Shontel Jones

UPDATE, March 16, 2008: Questions remain in case of 11-year-old
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UPDATE: Shontel Jones found safe

An 11-year-old Milwaukee girl missing since Friday afternoon has been found and is safe, a Milwaukee Police Department spokeswoman said tonight.

TMJ4 is reporting that she was found in Chicago.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the police department has scheduled a news conference for later tonight.

Thank God she is safe.
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From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The FBI joined the search today for an 11-year-old girl last seen outside a north side religious school were she is a student.

Shontel Jones was reported missing around 4 p.m. Friday after staff at Risen Savior Lutheran school at, 9550 W Brown Deer Rd., told her mother she'd not been in classes that day.

Milwaukee police say the girl dropped her younger siblings off in the morning and told them she was skipping school and not to tell.

The search today focused around the area of N. 99th and W. Brown Deer Road where Shontel was seen early Friday walking westbound along rail road tracks.

An FBI helicopter began searching the area around noon today, joining Milwaukee Police, family and friends and a private dog search group known as "People and Paws." Faculty and friends from Shontel's school were to begin handing out flyers in the neighborhood at 2 p.m.

Milwaukee Police say she was last seen around 1:15 p.m. yesterday on school grounds by an employee, although the school's principal and pastor disputed the details, saying it was an elderly volunteer who stopped to talk to Shontel at a bus stop near school property.

Senior Pastor Ken Fisher said Shontel expressed some concerns, "some sadness," to the volunteer, the volunteer hugged her and then went on.

Shontel's mother, also named Shontel Jones, pleaded Saturday for her daughter's return. "I'm just praying and waiting, I want my daughter returned," she said while standing on crutches outside her apartment to shield her younger children from the conversation.

"If someone knows where she is, if they see her, stop her, hold her. I want my daughter home."

Jones said her daughter had never run away. But for school and volleyball, she was never out of her sight, she said.

I pray to God that Shontel is safe.

Perhaps she's at a friend's house. If that's the case, I hope that the adult or adults in the home will contact Shontel's mother immediately.

I hope anyone who has any information on Shontel and her disappearance will do the right thing and come forward.
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Description of Shontel Jones