A school in Colorado has been forced to cancel all classes after two 13-year-old pupils disappeared during a basketball match on Monday evening. The extensive search for the missing teenagers is now using the school building as its central command post.
Disappearance During School Sporting Event
Eva and Neillily, both aged 13, were last seen at approximately 5 p.m. on Monday 16 December. The pair, who were wearing blue shorts and hooded tops along with their school backpacks, left the premises of Elbert School, located about 58 miles from Denver.
Although they went missing from Elbert School, the girls were actually members of the visiting basketball team from Colorado Springs School. Their hometown is some 37 miles away from where they vanished. According to the school's sports schedule, their departure occurred just half an hour after their game had begun.
Large-Scale Search Operation Launched
School officials contacted the authorities immediately after the girls' absence was noted. The Elbert County Sheriff's Office (ECSO) initiated a search that continued until 11:30 p.m. on Monday night.
The operation has employed significant resources, including:
- Drones scanning the area from above.
- Specially trained search and rescue dogs.
- Officers conducting thorough ground searches on foot.
Undersheriff Dave Fisher made a public appeal on social media, confirming the girls' identities and urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement immediately. The search has so far been concentrated within a five-mile radius of the school.
Authorities have stated they will "ramp up operations" on Tuesday morning, with additional support from the Douglas County Search and Rescue team and the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol.
Community Response and Ongoing Efforts
In response to the crisis, Elbert School District #200 has cancelled Tuesday's basketball game. It has also established counselling response teams to support students who are distressed by the disappearance of their classmates.
The school district has issued a plea to local residents, asking them to review any footage from their home security cameras that might provide clues to the girls' whereabouts. Elbert is a small, unincorporated community with a population of only 188 people, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
"We will continue to support our law enforcement partners and thank the community for their outpouring of support," a statement from the school district read. "We will do our best to keep the community up to date on information."
