Updated 11:35 a.m 11-4

CHIPLEY, Fla. (AP) --

The baby sitter of a missing infant sent a
letter to Gov. Charlie Crist months before she disappeared asking
him to save the child from her drug-abusing parents.

The Florida Department of Children and Families says it
investigated 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick's mother and father after
the August complaint, and workers have had "a lot of involvement"
with the family.

But DCF Secretary George Sheldon says investigators did not find
legal grounds to take the infant away.

Shannon was last seen by her parents at their home early
Saturday morning.

Searchers have concentrated on the woods
surrounding the home, in a remote part of north Florida near the
town of Chipley.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office has released little
additional information about the case.
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Updated 9:15 pm 11-3

Choppers circled for hours high-above-the-sky on Tuesday, hoping to find anything that would lead them to 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick.

On the ground, several different teams combed through debris, others used search dogs, some searched on horseback.

"It's kinda scary, whether it's family or a friend involved, it really doesn't matter, it's just the fact that it happened and nobody even knows yet so it's really scary," says Lisa France, a Chipley resident.

There are still many unanswered questions surrounding Shannon Dedrick's disappearance. Investigators say she disappeared from her Brown Street home between the hours of 3am to 11am on Saturday.

Newschannel 7 has learned she was last seen in the custody of her parents, Christina Mercer and Rusty Dedrick.
We spoke with Shannon's great aunt, Lynda Padgett, who says they have also been left in the dark about what's happening.

"The clock is ticking away and she's just an innocent little child who you know, just deserves better."

Padgett says both parents suffer from mental issues.
She also says she's not sure if Christina would hurt Shannon.

"I think if Tina did something then she was definitely not in her right mind when she did it. I really can't say that I think or don't think that she's capable of it."

But some people believe it is possible.

"Not the father, I wouldn't think the father, no, not at all."

"He's too heartbroken and distraught. I wouldn't know what to say about the mom but not the father," says Mike Blaylock, a neighbor.

There are many stories circulating around about whether or not Shannon's mother or father may have been involved in her disappearance.

But authorities are not confirming any of it or their person of suspicion at this time.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 638-6111.

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Updated 7:30 a.m 11-3

There are reports that the mother of 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick allegedly confessed to killing the baby and burying her in the woods near a landfill.

Authorities won't confirm those stories at this time.

Shannon Dedrick was last seen at her home in Chipley on Saturday.

Shannon is described as 2-feet tall and 11 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Officials says she disappeared sometime between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday.
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UPDATED 10:35 PM

Search and rescue teams scoured several areas near the Dedrick's home on Brown Street, checking abandoned homes, wooded areas and trash bins.

"The ground search is the primary, we have dumpster dove every dumpster in the city limits of Chipley, we have turned over every garbage can and taken it apart in that area and any leads we might get that lead us in the city limits of Chipley and Washington County we're following up on," says Bobby Haddock, Washington County Sheriff.

Authorities say 7-month-old Shannon Dedrick disappeared between the hours of 3am to 11am on Saturday morning. They say she was last seen in the custody of her parents at their Brown Street home in Chipley.

Lisa Blaylock and Tanya Wilt live next to the Dedricks and recall how Shannon's mother first approached them about her disappearance.

"She's like 'Have you guys seen anybody pull in our driveway today?
"We're like, 'No, why?'"
"Cause my baby's missing. At first we thought it was a joke but just as plain as I'm saying it to you, just 'my baby's missing."

Both women say Shannon's father was very upset about her disappearance but the mother didn't seem to be.

"Very happy baby, never cried, they've lived there two months, we've never heard the baby cry one time. It's just very sad, very, very sad," says Wilt.

There are reports that the mother allegedly confessed to killing the baby and burying her in the woods near a landfill. But authorities won't confirm those stories.

"We're not going to go into specifics about what she may or may not have said or not said but we're not doing any digging at the old landfill. The old landfill now is being a staging area for the ground teams."

Authorities say they do have a person of suspicion but would not elaborate on any details or if Shannon was abducted.

"We're not ruling that out but at this time, we don't have that indicator that we have an abduction. But we can't say that we're positive that's not happened."

Haddock also refused to comment on whether or not he believed Shannon was still alive, only saying they are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

And so are her neighbors.

"I just hope she's alive. That's our only hope. Before it was for the parents' comfort, now we just hope the baby's OK," says Blaylock.

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Updated 1:37p.m 11-2

(AP)--

CHIPLEY, Fla. (AP) --

A 7-month-old infant has gone missing from
her home in Chipley, a small town on the Florida Panhandle.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office said Monday that Shannon
Dedrick disappeared sometime between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. on
Saturday.

Since then, about 75 search and rescue workers from three
counties have exhaustively scoured the surrounding area. They were
joined by K-9 teams and volunteers from local fire departments in a
14-hour search beginning late Saturday morning, and continued
nonstop since 7 a.m. on Sunday.

The arm-to-arm search has covered a 1/2-mile radius of Shannon's
home, and deputies are expanding the area each hour.

The sheriff's office was asking the public to continue calling
in tips.

Shannon was described as 2-feet tall and 11 pounds, with brown
hair and blue eyes.
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MISSING CHILD ALERT:

Date Missing: 10/31/2009

Missing From: Chipley,FL County: WASHINGTON

Birth Date: 3/11/2009 Age Disappeared: 0 yrs 7 months

Height: 2' 00" Race: White Hair: Brown

Weight: 011 Sex: Female Eyes: Blue

Narrative: A Florida MISSING CHILD Alert has been issued for Shannon Dedrick. She was last seen at her residence in Chipley on 10/31/09.

FDLE MISSING ENDANGERED PERSONS
INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE
1-888-FL MISSING
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us

If you have any information concerning the whereabouts of
this endangered person, please contact the
Washington County Sheriff's Office at 850-638-6111