their front lawn. They tied a paper note to all 150 balloons, hoping they will remind people Lisa is still missing.
Lisa Irwin disappeared from her bedroom last October.
Her parents hope the balloons will find strangers who might know something.
"We're just trying to let everybody know that she's still missing, Lisas father said. We're still looking and she's still out there somewhere. And we need everybody to just keep looking, keep looking for Lisa."
Police continue their investigation and told the parents they believe Lisa may still be alive.
http://m.delcotimes.com/delcotimes/db_/contentdetail.htm? contentguid=mWs7CoWs&full=true#display
Debbie Shanko thinks about her great-niece all of the time.
Thats not unusual.
And shed love to see her.
Thats not too unusual either.
But the Delaware County native isnt sure when that will happen. The problem is, her great-nieces parents cant be sure of when that will happen either.
Shankos great-niece is Lisa Renee Irwin, who was last seen at her Kansas City home at 6 p.m. Oct. 3, 2011.
Saturday on a baseball field behind the Upper Chichester Police Department, Shanko, along with Irwins cousins, Kim Pretti and Felicia Chivalette, released 300 balloons at 4 p.m. at the same time as family and friends in Rosharon, Texas, just south of Houston, and in Kansas City to bring attention to the situation.
Its something where you can go all through life and think it will never happen to you, Shanko said. Who would think someone would steal a baby out of crib in the middle of the night? No one ever thinks that it will happen to them.
But it did and its a nightmare all the way around.
According to family members, there were three witnesses that say a man was walking around Kansas City at around midnight on Oct. 3 holding a baby. However, the man was never found and consequently, neither has Lisa Irwin been found yet.
But the family is keeping hope. They received one clue when Lisa Irwins name was apparently changed on a birth certificate and recorded on an United Kingdom website. However, the site is no longer active and its not sure if the transaction would have taken place in the United States or somewhere else.
Right now we are very hopeful, Shanko said. We are hoping by doing this we can get regional and national attention.
About 75 people showed up for Saturdays ceremony.
The ceremony included short speeches by Pretti and Chivalette. Part of Prettis speech included a statement from Lisas parents, Debbie Bradley and Jeremy Irwin.
Everyday we wake up hoping it will be the day our Lisa comes home. With each day that passes, it gets harder to be without her. Its been over eight months since we got to see her, hold her, kiss her and play with her. Our family is broken without her. We beg anyone that knows anything to please do the right thing with Lisa. She deserves to be with the people that love her the most, her family. We want to thank everyone for their support and coming together to help bring Lisa home.
According to the website findlisairwin.com, there is a $100,000 reward for information that leads to her finding. There is also a facebook page at Facebook.com/find.lisa. The number to call for any tips that may lead authorities to Lisa is 1-816-474-TIPS. Also, Lisa, who was born on Nov. 11 of 2010, has a birth mark on her right thigh.
And theres no doubt Lisas family would love to see what she looks like now.
September 27th 2012:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/us-usa-crime-missouribaby-idUSBRE88Q1SK20120927
A year later, Missouri mother convinced missing baby alive
Nearly a year after infant Lisa Irwin vanished from her Kansas City home, her mother remains convinced the girl will be found alive.
"Absolutely," Deborah Bradley said Thursday outside her single-story house, in response to a reporter's question on the matter.
The home has a large sign in the picture window with the words "kidnapped" above Lisa Irwin's image. The girl's disappearance drew national media coverage for weeks.
Lisa, then 10 months old, was not in her crib when her father Jeremy Irwin, returned from work at 4 a.m. on October 3, 2011. Bradley had put the baby to bed and went to sleep in another room, she said. Bradley admitted to getting drunk that night.
Police questioned Bradley and Irwin extensively in the hours after the baby's disappearance but then said the couple stopped cooperating. The couple mostly confined media interviews to national television shows, where they said police were too accusatory.
Bradley said Thursday the couple doesn't intend to do network television shows next week to talk about the case.
"We are on the investigation side right now," Bradley said. She declined further comment, but said reporters are invited to attend a candlelight vigil outside the family's house on October 3 to mark the anniversary of Lisa's disappearance.
Captain Steve Young, spokesman for Kansas City police, declined to discuss the level of cooperation investigators are getting from Bradley and Irwin but said that will be part of a statement on the case released Friday.
John Picerno, a Kansas City lawyer for Bradley and Irwin, said Thursday they are now giving "100 percent and complete" cooperation to police. He said police "are doing what they can" to find Lisa.
"There is no question she was kidnapped," Picerno said. "If there was any foul play involving Deborah or Jeremy we would heard about it by now."
Picerno said tips about Irwin's sightings are called in often and forwarded to police. While the girl's looks would be a lot different a year later, he said she has distinctive blue eyes.
Young said police are still getting tips in the case.
"They come and go," he said.
September 28th 2012:

