Hope Fades but Search Goes On: Missing Teen’s Recovery Effort Faces Heat, Rain and Mountains of Trash
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The search for 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather is entering another week as Baton Rouge Police, first responders and volunteers continue combing through tons of material at the East Baton Rouge Parish North Landfill.
Minnieweather was last seen on June 5, according to Baton Rouge Police. Investigators believe his body was taken to the landfill after his death.
Maurice Parms, 51, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Minnieweather’s disappearance.
Police say more than 700 hours of manpower have already been dedicated to the search, with crews examining more than 31 tons of material.
Officials are warning the public that the process could still take weeks.
“We ask everyone in the public to be patient, as this process could take weeks,” said Mayor- President Sid Edwards during an update on the search.
Several factors could affect how long the operation lasts, including the size of the landfill, the careful process required to collect and preserve potential evidence, and weather conditions such as extreme heat and rain.
The landfill spans roughly 400 acres, but investigators have narrowed the search to a targeted area of less than one acre.
That smaller search zone does not necessarily mean the work moves quickly. Crews must carefully sort through large amounts of landfill material while making sure potential evidence connected to the case is not missed or damaged.
Specialized personnel from the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, have also been brought in to assist local agencies involved in the search.
Officials said the goal remains the same: to find Ja’Derrius and return him to his family.
“As I’ve said before, Baton Rouge lost a son,” Edwards said, adding that investigators continue to stay in contact with the Minnieweather family as the search progresses.
Search efforts are continuing this week, but authorities have not provided a firm timeline for when the operation could end.
The investigation remains ongoing.
