Woods catch fire where missing teen is believed to be

On Tuesday afternoon, a wildfire blazed in the 13,000 block of Munson Highway. The fire was located in the densely wooded area where Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Deputies searched for missing teen Leah Rain Ammons, 14, on Monday. Ammons has been missing for 16 days.

Ammons has been missing since April 18. She is believed to be with a Milton man, Ricky Spears, 43, who has an extensive criminal history including armed robbery, burglary and narcotics violations.

Ammons and Spears are believed to be hiding in the woods off Munson Highway, across the road from the Spears’ residence.

Florida Division of Forestry Firefighters responded to the wildfire with bulldozers and extinguished the fire.

The incident is under investigation by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Forestry.  Fire Investigator Donna Faulkner says the incident may be related to the disputes arising from the missing persons case.

“I am actively investigating the cause of the fire and I am looking at every possibility to determine the cause of the fire,” she says.

Sgt. Scott Haines of the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Department says he did not respond to the fire.

“We didn’t even go out there, there is nothing to connect the two cases,” he says.

“We have no reason to believe the fire is linked to the missing persons case.

When Mark Ammons, the father of missing teen Leah Ammons, was informed of the fire he said he hoped his daughter was safe, “It may make it easier to search the area after the bulldozers were in there,” he says.

Leah Ammons grandmother Betty Stewart says the fire is “more than likely related to the situation with my granddaughter.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement stepped in to assist local law enforcement on Tuesday.

Pete Warren of the FDLE Missing Children Division says they were asked to assist with the search for Ammons by a family member.

“We [FDLE], as an agency, have to be asked to become involved with a case such as this. We were asked to step in on Tuesday morning and now we are officially assisting in this case,” he says.

“I am not sure what search efforts are being coordinated at this time [in Santa Rosa County].

“I can say that I was unbelievably impressed with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department and the way they are handling the case,” says Warren.

Haines says there is no update at this time on further search efforts.

“The investigation is ongoing, however there are no search plans at this time,” he says.

“I really can not comment on an active investigation, all I can say is that our department is currently investigating this case regarding two missing people,” says Haines.

Leah’s family says they are extremely concerned about her.

“She isn’t just a missing person; she is a 14 year old child, in a sexual relationship with and in the custody of a 43 year old convicted felon. A man who is the father of her ex-boyfriend,” says Stewart.

“If he can hurt his own son, what will he do to her?” she says.

Department of Children and Families’ Edna Bassett says there isn’t an open child abuse case on Ammons.

“We are aware of the case and that she is believed to be with the 43 year old man, we have spoken with law enforcement and we have been advised to wait for the outcome of the investigation before opening a case,” she says.

Leah Ammons’ Myspace page is titled ‘I love someone I am not supposed to love.’ She last logged in to her account on the night she went missing and said her mood was ‘stressed.’

There is a possibility Ammons is being held against her will by a controlling man she broke off a relationship with. Ammons wrote about herself on her webpage:
“my name is leah i live in milton and i am single now i was in a long relationship with someone i wouldnt like to mention and i still love him in a way but now that i am not being controlled by him i talk to my friends and i love to have a good time i am fun to hang out with…my dad hasnt really been in my life that much but i know he loves me and he knows i love him no matter what my step dad mike shaw has been a true dad and i love him more than anything cuz he did not have to take me in as a daughter when he meet my mom but he has im not a reakky bad kid i was just in the wrong place at the wrong time i might not act like everyone wants me to but i am who i am if you want to tal and learn more about me message me love me leah”(sic)

Stewart says the family will continue its search efforts.

“This weekend we plan to get together as many people as we can and keep trying to find Leah,” she says.
Anyone with information concerning Ammons or Spears is asked to contact the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at 983-1190 or Crime Stoppers at 437-STOP.