Sheriff responds to concerns about missing children

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf responded Friday to concerns of the parents of two missing Perryville children. In today's Southeast Missourian Brian Williams, Brianna Williams' father, said he didn't understand why an Amber Alert wasn't issued and why they weren't shown video from a rest area the children might have stopped at.

Four days after they first went missing, little is known about the whereabouts of Brandon Lundmark, 14, and Brianna Williams, 12.

Police say Brandon took his father's pickup truck, cash and an ATM card about midnight Monday and then left the area after picking up Brianna, 12.

Schaaf said he spent time with Brian Williams Friday morning and that he did not indicate he was displeased or concerned with the investigation thus far. He said Williams has never asked him why an Amber Alert wasn't issued when the two children were missing.

"This particular situation doesn't meet the criteria for an Amber Alert," Schaaf said. "Because the children weren't abducted. They ran away."

Schaaf said he does not think Brandon is a threat to Brianna or that he kidnapped the girl from her bedroom early Tuesday morning.

"Her father said she left in her pajamas, but that she had taken some money that was on her dresser," he said. The amount of money taken was not disclosed by police.

As is typical of most criminal investigations, Schaaf said the department doesn't update family members of leads unless they are significant.

"Some of the leads we get just don't pan out," he said. "I'm not going to call unless there's something to tell them."