ST. MARTINS, MO. -- Police found the body of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten who went missing Wednesday night.
The body was found near the wooden area of Elizabeth's home.
Physical evidence and written evidence led police to develop a person of interest. Police interviewed the person of interest, a older teen, who then led police to Elizabeth's body.
Police have the teen in custody. The teen lives in the area and was acquainted with Elizabeth, but did not know the family.
Cole County Sheriff Greg White said that it could be a week before the charges will be filed because of a mandatory review period.
A search crew of 70 people was on the ground in addition to 70 law enforcement officers on Friday. Officials said the Friday morning search was more "pin-pointed and directed," than it was Thursday. Also, the Missouri Highway Patrol used a helicopter with infrared imaging equipment to assist with the search.
When Olten was reported missing Wednesday evening just after 6 p.m., authorities learned that she had a cell phone with her.
Investigators worked with the phone carrier AT&T to send “pings” to the phone in an attempt to locate it. The “ping” put the cell phone in the woods behind Elizabeth’s home. However, by Thursday afternoon, the pings were no longer working. Police believe that the phone battery had died.
The cell phone was found near Elizabeth's body.
White also said the department got some phone records back from Elizabeth's cell phone and investigators went through those.
A 24-hour tip line was established at (866) 362-6422. White said the tip line got calls overnight, but he wouldn't say if any leads have come from it
At the time she was reported missing, Olten was believed to be wearing a pink T-shirt with a darker pink vest and blue jeans with pink ribbons on them.
Elizabeth’s aunt, Vicki Olten, said during the search the family didn't believe that the 9-year-old wandered off on her own because the girl is afraid of the dark. She believes the fourth grader was abducted.
The response by local residents to help with the search was tremendous. On Thursday, 300 volunteers assisted 100 law enforcement personnel in a search of the area surrounding Olten’s home.
“We’ve done far more than the capability we’ve got,” White said Thursday. “And that’s simply because of the level of citizen involvement and they willingness (to help) they’ve had.”
So many volunteers showed up Thursday night that police started to turn them away, like Gene Bauer.
“We’ve got plenty of gravel roads in this area that could have been checked,” Bauer said. “The last thing I wanted to hear from somebody is, ‘Oh, we’ve got insurance concerns.’ Well, people aren’t out her concerned about insurance or liability. They’re out here concerned for that little girl.”
Cole County Sheriff's department worked with the Red Cross to get volunteers.
The strain of not knowing what happened to Elizabeth took its toll on family members.
“I want my niece home, I want her safe,” a tearful Vicki Olten said Thursday. “She’s a beautiful young girl and (has) a full life ahead of her. She does not deserve this. Her family does not deserve this.”
The family worked with the "Missouri Missing" organization to make pins and flyers to hand out.
Police did not issue an Amber Alert when Olten was reported missing because the law outlines specific conditions that must be met before an alert can be issued. Instead, an endangered person advisory was issued.
Without an Amber Alert status, there is no activation of the automatic warning system through television, radio or highway signs.
“We put this out to law enforcement all through the Region F area, which is a 13-county area, and of course, entered it into the NCIC, which covers the United States,” White said. “So the simple difference would be how much the average citizen would get on it.”
