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Lansford teen missing in Schuylkill Township

Police say there is $5,000 reward for information leading directly to 17-year-old Cassidy Derr, who went missing in Tuscarora early Sunday.

Derr was last seen wearing black converse sneakers, Rolled up jeans, a blue shirt with sun and moon on it, and a blue hoodie.Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Lansford Police at 570-645-5844.The seach continued this morning for Derr.Derr’s family last saw her on Saturday, before she headed out to the woods of Schuylkill Township to attend a party in a secluded space on Locust Mountain, between Tuscarora and Brockton. An argument on Sunday morning led Derr to walk away from her friends and head out toward Tamaqua. She kept in touch with other friends, via Snapchat and text, finally admitting she was lost somewhere along old Route 209. That last message was sent at 7:51 a.m. Sunday. No one has seen or heard from her since.The insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic was supposed to start school in Panther Valley Monday morning, after her family recently moved to Lansford. Previously, Cassidy attended Tamaqua Area High School and was home schooled for a while.While family and friends took to social media on Sunday when she didn’t come home, it wasn’t until Monday that search efforts started in earnest. By late Monday afternoon, the North East Search and Rescue group had five dog teams staging at the Tuscarora ball fields, asking Cassidy’s family and friends to suspend their own searches to avoid confusing the K-9s. While relieved that the experts were on the case, family members felt helpless with nothing to do but stand and wait.Ken Porter, assistant chief with NESAR, says his response group received a request to help search for Cassidy by way of their Facebook page, then reached out to Pennsylvania State Police and Schuylkill County Emergency Management. After receiving official approval, team members gathered their equipment and dogs, traveling to the township from Stroudsburg and Lancaster.During the early evening, a state police helicopter equipped with thermal imaging flew over the area but was unable to find any sign of Cassidy. While state police were searching by air, the dog teams moved out. The dogs picked up the teen’s trail, leading handlers to her jacket, which was found in the Newkirk area. Then the trail went cold.Also searching were members of the Tuscarora Fire Company, who used four wheelers to cover the utility line area and mine roads, while Schuylkill County Emergency Management Coordinator John Matz provided detailed maps of the area.Once the sun went down, the Tamaqua Rescue Squad provided lighting for the staging area and portable radios so everyone could keep in touch. The Tamaqua Salvation Army brought drinks and snacks for the searchers and waiting family and friends. Major Sharon Whispell was quick to note that several businesses had already donated pizza and coffee, including Domino’s, Dunkin Donuts, La Dolce Casa and Burger King.By 11 p.m., the dog teams were returning to the staging area, with plans to start a new search on Tuesday, after the sun comes up.That time frame will stretch Cassidy’s insulin supply to the limit, according to her family. Her aunt says the teen made sure her insulin pump was full before she left home Saturday, but the pump only holds a three-day supply.Searchers hope to find her before the pump runs dry.

Searchers gathered at the Tuscarora ball fields Monday night to search for missing 17-year-old Cassidy Derr. The teen went missing on Sunday morning. KATHY KUNKEL/TIMES NEWS
Dog teams from North East Search and Rescue traveled to Schuylkill Township from Stroudsburg and Lancaster to help search for Cassidy Derr, who has been missing since Sunday. KATHY KUNKEL/TIMES NEWS