Clayton New Jersey, Autumn Pasquale 12

[meme]

Autumn Pasquale, age 12, last seen 10/20/2012 riding her bike

Authorities are asking for help finding a 12-year-old Clayton girl reported missing on Saturday.

Autumn Pasquale was last seen leaving her home on West High Street around 12:30 p.m. Saturday, borough Police Capt. Lisa MacDonald said.

She was riding her white Odyssey BMX bicycle, MacDonald said, adding her relatives reported her missing around 9:30 p.m.

Pasquale is white, about five feet, two inches tall (although a Facebook post says she's five feet, four inches tall) and weighing about 120 pounds. She has blue eyes and blonde hair with pink highlights, which she was wearing in a pony tail or bun when last seen, police said.

She was wearing Navy blue shorts under sweatpants of the same color and a yellow T-shirt with “Clayton Soccer” printed on the front. She also wore bright blue high-top sneakers and a silver or light gray cinch backpack with “Reckless” printed on the back.

Several Facebook posts by family and friends pleaded for help finding the girl.

"I just got off the phone and her mailbox is now full," her uncle, Paul Spadafora, told Action News.

Both police and family members believe Pasquale's cell phone is now turned off. Relatives say they have reason to believe the girl could've ventured to the area of Scotland Run Park. They spent Sunday searching these grounds.

"My girlfriend was walking the path," Matt Quiqley of Clayton,NJ told us. "I was walking down by the creek."

Quiqley doesn't know the girl directly, but he's one of dozens of community members who joined in the search.

Autumn Pasquale is one week away from turning 13.

MacDonald said borough police and officers with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office - along with the area CART (Child Abduction Response Team) - are searching for Pasquale.

Anyone with any information contact Clayton Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Police Dept. at [phone] or 2301. or NJSP Missing Persons Unit at #800-709-7090 or dial 911.

[meme]

Police search for missing 12-year-old girl in New Jersey

Police are searching for a missing girl from Clayton, New Jersey.

Police say Autumn Pasquale, 12, was last seen leaving her home on W. High Street in Clayton on Saturday around 12:30 p.m. while riding a white Odyssey BMX bike to a friend's house. The girl’s parents called police after they say she never made it to that friend's house.

"It's not like her," said the girl's father, Tony Pasquale. "She would have been home 11 o'clock this morning if she slept over a friend's house."

Police say Pasquale may have been spotted at an unknown time on E. Academy Street near Scotland Run Park in Clayton though this has not yet been confirmed.

Hundreds of neighborhood volunteers met at a nearby church and passed around fliers Sunday night. The Clayton Police Department, Child Abduction Response Team, New Jersey State Police, the FBI and officers from 40 other police departments are all taking part in the search. Police say a c qell phone tower in Williamstown was the last to pick up a signal from Autumn's phone. Investigators believe her phone is now either off or has run out of power.

A family representative told volunteers to stay out of the woods so bloodhounds could try and pick up the girl's scent.

"People have been out searching all day everywhere," said Michelle Connell of Clayton. "All over town, every little park, railroad parks and school buildings. Every place we can think of."

The girl is described as a white female, standing 5-foot-2 and weighing 120 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair in either a pony tail or bun. She was last seen wearing navy blue shorts underneath navy blue sweatpants, a yellow t-shirt with the words “Clayton Soccer” on front, bright blue high-top sneakers and a silver or light Grey Cinch backpack with the word “Reckless” printed across the back.

"She's a good kid," said Connell, who's daughter is friends with Autumn. "She's a sweet girl. Everyone is upset."

"Everyone's working together to try and find her," said Tony. "We love her and we want her to come home."

The search for the missing girl continued late into the night Sunday and will resume Monday morning.

If you have any information on the girl’s whereabouts, please call the Clayton Police Department at 856-881-2300.

usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/22/14614746-police-search-for-missing-12-year-old-girl-in-new-jersey?lite

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Police: body of Autumn Pasquale found in recycling container in Clayton

After an exhaustive two-day search to find Autumn Pasquale, authorities announced early Tuesday morning that a body has been found in a recycling container in Clayton.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office said, in a statement released at 1:27 a.m. Tuesday, that a female's body was found in a contained that "has been preliminary determined to be that of 12-year-old Anna Pasquale" a 12-year-old girl who went missing from her home Saturday afternoon.

The Prosecutor's Office said it would not release the exact location of where the body was found, but said only that it was in Clayton. Members of Autumn's family have been notified, police said.

"This is a very sad day for the Pasquale family," said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton, whose office led the search with the assistance of nearly 20 other law enforcement agenices. "Our hearts go out to the family and to all the residents of Clayton who stood together in support of this young girl."

Jessica Beym/South Jersey TimesJust hours earlier, hundreds of community members gathered on the front lawn of the Clayton Municipal Building in a candlelight vigil to pray for her safe return. She was to turn 13 next week.

