Searchers were looking in sheds and backhouses in North Escondido Wednesday, days after Amber Dubois was last seen about a block from Escondido High School.
“We're canvassing the whole neighborhood,” volunteer Mike Fisher said. “All these are big properties, they all have outhouses, and so if you're trying to hide out, there's a lot of places you could hide. We don’t know what's going on, but we’re checking it out.”
Amber Dubois,14, was last seen just after 7 a.m. on Friday about a block from Escondido High school. The girl's parents said she was especially excited to get to school to exchange Valentine's Day gifts with friends.
Dozens of people with the sheriff's department and Escondido police have been going door-to-door searching for Amber after a student said she had seen Amber near Rincon Middle School on Sunday with someone else. The student didn't know if that person was male or female. The search is in a one-mile radius of that sighting.
“The sighting on Sunday night was deemed to be as reliable as it could be,” Sgt. Don Parker said. “That's actually a really good sign, because according to the witness, she wasn't in any kind of duress. It didn't seem she was doing anything against her will,” Sgt. Parker said.
Amber's father, Maurice Dubois, said he was encouraged to hear of the latest lead. Amber's mother, who describes her daughter as a responsible student with good friends, says she finds it hard to believe only one person would have seen Amber walking around, given there are so many posters up. But she thanks all those searching for her daughter.
“I think it's the biggest break police have had, so I'm praying to god it was her. It makes me feel hopeful, but I don’t believe it so much,” Carrie McGonicle said.
On Saturday, police received a report of Amber seen walking near Palomar Medical Center with two other teens but have been unable to confirm that report, according to the North County Times. The teen's cell phone was activated for a few seconds Saturday afternoon, but other than that, her parents said, it has been off since she disappeared.
“This has been ongoing for several days, so as it goes on, we get more worried. But we're hoping this will have a good outcome,” Fisher said.
Escondido Union High School District released a statement to parents suggesting they remind their own children to pay attention to their surroundings and walk in groups.
"We are concerned about Amber and are working in conjunction with the Escondido Police Department," the statement reads.
Anyone with information about Amber is asked to call Escondido police at 760-839-4722.