http://www.kctv5.com/story/19667428/police-baby-lisa-irwins-mom-onlyone-who-can-provide-answers
Police: Baby Lisa Irwin's mom only one who can
provide answers
Debbie Bradley isn't talking to investigators and only she can provide needed answers in the investigation into her missing daughter, Kansas City police said Friday.
Police issued the statement just ahead of next week's one-year anniversary of the disappearance of then 10-month-old Lisa Irwin from her Northland home.
It is the most direct comment that police have made about Bradley since the initial days when the baby was reported missing on Oct. 4.
Bradley and the child's father, Jeremy Irwin, maintain their daughter was kidnapped from her crib and they had nothing to do with her disappearance.
"I just want her back," Irwin told reporters Friday afternoon.
Detectives have exhausted all leads provided by the child's family and their attorneys, according to the statement.
"The leads were of no benefit to the investigation," according to the statement from Capt. Steve Young. "While communication with the family has been ongoing, police have not had the opportunity to sit down one-onone with Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley. As the only adult in the home at the time of the baby's disappearance, police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers."
Irwin had a succinct reply when asked about the police statement. (warning: strong language)
"I think it's bullshit to be honest with you," Irwin said.
In an interview with Reuters this week, John Picerno, the Kansas City attorney for the parents, said Irwin and Bradley are giving "100 percent and complete" cooperation to police.
"There is no question she was kidnapped," Picerno said. "If there was any foul play involving Deborah or Jeremy we would (have) heard about it by now."
Young said police "are not putting any label" on Bradley when asked by KCTV5 whether she is a person of interest.
"We still have questions that need answered as the news release states," he said.
Neighbors say Bradley heads out every day with a fresh stack of fliers and talks to people regularly. Lisa's picture dots trees and is on family vehicle. One neighbor said Bradley personally tends a makeshift remembrance for her daughter outside the home.
The family and neighbors said they hope the one-year anniversary will lead to needed answers. A vigil will be held next week in the neighborhood.
"I talk to Deborah all the time. Under the circumstances, she is doing as well as can be expected," Deborah Delorenzo said. "She lives with constant hope and prayer for her child as we all do in this neighborhood."
Police and FBI agents have investigated 1,667 tips since Oct. 4. Officers are
working about a dozen tips now.
"Five hundred of the total tips have been infant sightings across the United States and internationally," according to the statement. "Police thank the FBI agents and detectives at other law enforcement agencies - domestically and overseas - who investigated each of these sightings. None of them was determined to be Lisa Irwin."
A Kansas City police detective and FBI agent try to work the case every day.
"They are still looking for quality tips. They have gone back over nearly 100 previously closed leads, re-interviewing those involved to ensure they haven't missed anything," according to the statement. "Dozens more detectives stand at the ready to investigate a break in the case."
Detectives have reviewed the entire case file with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandra, VA. Their experts continue to offer their assistance.
"Detectives remain hopeful for quality tips that will lead them to Lisa," the news release concludes. "However, several tips stemming from social media and online rumors have been reported, detracting from detectives' ability to work legitimate case leads."
Police ask anyone "with substantial knowledge of what happened to Lisa Irwin" to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
"Because the Lisa Irwin disappearance remains an active, open investigation, Kansas City police will not grant any further interviews," according to the news release.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Lisa-Irwinmissing-one-year-later-kansas-city-police-statement
Lisa Irwin statement from police: 1 year and 1,667 tips later, still no sign of missing KC girl
As the one-year anniversary approaches of the disappearance of a then-10-month-old baby girl, the Kansas City Police Department continues to run down leads in the case.
In a statement issued Friday afternoon, the department said they are currently checking into about a dozen tips into the disappearance of Lisa Irwin.
A Kansas City Police Department detective and member of the FBI continue to investigate her disappearance daily, and other members of both agencies are available if there is a break in the case, the statement said.
Lisa was 10 months old when she disappeared almost one year ago.
Her parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley say Jeremy came home in the early-morning hours of Oct 4, 2011 to find the front door unlocked, lights on in the home and Lisa missing from her crib.
Authorities issued an AMBER Alert later that morning and in intensive search began for the girl.
Searches for Lisa - highly-publicized in the days and weeks
immediately after her disappearance, but which have since become few and far between - have focused on neighborhoods near the Irwin home, nearby woods and have even led to a landfill across the state line in Johnson County, Kan.
Investigators on Friday said they have received a total of 1,667 tips since Lisa disappeared from her home in the 3600 block of Lister.
About 500 of the tips have been of potential sightings of Lisa - locally, nationally and overseas - though authorities say none of them have panned out.
Investigators said shortly after Lisas disappearance, her parents stopped cooperating with police, but Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley have denied those claims in local and national media interviews.
While communication with the family has been ongoing, police have not had the opportunity to sit down one-on-one to speak with Lisas mother, Deborah Bradley, Fridays statement read. As the only adult in the home at the time of the babys disappearance, police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers.
Family attorney John Picerno denied those claims. "I can't believe that they would say we have been uncooperative," he said. Adding Deborah last met with police in February 2012. "
They had carte blanche. It was video taped, just like we're video taping this. They fired away any and all questions they had to ask her for an extended period of time. I think it was at least 2 hours, maybe longer."
Picerno admits that last interview was not a one-on-one and Bradley will not meet with police without an attorney present.
The only thing that is missing from that equation is the intimidation factor where they can make threats to a witness/suspect. They can make promises to them, some of which they'll keep and some of which they're under no legal obligation to keep to try and get whatever their endgame is in terms of the goal of what it is they want to accomplish."
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-28/news/sns-rt-us-usacrime-missouri-babybre88r1hp-20120928_1_lisa-irwin-baby-lisamissouri-baby
Mother of missing Missouri baby has not given needed answers: police
The mother of missing Missouri baby Lisa Irwin has still not provided answers needed in the investigation into her daughter's disappearance from her home nearly a year ago in a high-profile case that drew national attention, police said on Friday.
Baby Lisa was last seen the night of October 3, 2011, when her mother, Deborah Bradley, says she put the then 10-month-old in her crib. The baby's father, Jeremy Irwin, discovered she was missing when he got home from work before dawn the next day, he has said.
Kansas City police said in a statement on Friday that the family was in touch with investigators but has still not given them the "opportunity to sit down one-on-one" with Bradley.
"As the only adult in the home at the time of the baby's disappearance, police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers," police said.
Bradley has admitted to getting drunk the night Lisa disappeared.
But John Picerno, a Kansas City lawyer representing Bradley and Irwin, described as "completely false" the police assertion that Bradley has not been willing to be interviewed. He said she gave a videotaped interview to the FBI and a Kansas City police officer several months after Lisa disappeared and provided 100 pages of hand-written notes.
She remains willing to talk to police, he said.
"My door is always open, they know my phone number," Picerno said.
In a brief interview with Reuters outside her home on Thursday, Bradley said she was focused on helping with the investigation and that she "absolutely" believes Lisa is alive. Bradley said she is convinced the girl was kidnapped.
Police and the FBI have followed up on 1,667 tips on the child's disappearance, including some 500 reported sightings of the girl, the police statement said. They are checking into about a dozen active tips now, police said.
"Police have exhausted leads provided by Lisa Irwin's family and their attorneys and the leads were of no benefit to the investigation," police said.
Picerno said he will continue to provide tips to police but cannot control whether they lead anywhere.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/29/3839049/a-year-of-questions-findsfew.html
A year of questions finds few answers in Baby Lisa case
Deborah Bradley hasnt seen her daughter, the tot she calls Baby Lisa, for nearly a year.
Still, she occasionally buys toddler clothes in increasingly larger sizes, keeps the babys room intact and tells neighbors and friends she fully expects the little girl to come home.
Experts say it could happen. About 57 percent of children abducted by strangers each year are returned home alive. Infants usually have an even higher recovery rate, experts say. But most of those children are found quickly. National statistics from 2011 show 90 percent of children are recovered within 72 hours of an Amber Alert.
