Ortonville- A two year search for a missing juvenile ended in Waterford Township on July 26.
Ethel Swan, 59, and Gary Swan, 61, along with their son Anthony Swan, 19, were arraigned before 51st District Court Judge Phyllis McMillen on charges of harboring a runaway, a one-year misdemeanor.
The juvenile, now 16-years-old, had just turned 15 when she ran away from home.
According to police reports, investigators had been pursuing the case since she was reported missing in October 2004. More than once, the trail stopped at a Waterford residence where the Swans continually denied knowledge of the missing juvenile.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Detective Arnie Terrell, Brandon Schools police liaison, had been working with the family and Waterford Police Department since the first report of the runaway.
‘The girl was caught at a Waterford area General Dollar store when her grandfather, along with an adult cousin, overheard her voice in the store,? said Terrell. ‘They were unsure, however, due to the color of her hair. The Waterford Police were called and she fled on foot. Ethel Swan still maintained it was her daughter, not the runaway.?
Since her disappearance, the juvenile had written at least one letter home; been spotted by a Brandon bus driver; and has been in contact with at least one friend. During the course of the two-year investigation, the search for the juvenile expanded to include Goodrich, Fenton, Holly, and Linden, in addition to Brandon and Waterford. In January 2005 investigators obtained the phone records of a Groveland Township friend of who allegedly had contact with the juvenile.
A major break in the case came in June 2005 says Terrell, following a sighting of the juvenile.
‘In June 2005 she was seen in Anthony’s car by a family friend. They copied down the licence plate and it was traced to the boyfriend. At that point I confronted Ethel Swan and officers were threatened with legal action for harassment while the girl was in the house the entire time.?
Terrell said there are several theories why she ranaway from home.
‘Her father was moving out of state and that upset her,? said Terrell. ‘She did not want to live with grandmother. Plus the relationship with Anthony Swan, her boyfriend.?
‘She is now home-schooled but that just can’t be varified,? said Terrell. ‘Right now she goes back to being a freshman in high school. She was not held against her will and they are a very religious family.?