Investigators look for possible missing children connections to Emery brothers child porn case

MONTESANO, Wash. – Some of the evidence police collected at the three Emery brothers' Seattle home has led some to wonder if any local children who have gone missing could be connected to the elderly men.

Neighbors in the small town of McCleary say old wounds have now been ripped open over the case of 10-year-old Lindsey Baum who disappeared in 2009.

Investigators from multiple agencies told Q13 News no concrete evidence linking the Emery brothers to Lindsey's disappearance exists so far.



The top cop at the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office has been working on Lindsey’s case since 2009, and he promised to continue searching until he can tell her mother exactly what happened.

“It brings back horrible memories and it’s just. It’s just very sad,” said Kristina Greenfield, who lives in McCleary.

In the middle of the small town, a large photo of Lindsey is displayed, easy for many to see.

Lindsey went missing in the summer of 2009 while walking home from a friend’s house -- many families in Grays Harbor County remember like it was yesterday.

“There’s posters everywhere,” said Greenfield. “My kids ask about it so I have to explain to them what’s going on.”

Police say Edwin Emery, 79, Thomas Emery,  80, and Charles Emery, 82, lived in the same home in north Seattle for about 50 years.  They were arrested Monday and charged with possession of child pornography.

Evidence recovered at the Emerys' Seattle home included pornographic images of underage girls, and young girl’s clothing – but also magazine clippings of missing and murdered children, Seattle police say.

It was later learned that another Emery brother, now deceased, had owned a house in Shelton and left it to his brothers.

Greenfield fears Lindsey’s disappearance could somehow be connected.

“I just don’t even want to think of something horribly happening to a child like that,” she said. “I would just hope there would be closure for her mom.”

“It’s never going to be a cold case, it’s something that’s always going to be active,” said Grays Harbor County Sheriff Rick Scott.

Scott has worked Lindsey’s case since the beginning, but connecting her case to the Emery brothers has so far not panned out.

Over the years police have identified several persons of interest in her case, but nobody has been criminally charged.

And since Lindsey disappeared so close to the Emerys' Shelton property, local law enforcement vow to dig deep to find any possible connection to Lindsey.

“Lindsey certainly fits their victim profile and it’s something that we’re going to try to look further into and see where it takes us,” said Scott.

Lindsey’s mother told Q13 News she was too upset for an on-camera interview but posted a statement to her Facebook page that said in part:

“I am devastated at the thought of these monsters being involved in Lindsey’s abduction. But at this point it’s too soon to know. I pray for answers not only for myself but for other mothers and families going through this nightmare too.”