South Carolina authorities have released video that shows missing six-year-old, Faye Mary Swetlik getting off a school bus an hour before she was last seen outside her home
South Carolina authorities have released video that shows a missing six-year-old girl getting off a school bus just an hour before she was last seen outside her home on Monday.
The Cayce Department of Public Safety said that Faye Mary Swetlik was last seen playing by herself in front of the Londonderry Lane home in Cayce at approximately 3.45pm.
Her family reported her missing around 5pm.
Authorities released the video Wednesday morning as they announced that the search for Faye has been expanded.
In the footage, the little girl is seen getting out of her seat, speaking to the bus driver and then exiting the bus.
According to a witness, Faye was seen getting off the bus around 2.50pm Monday afternoon.
She disappeared less then an hour later at 3.45pm.
Initially police said the focus of their search was centered around the Churchill Heights neighborhood where Faye lived.
Authorities released the video Wednesday morning as they announced that the search for Faye has been expanded
In the footage, the little girl (pictured) is seen getting out of her seat and walking to the front of the bus
Faye (center) is then seen speaking to the bus driver (left) before exiting the bus
But during a press conference Wednesday morning, officers said the search area has been expanded.
The area will now include part of the highway and the surrounding area of the neighborhood.
Authorities have blocked off access to the Churchill Heights neighborhood to any one who doesn’t live in the area while they continue their search.
Police also said they have started following up on about 50 of the 80 tips they’ve received in the past 48 hours.
Faye – a student at Springdale Elementary School – was last seen wearing a black shirt with neon colors, a flower print skirt and polka dot rain boots. The shirt had the word ‘peace’ written on it.
Cayce Department of Public Safety, Byron Snellgrove, said Tuesday night that investigators have not found any evidence that Faye was abducted.
‘We’ve not ruled anything out. We’re not sure that she hasn’t just walked off and is somewhere in the woods or at a neighbor’s house. Possibly in distress or fallen or something like that,’ Snellgrove told reporters.
Snellgrove said Faye’s mother, her mother’s boyfriend and Faye’s father are all cooperating with the investigation.
For the past few days, Faye’s grandmother, Ruth Collins, has been pleading to the public on social media for help with finding her granddaughter.
‘I’m going crazy not knowing where she is,’ Collins wrote in a Facebook post.
In a statement, the family told ABC News that ‘Faye is a bubbly and happy little girl’.
‘She’s not the type of kid that will up and walk away… Faye pays attention to her surroundings. We just want to find Faye and bring her home.’
On Tuesday night, community members gathered at Trinity Baptist Church to pray for Faye’s safe return.
Faye – a student at Springdale Elementary School – was last seen wearing a black shirt with neon colors, a flower print skirt and polka dot rain boots
Officials described her as being lactose intolerant with a speech impediment from having a tethered tongue
The child had been playing in front of her home (pictured) at the time she went missing
Through tears, Collins told ABC Columbia: ‘I want my baby back. You got to find her.’
More than 250 officers have been part of the search. Officers have been going door to door and speaking with neighbors. FBI agents are also assisting with the search.
Officials said the child is lactose intolerant with a speech impediment from having a tethered tongue.
Tethered tongue, or ankyloglossia, is when a thick band of tissue tethers the bottom of the tongue to the tip of the floor of the mouth.
She is described as being 3’10” and 65lbs with strawberry blonde hair.
A special hotline has been created for anyone with information about the girl’s whereabouts.
Please contact the Cayce Dept of Public Safety with any information at 803-205-4444. This is a dedicated hotline just for calls about #FayeSwetlik