Search for missing Brendan Santo remains focused on river with more dive operations

As state, local and federal investigators pass the one-month mark in their search for 18-year-old Brendan Santo, dive teams from across Michigan gather at Michigan State University Thursday, Dec. 2 to conduct a more intensive search of the Red Cedar River, per an Instagram post by the Bring Brendan Santo Home page. Divers last searched the river on Nov. 2 when water levels were much higher, according to campus police, and it stays a particular area of interest for investigators. In preparation for the Dec. 2. dive operations, investigators have consulted with experts on topics, including how a river flows and what water levels should be in certain environments, according to reporting by WLNS. Officials also spent Wednesday, Dec. 1, preparing the area for a thorough search by removing wood and debris from the river. The challenges in finding Santo in the water include the river’s fast current, depth and lack of visibility, according to reporting by MLive. "There’s concrete piled upon concrete," MSU Police Inspector Chris Rozman told MLive. "Bikes and barricades and all kinds of stuff. Trees and limbs and just this big heap of mess that the divers consider entanglement hazards." Rozman also warned that if Santo did fall in the river, the recovery of a body may take months. He pointed to the New Year’s Eve 1997 disappearance of 21-year-old Ryan Getz, according to MLive. And, with no confirmed sightings of Santo since he was last seen on Oct. 29, the family urges supporters to not lose interest or focus. "This 'case' is not sensational or flashy," a post to the Bring Brendan Santo Home Facebook page on Nov. 30 read. "There are essentially no leads as of this point. The general public will, and probably has, lost interest. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. We NEED to bring Brendan home." At the time of publication, an official GoFundMe page for Santo has more than $100,000 in donations. Donations will be dedicated to hiring private entities to increase search efforts, printing flyers, family costs incurred due to absence from work and traveling between East Lansing and home, feeding the volunteers and additional media to get the word out, according to the page. Santo, who is from Rochester Hills in suburban Detroit and attends Grand Valley State University in western Michigan, was last seen leaving Yakeley Hall on MSU's campus shortly before midnight on Oct. 29, campus police said. MSU police provided photos of items linked to Santo, including a necklace with a cross on it, keys and a car key fob, an iPhone12 and case and white Converse shoes. None of Santo's personal items have been recovered, MSP police said. Authorities believe he was on foot when he disappeared; his car has been located, according to reporting by AP. And there is no indication Santo left the East Lansing area since his vehicle was found where he parked it. The search has focused on the Red Cedar River, which flows through 2 miles of campus and is near Santo's last known location. Tips about Santo's whereabouts should be shared with MSUPD at 844-99-MSUPD, or Crime Stoppers at 517-483-STOP.