Police Speculated a Girl Who Vanished in 2002 Ran Away — Until Her Friend Disappeared Weeks Later

In the days after12-year-old Ashley Pondwent missing in January 2002 while walking to the school bus, many people including police speculated she had run away.

Two months later, rumors that Ashley had run away were dispelled when her friend and neighbor in the complex,Miranda Gaddis, 13, went missing while walking to the same bus stop. At that point, authorities knew they were dealing with a predator, and the investigation into the girls’ disappearances is the focus of tonight’s episode ofPeople Magazine Investigates, entitled “Fallen Angels,” airing at 10 p.m. ET onInvestigation Discovery. (An exclusive clip of the episode is shown above.)

“What was on my mind was we were going to wake up one morning and there’s gonna be a third girl gone,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Charles Matthews says in the clip. “So that was the clock we were racing against.”

Miranda Gaddis.Corbis Sygma

Ashley Pond.Corbis Sygma

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Adds Miranda’s sister Miriah Gillett, “We would go and put posters and flyers all over, just trying to get the girls’ faces out there to try to bring them home.”

People Magazine Investigates: Fallen Angelsairs tonight (10 p.m. ET) on Investigation Discovery.

source: people.com