"Say your prayers for Autumn and all the children who are lost and can't find their way home," her uncle Paul Spadafore said over shouts in the crowd yelling for Autumn to follow the candle light to Clayton and "come home!"

During a press conference Monday afternoon, Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton, flanked by Autumn’s parents Anthony Pasquale and Jennifer Cornwell, announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to Autumn — $5,000 from the family and a matching amount from the prosecutor’s office.

It was not immediately clear how authorities found the body, or if the reward helped in the discovery.

The Clayton Middle School student was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. She left her home on her white Odyssey BMX bike headed for a friend’s house. She was expected home at 8 p.m.

When family members hadn’t heard from her by 9:30 p.m., they alerted the local authorities.

“It was typical for her to check in,” Spadafora said.

By Saturday night, about 50 local police officers from Clayton and across Gloucester County began the search for the missing girl. The search continued Sunday and by Monday morning more than 200 local, county and state officials from 18 different agencies including the FBI had joined up in the search, deploying officers on horses and with police dogs, as well as a state police helicopter.

Police conducted more than 75 interviews with friends, family and anyone who saw Autumn on Saturday before her disappearance.

Authorities targeted the search to areas Autumn was last seen, specifically Scotland Run Park and a bike trail from Clayton to Williamstown. They've also pulled surveillance video from surrounding businesses in Clayton and did a canvass of all the registered sex offenders in Clayton, Franklin, Monroe and Glassboro.

Check back on nj.com for more updates as they're made available

mobile.nj.com/advnj/pm_31094/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=qRcv3Qqq

[meme]

Police on scene where Autumn Pasquale's body was found in Clayton, bike found inside house

CLAYTON — The white BMX bike that Autumn Pasquale was riding on Saturday when she went missing was just found by police inside a small bungalow on the 300 block East Clayton Avenue, the same house where the 12-year-old girl's body was found Monday night.

Clayton residents awoke this morning to the grisly news that the body of a 12-year-old searchers had been looking for since Saturday night was found in a blue municipal recycling container waiting at the curb for pickup Tuesday.

Autumn Pasquale's body was found in the plastic container in front of a house on East Clayton Street, not all that far from her West High Street home.

Authorities have not yet released details about the case that everyone is clamoring for, such as cause and time of death and whether a suspect has been identified or arrested. Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said no arrests have been made Tuesday.

"This is a very sad day for the Pasquale family," said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton, whose office led the search with the assistance of nearly 20 other law enforcement agencies. "Our hearts go out to the family and to all the residents of Clayton who stood together in support of this young girl."

It's possible some of the hundreds of people involved in the search could have walked right past the blue container.

The girl's body was discovered at about 10 p.m. Monday, but news of the discovery wasn't released until just before 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Up until late this morning, investigators were still looking for the white BMX bike Autumn was riding on Saturday. However, the bike was brought out from inside the house just before noon on Tuesday. An audible "oh no" was heard from the crowd gathered at the crime scene.

Walt Seitz, leader of the Clayton Crime Watch said he was skeptical about the information provided by authorities.

"He said there were no arrests, but we have all heard through the rumor mill something different," Seitz said.

During an impromptu press conference outside the First Presbyterian Church on Delsea Drive, Autumn's uncle Paul Spadafore addressed the crowd.

"We are all distraught, we we (the family) all just spoke and said out of evil will come goodness," Spadafore said. "And there is evil everywhere, even in the small town of Clayton."

Spadafore called Autumn a "precious, precious child."

"Our little angle Autumn has reached out to the world in a special way."

Comments on the overnight story about the discovery of the girl's body range from prayers for her to angry rants about how her murderer should be treated.

"She went for a bike ride, she never hurt anyone!! Rest in peace Autumn," wrote Kathy.

“If there is a God, when they find the son of a bitch that did this to this girl, I pray that he suffers as she did. Or please God, if you are up there, give him to me for an hour …just an hour,” wrote Joe.

“I would need much longer than an hour,” added Carl.

The Clayton Middle School student was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. She left her home on her white Odyssey BMX bike headed for a friend’s house. She was expected home at 8 p.m. When family members hadn’t heard from her by 9:30 p.m., they alerted the local authorities.

“It was typical for her to check in,” Spadafora said.

By Saturday night, about 50 local police officers from Clayton and across Gloucester County began the search for the missing girl. The search continued Sunday and by Monday morning more than 200 local, county and state officials from 18 different agencies including the FBI had joined up in the search, deploying officers on horses and with police dogs, as well as a state police helicopter.

mobile.nj.com/advnj/pm_31081/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=1SEDw4gL

[meme]

2 youths charged in killing of Pasquale

10/23/2012 4:55 PM

Two teenage brothers who live on the same Clayton block where the body of a missing 12-year-old Gloucester County girl was found and her BMX bike recovered were charged Tuesday with her strangulation killing, authorities said.

