Superintendent On Missing Teen: 'We Are Going To Do Anything We Can'

Officials at the Southold school where missing Peconic teen Ashley Murray is a student are doing anything possible to bring her home safely.

Ashley, who has been missing since Monday, left a suicide note, her mother said.

Southold School Superintendent David Gamberg said the district first became notified that Ashley had gone missing Monday morning when information was received via a Greenport social worker who called the Southold school social worker about a "text" that a student received.

Charlotte Murray, Ashley's mother, had previously stated that her daughter's last known text was sent from Southold Monday morning to another teen and spoke of suicide.

The Greenport social worker called the Southold social worker, after "appropriately determining something might not be right," Gamberg said.

The social worker, Gamberg said, immediately called his office and appropriately handled the situation.

On Wednesday, Gamberg said Ashley's school community is rallying to bring her home. "The school district is very concerned with her whereabouts," he said. "We are fully cooperating with the Southold Town police."

The high school principal, Gamberg added, had alerted staff to the situation, so that teachers might be "very sensitive" to other students who might be hearing about Ashley's disappearance and be distraught.

"We don't know fully what happened but now, a child, a student in our learning community is missing," Gamberg said.

The school district's staff guidance counselor, school psychologist, and a social worker are all available to help students who need counsel, he said. So far, "a couple" of students have reached out for guidance, he said.

"I think the important thing is anything we can possibly learn or hear of that would get us to a place where we can get Ashley back safely home and at school would be most welcome," Gamberg said.

Although Ashley was still missing Wednesday morning, with no information available, Gamberg said he met with Martin Flatley, the Southold Town chief of police, on Tuesday, to discuss the police department's "exhaustive search" and a potential missing persons' bulletin, as well as the extensive detective work involved in the investigation.

Leads and conversation can be critical, Gamberg said. "That's why I think the sensitivity to what our students might be hearing is so important," he said. "Particularly in this age of social media -- this is where we can possibly get clues and get to, hopefully, a positive conclusion."

As for the school district, Gamberg added, "Anything we can possibly do, we are going to do. It's a very concerning situation at this point for all concerned, and we just want to do anything we can do to continue to be positive so that we will have a situation where she's found and back in school."

The entire North Fork and East End communities – and beyond – have rallied to bring Ashley home, creating Facebook pages and flyers.