Thursday will mark the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of 10-month-old Lisa Irwin from her home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. Her father, Jeremy Irwin, returned home from a late shift Oct. 4 and found his front door open, several lights on, and Bradley asleep. Lisas crib was empty.
Her parents have maintained that someone broke into their home and
snatched Lisa while the toddler slept.
Since then, investigators have worked 1,667 tips, including 500 baby sightings around the world. Police checked about 100 leads twice just to be sure and they shared their case file with national experts for advice.
Yet, nearly 12 months later, police and federal agents seem no closer to finding Lisa or establishing how she disappeared.
They say they are facing the same giant hurdle: They havent been able to sit down one-on-one with Bradley the only adult in the home at the time Lisa vanished since the first days of the investigation. She admitted she had been drinking that night, but has repeatedly said she had nothing to do with the disappearance.
Police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers, police wrote in a press release issued Friday.
The cooperation of parents is vital to an investigation, said Robert Lowery, a senior executive with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
I would just urge the parents to reconsider, he said. The final concern is finding the child and returning her home.
Leads provided so far by Lisas family and their attorneys havent helped, police said.
The parents lawyer took exception to the tone of the police statement, insisting our doors are open, the phone is open, they have our numbers and they can call.
In an email statement, the couple asked for tips and thanked people for support.
Every day we wake up hoping it will be the day she comes home to us, their statement said. Until that day happens, our family will continue to be incomplete without her.
The initial force of more than 100 investigators has now dwindled to one detective and one federal agent who work tips along with other cases.
Police know one tip could crack things open. The passage of time, they say, can both help and hurt a case. Memories and physical evidence may degrade, but relationships and alliances among people withholding key information can also shift.
A $100,000 reward remains available to anyone with information that brings Lisa home.
Even if the situation appears bleak, Lowery said, people should keep an open mind.
Someone out there knows what happened, he said. That child did not get out of that crib and walk away.
Sgt. Sondra Zink, who was the lead investigator on the Baby Lisa case for nearly six months, remembers the wakeup call about 4:30 a.m. last Oct. 4 that started it all.
The first she heard was that a baby was missing in a possible custody dispute involving grandparents. The baby wasnt believed to be in danger.
Keep me updated, she told the officer on the phone before she hopped in the shower to head into work early.
Before she could even dry off, she learned the grandparents didnt have the baby.
Zinks heart sank. This case was no longer routine. It was an Amber Alert.
The full scope of what it turned into didnt hit me until two days into the investigation, she said.
The weather on a recent afternoon was picture perfect on North Lister. The crisp air was punctuated with the sound of children playing, young boys riding their bicycles up and down the street and a man mowing his yard.
Life here seems little different from other neighborhoods throughout the Northland.
Still, the reminders of a tragedy linger.
Fliers soliciting information about the missing child plaster street light poles. Large posters and signs are taped to the windows and to the front door of Irwins one-story, beige ranch home.
One of the first things Zink did at the scene was call the FBI. Together, they assembled a task force of core investigators by 6 a.m.
By lunch, they had set up a command post in a field not far from the Irwin home complete with a bus for the task force to use as an office, portable restrooms, a Salvation Army tent, mounted patrol officers, police dogs and all-terrain vehicles.
Inside the bus, Zink coordinated officers who were arriving by the dozen from area law enforcement agencies. Investigators were told to exhaust every lead, whether it takes 10 minutes or 10 hours.
Two civilians started a database to track leads. They also checked license plates associated with baby sightings and reports of sex offenders who lived in the area.
It was like a scene out of a movie, Zink said assignments barked out and officers springing into action.
Did a police dog search here? Did someone talk to this neighbor?
It was overwhelming but reassuring at the same time, Zink said.
As hours ticked by with no sign of Lisa, Zink recalled statistics that
show that in fatal child abductions, the child is usually killed within three hours. If Lisa was not found alive, her case would be handed over to homicide detectives. Zink asked for a homicide detective to be put on the task force, just in case. She knew it would be detrimental to try to hand over a complicated case that didnt have a homicide detective involved from the start.
This week, Bradley pulled the familys sport utility vehicle into the driveway. A screen decal of a poster featuring her missing daughter dominates the vehicles back window.
Bradley stepped out of the vehicle along with Lisas half brothers and the family dog. They retreated inside the home but quickly returned outside to sit on the front porch.
Moments later, the dog broke free from its handler and raced down the street. Children who had been gathered in a nearby yard quickly chased down the pet as Bradley walked up to them.
She thanked the children for their help and instructed her older son how to keep a tight grip on the leash to ensure the dog doesnt run away again.
The case hit international status within 72 hours. Zink said that added layers of frustration and complexity.
The nonstop attention by local and national media provided no escape for investigators.
Although the coverage put Lisas picture in front of millions, it also
proved to be a huge hindrance that muddied the waters, Zink said.
We wasted a lot of time on tips, she said, that turned out to stem from something somebody heard on the news.
Neighbors and those close to the family paint Bradley as prayerful and confident that Lisa will one day come home.
They say Lisas parents believe whoever took the girl either sold her or is raising her as their own.
When I used to see her for the first few times, Debbie would cry every time she talked about Lisa, said Dee Garrett, who lives across the street from Baby Lisas parents. But now, she seems to be better. She seems to be excited when she says they are going to get Lisa back soon.
Emotions remained high at the command post for weeks, Zink said.
I cant describe the intensity, she said. We all knew, We gotta keep going.
Two detectives spent a week doing nothing but watching surveillance videos from city buses, red light cameras, businesses near the Irwin home and local big-box stores
Do you know how many babies go through the checkout at Walmart in an hour? Zink said.
The case was Zinks last thought each night and first thought each morning.
Even in the first few days, Zink said there was a time where she believed they were mere moments away from recovering Lisa.
Then, no. Shes not here, Zink recalled with tears in her eyes.
A small group of neighbors have banded around Bradley. They hold a brief prayer vigil inside the Irwin home each month and counsel Bradley when worry overcomes her.
Its hard. She is grieving for her baby. She wants her back, a neighbor said. What keeps her going is the hope that her baby will be back at anytime.
Meanwhile, neighbors have become more vigilant and cautious of strange vehicles that cruise through the neighborhood. They keep a watchful eye on their children, who know that a baby from their block went missing without a trace on a cool October night.
Bradley initially gave police an extended interview, but when she felt investigators continued to be accusatory, she told police she no longer wanted to talk to them.
Her attorneys criticized police on national television, alleging that detectives were abusive and focused too much on Bradleys actions and behaviors. The accusations stung investigators.
We wanted to say, No! Thats not right, Zink said. Thats not how it went down. But we knew it wasnt in the best interest of the investigation or child.
Allegations that police had tunnel-vision on Bradley also werent true, Zink said. She said investigators regularly brainstormed during their investigation, pretending the mother had a rock-solid alibi.
If mom had an alibi, where would we go? What would we look at? she said.
Bradleys level of cooperation remains in dispute.
Her attorney, John Picerno, maintains that Bradley has been accessible to police and answered their questions.
The last time we sat down, I didnt say a word and they got to videotape it, he said Friday. They got to ask everything they wanted, so we are a little suspicious, as we have been all along, about why they want to isolate her.
Bradley and Irwin have appeared on a variety of national television news and daytime talk shows. Yet theyve declined interview requests from local reporters.
Picerno said Bradley and Irwin feel those interviews would be counterproductive.
A core group of investigators remained totally focused on Lisas case
until about mid-March, when they started taking on other cases.
About that same time, Zink took a transfer to the departments robbery unit. She didnt want to leave Lisas case unresolved, but the daily deluge of child abuse, neglect and porn she encountered from work in the juvenile section had taken its toll over five years.
For my own sanity, I had to step away, she said, admitting that she felt guilty. I felt like I was abandoning the ones (on the Baby Lisa case) who were still left dealing with it.
Zink is proud of the way police and federal agents worked seamlessly together. But she has one regret.
The bottom line is, no matter how good the investigation is, theres still a baby missing and we dont know how, she said. Theres no way to walk away and feel good about that.
Zink said she hoped police will be able to find Lisa alive and well even if the odds dont favor a cheery conclusion.
But the happy ending where we found out what happened to her and the person is punished? she said. I wont give up on that.
October 1st 2012:

