Schenectady police update search for Samantha Humphrey; Search ongoing

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford at Thursday's press conference

SCHENECTADY — Schenectady police and other law enforcement agencies pressed on Thursday in their search for missing city 14-year-old Samantha Humphrey, but made no discernible progress, Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford said at a press conference held near the Mohawk River search area.

Schenectady officers and New York State Police conducted the “enhanced search” on Thursday that used a state police helicopter, dive teams and shore search teams that scoured the river in a four-mile area from the Stockade neighborhood in Schenectady to the Rexford Bridge in Niskayuna.

“As tips come in we investigate and have investigated them to the fullest extent possible and will continue to use every resource available to bring Samantha home,” Clifford said.

Humphrey was last seen on Nov. 25 at approximately 11:30 p.m. in the area of Riverside Park in the Stockade neighborhood.

With the search concluding its third week and a winter storm approaching that could hinder the river search efforts, Clifford said the department would continue their work.

“Like any investigation, we will continue to search and follow leads as they come in,” the chief said.

Clifford recounted the timeline of Humphrey’s disappearance, saying the department was notified on Nov. 26 at approximately 1:46 p.m. that Humphrey had gone missing when her mother filed a police report. The police chief said that the girl was last seen in the area of the Front Street Pool along the river and had shared that location with a friend.

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“Through surveillance video, we were able to track some of Samantha’s movements to show that she was in that area at that time,” Clifford said.

On Nov. 27, a family member located a jacket possibly worn by the girl at the time of her disappearance near the railroad bridge underpass. Clifford said the department is still awaiting results on that potential piece of evidence from a state police lab.

“Given the last known location, this is why the Mohawk River has been our focal point of the search,” Clifford said.

Clifford said that beginning on Nov. 28, state police dive teams began assisting in the search for Humphrey.

At a press conference held near the department’s mobile unit next to the Rivers Casino & Resort, the Schenectady police chief said that the agency has continued to use dive teams and boat teams from numerous agencies the last three weeks.

“Since Nov. 28, a continuous search has occurred on this missing person case,” Clifford said.

The police chief said the department has been in regular contact with the missing girl’s family and friends during her disappearance.

“The case of a missing person that’s 14 years old has a major impact on our community, which we’ve all seen over the last couple weeks,” Clifford said.

Clifford noted that the department continues to seek tips on the case at (518) 630-0911.

“I just want the public to know that this has been a non-stop effort by all personnel involved with the Schenectady Police Department and all of our partner agencies,” Clifford said. “A lot of effort and man hours have been put into this search. We have not stopped and we will not stop.”