Baltimore police are questioning several people, including family members, in connection with the disappearance of an 8-year-old Northwood girl.
Since Marciana Monia Ringo disappeared early Tuesday after her mother's boyfriend dropped her off at school, investigators from the homicide and the missing persons squads have been talking to everyone they can think of, said homicide Sgt. Jack Barrick.
"It's a missing persons case, but it's obviously suspicious," Barrick said last night. "How can you not say that?"
Police have questioned the girl's mother, Milagro White, and her father, Marc Ringo, in an attempt to trace Marciana's footsteps.
Yesterday, police arrested White's boyfriend, Jamaal Kenneth Abeokuto, on unrelated handgun charges. Abeokuto, 22, of the 5200 block of W. North Ave. was being held separate from other inmates last night at the Central Booking and Intake Center on $75,000 bond.
Abeokuto told police he last saw Marciana after dropping her off at Northwood Elementary School in the 5200 block of Leith Road, about a block from her home.
Abeokuto has a criminal record that includes arrests on rape, second-degree assault and weapons charges. He received probation before judgment on the assault and weapons charges last year; the disposition of the 1997 Baltimore County rape case could not be determined last night.
But law enforcement officials said Abeokuto has not been charged in connection with the girl's disappearance, and they cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
"We're talking to a lot of people. We don't want to get tunnel vision on this," Barrick said. "We're looking at anybody and everybody right now. We will not quit until we find this young lady."
Neighbors in Northwood plan to gather at the Stop, Shop and Save off The Alameda in Northeast Baltimore at 7 a.m. today to resume searching the area.
Investigators found a notebook belonging to the girl Wednesday in the woods near the apartment complex where she lives with her father. However, Thursday's snowstorm hampered further search efforts.