http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Baby-Lisa-s-parents-issuestatement-about-
anniversary/-/11664182/16809022/-/format/rsss_2.0/-/v0970rz/-/ind ex.html
Baby Lisa's parents issue statement about anniversary
As the first anniversary of baby Lisa Irwin's disappearance approaches this week, Kansas City police said they've investigated more than 1,600 leads, but they still haven't been able to talk again with the baby's mother.
Irwin was last seen when her mother put her to sleep in her crib on the night of Oct. 3, 2011. Searches and attempts to find the baby, who would be 22 months old now, have proven unsuccessful.
Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley, was the only adult in the house that night. Jeremy Irwin, the baby's father, was at work and returned home to find his daughter gone.
Police said at least one investigator and an FBI agent work on the case every day.
Police won't talk on camera about the investigation. In a press release, a department spokesman said unanswered questions still remain, and Bradley is the only one who has the answers.
Bradley was questioned in the early days of the investigation but has since told police she doesn't want to be interviewed any more.
Jeremy Irwin said he's still frustrated with police about the investigation.
Family attorney John Picerno said the statement from the police is unfair. He said police interrogated the parents for 30 hours.
"I don't know how much more involvement we can have. The thing they're looking for in their press release is some sort of one-on-one interrogation with a detective to interrogate Deborah to get some kind of confession and obviously that didn't work, initially," he said. "The one thing we can't allow to happen is an abusive and antagonistic interview process that took place early on."
The family has been putting up new flyers around the neighborhood. Many people close to them hope the anniversary will prompt a new interest and new clues.
Neighbor Dee Garrett said she thinks Lisa's parents are feeling optimistic as the milestone approaches.
"The first few times I'd seen her, she'd cry almost every time I'd talk to her, but now she's anxious to get her back," Garrett said. "I'm just thinking she is still alive and I'm hoping they will find her."
Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin released a statement Monday about the case.
"We want to thank everyone for continuing to help look for Lisa and for the overwhelming support. Every day without her is hard and there is no such thing as normalcy anymore. Every day we wake up hoping it will be the day she comes home to us. Until that day happens our family will continue to be
incomplete without her.
We have not lost hope and we will not give up until she is home where she belongs. We want to remind everyone that there is still a $100,000.00 reward for any information leading to Lisa. All tips are anonymous. We beg anyone that knows anything to please think of Lisa and help bring her home. Her two brothers are waiting for her to come home so they can play with her again.
If anyone wants to help raise awareness you can visit her website at www.FindLisaIrwin.com where there are printable flyers and pictures of Lisa."
October 2nd 2012:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/local_news/was-baby-lisa-irwinkidnapped
Baby Lisa case splits community on 1-year anniversary
This week will mark one year since the disappearance of baby Lisa Irwin. She was only 11-months-old when she was reported missing from her family's Kansas City, Mo., home on the night of October 3, 2011.
While police have never classified the case as a kidnapping, flyers plastered around the area often do. But when one volunteer group that wants to help find Baby Lisa switched their flyers from saying "kidnapped" to describing her as "missing" or "endangered", they were met with some resistance.
One member of the group, which consists of a couple dozen volunteers, said their new flyers are always ripped down. She also said members have been harassed at their own vigils for Baby Lisa and through Facebook.
"It's just snowballed into something very ugly, very awful and very unnecessary -- there's a child missing. She's not my child, but she's a child of my community," she explained.
This woman did not want 41 Action News to identify her because she fears retaliation. She and her group are planning their own vigil near the Irwin home Wednesday night.
"Obviously they appreciate the support, obviously anyone who wants to help them in terms of passing out flyers, making the public aware of what's going on -- that's fantastic, we welcome that," said John Picerno, Irwin family attorney.
Picerno said the next flyer the Irwin family plans to put up around the area will contain a sketch of what Lisa would like at almost 2 years old.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-baby-lisas-parent-buy-clothes-giftsyear/story?id=17375065#.UYzHG0rSy7X
Missing Baby Lisa's Parent Buy Her Clothes and Gifts a Year After She Vanished
The Irwin family home on North Lister in Kansas City, Mo., looks deceptively normal. The father leaves every morning to go to work
while the mother stays at home to care for the couple's two young boys. In the afternoon, neighborhood kids can be seen playing in the yard.
But inside the house is a little girl's room that has been virtually untouched for a year. The room belongs to baby Lisa Irwin who vanished from her crib, seemingly without a trace exactly a year ago on Wednesday.
"They've got Lisa's room intact," Irwin family attorney John Picerno told ABCNews.com, referring to Lisa's parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin. "They still try to honor her. They still believe that she is alive. They buy clothes that will fit her when she comes home. They try to buy gifts for her to celebrate the various holidays as the holidays pass."
Lisa disappeared the night of Oct. 3, 2011 from her home and the family has maintained from the beginning that the girl was abducted from her bedroom inside the home while her father was at work and her mother and brothers were asleep in another room.
Deborah Bradley, 26, and the girl's father Jeremy Irwin, 30, became a focal point for suspicion by both the public and the police. The relationship between the parents and the Kansas City Police Department has been contentious, with frequent public sparring between the two.
They argued about issues including the extent of the parents' cooperation, polygraph tests and interviewing Lisa's two young brothers.
One year later, the tense relationship has resurfaced as unsatisfied police suggest that they are still seeking more information from Bradley.
"Police have exhausted leads provided by Lisa Irwin's family and their attorneys, and the leads were of no benefit to the investigation," the KCPD said in a statement. "While communication with the family has been ongoing, police have not had the opportunity to sit down one-onone to speak with Lisa's mother, Deborah Bradley. As the only adult in the home at the time of the baby's disappearance, police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers."
Picerno said he and his clients were taken aback by the police's statement.
"We were very, very surprised that KCPD, first of all, issued a press release in and of itself," he said. "Second, we were surprised with the tone of the press release, particularly since we believe that what's in the press release relative to Jeremy and Deborah is simply untrue."
Picerno acknowledged that there was a breakdown in communication between authorities and the parents after over 30 hours of initial questioning with the couple. He said that Bradley and Irwin sat down with police again in February, but conceded that Bradley has not sat for a one-on-one with investigators.
"They haven't but they can certainly sit down one-on-one with me present and ask any questions," he said. "I'm not going to stop them. What we don't want is another situation where they're doing a fullblown interrogation where they're standing up and accusing her and they're showing pictures of her missing girl and they're confronting her with all this evidence."
Picerno said his client has a right to counsel and "a right not to be abused or threatened by detectives."
When asked if he believes investigators suspect Bradley, he responded with caution.
"You can look in the media. I think it's pretty obvious where they're at," Picerno said. "They've said she's not a suspect so I'm not going to quibble over the words. But I think if you look back over what's been in the media and what they've said over the last year, what they think, I think, is pretty obvious. It's obvious to me."
Bradley faced public scrutiny in the days following Lisa's disappearance due to her changing timeline of the events of the night and the revelation that she had been drinking the night Lisa disappeared.
"Pretty much the only thing that I'm guilty of is drinking too much. And even when she comes back, that's something I have to live with, that I might have heard something and been able to stop them," a tearful Bradley told Dr. Phil McGraw in February.
She said the issues have been blown out of proportion and that she is neither an alcoholic nor a neglectful parent.
"It is literally impossible to remember every single detail and say it exactly the same every single time and there are so many negative people or hateful people that have picked it all apart," Bradley said. "If I had done something, I'd be in jail right now."
The family is planning a vigil for Wednesday evening with family, friends and supporters.
"We want to thank everyone for continuing to help look for Lisa and for the overwhelming support," the parents said in a statement this week, according to ABC News' Kansas City affiliate KMBC. "Every day without her is hard and there is no such thing as normalcy anymore. Every day we wake up hoping it will be the day she comes home to us. Until that day happens our family will continue to be incomplete without her."
At least one KCPD detective and one FBI agent work on the case every day, police said. They have investigated over 1,600 tips and said they are looking into about a dozen tips at present. Five hundred of the tips have been reported sightings across the U.S. and internationally, police said. Each reported sighting has been investigated, but none were determined to be Lisa.
Police say they have gone back over nearly 100 previously closed leads, re-interviewed connected parties and re-evaluated forensic evidence.
"It's been tough for a long time," Capt. Steve Young told ABCNews.com. "It's still an open case and we still seek and need quality tips and leads."
Despite the differences between police and parents, hope remains on both sides.
"We'll follow up on every tip and we hope that one of those tips leads to that conclusion," Young said.
"We all hope that she's out there," Picerno said. "Until someone finds her and she's not alive, we all hope and believe that she's out there somewhere. We just hope whoever took her is taking care of her."
There is a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Lisa.
October 3rd 2012:

