- It has been three days since three girls disappeared near the Missouri River; the search has shifted to a recovery operation.
- Family members, led by Lashawna Jones, are coordinating volunteer teams across state lines.
- The local community has rallied with donations of food and supplies to support the ongoing search.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Melissa Wright at N.P. Dodge Park, where family and friends remain determined in their search for the missing girls.
One of the mothers tells me the group has split up to cover more ground — expanding their search across the Missouri River.
It’s now been three days since three girls went missing near the Missouri River. Officials have transitioned the effort into a recovery operation.
“Baby, I’m not okay… I’m not. But I just have to be strong right now — for my daughter, my grandmother, my mom, my kids, their friends, everyone," said Jones. "If I don’t stay strong, I’ll end up in the hospital, you know?"
Lashawna Jones, the mother of one of the girls — Lainana Green — continues to lead the search. She’s organizing teams of family and friends, sending people out from Bellevue to Iowa, from Omaha to the Mormon Bridge, and back toward the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.
“I’m just expecting them to find something today, I’m hoping these girls can come to shore today, I’m hoping the divers come and say something — like, we need to get these babies out of the water so we can send them off properly," said Jones.
Jones says staying strong is her only choice.
“It’s really hard for me, I’m trying to be as strong as I can and stay focused — so I can get my baby home, all three of them," said Jones.
On Thursday, friends and neighbors rallied around the family — dropping off pizza, snacks, water, and juice to help keep the search going.
“I don’t know any of these people but like I said, I appreciate the community, I’ve got a lot of people texting me — people I’ve never seen or heard of but like I said, I appreciate the fact that everyone is looking out for us," said Jones.
The Sheriff’s Department says the search will continue — with assistance from other agencies, including Game & Parks, rotating in shifts to search the water.
At N.P. Dodge Park, I’m Melissa Wright.
