Search Continues for Missing Washington DC Girl Relisha Rudd

The search continued Friday for a missing 8-year-old girl in Washington, D.C.

WTOP reports that the search is expected to continue for Relisha Rudd through the weekend as more than 100 officers scoured a 700-acre park along the Anacostia River on Friday.

D.C. police have focused the search for Rudd on Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens after discovering that the man last seen with Rudd on March 1 went to the park. Police also discovered that the man went to the park after purchasing a box of 42-gallon trash bags, among other items.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier said officials are hopeful that Rudd may still be alive. Yet, she described the search efforts in the park as a "recovery" mission. "We are discouraged at times by the amount of time she's been missing," Lanier said.

Lanier also said that dive teams are searching the park's waterways.

Police, fire and EMS recruits, along with search and rescue experts from Montgomery County, are all helping in what Lanier calls a "technical" search.

"This search will take us through the weekend," Lanier said. They are also continuing to recruit help from the community in the search.

Police are also continuing to search for Kahlil Malik Tatum, the man last seen with Rudd. Tatum is wanted on a murder charge in Prince George's County.

Tatum was a janitor at a D.C. homeless shelter, where he had a relationship with several girls who lived at the shelter, including Rudd. His relationship with the girls at the shelter is also under investigation.

Investigators believe that Tatum is still in the D.C. metro area.

"This would be a lot easier for all of us if he would just turn himself in," Lanier said.

The reward for Tatum's whereabouts has reached more than $70,000. He has also been put on the FBI's most wanted list.

Police are urging anyone with information on Rudd or Tatum's whereabouts to call 911 or the Command Information Center at 202-727-9099 or 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).