ALERT!: Nine Year Old Girl Missing From Citrus County Florida

Homosassa Florida USA Team Amber Alert -- A family is pleading before cameras today asking for help in the search for a 9 year-old missing girl.

Team Amber Alerts News Director just watched a live press confrence and has this update on the missing child alert out of Florida.

9 year-old Jessica Lunsford went missing sometime wednesday night early Thursday morning. The father and grandparents are pleading for her release. Please let Jessica go in a safe place where she can call us.a emotional plea for the child release.

Little 9 year-old Jessica's Grandmother said the child is well manored well behaved a good child and is pleading for help. We have our angel missing.

We need your help, the public, the media, anyone that can help us get this message out please help us find our baby. 9 year-old endangered missing child Jessica is Discribed as a good child one who would have never left her home without permision. The 3rd grade student Jessica is white, 4 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 70 pounds, with light brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes.

Jessica Lunsford was last seen when her grandmother put her to bed about 10 p.m. Wednesday. Both photos shown are of Jessica. She was last seen when she went to bed at 8:00 p.m. on February 23, 2005. She was discovered missing on the morning of February 24, 2005. Jessica was last seen wearing a pink nightgown and white satin shorts.

There is also now a person of interest in the case.

Jessica Lunsford has been missing for 3 weeks. Over 1000 tips have come in helping track her where abouts.

No person has been named yet, but the person of interest is said to be male.

John Evander Couey of Inverness Florida has been arrested in Augusta Georgia and is being questioned in regard to the disappreance of Jessica Lunsford.

The police report that they have made progress in the quesioning of this suspect. However they would not disclose if they had any information about Jessica yet.

my thoughts and prayers are with the family for jessica's safe return. my opinion .... i believe all convicted sexual predators should not be released and instead be used as giunea pigs for research.

John Evander Couey confessed today to killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford. She had disappeared from her home over three weeks ago. Couey is a registered sex offender who has long criminal history.

Investigators are searching for Jessica's body near Couey's half sister's home. The home is about 150 yards from where Jessica lived and played. The home had also been searched previously and several items were removed from it which were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing.

Couey is in custody in Georgia.

Jessica Lunsford' body has been recovered from the area John Couey told authorities she would be found. Three other people including his half sister have been charged with crimes in connection with Jessica's abduction.

John Couey is now in custody in the Citrus County Florida Jail. He has not been charged with the rape and murder of Jessica yet.