BRITAIN: Police across Europe, including Ireland, last night continued to search for the 12-year-old girl from Wigan, in Greater Manchester, who is believed have run away with a 31-year-old former US marine.
Shevaun Pennington has been missing since Saturday and was seen on CCTV boarding a flight to Paris with Toby Studabaker.
Although police in France, the UK and Ireland are on alert for the couple, Mr Studabaker's family in Michigan said he had contacted them to say Shevaun was "fine" and "unharmed" and that he was no longer with her.
The possibility that the pair may have come to Ireland emerged when Mr Studabaker's sister-in-law, Ms Sherry Studabaker, recalled him saying he would like to visit Ireland and trace his Irish roots.
However, both the Garda and Greater Manchester Police played down any suggestion the pair may have arrived in Ireland.
"We have nothing to substantiate that at the moment, we do not believe they're in Ireland" said a spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police at Leigh police station yesterday.
Meanwhile the Garda notified immigration officials at all airports and ports of the missing girl and former US marine. "We have issued airport and port authorities with their photos as sent to us by Interpol" said a Garda spokesman last night. "Obviously because of our close proximity with the UK we have alerted officials to keep a look out for them" he added.
British police also confirmed that Shevaun was not the "S Pennington" who flew as part of a group on a flight from Paris to Liverpool on Saturday night. The youngster's parents raised the alarm on Saturday evening but it is believed the pair were already in France by then.
Last night Mr Studabaker's family said he "deceived" into meeting the 12-year-old and was "very mad" when he found out that she had lied about her age.
Mr Leo Studabaker said his brother had insisted he had never touched Shevaun, and was in possession of a signed letter from the schoolgirl which confirmed that.
"From what I understand Shevaun had written a letter and signed it for him to give to the authorities clearing him of any wrongdoing," he said. "I imagine she's on her way back to England." The missing former Marine was set to give all the information to the FBI, Leo added.