MIDDLEBURY, VT — Search efforts continue for missing Middlebury College student Lia Smith.
Thursday morning, a comprehensive search began of multiple locations in and around Middlebury.
Participating agencies in the search include the Middlebury Police Department, the Vermont State Police Search and Rescue Team, game wardens with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, representatives from various Addison County law-enforcement agencies, North Country Search Dogs, New Hope Search and Rescue, and members of the public including the Middlebury College community.
Smith, 21, of Woodside, California, has not been located.
She is last known to have been seen on campus Friday night, Oct. 17, and was reported missing Sunday, Oct. 19.
Investigators continue to ask that anyone with information that could assist in this case call the police or leave an anonymous tip online.
At the request of the Middlebury Police Department, the Vermont State Police activated its Search and Rescue Team and other resources to join the ongoing search.
The state police’s Victim Services Unit is working closely with Smith’s family.
To date, the Middlebury Police Department has conducted numerous aerial searches using unmanned aircraft systems, also known as drones, coupled with focused ground searches.
A larger-scale search was conducted Wednesday of wooded areas on and adjacent to the Middlebury College campus.
At the request of the police department, college staff continue to search all campus facilities.
Wednesday’s ground search was conducted by members of the Middlebury Police Department, Middlebury Fire Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents from the Swanton Sector.
The Middlebury Police Department is receiving assistance from other law enforcement agencies, including the Vermont State Police, the New York State Police, and the FBI.
Anyone with information about Smith or her whereabouts is asked to contact the Middlebury Police Department at 802-388-3191 or submit an online tip at www.middleburypolice.org.
People also can call the Vermont State Police barracks in New Haven at 802-388-4919 or send an anonymous tip at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
