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AURORA - Dogs searched for the body of a missing 6-year-old girl outside her home on Friday, a day after police said they believe the girl had been killed and that her father and his girlfriend were "persons of interest" in the case.
Aaron Thompson reported his daughter Aarone missing on Monday, but police accused him of lying and said she may have been killed as long as 18 months ago.
Interim Police Chief Terry Jones said investigators were interviewing seven other children who lived in the home. Police also want to interview Aaron Thompson and Shely Lowe, whom they described as his live-in girlfriend, but have not done so yet. He said police could only speculate on why Aarone was only reported missing this week but wouldn't say what police believe.
Leta Holden, a family lawyer who is serving as a spokeswoman for the family, said: "The family is deeply concerned about the well-being of Aarone and the efforts made for her safe return home."
Another family spokesman, Sam Riddle, said Thompson told him he had nothing to do with Aarone's disappearance.
The other seven children were removed from the home and were in protective custody, Jones said.
Jones said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Texas provided two "cadaver dogs" to search the Thompson's yard. He said they could be called back to search other locations later.
"This is the center of the universe for us," Jones said of the Thompson house.
Police suspended the search for Aarone late Wednesday and opened a homicide investigation after a tip that someone killed her at her home, Jones said.
Police spokesman Marcus Dudley said the tip came from "a person with very close ties to the family."
"This police chief better ... have a substantial body of evidence to back up this statement that Aarone was murdered," Riddle said.
Jones said that although Aarone's 7th birthday is Nov. 30, police didn't find any pictures of her older than 4 1/2 as they searched for her with dozens of officers, dogs and aircraft. The child also wasn't enrolled in school.
"Over a period of time - up to possibly a year and a half ago - Aarone Thompson may have been murdered," Jones said.
Aaron Thompson reported his daughter Aarone missing on Monday, but police accused him of lying and said she may have been killed as long as 18 months ago.
Interim Police Chief Terry Jones said investigators were interviewing seven other children who lived in the home. Police also want to interview Aaron Thompson and Shely Lowe, whom they described as his live-in girlfriend, but have not done so yet. He said police could only speculate on why Aarone was only reported missing this week but wouldn't say what police believe.
Leta Holden, a family lawyer who is serving as a spokeswoman for the family, said: "The family is deeply concerned about the well-being of Aarone and the efforts made for her safe return home."
Another family spokesman, Sam Riddle, said Thompson told him he had nothing to do with Aarone's disappearance.
The other seven children were removed from the home and were in protective custody, Jones said.
Jones said the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Texas provided two "cadaver dogs" to search the Thompson's yard. He said they could be called back to search other locations later.
"This is the center of the universe for us," Jones said of the Thompson house.
Police suspended the search for Aarone late Wednesday and opened a homicide investigation after a tip that someone killed her at her home, Jones said.
Police spokesman Marcus Dudley said the tip came from "a person with very close ties to the family."
"This police chief better ... have a substantial body of evidence to back up this statement that Aarone was murdered," Riddle said.
Jones said that although Aarone's 7th birthday is Nov. 30, police didn't find any pictures of her older than 4 1/2 as they searched for her with dozens of officers, dogs and aircraft. The child also wasn't enrolled in school.
"Over a period of time - up to possibly a year and a half ago - Aarone Thompson may have been murdered," Jones said.
