Still no sign of Shannon

It's a depressing view, but a realistic one, according to police. Shannon is a vulnerable nine year old girl who was last seen leaving her school on 19 February.

This investigation is so speculative that detectives aren't sure for certain where she went after that, what direction she took, who she came into contact with, and how far down her half-mile journey home she reached before vanishing into thin air.

I've just returned from a briefing with the detective leading the search for Shannon. Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan said whilst it remains a missing person inquiry, he cannont rule out that something more sinister has happened to her.

They have searched the homes of all know sex offenders in the area, forensically and with sniffer dogs trained to detect whether Shannon may have been there. They have also searched Shannon's family home and that of her close friends and extended family.

They have also gathered a full DNA profile of the schoolgirl, including a full set of fingerprints taken from her schoolbooks and personal items.

Police want help to trace a plastic bag which contained a blue and pink swimsuit and blue striped towel - they havent been recovered and Shannon was last seen carying them.

It's being described as an unprecedented operation, in terms of police resources. After a large scale search of the Dewsbury area, which continues to include 250 officers and 60 detectives, police beleive the answer lies locally.

The co-operation of Shannon's family and close friends remains a key part of the investigation, according to police. But as time passes it looks more likley that this will turn from a missing persons inquiry to a criminal investigation.

If that is the case they will want to know two things: where Shannon is, and who, if anyone, is responsible for her disappearance. This is a case which is bulging with questions, but thin on answers. It's a situation which shows no sign of changing any time soon.

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