Ashlynn Bocksnick and her daughter, Lalynn Dream Williams, have been missing since June 24. The Dardanelle Police Department said search crews remain on the river every day despite dangerous currents and high water, and investigators continue to classify the case as a missing persons investigation. Police said foul play is not suspected.
According to Police Chief Scott Paterak, officers responded around 2:50 a.m. June 24, after receiving a report of a possible suicidal person. Family members told police Bocksnick had left a residence with her infant shortly before the call. Officers alerted nearby law enforcement agencies with a description of the vehicle she was believed to be driving.
About two hours later, an officer found the vehicle parked at the Veterans Park boat ramp near the Arkansas River. The vehicle was empty, and officers began searching the area with assistance from the Yell County Office of Emergency Management and the Yell County Mounted Patrol.
Surveillance video from Dardanelle City Hall showed Bocksnick driving to the boat ramp, getting out of the vehicle, and opening the rear passenger-side door, where police believe the baby's car seat was located.
Assistant Chief Blevins later determined that enhanced video appears to show Bocksnick entering the water, although darkness and the camera's distance from the water prevent investigators from determining what happened afterward.
“It is difficult to see due to there being no lights in the area,” the police said regarding the footage.
Police said rising water released through the Dardanelle Dam by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created swift currents and poor underwater visibility, limiting search efforts.
Divers reported visibility of only 1 to 2 inches, and debris along the river bottom has made searches more difficult.
Authorities said 36 agencies from across Arkansas have assisted in the search, using five drone teams, five civilian boats, seven dog teams, a Survival Flight helicopter, and a private airplane. Search crews have covered river sections stretching from the Dardanelle Lock and Dam to the Arkansas River bridge in Little Rock.
Investigators also obtained search warrants for Bocksnick's bank accounts and cellphone. Police said her bank accounts have shown no activity since she disappeared. The FBI is helping investigators access the locked iPhone and review the surveillance video for additional details.
“Crews are still on the river every day searching,” the police said in their last update on July 3. The Corps of Engineers said it will close the gates on the Dardanelle Dam on July 11. Once the water level returns to normal, the full search will resume.