Barron Co. Parents Take Extra Precautions This Halloween After Jayme Closs Disappearance
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Halloween is all about tricks and treats, but there is a dark shadow hanging over the holiday in Barron County, Wisconsin, as Jayme Closs remains missing.
"It could hit a small town, anywhere," said mother LeAnn Lanners.
Taking her children out on Halloween night, it was not ghosts or goblins Lanners was afraid of.
Related: Despite 2,100 Tips, No New Clues In Jayme Closs Case
"At my work … there was a lot of people there saying they're not letting their kids go by themselves," Lanners said.
The disappearance of Jayme Closs, and the brutal killing of her parents more than two weeks ago, sent shock waves through this small community.
Some moms and dads in the area opted to take their kids trick or treating inside the Cedar Mall in Rice Lake on Wednesday afternoon.
"Parents are watching all kids, regardless if they're their kids or not, so everybody is keeping a safe eye out," said Chetek mother DeAnn.
The case remains unsolved, but things are slowly getting back to normal, even though residents must live their lives with a new set of worries.
"It's definitely something that I'm thinking about, but it's not going to stop me from being active in my community and trying to help," said Megan Kennedy of Rice Lake.
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald told WCCO-TV Wednesday that tips in the Closs case have slowed down.
Fitzgerald is expected to announce more details Thursday about the operations of the case, as they will be scaling back some.
