Woman and 8-year-old son missing after van found in the water near Dana Passage

A woman and her 8-year old son were missing after the van she was driving was found on the beach at Little Fishtrap, near Boston Harbor, on Sunday morning.

Shantina M. Smiley, 29, of Silverdale, and her son, Azriel J. Carver, were on their way Saturday evening to meet with her stepfather in Castle Rock on Saturday evening, said Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Chris Mealy.

The next morning, local resident Jim Pribbenow was alerted by a neighbor to the gold 2005 Dodge Caravan on private beachfront property around 10:30 a.m.

“The back hatch and the side door was open,” Pribbenow said. “The front end had gone in the mud and you could see where the wheels had spun in trying to back out.”

Smiley’s wallet was inside but her purse was missing, and there was no indication of where she and Azriel went, Mealy said. The interior of the van was wet, he said.

“We don’t know if she was, unfortunately, a victim of a crime, or someone gave them a bus ticket and they haven’t seen the news yet,” Mealy said.

All Sunday, police boats were on the water and searchers walked up and down the beach searching for the pair, Mealy said, and the neighborhood on Zangle Road N.E. was also canvassed for any sign of the two.

Searchers will also talk to residents across Dana Passage on Harstine Island, who might have seen signs of when the van would have been on the beach, he said.

Smiley had made several phone calls to her fiance Saturday night, Mealy said. Investigators were still looking at phone records to establish where the calls were made because she left her cell phone at home, he said.

Smiley is described as white, 5-feet, 9-inches tall, 140 pounds with short brown hair. Azriel is described as 4-feet, two-inches tall, 100 pounds, with brown eyes and a blond Mohawk haircut, Mealy said.

Mealy said anyone with information on Smiley and her son can call Thurston County Crime Stoppers at 360-493-2222, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office at 360-786-5500 or 9-1-1.