Calypso woman reported missing
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 1, 2010 1:46 PM
CALYPSO -- A search got under way early this morning in this rural northern Duplin County community for Tonya Nicole Fox, who walked away from a group home sometime Tuesday evening.
"We have a black female, around 28 years old, who is somewhat mentally impaired, who walked away last night," Duplin County Sheriff Blake Wallace said this morning. "We are trying to back trace (the time) at this point. There is no indication of foul play or anything like that at this time."
It is the second time in recent years that a search has been mounted for someone who walked away from a group home in the town, the sheriff said. A 12-year-old did so about two years ago, but was found quickly.
Wallace said the woman is typically allowed to leave the house to walk over to a nearby store.
It is unclear what time she left the home last night, although it is thought she was last seen possibly between 6:30 and 7 p.m., he said.
"We are doing a grid search in and around Calypso," Wallace said. "We have requested a helicopter for an aerial search, but we are not sure we will get one because of the weather."
The search is being conducted by Duplin County sheriff's deputies, members of the Sheriff's Office Special Response Team, Duplin County Search and Rescue and Calypso firefighters.
"We just want to make sure we cover all of the bases," Wallace said.