Volunteers involved in the search for 11-year-old Natalia from the Varna village of Konstantinovo and her stepfather Asen Simeonov have criticized the response of the authorities, claiming that police teams have reacted too slowly to some reported sightings.
More than two weeks after the girl and her stepfather disappeared, participants in the search operation continue to patrol the area and follow up on possible leads. According to NOVA News, volunteer Boyan Dotsev, one of the most active people involved in the effort, said that hope of finding Natalia alive remains despite the long search.
A new wave of expectations emerged after a recent report that a man resembling Simeonov had been seen near the village of Velichkovo. Volunteers immediately went to the area and started searching, but police later determined that the person detained there was not connected to the case. The man was identified as a 45-year-old person with mental health issues who had attracted attention during the operation.
Dotsev said that dozens of volunteers have spent nearly all of their time over the past two weeks searching for the missing child. According to him, residents and volunteers have continued working during nighttime hours and difficult weather conditions, checking remote locations around Velichkovo, Devnya and the Kazashkata River.
