Police search for missing 4-year-old in Netanya
Divers fail to find suitcase supposedly containing Rose Pizem's remains in Tel Aviv's Yarkon River, prompting department to enlist volunteers, K-9 Unit for expanded search spanning area south of Netanya's shoreline
The police announced Thursday that they would be expanding their search for missing four-year-old Rose Pizem's remains, to include the area south of Netanya.
The police have enlisted the assistance of many volunteers, who joined massive police forces and the department's K-9 Unit, deployed along Tel Aviv's Yarkon River, where the body is believed to have been dumped, and the Netanya shoreline.
The police have concluded that the river's currents may have swept the suitcase further than originally believed.
Police sources told Ynet that the version of events given to the investigators by Rose's grandfather, Ronny Ron – who is the prime suspect in her murder – was dubious at best.
Ron claims the killing was accidental, and that once he realized what happened he placed the girl's body in a suitcase and then dumped it in the river.
Earlier Thursday, police forces dragging the riverbed for the child's remains suspended the search, in favor of looking the possibility of draining some 656 feet of the river in an attempt to locate the suitcase. Contractors who toured the search site estimated that such a move would cost NIS 350,000 (about $98,500).
"We may find her today, we may find her a month from now and we may never find her at all," a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, Ronny Ron and Rose's mother, Marie-Charlotte Renault were questioned once again on Thursday.
Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter arrived at the Yarkon River search site Thursday morning, and urged police divers and investigators to "provide an answer" as to the location of the missing girl's body.
Dichter was briefed on the search for Rose by Southern District Police Search and Rescue Unit commanders, who told him that the underwater visibility in the river was good, and that if the suitcase containing Rose's remains is in fact in the area currently being searched, they will be able to find it within a few hours.
"There is no doubt that as a society, Israel was not there for the child when she was in need of help. Police will do what ever it takes to bring this story to a close", said Dichter.
"We are hoping for a development in the coming hours and are focusing on the main search site, which is Hayarkon River," he added.
