Volunteers Continue Search For Barway Collins

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Dozens of volunteers who never met a Minnesota fourth grader joined forces Thursday to look for him.

All afternoon, they searched a park in Minneapolis for any sign of Barway Collins. The 10-year-old, who vanished more than two weeks ago, was last seen outside his home in Crystal.

That's about ten minutes from North Mississippi Regional Park. Police think the area is important, because Collins's father went to the river around the time his son disappeared, and Pierre Collins is considered a suspect in the case.

A hidden camouflage box with four objects in it was found during the search Thursday. Searchers also found shoes and a backpack, but the contents inside the backpack had searchers skeptical if it was related to the case.

Police will be examining the objects from the camouflage box more closely, but no matter what, searchers believe their work is helping to find Barway.

"Anytime there's a missing boy, I think it just touches the heart of the people and motivates the community to get involved," Pastor Jeff Hill with Serenity Valley Community Church said.

Members of Hill's church group and mothers who met on Facebook pitched in to look for Barway.

"He has been part of our hearts," said Georgia Totimeh. "We pray for him, we wish to see him again."

Together they worked, people of different ages and backgrounds, hoping to find a boy they never knew but can't forget.

"My prayer is at least we can eliminate if he's not here," Maggie Duffy said.

The group has more searches on tap now that they've cleared this part of the river.

Penny Castano has been facilitating searches through the Hope for Barway Facebook group. Another Facebook group, called Search for Barway, is also helping organize volunteer efforts.