In a strange and harrowing case out of Suffolk County, New York, the 14-year-old Emma Ivy’s disappearance became a fiendishly desperate weeks-long search that ultimately culminated in her dramatic rescue from the hull of a boat in an Islip marina. Her suspected kidnapper, 64-year-old Francis Buckheit, has been arrested and charged since her disappearance.
A Quiet Suburb, an Outrageous Disappearance
Emma, who lives in East Patchogue, was last seen around 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 9, when she apparently walked outside her home to grab something in her driveway. Early reports indicate she willingly got into a vehicle, allegedly having been lured by someone with whom she had been having online conversations. Emma had struggled with drug use and was wearing a GPS ankle monitor when she went missing, her father, Frank Derves, later disclosed. But the device was subsequently taken away, making tracking her down more difficult.
The Search Intensifies
Emma’s disappearance triggered a desperate search led by her father, who posted daily on social media, offering updates, theories, and requests for help. Frank’s efforts included offering a $155,000 reward and raising thousands of dollars through a GoFundMe campaign to employ private investigators. Then, despite surveillance footage showing Emma knocking on doors at a Bohemia motel shortly after her disappearance, she disappeared again, leaving the family and law enforcement without leads through Christmas and New Year’s.
The Father’s Daring Action Comes After a Tip
The tip that broke the case on Jan. 3 and led to Emma’s rescue came from an anonymous caller who told Frank that Emma was being held on a boat at the Islip marina. Following the tip, Frank flew to the marina where the boat docked, broke onto the vessel, and found Emma on board, alone but alive. His bold actions, although motivated by emotion, called into question safety and protocol.
“The joy that comes over you when you find your child is an emotion only a parent will ever know,” Frank later wrote in a Facebook video. “I woke up that morning and my initial besides myself with exhaustion wanting to quit. Discovering her was like a gift from God.”
Law enforcement arrived shortly after Emma was rescued, securing the scene and launching an investigation into what had happened to her.
Trafficking Allegations and a Web of Complications
Frank has been open about his personal belief that Emma’s disappearance was connected to sex trafficking. The man claims she had been held against her will and received death threats if she attempted to leave. He said that several people could have helped Emma travel from one site to another, including a scheme to take her to the Carolinas.
Buckheit, who lived on a boat near where Emma was found, has been indicted by a grand jury and is facing charges related to her disappearance. He has pleaded not guilty. Investigators have not yet specified the exact sequence of events or the roles of any others who may be involved.
More Questions Than Answers
The case raises many questions: What led Emma to willingly enter the car that day? Who else might have had a hand in her ordeal? And why was she discovered so near home after having been missing for almost a month?
Steve Fiser, a private investigator who specializes in cases of missing persons, remarked on the complexities of such cases. “The longer a person is missing, the more difficult it is to find them alive. Because Emma was still local, her case is rare, a tip led to her rescue.”
Moving Forward
Emma is safe now, and receiving treatment and healing. Her father is also an unflinching advocate, who has been posting updates and relentlessly pushing for justice. “This is not over,” Frank said in a recent video. “We’re going to find out who all was involved and we’re going to make sure that they are held accountable.”
Buckheit is set to appear in court on Thursday, and more details of the case could come out then. Emma’s rescue is for now a rare ray of light in what could have been a much differently ended case.
Be sure to check back in as the investigation develops and justice for Emma becomes an actuality.
