[StBernard] Police search for missing French Settlement girl

[Westley Annis]

Police search for missing French Settlement girl

By DAVID J. MITCHELL
Advocate Florida parishes bureau 
Published: Feb 2, 2007 

Kaitlin Aydell, 13, was last seen getting of her school bus Thursday
afternoon. 
 
FRENCH SETTLEMENT - The Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office and French
Settlement Police Department searched Friday for a 13-year-old girl who
turned up missing Thursday shortly after she was dropped off at home by her
school bus.

Deputies and officers were looking for Kaitlin Marie Aydell, a
seventh-grader at French Settlement High School, in a patch of woods behind
the residence of a man they arrested Friday.

Friends and neighbors of the missing girl's family joined in the search
Friday afternoon, using trucks and four-wheelers try and find Kaitlin along
roads surrounding the Aydell residence.

The Sheriff's Office reported that at 3 a.m. Friday, detectives arrested
Mark Sterling Lewis, 39, and booked him with one count of obstruction of
justice in connection with the case.

Deputies said Lewis allegedly gave false information to detectives trying to
locate the missing girl.

Lewis, of 18219 Aydell Lane, French Settlement, was not truthful with
investigators when asked questions that could assist in locating Kaitlin
Aydell, deputies said.

The girl, who lives on Aydell Lane in French Settlement, was last seen as
she got off a school bus in front of her residence about 3 p.m. Thursday and
has not been seen since then, deputies said.

Lewis who is related by marriage to the missing girl, lives with his wife in
a mobile home directly behind the victim's residence, the Sheriff's Office
said.

Investigators believe that due to Lewis' failure to cooperate,  valuable
time was wasted in locating the missing girl, deputies said.

Lewis previously was arrested by the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office in
September 1995 and booked with auto theft, felony theft and aggravated
kidnapping, deputies said.

Lewis was charged with those crimes after he allegedly kidnapped a woman in
Livingston Parish by placing a screwdriver to her throat and  forcing her to
drive to an unknown location, the Sheriff's Office reported.

During the drive, the victim escaped by getting out of the vehicle, leaving
Lewis to steal her vehicle along with her purse and other personal items,
according to reports at the time.

Lewis was convicted and sentenced to seven years with the Louisiana
Department of Corrections with five years suspended, thus serving two years
of prison time for the offenses.

The Sheriff's Office sent Lewis'  gray 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck to the
Louisiana State Police Crime Lab where it is being processed for any
evidence that could link Lewis to the missing girl.

Investigators are currently following up on all leads and deputies are
searching areas where the victim could possibly be located, deputies said.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of or information concerning
Kaitlin Aydell is asked to contact the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office
Detective Division at (225) 686-2241 ext. 345 or dispatch at (225) 686-2241
ext. 501.