http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/Lisa-Irwinsparents-to-hold-vigil-to-mark-one-year-since-her-disappearance
Lisa Irwin's parents hold vigil to mark one year since her disappearance
To recognize the one-year-anniversary of Baby Lisa Irwin's disappearance, her parents are hosting a vigil Wednesday night at their home in the Northland.
During the last year, police have received nearly 2,000 tips, followed-up on hundreds of leads and explored several baby sightings.
"Believe me, we get sightings of babies, and the babies that we see and that are forwarded to us resemble Lisa a lot," family attorney John Picerno said. "But fortunately for us and for Lisa, she has those really beautiful blue eyes. They're very distinctive."
The year-long search has been unsuccessful, but family, friends and volunteers continue to put up fliers of the missing toddler.
"Obviously, they appreciate the support. Obviously anyone who wants to help them in terms of passing out fliers, making the public aware of what's going on, that's fantastic," Picerno said. "We welcome that."
Picerno said police are assisting the family in creating a new sketch or image of Baby Lisa to show what she might look like now. The new flier will also include possible height and weight changes.
The vigil will be held in front of the Baby Lisa's home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. It's scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Vigil-to-be-held-tonight-forBabyLisa/-/11664182/16841978/-/format/rsss_2.0/-/p99bt6z/-/index.html
Vigil to be held tonight for Baby Lisa
Family, friends and the community will gather tonight for a vigil for missing baby Lisa Irwin.
The vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue.
Lisa was last seen when her mother, Deborah Bradley, put her to sleep in her crib on the night of Oct. 3, 2011. Searches and attempts to find the baby, who would be 22 months old now, have proven unsuccessful.
Jeremy Irwin, the baby's father, was at work and returned home to find his daughter gone.
Kansas City police said at least one investigator and an FBI agent work on the case every day.
http://www.kctv5.com/story/19726738/baby-lisa-investigation-stillactive-1-year-later
Baby Lisa Irwin's parents hold vigil to mark somber anniversary
Baby Lisa Irwin's parents held a vigil outside their home Wednesday night to mark a somber anniversary.
The overall message: Time does not diminish hope.
Family members gave the child's mother, Debbie Bradley, hugs as she stepped out of her home onto the lawn. The vigil began with a prayer and song.
Bradley broke down as she read a note that had been sent to her. Jeremy Irwin, Lisa's father, stood on the family's front porch with other family members and friends but did not speak.
Family representatives said Wednesday was a tough day, but they thanked the community for their support.
The vigil was closed with a reading of the Lord's Prayer.
"We really appreciate the support; the community had been absolutely amazing. We just ask that you keep it up and keep Lisa in your prayers, because we are absolutely not giving up until she comes home," Bradley said.
It was a year ago when Bradley put her then 10-month-old youngest child into her crib. She was gone when her father arrived home the next morning.
After months of searching and chasing down leads, police and people are still wondering what happened to the baby.
Baby Lisa was a month shy of turning 1 when she went missing. Her father called 911 about 4 a.m. Oct. 4.
Investigators now face the great challenge of finding the girl at an age where most children physically change incredibly quickly.
This is one of the reasons why the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children will often work with the FBI on an age-progression technology. It can create an image of what a child would look like after a certain amount of time has passed.
Wyandotte County sheriff's Lt. Kelli Bailiff said the policy is to wait two years before an age progression image is made.
The technology is free to parents of missing children and has been known to help solve cases in the past.
"It's had some very exciting results. We have located some children and have been able to identify even deceased bodies from age progression," Bailiff said.
Bailiff said the center typically waits two years because it has thousands of cases on its hands and needed a guideline to follow in order to keep all the cases organized.
Lisa's parents still live in their same home off North Lister Avenue with Bradley's two sons. They seem to be living a normal life.
While investigators still actively work the case, the investigation appears largely stalled. Police said last week that they have questions that only Bradley can answer.
Bradley said she put her ill daughter to sleep about 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3. The couple maintains that an intruder snatched baby Lisa from her crib and three telephones while Bradley was passed out drunk in her bedroom. Irwin was in the Midtown area working on a job. He discovered his daughter missing when he came home from work.
The closed doors in the investigation are a frustrating situation that a retired Kansas City Police Department sergeant can relate to.
"I feel for them. I've been there, I've gone through that and I know how frustrating that can be," retired Detective Dave Bernard said.
Bernard retired from the police department weeks before Lisa went missing, but he's no rookie when it comes to high profile, long-term investigations.
"When it's a high profile case, you're under a microscope. Everything you do and say is watched. It's picked apart, it's analyzed," he said.
That's exactly what happened to Bernard when he supervised a squad of detectives in the Precious Doe case in 2001 - a case involving a young girl that took four years to crack.
"Usually time is your enemy. When you start an investigation like that, the first few hours are critical because you have people setting alibis and they're destroying evidence," he said.
While one year has come and gone in Lisa's disappearance, Bernard said experienced detectives understand time lapse can also help solve a case.
"Sometimes time can be an ally because the people you talk to at the time may have allegiances to each other but, over time, allegiances break up, alliances crumble and sometimes people are more willing to talk more freely after that's happened," he said.
Bernard has never worked a minute on the baby Lisa case, but he said there is a good reason to talk to Bradley. Police said Bradley has not agreed to do a sit-down interview with them since the first weeks of the then 11-monthold's disappearance.
"Usually as a general rule, the younger the victim, the suspect or the perpetrator, the lies close in. Maybe the mother's boyfriend, but they close in because children are protected by their parents. They don't usually allow them to have complete contact with complete strangers," Bradley said.
The family's attorneys are working hard representing the family. John Picerno, the Kansas City attorney for Bradley and Jeremy Irwin, said his clients are learning to move on with life without forgetting their youngest is still missing.
"They try to live as normal a life as possible. As far as remembering Lisa, her
room is intact, they buy her gifts at certain times of the year to commemorate certain holidays, they buy clothes they believe would fit her now if she is returned," Picerno said.
The one police detective still actively working the case can't say things have moved forward. Police released a statement last week saying Bradley is still refusing to sit down for a talk with investigators.
"It's progressed to the point now where Deborah and Jeremy will contact law enforcement without going through the attorneys," Picerno said.
Bill Stanton, the private investigator from New York, is also still working the case.
"Yes, I would. But we're getting into a gray area that I shouldn't be speaking to," he said when asked if he would advise anyone in Bradley and Jeremy Irwin's situation to sit down and talk with police one-on-one.
Stanton maintains he's just a consultant to the family, but he firmly believes Jersey, a handyman police have questioned and cleared, has some involvement in baby Lisa's disappearance.
"I am more resolved to the fact that this crime was not perpetrated by either Deborah or Jeremy, but rather someone outside the home," he said.
Stanton said one thing is for sure - one year later, still more questions remain than answers.
http://fox4kc.com/2012/10/03/year-anniversary-vigil/
Lisa Irwins Mother: We Are Not Giving Up
One year after Lisa Irwin disappeared, her family held a vigil in her honor at their home on North Lister and Chelsea in Kansas City, Mo.
Lisa was reported missing on Oct. 4, 2011, after her father, Jeremy Irwin, returned home from work around 4 a.m., and discovered she was not in her crib. Her mother, Deborah Bradley, said she put Lisa to bed around 10 p.m.
At the vigil where dozens gathered, Lisas parents hung lights, lit candles and handed out flyers. They said they still believe with the publics help their daughter will be returned safely. Deborah Bradley thanked the public for their help and continued interest in her daughters case.
Thank you, everyone, for coming out, she said. We really appreciate the support. The community has been absolutely amazing, and we just ask that you keep it up and keep Lisa in your prayers and keep thinking of her because we are absolutely not giving up until she comes home.
Lisas family said they have printed and handed out more than 60,000 flyers and hung more than 1,100 posters in an effort to keep Lisas name and picture in the public eye.
On Wednesday the family released this statement:
We want to thank everyone for continuing to help look for Lisa and for the overwhelming support. Every day without her is hard and there is no such thing as normalcy anymore. Every day we wake up hoping it will be the day she comes home to us. Until that day happens our family will continue to be incomplete without her. We have not lost hope and we will not give up until she is home where she belongs. We want to remind everyone that there is still a $100,000.00 reward for any information leading to Lisa. All tips are
anonymous. We beg anyone that knows anything to please think of Lisa and help bring her home. Her two brothers are waiting for her to come home so they can play with her again. If anyone wants to help raise awareness you can visit her website at www.FindLisaIrwin.com where there are printable flyers and pictures of Lisa.
http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/region_missouri/northland/family-holdsvigil-for-baby-lisa-on-one-year-anniversary-of-disappearance
Irwin family holds vigil for Baby Lisa on 1-year anniversary of her disappearance
They spent a year getting ready, but it was a day for which the Irwin family could never be prepared.
As a song with the lyrics "Don't Give Up" played in the background, dozens of people stood on the Irwin family's lawn, holding light pink and yellow cups with candles inside. Tears rolled down Deborah Bradley's cheeks as she struggled to read through a prayer written by strangers to support her family, as they search for her missing daughter, Lisa.
"I cannot ease your aching heart nor take your pain away," she read, breaking down. "But let me stay and take your hand and walk with you today."
Fighting frustration, the family still knows nothing about Lisa Irwin's whereabouts -- the baby with the big blue eyes that everyone knows but no one can find. She's now almost two years old.
The Irwin family honored Lisa by sharing their spotlight with families of other missing people like Kara Kopetzky and Carol Thompson.
"I was honored," said Judy Courtney, Thompson's sister, about being invited to the vigil. "I understand the world of the missing, but I don't think i could ever be as strong as she is being today."
"It means a lot to us for Lisa," said Jeremy Irwin, briefly speaking to reporters after the vigil about the sea of support that showed up for his daughter.
While they fight to focus on Lisa, controversy continued even one year later as rumors swirled about the family not cooperating with police. Kansas City Police as much as said so in a release last week. That is something the family attorney wants permanently put to rest.
"One hundred percent of the questions have been answered," said John Picerno. "One hundred percent of the questions will be answered in the future."
"We just ask that you keep it up and keep Lisa in your prayers and keep thinking of her because we are absolutely not giving up until she comes home," said Bradley.
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/04/3846919/vigil-for-lisa-irwin-bringstears.html
Vigil for Lisa Irwin brings tears, hope
A year after 11-month-old Lisa Irwin disappeared, a Northland couple said Wednesday night they have never given up hope and continue to pray for their childs safe return.
Parents Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin held a candlelight prayer vigil outside their home that was attended by nearly 100 relatives, neighbors and others.
Throughout the vigil, Bradley and Irwin held a small tea candle in one hand and each other tightly with the other. Both sobbed as a prayer was offered.
Lord, we ask again today like we do every day for you to safely return Lisa here to her parents and brothers, said Irwins sister, Ashley Irwin. ...Youve numbered the hairs on Lisas head, and Lord we know you are watching after her.
Today marks the anniversary of Lisas disappearance from her home in the 3600 block of North Lister Avenue. Her father returned home from his lateshift job on Oct. 4 and found the front door open, several lights on and her mother asleep. Lisas crib was empty.
We know everything on this earth happens for a reason, Ashley Irwin said. . Lord, we sure dont know what that plan is and we dont understand why your plan has to unfold this way but one thing we do know that if we hold steadfast . and believe in you; you will answer our prayers.
At one point during the prayer, Bradley knelt to console one of Lisas halfbrothers, who was crying.
Both parents have maintained that someone broke into their home and snatched Lisa while she slept.
Many attending the vigil wore white T-shirts with the word kidnapped above a large picture of Lisa. The crowd read a prayer seeking Gods protection of Lisa until she is reunited with her family.
The light of God surrounds her. The love of God enfolds her, the crowd prayed. The presence of God protects her. The presence of God watches over her.
Those in attendance also distributed yellow Find Baby Lisa bracelets, bumper stickers and business cards bearing Lisas face that solicited information on her whereabouts.
Police have investigated 1,667 tips, including 500 alleged sightings around the world. Investigators also have shared their case files with national experts.
Lisa still is classified as a missing or abducted child. There is no evidence to suggest she is dead.
Bradley has said that she had nothing to do with her daughters disappearance, but she has admitted drinking the night Lisa disappeared.
A $100,000 reward is still being offered for information about the disappearance. The couples attorney, John Picerno, said Bradley and Irwin have cooperated with investigators and will continue to do so.
After the vigil, Irwin and Bradley thanked those who have supported them during the ordeal.
We just ask that you keep Lisa in your prayers, Bradley said. We are absolutely not giving up until she comes home.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Baby-Lisa-s-parents-speak-out-onanniversary/-/11664182/16849370/-/format/rsss_2.0/-/bn87an/-/index.html
Baby Lisa's parents speak out on anniversary
On the first anniversary of Lisa Irwin's disappearance, the mother of the missing baby made public comments for the first time in months.
Lisa Irwin was last seen on the night of Oct. 3, 2011, when Deborah Bradley put her to bed in her crib. When Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, returned from work about 4 a.m., the baby was gone.
Friends and family gathered at the couple's northland home for a vigil Wednesday night. They said they never thought Lisa would be missing for a year.
Volunteers said they've handed out 60,000 fliers with Lisa's name and information in the past 365 days.
Bradley and Irwin said they believe Lisa is still alive. Bradley said she will do anything to make sure people continue to search for her daughter.
"We really appreciate the support," she said. "The community has been absolutely amazing, and we just ask that your keep it up and keep Lisa in your prayers because we are absolutely not giving up until she comes home."
"We just wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every person that came out tonight we had a really good turnout. It means a lot to us for Lisa," Jeremy Irwin said.
Kansas City police have said they are still actively pursuing leads in the case and encouraged anyone to call in with tips. Police have also said they'd like to
have another one-on-one interview with Bradley, something she has declined.
Attorney John Picerno said he wanted to try to ease suspicion surrounding Bradley and Irwin.
"These people have done nothing wrong and they have stood up here and been persecuted," he said.
A $100,000 reward is available for information that leads to Lisa Irwin's returns.
October 4th 2012:

