Friends of missing Lakeside teenager Hannah Anderson, 16, held a vigil Friday and prayed for the safe return of their friend, who’s the subject of an active Amber Alert spanning six states.
Dozens of teens gathered near El Capital High School in Lakeside, setting up candles in heart-shaped formations and praying for Hannah.
Hannah is believed to be traveling with kidnapping and murder suspect James Lee DiMaggio, possibly willingly, officials said on Friday.
DiMaggio, 40, of Boulevard, Calif., and the teenager are the subjects of an active Amber Alert issued Monday after a home owned by DiMaggio went up in flames in Boulevard.
Inside the home, investigators discovered the body of Hannah’s mother, Christina Anderson, and her 8-year-old brother Ethan Anderson.
Hannah and Ethan were reported missing the day before the fire, and investigators initially believed both children had been abducted by DiMaggio. This sparked an Amber Alert spanning six states including California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona and Idaho.
On Friday, officials in Idaho said a reported sighting of DiMaggio and Hannah led investigators to a rural, backcountry community in Idaho known as the River of No Return Wilderness.
The search has now shifted focus to an area near Cascade, Idaho, approximately 80 miles north of Boise and roughly 400 miles from the Canadian border.
San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore announced that officials had recovered DiMaggio’s vehicle – the blue 2013 Nissan Versa listed in the Amber Alert – covered in brush with the license plate removed about 15 miles northeast of Cascade.
Meanwhile, Hannah’s friends in San Diego said they felt hopeful Friday after hearing that Hannah was possibly spotted alive.
Many hugged and cried when they heard the news.
Brianna Power, who has been friends with Hannah since the 1st grade, said she had tried contacting Hannah through her cell phone.
"I 'kicked' her yesterday and it said 'delivered' and I 'kicked' her today and it said that her phone is disconnected and it will get delivered when it gets turned back on,” said Power. “So, someone shut her phone off.”
Jay Lopez, friends with Hannah for the past year, said not knowing where she is has been difficult.
"It's kind of hard to have a new friend, and then have her disappear all of a sudden."
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Those who gathered at Friday’s candlelight vigil included the chlidren's father, Brett Anderson. Friends said the vigil would also honor Hannah’s little brother, Ethan.
A memorial fund has been set up to help the family with burial costs. Go to WePay and search for "San Diego Anderson Family Support Fund."
