Scott, New Madrid counties looking for missing teens

The mothers of two area teenagers who ran away together Saturday night hope they will either see their children soon or at least receive a phone call from them.

Tyler Austin Crider

Hailey Nicole Haynes

"I love you, Bud," said Tonya Crider, the mother of Tyler Austin Crider, on Monday. "Come home or call to let us know you are OK."

Amy Brzycki, the mother of Hailey Nicole Haynes, echoed the pleas of Tonya Crider.

"Just call," Brzycki said. "We just want you home."

Tyler, 16, and Hailey, 15, are believed to have run away after 10 p.m. Saturday. According to Tonya Crider, Tyler, who lives in New Madrid County, was staying at his grandparents' house outside of Sikeston, Mo.

"He left while they were asleep," she said. "He left a note that was found on his pillow."

Tonya Crider was reluctant to share the contents of the letter, but she said she was surprised when she learned Tyler, a student at New Madrid County Central, had run away with Hailey.

"It's fair to say he had kept his intentions to himself," she said.

Tonya Crider said Tyler left in a black 1998 Dodge Dakota extended-cab truck, which is registered to his grandparents, Mike and Linda Crider.

"I believe he also had camping gear and spotlights in the truck," she said. "He and Hailey could be camping out during the course of their trip."

After Tyler left his grandparents' house, it is believed he drove to Hailey's residence near Sikeston and picked her up.

"We found her window open in her bedroom," Brzycki said. "Like Tyler, she had left a note."

Brzycki, who lives in O'Fallon, Mo., also was reluctant to share the contents of her daughter's letter, but said that it expressed Hailey's desire to run away with Tyler.

"It's such an emotional time for us," she said. "I texted her about 8:30 Saturday night before I went to bed. I said, 'I love you, Hailey.'"

It was learned through a friend of Hailey's that the pair could be heading to Nevada. Both Tonya Crider and Amy Brzycki said they hope anyone else who knows where Tyler and Hailey, a student at The Christian Academy in Sikeston, may be going will step forward.

"If people think they're protecting them, they're really hurting them," Tonya Crider said. "This is no time to keep quiet. We don't know if they're safe or not, so if anybody knows anything, it's time to step forward."

"I hope they do come forward," added Brzycki. "Even if it's a small thing they know, it could help put together the big picture."

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens said his office is investigating the pair's whereabouts.

"We have their information sent to every law enforcement agency in Missouri," Stevens said. "We hope to have this resolved quickly and have them back home safely as soon as possible."

Stevens said the department is searching because the children are minors, and "we're still accountable to their parents."

He said if his child were missing, he would also want authorities on the hunt.

Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter was unreachable as of late Monday afternoon.

According to Tonya Crider, Tyler is white and stands 5 feet, 11 inches and weighs about 156 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes, and he was last seen wearing jeans, a camouflage hat and braided-style bracelets. The 1998 Dodge Dakota truck he is driving has the Missouri license plate number 7MJ-823, which expires in July 2014.

Hailey is white and is nearly 5 feet 6 inches and could weigh between 140 and 145 pounds, according to Amy Brzycki. She has red hair, freckles and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing jeans and light tan boots.

Anyone with information concerning their location is urged to contact the Scott County Sheriff's office at 573-545-3525 or the New Madrid County Sheriff's office at 573-748-2516.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

131 S. New Madrid St., Benton, Mo.

1 Courthouse Square, New Madrid, Mo.