http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/5152-one-year-after-babylisas-disappearance
One Year After Baby Lisa's Disappearance
The mother of missing baby Lisa Irwin choked up with emotion as she marked the first anniversary of her daughter's mysterious disappearance.
During a vigil at the family home in Kansas City, Deborah Bradley struggled to read a poem sent to her by a well-wisher. She also fought back tears as her sister said a prayer.
Tears ran down the cheeks of Lisas big brother. Bradley and the
missing girl's father, Jeremy Irwin, spoke briefly to reporters.
"We had a really good turn out. It means a lot to us," said Jeremy.
"We will not give up until she comes home," said Deborah.
Baby Lisa was almost a year old when her disappearance exploded into the national headlines. Her parents told police she had been taken from her crib during the night by an intruder. But suspicion fell on the mom and dad, particularly when the mom admitted she had been drinking that night. The parents repeatedly denied any involvement.
Last year, on Good Morning America, Robin Roberts asked the mother, "Did you have anything to do with your daughter's disappearance?"
"Absolutely not," said Deborah.
Exactly one year later, there is still not the slightest trace of the missing girl.
Her parents continue to buy clothes and toys for her as if she were still safe and sound at home. They've collected a selection of Barbie dolls.
Exclusive photos that were taken in Lisas bedroom were given to INSIDE EDITION by a family representative. Her room remains frozen in time from when Lisa disappeared.
Former New York City police officer Bill Stanton was called in to help in
the search. He told INSIDE EDITION there is still a $100,000 reward.
"This case has been a mystery wrapped in a riddle. There are leads coming in all the time. Unfortunately, most of them end up in a dead end, said Stanton.
Just like a year ago, authorities say the mother is still refusing to speak with them one-on-one.
"Police continue to have questions to which only she can provide answers," cops said in a new statement.
Their laywer, John Picerno, insists the parents are helping police.
"Deborah and Jeremy are contacting them without attorneys and talking freely with them, and providing them with any and all leads that they have," said their lawyer.
And although baby Lisas whereabouts still remain unknown, she's still in the hearts of everyone, one-year later.
November 1st 2012:

