Volunteers needed as search continues for girl missing in Mississippi River
By Heath Allen
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ST. BERNARD PARISH, Louisiana (WDSU) — The search for a missing 8-year-old continues Monday with a call for more volunteers.
Ally Wilson fell into the Mississippi River nearly two weeks ago. The body of her sister, Brandy Wilson, 14, was pulled from the river near the Domino Sugar factory in St. Bernard last week.
The body of Kevin Poole was also pulled from the river near Crescent Park.
Ally’s Father, Allen Berry, is asking anyone willing to help search the river for his daughter to join in on the search.
Allen Berry said he still wonders where in the Mississippi River his 8-year-old daughter could be, and crews are still searching. But even amid that busy search, he returned Friday to where Ally, her 14-year-old sister Brandy and 15-year-old friend Kevin Poole went missing two weeks ago — and peace washed over him.
“I connect more with these kids when I’m on this river,” Berry said Friday near the spot in Algiers where the three minors fell into the river on April 23. “Now, you can come here and talk to God.”
He said he has talked to God often lately. That includes on Monday after search crews found Poole’s body in the river near New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood. He did it Thursday night when search crews found Brandy’s body near the Domino sugar plant in St. Bernard Parish.
He’s doing it again, as the United Cajun Navy and other volunteers keep looking for Ally.
In between prayers, this father is on the Algiers levee for another reason.
“I come on out here every day to make sure no one goes down there,” he told WDSU.
This week, Berry paid for — and put up — signs under the Crescent City Connection bridge. They urge people to stay away from the river, even just for playing. He doesn’t want any other children to meet the fate his did.
“It’s a new fight, and the new fight starts today toward saving a life,” he said. “I was always a man of God, but now I’m closer to God, and now I’m doing God’s work.”
The father hopes to put similar signs on other stretches along the river.
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