Autumn Pasquale was lured to a home in the 300 block of Clayton Avenue where the brothers, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, wanted to obtain parts from her bike, Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said. Autumn was strangled but the preliminary finding was that she was not sexually assaulted, he said.

The boys were charged with first degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, disposal of the body and tampering with evidence. The younger boy was in addition charged with a count of luring.

Tuesday morning, residents and onlookers gasped as they watched investigators retrieve Autumn's bike and other evidence from a white Cape Cod-style house in same 300 block of E. Clayton Avenue, where they had earlier found Autumn Pasquale inside a blue curbside recycling container.

The white BMX bike was the one Autumn was last seen riding on Saturday, investigators said.

"When the bike came out, everybody freaked out," said Paul Shimkus, who lives nearby. "People went 'Oh my God.' That was the defining moment."

Two blue bike rims and other bags of evidence also were brought out by investigators as they emerged shortly after 11 a.m. with residents looking on in disbelief.

"It's horrible," said Shimkus whose son Nicholas is in Autumn's class and knew her for many years. "I live two blocks away. I'm just glad it's kind of over.

"Nothing like this happens in this town," he said.

The discovery of the body in quiet, residential Clayton has shaken the Gloucester County community.

Autumn - who went by two nicknames, Autti and Num-Num - was a 7th grader who enjoyed riding her BMX bike, playing soccer for a town league and serving as a cheerleader for the local midget football league.

Authorities have not said how the girl died, and have not made any arrest or identified any persons of interest.

"I don't feel like she's dead," said Alaina Gompert, 12, a 7th grader who lives in Clayton and had classes with Autumn last year. "It doesn't feel real because she was here - like two seconds ago.'

Alaina said she feels she'll wake up and find "it was all one big prank."

Her parents came into her room to wake her at 7:40 a.m. Tuesday with the news that Autumn's body had been found, she said.

"I knew something was up," Alaina said. "I could see it on their faces. Their eyes were watering."

Autumn's death instilled fear in many parents in the small town

Parents across the town were stunned.

"It's sickening; it's just scary," said Lisa Whartendy, the mother of Victoria Whartendy who knew Autumn. "She [Victoria] is 12 and she [Autumn] was her friend."

Across the street from the house where the bike was recovered Tuesday, neighbor Joyce Fisher was trying to process the news.

"I'm scared," said Fisher, who had been canvassing the neighborhood Monday during the search for Autumn. "It's unnerving. It's devastating."

One of Autumn's cousin - whose name was not identified - Tuesday stopped by yards of two houses on E. Clayton Ave., leaving teddy bears at the locations where the body was found and the bike was recovered.

At Clayton Borough Hall, Autumn's uncle and godfather, Paul Spadafora, declined comment Tuesday except to say, "Keep the family in your prayers."

Pasquale was reported missing Saturday night from the West High Street house where she lived with her father. She was last seen Saturday afternoon.

Her body was found about 10 p.m. Monday by investigators for the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office during a continuous search that began when she was reported missing.

Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton gathered at 10 a.m. this morning with about 100 members of the community and family at First Presbyterian Church on Delsea Drive in Clayton to address the death.

"We mourn the loss of a beautiful girl named Autumn," Dalton said. "We gather with the family to offer our support and condolences, and we give our thanks to the community of Clayton for coming together in support of this girl and her family."

Dalton called it a, "tragic loss" of a young girl's life that had hardly begun.

"What we must remember is not just that this is a story of a young girl and the tragic end of her life, but a community coming together."

Dalton said the investigation into her death had just begun and that no arrests had been made.

"If it is determined that someone is responsible for her death, they don't deserve to be walking the streets," Dalton said. "We will put them behind bars where they belong."

Prior to his statements, officials at Clayton Middle School, which Pasquale attended, called in additional counselors this morning to help grieving students.

The school held a moment of silence as classes began around 8 a.m.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," came the announcement over a loudspeaker.

About 200 law enforcement personnel from 20 municipal, state, and federal agencies were involved in the search for Pasquale.

Authorities made the announcement that they had found the body early this morning, but did not specify a location. However, investigators were at the scene on the 300 block of East Clayton Avenue. Authorities did not say what led them to the site.

It was recycling day on the street and almost all neighbors had the large, wheeled containers curbside.

The properties of three houses were cordoned off by police tape.

Carmen Batemen, 42, a nurse's aide who lives nearby, was standing on the street near where the body was found. Batemen said her 13-year-old daughter was friends with Autumn.

"This is a small town," Bateman said. "You don't expect anything to happen like this in Clayton."

Bateman said she won't allow her daughter now to go trick-or-treating alone on Halloween without an adult along to watch.

