Sgt. Dennis Green, with the Independence Police Department, said the search was a request from property owner Sherry Sauerbry.

Sauerbry's son Jeffrey, 33, was arrested in January on traffic warrants, but police also searched the residence for any connection to the disappearance of Summer Shipp.

Shipp was in Independence Dec. 8 doing door-to-door surveys in the area of Forest Avenue and College Terrace. No one in the neighborhood saw Shipp after she left one house for the Sauerbry house.

Complaints of odors and a pit in the back yard have garnered a lot of attention, and Green said Tuesday's search was Sherry Sauerbry's way of helping in the search.

"She wanted to help Brandy," Green said.

Green said the search revealed nothing, adding the pit in question was dug last summer when Sherry Sauerbry wanted to build a small pond in her back yard.

Sherry Sauerbry deferred press comments to Green this morning.

To reach Stephanie Howard, send e-mail to stephanie.howard @examiner.net or call her at (816) 350-6392.