Police search woods for missing Oregon girl

PORTLAND — A SWAT team searched a wooded area south of Portland on Thursday for a 13-year-old-girl who might have run away with a 40-year-old homeless man.

Samantha Mae Dodson was last seen Tuesday night at her Oregon City, Ore., home, and her family reported her missing the next day. It’s believed she willingly left with Kelsey “Patrick” McCune, a friend of Samantha’s father who spent Thanksgiving with the Dodson family, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

The team went to Newell Creek Canyon on Thursday because it’s near Dodson’s home and popular with homeless campers. Sgt. Robert Wurpes said the sheriff’s office has deployed extra personnel in this case because of the cold snap that has sent overnight lows to below 20 degrees.

Dodson has no history of suicide attempts or running away from home, the sheriff’s office said, and McCune has no criminal history.

“Nothing at this point tells us he’s a danger to the public or anything like that,” Wurpes said.

Dodson is 5 foot 4 and 125 pounds, with brown eyes and dyed red hair. McCune is 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He has a glass eye and salt-and-pepper hair.

Though he has no known address, McCune makes money doing freelance computer work. Police say he may be carrying large duffel bags or backpacks with camping-type equipment.

Wurpes said there’s no indication McCune has a car, and the pair may be using public transit to get around.

Clear Channel Communications Inc. plans to put up three “Missing & Endangered” billboards in the Portland area.