In the small town of Bingen, nestled at the foot of the Swabian Alb, a grim situation unfolded on Monday morning. A two-year-old girl had gone missing from her home in the Hitzkofen district, last seen between 4 and 5 PM on Sunday. With over 100 police officers, a helicopter, and numerous canine units, the local force launched an extensive search effort, but the little girl remained elusive.
As the sun set, the search continued, now expanding to include the water police and other resources. The trail of the missing child led police tracking dogs to the nearby River Lauchert, currently experiencing flooding levels. Mayor Jochen Fetzer lamented the added challenges this presented, as the normally placid river was "significantly more water" than usual. Regardless of the difficulties, all involved remained hopeful that the child would be found safe and sound.
The atmosphere in the community was heavy. Andrea Enz, a local grandmother, shared her concerns for the family and the community, stating, "The case is close to my heart." As the search continued into the night, temperatures dipped below zero, adding another layer of complexity to the already challenging search.
On Monday, the police expanded their search efforts, deploying teams from their Ravensburg and Göppingen headquarters. They combed every inch of the landscape around the parents' home, questioned family, friends, and acquaintances, and even searched the residence itself. They were working tirelessly, but without success.
The outdoor search was hindered by the weather and the flooded river. Divers were deployed, but they could not locate any traces of the missing child. One of the search areas included a weir, located between Bingen and Sigmaringendorf, where the Lauchert meets the Danube. Despite searching this location, no sign of the girl was found.
The situation weighed heavily on the community. Christian Sugg, a police spokesperson, expressed hope for a positive outcome but also raised realistic concerns, saying, "As far as we know, the girl is only wearing pyjamas. These are the conditions we have, which are not particularly conducive to such a search in the event of a missing person."
Mayor Fetzer expressed hope that the girl had found warmth somewhere, as the subzero temperatures were not conducive to survival in such conditions. The family was staying with friends outside the community, having only lived there for a year. The entire community was united in prayer for a positive outcome.
The Sigmaringen Criminal Investigation Department was leading the investigation and urged anyone with information regarding the missing girl's whereabouts to come forward. As of now, the search for the two-year-old continues, and all involved are hopeful that she will be found soon.
[1] Police in Bingen, Baden-Württemberg are searching for a missing two-year-old girl. The girl was last seen near the River Lauchert, and the search effort is being hampered by flooding conditions. [2] According to a TikTok post, the missing girl's name is Melissa. The author of the post stated that Melissa's mother is suffering greatly following the incident and urged people to share the post to help spread the word about the missing child. [3] The initial Stern.de article does not provide additional information about the case beyond what is mentioned in the provided text.
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