A Northwest Iowa missing person's case continues to haunt family members and rescuers three years after it happened.
In May 2005, four-year-old Breiton Ackerman disappeared while he was with*eight family members fishing along Willow creek near Alton.
While Breiton is presumed drowned, nothing was ever found: not his body, not even a trace of clothing or his scent by search dogs.
The case remained in the headlines for months. But after Breiton's disappearance stopped getting so much attention, his friends, family and community were left to pick up the pieces.*
A small creek is now the site of a mystery; one that 500 searchers couldn't unravel.*
What happened to Breiton Ackerman seems like there's no way it should ever have happened at all. His oldest sister was put in charge of him.*
Beth Ackerman says, "She put him up on the bridge to play in the mud. My nephew caught a fish, so my brother went up and he was sitting there playing, full of mud. 45 seconds later one of my younger daughters caught a fish and he was gone and he kind of turned around and said where did Breiton go? "*
Roslyn Ackerman says, "I struggled with guilt for a couple months afterwards. I was supposed to be watching him and I was the one that turned around and let him be. "*
Angela asks, "You've got to be thinking, how could he just disappear? It's just a little creek. There are all these people around, just such a freak thing like that?*
Beth Ackerman says, "But they didn't look in the water right away. They didn't instantly think he fell in. They thought oh, if he got tired he would go find a place to lay down take a nap, so they walked up to the pickup."*
His mother believes the strong current in the creek quickly carried Breiton away while they were looking in the pickup for him.*
But after an intensive search there wasn't a single lead; a fact that still disturbs Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena today.*
Dan Altena says, "And the fact we didn't find one little piece of clothing or anything has really bothered us for quite some time.”*
Altena and his deputy make a yearly visit back to the scene on the anniversary date of Breiton's disappearance, even today still with more questions than answers.*
Dan Altena says, "You almost want to start digging here or looking there, even if it's one, two, three years afterwards. It's haunting because we did so much work out there as far as digging and manpower and further searches down to LeMars and even Sioux City with boats and came up with nothing,"*
Surprisingly enough Breiton's mother says she's not disturbed by the fact that her son's body was never found.
Beth Ackerman says, "I have never felt like I needed a body for closure. I can't say it doesn't bother my not knowing, but I think it would probably bother me to know more now. "*
The loss took its toll on the Ackerman family. His parents have divorced.
"I think my husband thought I blamed him. I can honestly say, I've never said this is all your fault, I've never consciously thought it."*
And oldest daughter Roslyn struggled with her guilt.
Roslyn Ackerman says, "I felt like crap, because it was my responsibility to be watching him."
Beth Ackerman says, "She's come a long way. We had some scary moments after that. I told her right away, you know it's not anyone's fault, that's why it's called an accident. There's no reason for me to blame you. It could have happened if I was there."
Beitons' family says they wouldn't be as at peace with his disappearance today, if it weren't for all the people in Sioux County who rallied behind them.
Roslyn says, "Basically the community helped me through it all."*
Beth says, "I do believe it's faith. My family's helped a lot, my friends."
Today the Ackermans try to focus on the good memories they have of Breiton*
Roslyn Ackerman says, "We were "bestest" buddies He was always kind of like me. There was always this bond. I had always wanted a brother and I finally got my brother.*
Beth Ackerman says, "I think most people would look at him and he brought a smile to people. He just had that kind of personality that made people smile."*
Roslyn Ackerman says, "I do miss him, I still do."*
Breiton Ackerman would have turned*eight last week. One positive thing to come out of his disappearance was the revival of the Sioux County dive team. Breiton's dad, Brad Ackerman, has also joined the team.