Autumn was last seen at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, pedaling her bicycle from her home, where she lives with her father, her two siblings, her father's girlfriend, and the girlfriend's children. She was reported missing at 9:30 p.m. after failing to meet a family-imposed curfew.

The search grew Monday into an all-out, round-the-clock effort by relatives, friends, and residents who handed out fliers and canvassed the girl's Clayton neighborhood and surrounding communities.

Authorities announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to Autumn - $5,000 from her family and a matching amount from the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities interviewed about 75 relatives, friends, and residents as they sought clues to her whereabouts.

Hundreds of officers and community volunteers canvassed Clayton, Monroe, Glassboro, and Elk, Washington, and Franklin Townships as part of ever-widening efforts.

Authorities also interviewed registered sex offenders, Dalton said.

The girl's parents, Anthony Pasquale, a letter carrier, and Jennifer Cornwell of Cherry Hill, attended a news conference Monday, but stood silent. Pasquale appeared to be overcome with emotion as he left the room.

One of Autumn's best friends, DeAnna Edwards-McMillen, 11, said the missing girl had been visiting her Clayton house until 6:15 p.m. Friday and last communicated with her by text message at 1:22 p.m. Saturday. Autumn sometimes used her BMX bike to jump ramps in the driveway there.

"We were talking about Christmas presents," said the fifth grader, who broke off texting Saturday because she had to go shopping with her father.

Autumn's last text message was sent at 2:30 p.m., according to authorities, who did not say who had received it.

mobile.philly.com/news/?wss=/philly/news&id=175483761&viewAll=y#more

[meme]

Official: Teen brothers charged in NJ girl's death

Updated 4:43 p.m., Tuesday, October 23, 2012

CLAYTON, N.J. (AP) — Two teenage brothers were charged Tuesday with murdering a 12-year-old girl who had been missing since the weekend, prompting a frantic search by her small hometown until her body was found stuffed into a home recycling bin.

The boys' mother played a part in cracking the case involving Autumn Pasquale, Gloucester County prosecutor Sean Dalton said at a news conference. She came forward with information about a posting on a son's Facebook account, leading police to the boys, Dalton said.

The girl died in a manner consistent with strangulation, he said. She had been riding her bicycle before she disappeared and was lured to the boys' house, where belongings including her bicycle were found, Dalton said. There were no signs of sexual assault.

Three teenage brothers live at the home, said, Na'eem Williams and Jodie Robinson, both 16. One of the teens in the home traded BMX bike parts, according to a young man, Corey Hewes, 19, who said he was among those who traded with him.

The house was a place where teens frequently hung out and had parties, some neighbors said.

Autumn's body was found around 10 p.m. Monday in the bin just blocks from her house and from Borough Hall, where thousands of people gathered earlier in the evening for a tearful candlelight vigil to pray for her safe return.

"The search for Autumn is over," Dalton said Tuesday. He called Clayton a safe community but said parents should continue to keep close watch on their children.

The girl's great-uncle, Paul Spadofora, thanked the community for its help in the search. The victim's parents did not attend.

"There's evil everywhere, even in the small town of Clayton," Spadofora said.

Crime scene investigators arrived shortly before 9 a.m. in the neighborhood where the body was found.

But Tuesday was trash collection day, and many residents had dragged their trash cans and recycling bins to the curb the night before. The covered recycling bins are collected by an automated truck that picks them up and dumps the contents into the back.

Police barricaded the block, and friends and neighbors came by to see. Some mothers said they were keeping their kids out of school for the day. Even before the body was found, students reported that Spirit Week had been canceled because of the sorrow.

One young man rode a bike up, sat on a porch of a home and cried, then biked away.

Clayton Mayor Thomas Bianco walked to the scene, cried, hugged a police officer and gave a brief statement to the gathered reporters.

"You hear about it in other places but never think it would happen in our little town," he said.

Howard Kowgill, 60, who lives in town and, like many, knows members of Autumn's family, said the discovery of the body changes the nature of the town.

"Until they find out who did it, you don't let your kids out," he said.

Autumn was last seen around 12:30 p.m. Saturday pedaling her bike away from the home where she lives with her father, her two siblings, her father's girlfriend and the girlfriend's children, authorities said.

Relatives said they believed she was heading to see a friend, and they became worried only after she did not return by her 8 p.m. curfew.

Sunday morning, her disappearance became not only a crisis but a town-wide cause in Clayton, a town 25 miles south of Philadelphia. Volunteers by the hundred joined the search, scouring malls, nearby towns and passing out fliers.

By Monday evening, officials were thanking the volunteers for their help but asking them to call it a night.

Hundreds of people returned Monday for the vigil. Spadofora, the great-uncle, said he hoped the town could gather again a week later, with Autumn back, with candles to mark her birthday.

www.newstimes.com/news/crime/article/Official-Teen-brothers-charged-in-NJ-girl-s-death-3975198.php