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Police: Child in photos not missing Sturgis girlBy
Emily Mullen, Staff Writer
STURGIS - A missing Sturgis girl is not the same little girl as the one depicted in pornographic photographs seized during the recent arrest of a St. Clair Shores man, according to a release from Eugene Alli, Sturgis police chief. After examining photos released by Detroit-area police, the Sturgis and St. Clair Shores police departments and the FBI confirmed that Brittney Beers, who disappeared from home three years ago, is not in the pictures. The photos had been circulating the Internet for several years before they were confiscated from the home of 41-year-old Russell Tombs. Some 30 pictures of the girl were found among thousands of child pornography images seized from his work computer earlier, which were reported to St. Clair Shores Police by his employer. Investigators decided that the child in the photos appeared to be much younger than Beers was at the time of her disappearance. Also, the child shown in the pictures had all of her upper and lower front teeth, which Beers was missing at that time. "This would lead us to believe that, barring any additional information which might later develop, there is no connection between our missing child case and the St. Clair Shores incident," Alli said in the release. The girl in the photos was a small, blond 4- to 6-year-old shown crying, tied-up and in sexually abusive situations with an older man. Tombs does not appear to be in the photos, but has since refused to talk to St. Clair Shores police about the girl's identity since it was "not in his best interest." Sturgis police began investigating when they saw pictures of the girl on television who looked liked Beers. She was 6 years old at the time of her disappearance in 1997. St. Clair Shores officials believe the girl in the photos may not have been abducted and that the pornography may even be made at home. Their investigation continues. Tombs was arrested Sept. 2 and jailed on a $75,000 bond after he was arraigned on charges of producing, possessing and distributing child pornography by Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga. "We will continue our investigation into the disappearance of Brittney Beers," Alli said. Anyone with information regarding Beers is asked to contact the Sturgis Police Department at (616) 651-3231, or the Kalamazoo FBI office at (616) 349-9607. Those who recognize the photographed child are also asked to contact the St. Clair Shores police at (810) 445-5320, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-831-3111. The Web site for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children can be reached at http://www.missingkids.com. |
