Prayer vigil held for missing 11-year-old in El Paso County

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.- Hundreds gathered at the church where missing 11-year-old Gannon Stauch and his family attend, praying for the boy to return safely to his family.

Through song, spoken word, and written word, everyone prayed for Gannon to be found safe and sound. Andy Devenport was one of those attending and says for the last 48 hours everyone at their church has been heartbroken since hearing what happened.

"It's really been weighing heavy on all of our hearts just, what's going on?" Devenport says, "Where is he at? Why has it been 48 hours? What're the answers?"

The vigil for Gannon took place hours after about 200 people searched the neighborhood where he was last seen on Monday. Most of the searching was done on foot, but one volunteer drove an off-road vehicle to cover more ground.

The crowd broke off into several groups -- walking through neighborhoods, across open spaces and looking into drainage ditches -- but found nothing.

"We covered a ten-mile radius around his home," says Sara Robertson, an organizer of the search effort. "He left his phone at home, so he can't call anyone. He could be cold, hurt or lost. Some of these volunteers took off from work to be here. We just felt that we needed to do something."

A small group of volunteers searched an open area dotted with homeless camps near the intersection of Platte Avenue and Wooten Road in east Colorado Springs, around 10 miles from the main search area. No specific reason was given for that search.

The Sheriff's Office is asking for anyone with information regarding this case to call their Investigations Tip Line at 719-520-6666 or dial 911, if appropriate. 

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