WILTON — Friends and family are searching for a 14-year-old girl who was last seen about 4 p.m. Tuesday at Bishop Memorial Park on Main Street in East Wilton. The sighting was near Shelly’s Hometown Market.

Averi Hewett, 14, of Wilton has been missing since 4 p.m. Tuesday. Submitted photo

Sayward Sweetser of Wilton described her daughter, Avari Hewett, a freshman at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington, as about 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing about 100 pounds and having very short, black hair. She has a lip piercing and an industrial piercing in the top of her left ear, Sweetser said Wednesday.

Avari wears blue-tone Guess glasses and was dressed in a black Vans hoodie and red and gray shorts when last seen. She had a black tactical-style backpack with her.

Family and friends have searched areas of the Whistle Stop Trail, which runs by Shelly’s Hometown Market, and other places in Wilton.

Avari got off the school bus Tuesday afternoon and waited with family for her younger sister to get off a school bus. Avari spent some time with her family before going to the park, near their residence, Sweetser said.

“She has never not come home,” she said. “This is not normal for her.”

Her phone was shut off about 4 to 4:30 p.m.

Two of Laurie Mateo’s teenage sons, one of whom is a friend of Avari, walked from the trailhead Tuesday night in West Farmington to behind Walmart in Farmington. They used flashlights but didn’t find her, the Temple woman said. She waited near Walmart for them until they emerged about 11:30 p.m. The 14-mile trail starts in West Farmington and ends in Jay.

Anyone who sees Avari or knows anything about her disappearance is asked to call the Franklin County Regional Communications Center at 207-778-6140, or Sweetser at 207-491-5264.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.

filed under: