Few things strike fear in the hearts of parents everywhere than hearing that a small child is reported missing. In the space of two weeks in late July and early August 2010, our Verde Search and Rescue Posse (Posse) of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) was called upon to assist in two separate search operations to locate and return to their parents, two 2-year old boys, Sylar Newton and Emmett Trapp. Twenty-two of our Posse’s 27 active members responded to 16 individual YCSO callout assignments over 11 days to search for the missing toddlers.
Sylar Newton
At 3:15 AM on the morning of Sunday July 25th, Carol Wirkus, our Posse’s principal callout person was notified by YCSO Forest Patrol Sergeant Jeff Newnum of the need for as many ground searches as possible. Sylar Newton, a 2-year boy, bare foot and in diapers, was reported missing from a tent at the Beaver Creek Campground on FR 618 approximately 2 miles south of the I-17 interchange at SR 179. Ten Posse members immediately responded to the callout to conduct a “hasty search” and 4 additional Posse members responded to a second callout at 8:15 AM.
By early Sunday morning, YCSO had implemented a large-scale search response that would include hundreds of people from YCSO, the FBI, and volunteers belonging to many other search and support organizations. After conducting a thorough grid search of the campground and surrounding area, the Posse’s initial hasty team was released at 10:20 AM and requested to standby for a probable 6:00 PM recall.
At 4:10 PM Sunday afternoon, our Posse was called out again and eleven posse members responded, including many of the initial hasty team responders. As the search expanded, our Posse members responded to ten separate callout requests by YCSO between Sunday, July 25th, and Saturday July 31st, to search for Sylar in terrain thickly covered in catclaw and cactus, in high humidly and frequent rains, the heat of the day and the darkness of the night.
According to statistics compiled by the FBI, no lost child has been found alive after being missing for more than 96 hours. The last extended search callout of our Posse was at 6:00 AM on Saturday, July 31st in torrential monsoon rains on the seventh day of search operations. Although the search case was still open and a criminal investigation had begun, organized volunteer search operations for Sylar were terminated by YCSO at noon Saturday, July 31st.
Our Posse was again called out on the Sylar Newton search Monday, August 2nd at 12:15 PM to investigate a report of circling vultures and ravens near FR 618 approximately 2 miles from the Beaver Creek Campground. Six members of our Posse responded and after a disciplined close order grid search lasting several hours, no evidence was found and the search operation was terminated by YCSO.
At 9:00 PM that Monday evening, our Posse was notified by YCSO SGT Newnun that a second two-year old boy, Emmett Trapp, again barefoot and in diapers, had wandered away from his home near Dewey, AZ sometime in the late afternoon. A major extended search operation was immediately implemented by YCSO and ten of our Posse members responded to that callout request searching throughout the night.
By Tuesday, YCSO had mobilized hundreds of volunteers to conduct disciplined grid searches in very difficult terrain covered in dense brush and sectioned by steep ridges and deep washes. Among the mobilized searchers were approximately 25 YCSO deputies from the county corrections department. One of those corrections deputies was among the three corrections deputies killed in a fatal automobile accident Saturday, August 7th while on their way to work at the Camp Verde corrections facility.
Emmett Trapp
On Wednesday, August 4th after 40 hours of an intense search for Emmett Trapp, the first credible clue was found, confirmed barefoot prints in a wash over a mile from the toddler’s home. A helicopter flying low along the wash in the direction of the tracks located the boy lying face down in a shallow pool above the wash and approximately 100 yards away from a ground search team. Emmett was presumed to have died of natural causes due to exposure to the elements.
In late afternoon of August 10th the remains of a toddler presumed to be Sylar Newton were found 100 yards up a wash from FR 618 approximately 1-1/4 miles from the Beaver Creek campground. The remains were discovered by a distant relative of the boy who had been wandering the area for several days investigating bird activity. On Wednesday, August 11th at 7:00 AM, nine members of our Posse joined 14 FBI agents, two YCSO Forest Patrol Deputies, approximately 10 YCSO detectives and evidence technicians to search the area surrounding the crime scene for further evidence that might help reveal what had happened to little Sylar Newton. The case is still under active investigation by YCSO and the FBI.
The 22 members of our Verde Search and Rescue Posse logged a total 898 hours in 16 individual search missions searching for Sylar and Emmett. Of our 27 active members, Rick Baldauf, Al Cornell, Spence Gustav, Mike Vitek and Frank Wirkus, all residents of Sedona, each responded to at least 7 of those16 callouts.
Our Posse is a ground search organization comprised of dedicated volunteers who purchase all of their equipment except for radios and helmets. Our members commit themselves to regular training to maintain the unit’s professionalism and search skills. Our membership is drawn from Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and other communities in the Verde Valley. The Posse responds to YCSO requests to locate and rescue people who become lost throughout Yavapai County. The vast majority of our searches are in the Sedona area. Last year, our Posse responded to 26 callouts resulting in the rescue of nearly 50 lost individuals who were usually found between midnight and 4 AM.
Verde Search and Rescue Posse is a 501(3)(c) not-for-profit organization supported solely through donations and fundraisers. Our Posse may be contacted at PO Box 2670, Camp Verde, AZ 86322.
If you might be interested in joining our Posse, please contact Mike Ward, Captain, Verde Search and Rescue Posse at 19ward48@msn.com.
Article by Michael Ward, sedonaeye.com contributing writer.
this was a true reporters story- not only was it an in-depth blow by blow of how the system and citizens respond to help those in need but it was a professional insider view that tugged on heartstrings without sensationalizing- even down to the headline- true news site very professionally done