Tip on Phylicia Barnes leads police to well

BALTIMORE - The latest tip on the whereabouts of Phylicia Barnes led investigators to the 400 block of North Bend Road in Southwest Baltimore.

The house is vacant, but it was this back shed that neighbors say drew the attention of law enforcement.

"There was lots of them, parked all over everywhere. Every fire department, every FBI, cops everything," said a neighbor.

Police were focusing on what was inside the shed, a well...a deep one.

"We drained that well, about 20 feet of water, put some video equipment down there and it was determined that the tip was unfounded," said police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi.

It is just the latest in a string of dead ends for this case.

Since her disappearance, police have searched for Barnes in Leakin Park, metro stations and neighborhoods where she was last seen.

At this point every tip is viable until it is proven otherwise and a team of city police, feds and the national center for missing and exploited children are doing just that.

Either through a special tip line, or more importantly interrogations, investigators continue to gather tips and exhaust them.

SPECIAL REPORT | Where is Phylicia Barnes?

"What we are really focusing on is the timeline. Making sure every second of Phylicia's whereabouts on December 28 is accounted for. Any inconsistency or a hole in the story, we're poking those hard," said Guglielmi.

And so the search continues.

Nearly a month since her disappearance, posters showing Phylicia Barnes' photo are still up in the Reisterstown Square apartment complex, where she was last seen.

Resident Kevin Fleet says if someone takes them down, he'll be putting them back. 'I have two daughters, one 18 and one 23. And it hit me right here in my gut,' he said.

Fleet has even searched with his dog along railroad tracks that run behind the apartment complex. 'Whoever done it I mean like they say whatever is done in the dark comes out in the light. I just hope they find her alive,' he said.

The search for Barnes, who was visiting relatives who live in the apartment complex when she went missing, has gained national attention. J.T. Bailey says he's holding out hope that the interest will lead to some results. 'Were all on this big rock together, and the more people care and the more people get involved with a situation like this it's the better,' he said.

Fleet said people who live in Reisterstown Square think there's a chance Phylicia Barnes might be found alive -- and that's what keeps them going. 'I will still keep looking. I mean, how can you stop? It's impossible,' he said.

In the meantime city police have sent up a 24 hour tip line specifically for this case. If you have any information, call 855-223-0033.