Northfield missing girl: Items belonging to mother found at Mississippi River park

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Search efforts for a missing 6-year-old Minnesota girl continued on Tuesday, with investigators now searching areas along the Mississippi River in Stearns County, two hours away from her Northfield home.

In a briefing on Tuesday afternoon, police say crews are searching Mississippi River County Park near Rice, Minnesota after items belonging to six-year-old Elle Ragin and her mother Lisa Wade were discovered.

Ragin was reported missing over the weekend after her mother was found dead inside their home on Maple Brook Court in Northfield from a suspected suicide. Since the discovery of her mother's body, police have searched the home and areas nearby without any luck. Elle remains missing as of Tuesday afternoon.

Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliott said investigators have since determined that Elle was last seen on June 19.

Two days later, on June 21, her mother drove from Northfield to Mississippi River County Park. At 3 p.m. that day, investigators say Wade's cell phone shut off and never turned back on.

Two days after that, on June 23, police say Wade had contact with a deputy at the park around 9 a.m. The mother told the deputy that she had lost her phone and keys while hiking and was locked out of her vehicle. According to Chief Elliott, the mother was "conversational" and there was no clear indication that anything was wrong. The deputy helped arrange for a tow of the vehicle to a local shop to get new keys.

The following week, Chief Elliott says family members got distraught phone calls from Wade. On Saturday, July 2, police were called by a family member to Wade's home for a welfare check. That's when they discovered her body.

Police released this photo of Elle Ragin and her mother Lisa Wade as their search for the young girl continues in Northfield. (Northfield PD / Supplied)

Since then, police say they recovered two cell phones from Mississippi River County Park. On land, they found an inactive cell phone that belonged to Elle. In the river, they found Wade's cell phone and purse with her key fob inside.

Police have also found a video showing Wade at several locations between June 23 and July 2. Each time, she was without Elle. Chief Elliott says investigators were told that the mother and daughter were close, and it was unusual for Wade to go somewhere without her daughter.

Northfield police are asking for help locating 6-year-old Elle Ragin.  (Northfield Police Department / FOX 9)

Search efforts at Mississippi River County Park are continuing with help from the Stearns County Sheriff's Office. The Minnesota BCA is also helping Northfield police analyze items from Wade's home.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Northfield police at 507-645-4477.

If you are experiencing a crisis, you can call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text "NAMI" to 741741.