Myrtle Beach S.C.-Vigil keeps hope alive for missing N.Y. teen

By Claudia Lauer and Tonya Root

Myrtle Beach-About 75 people crowded onto a beach access at Hurl Rock Park for a vigil Friday night, sharing candles and wearing T-shirts with a picture of Brittanee Drexel, the 17-year-old New York teen who disappeared from Myrtle Beach on April 25.

A family friend from Camp Lejeune, N.C., reported Drexel missing around 5 a.m. April 26

Drexel’s mother, stepfather and other family held back tears as a priest led the group in a chorus of "Amazing Grace."

"It’s going to be Mother’s Day and my two other kids are at home, and I don’t know where she is," said Dawn Drexel, Brittanee’s mother, who was wearing an ankle wrap because she sprained her ankle going door-to-door in her 13-day search for her daughter. "I’m going to spend Mother’s Day looking for her … I’m just hoping and praying that [the vigil and the search] will bring her to us."

Anyone with information should contact the Myrtle Beach Police Department at 843-918-1300.

We-Tip Hot Line : 800-78-CRIME 

Search efforts for Drexel, who was last seen leaving the Blue Water Hotel on Ocean Boulevard, expanded into Charleston County and farther into Georgetown County on Friday, officials said.

Myrtle Beach police Capt. David Knipes said there was no new information Friday on Drexel’s disappearance. Police have logged more than 200 tips about her, he said.

"They’ve expanded the search area from Georgetown County and are doing some searches in Charleston County. I don’t think there’s anything new to go on, they’re just expanding the area," Knipes said. "We’re continuing to track down leads and tips and we’re following up on each and every one of them."

Police and searchers with some volunteer agencies used boats and sonar to search the waterways. They used helicopters to take digital images of the ground areas. And they searched the terrain on horseback, on all-terrain vehicles and on foot with specially trained dogs.

Searchers with Texas-based Laura’s Recovery Center worked with local officials to check the area, but volunteers were limited because of the terrain and wild animals such as alligators, boars and snakes.

"Normally we have emergent volunteers, searchers from the street who help, but in this case we are relying more on search and rescue teams who are prepared to get out in that environment," said Bob Walcutt, executive director of the center.

An Indiana group, 3 View, provided law enforcement with about 500 aerial digital images of the Georgetown County area.

Family and friends continued to help by knocking on doors and handing out fliers in the Georgetown area.

"You always think it’s not going to happen to you. It’s like being in a bad dream," said Chris Rizzo, Dawn Drexel’s cousin. "It was hard being in Rochester not knowing what was going on. It feels good to be here, to do something that can really help."

Charleston and Georgetown county officials planned to search in an 11-mile radius of the wooded area today, but officials were unsure how long the search would continue if no clues were found.

A family friend from Camp Lejeune, N.C., reported Drexel missing around 5 a.m. April 26.

According to a police report, Drexel met a friend from New York and three men on April 24 at Club Kryptonite, and again around 8 p.m. that night. The men said she left them to return to the Bar Harbour Hotel, but police said she never reached the hotel.

Drexel was last seen wearing black shorts, flip-flops and a multi-colored striped shirt.

Anyone with information should contact the Myrtle Beach Police Department at 918-1300.