Hundreds join search: Destiny's parents to ask drum circle for help

Volunteers showed up in droves Saturday to search for 5-year-old Destiny Norton. It was by far the biggest day of the weeklong search.

By 8 a.m. there were 120 volunteers, more than half of the number of searchers who showed up during the entire first day of the effort. By 1:45 p.m., 680 volunteers had signed up to brave the scorching heat and help search for Destiny.

"The turnout is great," said a very pleased Jeannie Hill, Norton family spokeswoman. "The hallways (of the command center) are clogged."

But by Saturday night there was still no sign of Destiny.

The girl with green streaks in her blond hair and silver caps on her lower teeth disappeared July 16 about 8:30 p.m. She was last seen wearing an XL long-sleeved black and gray maternity shirt — with horizontal, quarter-inch wide stripes — that belonged to her mother. Police have classified the incident as a missing-girl case, saying there is no specific evidence that points to either a kidnapping or a runaway.

Hill said Saturday many rumors had been reported, but so far none of them had panned out.

"We're getting a lot of really good tips," she said. "One of them is going to pan out real soon, I know it."

Police were also out visibly working Saturday. At one point they picked up Ricky Norton, Destiny's father, and took him to police headquarters. Ricky Norton reportedly helped police answer questions about tips they had received and was not himself being questioned, Hill said.

Hill was contacted about 20 times Saturday by investigators asking questions about certain people.

The search is scheduled to resume today and continue daily, beginning at 6 a.m., at least until the end of the month. Those wishing to volunteer should go to the LDS Church at 445 E. Harvard Ave. (1110 South).

Volunteers were also needed to help pass out fliers during Monday's Pioneer Day parade.

Both of Destiny's parents, Ricky and Rachael, were expected to go to the Liberty Park drum circle today to ask that group to help look for Destiny and even help police if possible. Rachael Norton said Saturday she and her husband used to attend the drum circle regularly and many people there knew Destiny. But she said many might not know yet she's missing.

"Many of them don't watch TV," she said.

She also noted that members of the drum circle did not like police and normally would never cooperate with them.