PASADENA, Texas — Friday afternoon, Texas Equusearch said new information prompted them to re-start search efforts for missing 2-year-old Nadia Lee in Pasadena.
Specifically, EquuSearch is looking along the bayou across from the apartment complex where Lee's father, Jyron Lee, lived.
Jyron Lee was arrested and charged with murder for the death of Nadia Lee's mother, Nancy Reed. Investigators say Reed was strangled to death. It was after Reed's killing that Houston police discovered the little girl was missing.
“Our dogs did do some alerting on things when they were in the boat," said Tim Miller, the founder of Texas EquuSearch, near the bayou by Jyron Lee's home.
He now believes Nadia Lee may have been put in some kind of container.
“I’m not going to say what that containment is, but we are pretty sure of that," he said.
EquuSearch had also searched a private landfill in Pasadena while looking for Nadia Lee.
“I was hoping they had found her because I hadn’t seen anyone out here searching anymore," said Estella Espinoza, a neighbor.
She heard about the case weeks ago and was surprised to see search crews return.
“I hope she is found alive but if she’s not, I hope she is found soon, it’s starting to get cold," said Espinoza.
The weather could impact the ability to search, but Miller said he won’t give up on Nadia Lee.
“I think if she is in here, we are going to give it our best shot and bring in every resource that we can possibly bring in," he said. "We are far from done."
Texas Equusearch plans to meet with HPD homicide investigators on Monday. Next week, they’re hoping to get dive teams in the water.
It is not known what Nadia was wearing but she may have had on a white short-sleeve T-shirt at the time of her disappearance. Nadia has brown eyes and black hair. She is about 2 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 50 pounds.
If you see her or have any information about her whereabouts, contact HPD’s Homicide Division at 714-308-3600 or Texas EquuSearch at 281-309-9500.