Pilar Rodriguez, 3, Disappeared In 1999 FL.

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:50 pm

Nov 3, 2009 1:25 pm US/Eastern
Possible Break In Missing Child Cold Case
Pilar Rodriguez, 3, Disappeared In 1999
She Was Last Seen With Her Babysitter
No Charges Have Ever Been Filed
Reporting Lisa Cilli

MIAMI (CBS4) â€• Pilar's photo is shown age-progressed to 11 years. She was last seen in the company of a female babysitter who took her to Punta Gorda on vacation in Jan. 1999 and the child was never seen again.

There could be a break in the case of a young South Florida girl who disappeared in 1999 while visiting Punta Gorda in Charlotte County with her babysitter.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday that crews are searching a property in Charlotte County related to missing 3-year-old Pilar Rodriguez. Rodriguez, from Hollywood, was last seen in early 1999 when her babysitter, Melissa Cooper, brought her to Punta Gorda for vacation.

Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Cameron says deputies began searching an 8-acre area in Punta Gorda Tuesday morning for any evidence in the case, including remains of a body.

The original persons of interest in this case, babysitter Melissa Cooper and her boyfriend Keith Wilson, continue to be a focus of the investigation, according to the sheriff's office, although they are no longer in the area.

THE HISTORY

In 1999, Pilar's father, Marco Rodriguez allowed the babysitter to take his daughter on vacation for two weeks. Melissa Cooper took Pilar to the Trail Apartments in Punta Gorda. Cooper's boyfriend, Keith Wilson, was with them.

Pilar was never seen again.

Cooper claimed Wilson beat the child and buried her body. Wilson denied the accusations and claimed Cooper was responsible for the girl's death. Cooper also denied the accusations.

In March 1999, deputies searched a wooded area for Pilar after a tip came in. Eight months later, deputies drained Preacher's Lake near the Charlotte County Airport inhabited by alligators. They found some unspecified biological matter which was believed to be a trace of Pilar's remains. After the discovery, they announced they were investigating her case as a homicide.

Divers also found several child size T-shirts in the lake including one with a picture of Winnie the Pooh. Her father says Pilar had a t-shirt like that with her when she left with Cooper. Nothing else was ever found in the lake.

There have been no arrests or charges in the case. Even though her body has never been found, Keith Wilson was sued for wrongful death by Pilar's father. The suit was later dismissed.

http://cbs4.com/local/Pilar.Rodriguez.Missing.2.1289023.html

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:40 am

Search resumes for missing girl; Suspect now living in Ky.
Four-year-old Pilar Rodriguez vanished while in a babysitter's care in 1999. A man now living in Bath County, Ky. is a suspect.

Posted: 9:00 AM Nov 4, 2009

Investigators will return to a piece of property Wednesday, where they hope to find evidence that will lead them to a little girl who disappeared ten years ago.

The search is happening in Punta Gorda, Florida and police say a man now living in Bath County, Kentucky is a suspect.

Four-year-old Pilar Rodriguez vanished while in a babysitter's care in 1999.

The babysitter told police her boyfriend killed the child, though the child's body was never found.

That man, Keith Wilson, now lives in Kentucky.

Family members of Wilson now live on that property that is being searched in Florida.

Wilson has denied any involvement in the case. He has never been charged.

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/69070177.html

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:45 am

Endangered Missing
PILAR RODRIGUEZ

DOB: Feb 5, 1995
Missing: Jan 30, 1999
Age Now: 14
Sex: Female
Race: White/Hisp
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Height: 3'0" (91 cm)
Weight: 35 lbs (16 kg)
Missing From:
HOLLYWOOD
FL
United States
Age Progressed

Pilar's photo is shown age-progressed to 11 years. She was last seen in the company of a female babysitter. The babysitter has been located in Wisconsin but the child is still missing. Pilar has a red birthmark on her forehead, between her eyebrows.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Charlotte County Sheriff's Office (Florida) - 1-941-639-2101

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=860724&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US