Large-scale search planned for missing Waukesha County teen

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

0 3 minutes read

Volunteers are needed for a massive search Saturday, June 8, for missing 17-year-old Isaiah Cramer. Isaiah — who was 16 at the time — had abruptly left the Norris Treatment Center on Feb. 4, near Center Drive and Maple Avenue, and did not take his daily epilepsy medication with him. The teen was last spotted later that night on a surveillance camera in nearby woods. These woods and other nearby areas were searched several times by local volunteers and Isaiah's father, Vance Cramer. “Any lead gives you a little bit of hope, but then it doesn't lead to anything so it dwindles quickly,” Vance Cramer said. The hope the Cramers have experienced over the past four months is now rekindled: The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department has tapped the nonprofit group Equusearch Midwest to conduct a large-scale search. The group hopes at least a hundred volunteers will gather at 7:30 a.m. that morning at Big Bend Elementary School. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old, bring photo ID, and dress appropriately. Equusearch Midwest Director David Rader said the terrain in the 3 to 4 miles that teams will cover could be difficult. “There's a lot of different types of terrain. Some of the swampiest areas I've ever seen leading down to the river,” Rader said. “We are more concerned about heavily forested areas.” Two drones and up to four horses will roam the search areas. Rader, who has worked for the nonprofit since 2008, hopes the plan they developed will provide answers for the family. “I've seen the grief that these family members are going through. And, you know, they're worried. “Are they hurt? Are they fed? Are they hurt?” Rader said. Although heartbroken, the Cramer family is grateful for all the community's efforts and hopes the latest search will bring them closer to finding Isaiah. “We have hope again. that there are people and fresh eyes coming into the story,” said Isaiah's mother, Kim Cramer. “And we don't have to do anything else. We have to keep looking in these woods.”

VERNON, Wis. —

Volunteers are needed for a massive search Saturday, June 8, for missing 17-year-old Isaiah Cramer.

Isaiah — who was 16 at the time — had abruptly left the Norris Treatment Center on Feb. 4, near Center Drive and Maple Avenue, and did not take his daily epilepsy medication with him.

The teen was last spotted later that night on a surveillance camera in nearby woods. These woods and other nearby areas were searched several times by local volunteers and Isaiah's father, Vance Cramer.

“Any lead gives you some hope, but it doesn't lead to anything so it dwindles quickly,” Vance Cramer said.

The waning hope the Cramers have experienced over the past four months is now being rekindled: The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department has tapped the nonprofit Equusearch Midwest to conduct a large-scale search.

The group hopes at least a hundred volunteers will gather at 7:30 that morning at Big Bend Elementary School. All volunteers must be at least 18 years old, bring photo ID, and dress appropriately.

Equusearch Midwest Director David Rader said the terrain in the 3 to 4 miles that teams will cover could be difficult.

“There are so many different types of terrain. Some of the swampiest areas I've ever seen leading down to the river. There's a lot of fields,” Rader said. “It’s more the heavily wooded areas that worry us the most.”

Two drones and up to four horses will roam search areas. Rader, who has worked for the nonprofit since 2008, hopes the plan they developed will provide answers for the family.

“I've seen the grief that these family members are going through. And, you know, they're worried. Are they hurt? Are they being fed? Are they hurt?,” Rader said.

Although heartbroken, the Cramer family is grateful for all the community's efforts and hopes the latest research will bring them one step closer to finding Isaiah.

“We're hoping again that there will be people and a fresh look at history,” said Isaiah's mother, Kim Cramer. “And we don't have anything else to do. We have to keep looking in these woods.”