http://fox4kc.com/2012/11/01/concerns-raised-over-find-lisa-irwinwebsite-fundraising/
Concerns Raised Over Find Lisa Irwin Website
Fundraising
Its been more than a year since Lisa Irwin disappeared from her Northland home. Despite the offer of a $100,000 reward, a separate Lisa Irwin organization is now soliciting donations from the public and some are questioning why the fundraising is necessary.
The Find Lisa Irwin website claims all the donations will be used to raise awareness and to bring Lisa home. But this foundation is not registered with the Missouri Secretary of State. The communications director for that office says because its not registered, the state doesnt know if its a legitimate nonprofit organization.
On the official Lisa Irwin website theres now a donate button where you can make a contribution through Pay Pal to the Lisa Irwin Hope Foundation. The site claims donations also are accepted at any Wells Fargo branch. The solicitation suggests money will be used to print and mail flyers, and produce bracelets, shirts and bumper stickers.
But on Facebook groups dedicated to the Irwin case, many are questioning this fundraising. One woman writes: Lisa Irwin is a victim, not a brand. Those parents are shameful.
Cherri West and her family have benefited first-hand from the generosity of others. After her daughter, Pamela Butler, was kidnapped and murdered 13 years ago, Kansas Citians opened up their hearts and wallets, donating more than $100,000 to a fund for Wests family.
You should know who set it up, and who has control over it, West said. Shes thankful that donors made the fund into a trust, with volunteers serving as trustees to guide her on how the money should be spent.
When you have it like that. you just have all kinds of people who come out, need help, want you to help them, West said. And if I could, I would. But I didnt have control of that. it was set up through a trust and a trust said this is how that will work.
Instead of giving money to others who wanted it, West says she was able to buy a home, furnish it and recevie an allowance every 6 months to buy clothes for her two surviving daughters. When the youngest girl turned 21, the remaining trust funds were split three ways. One daughter used the money to purchase a home, another to buy a car, and west says she used her share to pay bills.
But she shudders to think what would have happened if there were not strict rules governing her fund.
Just be careful what youre donating to, West said. If its not trusted, dont do it. People can so easily be taken advantage of.
FOX 4 News talked with the woman who established the account for the Lisa Irwin Hope Foundation. She is Kathleen Costas, a cousin of Lisas mother, Deborah Bradley. Costas, who lives in Florida, says the account is a special taxable fund established through Wells Fargo. Costas oversees all spending from the account.
She assured FOX4 News its not going to be used for the familys normal dayto-day living expenses, calling the criticism of the fund: Total Facebook gossip.
Costas says it will only be used to pay for bumper stickers, flyers and other materials used in the familys search for Lisa Irwin.
November 3rd 2012:
http://www.kctv5.com/story/19995240/family-still-holds-out-hope
Family still holds out hope for missing Caldwell County woman
Friends and family of a missing Lathrop woman are holding out hope that she will be found alive.
A vigil was held Saturday at the Lathrop City Park in Carol Jo Thompson's honor.
The occasion was a birthday, but the message was hope. A hope that has been strained in the nearly three months since Thompson went missing.
"She would have been 51, or she is 51. I don't want to say 'would have' because I haven't given up hope that she is still alive," said Judy Courtney, Thompson's sister.
Loved ones last saw Thompson on June 15 at her home about 8 miles east of Lathrop, and she has not been seen or heard from since. She left behind her car, her keys, her purse and her medication. Thompson had a heart condition and suffered from multiple sclerosis.
"Something happened June 15 that none of us know, and we are hoping that somebody will have an answer," Courtney said.
On the Missouri Highway Patrol's website for emergency missing alerts, there are four active alerts and two of them are local.
One is baby Lisa Irwin and the other is Thompson.
A box held prayers left by those attending, about 40 altogether, including the mother of baby Lisa, Debbie Bradley, who read a poem she had written for Thompson and Thompson's steadfast sister who comforted Bradley as she took comfort herself from those in attendance.
"Everybody that has been supporting me through all of this, through Facebook, through phone calls. I wanted to meet them in honor of Carol," Courtney said.
A $1,500 reward is available for anyone with information that might lead authorities to Thompson.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Caldwell County Sheriff's Department at 816-586-2751 or 911.

