McClatchy Washington Bureau

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Twenty-five Missouri National Guard military police joined about 50 law enforcement officers Sunday in the search for evidence related to the disappearance of Lisa Irwin.

Searchers stood nearly shoulder to shoulder as they combed open and wooded areas near the Irwin family home in Kansas City, North. Included were a small area at Parvin Road and Jackson Avenue and a nearby larger area south of Choteau Elementary School.

The effort was being directed by Henry Schmidt, an expert in coordinating large searches from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Gov. Jay Nixon called up the 1139th Military Police Company of the Missouri National Guard, which is based in Harrisonville. Its members have had the same training in searches and evidence as traditional law enforcement, said Rachel Knight, a Guard spokeswoman.

About 15 searchers slowly covered a roadside area thick with scrub trees, tall weeds and vines. They brushed weeds back and forth, prodded the ground with sticks and frequently dropped to a knee to get a closer look. Progress was measured in yards per hour.

Officials would not say what they learned from the search, which lasted from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

The 11-month-old girl has been the object of intense investigation and search since she disappeared Oct. 4.

The areas, which cover about a square mile, had been searched previously, said Bridget Patton, a spokeswoman for the FBI.

To read the complete article, visit www.kansascity.com.