Stefanie Damron (13) missing from New Sweden, ME since 9/23/24

[raisedbywolves]

https://thecounty.me/2024/11/04/cari...w-sweden-girl/

Damron was last seen entering the woods near her home on the West Road in New Sweden Sept. 23. She was 13 at the time but has since turned 14.

Her family reported her missing the following day. Maine State Police have been investigating since then, and are now following leads in the U.S. and Canada along with the FBI Child Abduction Rapid Response Team.

More than a month later, Damron’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Damron’s disappearance has inspired people within and around the small town of New Sweden to come together and search for her, much like the group that formed after Washburn man Erik Foote went missing earlier this year. Searchers say even though the Damron family has declined to become involved, their group wants to do what they can to bring the missing girl home safely.

“We’re not going to stop until we find her,” said Whittni Nichols of Caribou, who has helped to lead the citizen search parties.

The FBI is assisting state police in the search and encourages members of the public to report anything they see or hear, even if it seems insignificant, said Kristen Setera, spokesperson for the FBI’s Boston Division, which covers Maine.

While interviewed on Brooklyn Squad, a TikTok podcast featuring the stories of missing people, Stefanie’s great-aunt Jerri Harms of Illinois said that Stefanie moved with her parents, Christopher “Dale” and Lisa Marie Damron, grandfather and four siblings from Texas to New Sweden, a town whose population was 577 as of 2020, four years ago. Christopher Damron is Harms’ nephew.

Harms said Stefanie had tried to run away several times recently but family members always found her in the woods, Harms said.

While appearing on Brooklyn Squad, Christopher Damron said he and the family suspect that Stefanie used an old cell phone belonging to her grandfather to connect with people on social media.

“We had bought an old, simple phone. We didn’t even know it could connect to the internet. Turns out, this $20 flip phone was how she connected,” Christopher Damron said. “We didn’t know. Our kids are raised off the grid, no social media. We honestly believe someone could have picked her up.”

[Nic B]

The family doesn't want to be involved in the search? Weird.

[Bewitchingstorm]

I just listened to some of the press conference they held today. I was expecting an update; however, they essentially shared information about a reward.

Her mother: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080125136756
Her father (who doesn't seem at all concerned about her missing): https://www.facebook.com/Rastefaryan

[Nic B]

They said she's run away before, I wonder if they are sick of it. Sad.

[raisedbywolves]

This is total speculation, but I wonder if 'off the grid' means some kind of cult like thing? If so, I wonder if someone helped her escape?

I look at the missing persons cases pretty heavily, and I had not heard of this case before now.

[Nic B]

Yeah, they are off the grid so she doesn't have a cell phone, but both her parents have facebooks..... eye roll.

Sounds like it's more the parents controlling the children, and this girl has had enough of it, hence her multiple runaways.