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October 4th 2011:

Now, the mother regrets not acting sooner.

Neighbors were horrified this could happen so close to home.

They took the two bags of evidence and then left.

For neighbors, they need more answers.

police and drivers were questioned.

October 5th 2011:

Second day of search for Lisa Irwin begins

from an overnight job.

KC parents plead for baby's return

Meanwhile, the investigation was moving slowly, police said.

"Unfortunately, none of those have really led us anywhere," Young said.

Lisa's parents continue to cooperate with investigators, Young said.

finding the infant.

Investigators have searched 300 homes in Lisa Irwin's neighborhood

They both watched TV Wednesday as Lisa's parents begged for help.

That baby is everything to them," said Melanie Irwin.

Grandparents share photos of Lisa Irwin

Tracy Elliott said she is so scared that she's shaking.

"It's hard to stand here and not cry," she said.

her 20-month-old grandson while her daughter is at work.

that was unusual.

October 6th 2011:

Police intensify search for missing baby Lisa

Kansas City Water Department employees assisted in the search of manholes.

"I am terrified, but I am trying to be hopeful," she wailed.

A Kansas City patrol car is stationed outside Lisa's home around-the-clock.

Young on Wednesday said the parents are assisting detectives.

According to police, it appears the suspect entered and exited through a

Police, FBI Return to Irwin Home in Search of Baby Lisa

The area investigators searched was next to an industrial park.

Police said finding Lisa is the No. 1 priority.

On third day of searching, investigators looking for Lisa go underground

Baby Lisas Parents Get in Heated Discussion with Police

Police alter search for Lisa Irwin

Police refused to discuss what created the couples sudden silence.

Parents of Missing Missouri Baby Dispute Police Claims of Being Uncooperative

A call to police for reaction was not immediately returned.

He reiterated that investigators still have no suspects.

woods, helicopters, all-terrain vehicles and door-to-door interviews with neighbors.

Police, Family at Odds Over Whether Parents Are Still Cooperating

"There's nothing new to talk about," Young said at the time.

children were returned home safely in 266 instances.

Lisa Irwin's first birthday this week

October 7th 2011:

Investigators 'glad to hear' Lisa Irwin's family still willing to cooperate

Baby Lisa's Mom says police blamed her for disappearance

But Young said those claims had turned up nothing.

Police Scour Landfill In Baby Lisa Search

looking for, specifically.

New Twists in Search for Baby Lisa

hes told police that if they want him to he would.

Bradley said, "I'm still not angry."

Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, is backing up his daughter's mother.

FBI: Johnson County landfill search tied to Lisa Irwin case

Authorities have not named any suspects in the case.

FBI and Police Search Landfill

Irwin family friends spread flyers

I cant imagine whats going on with that baby, Bobbitt said.

October 8th 2011:

Young said that investigators initiated contact with the parents.

Search for Lisa Irwin slows down

Joseph Robinson stopped by the Irwin home on Saturday morning, to

No one in the Irwin family was available for comment.