Search resumes for missing San Carlos Park girl

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Diana Alvarez

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. The mother of Diana Alvarez was watching Tuesday as crews began a new search for the missing 10-year-old.

Two volunteer organizations — Peace River K-9 Search and Rescue and the Florida Sonar Search — started combing the path that a man suspected of abducting her is believed to have taken out of Lee County. Diana was last seen in her San Carlos Park home the morning of May 29, 2016.

“Our motto is we keep working until everyone comes home,” Peace River K-9 Search and Rescue Incident Commander Debbie Maki said.

Crews began around 9 a.m. at the home on Unique Circle in San Carlos Park. The organization also conducted searches in Okeechobee, Moore Haven and Indiantown, points along the path Guerrero is believed to have taken.

Technology will play a major role in the search. Drones, GPS trackers and sonar equipment that can search deep water are all at the organizations’ disposal. The law enforcement agencies that conducted the original search last year don’t have some of the tools the groups will use.

The first step for crews is to confirm places where Diana isn’t, narrowing down the field of probable locations, K-9 handler James Case said.

“We want to be able to tell mom no she is not in this area, or there’s still a chance she is in this area,” Maki said.

Guerrero was convicted nearly two weeks ago on charges of producing and possessing child pornography. While he is the only suspect in Alvarez’s disappearance, he has not been charged in connection to it.

The family held a vigil Monday night marking the anniversary of Diana’s disappearance.

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