Posted at: 05/04/2009 11:53 AM | WHEC.com
Updated at: 05/05/2009 1:39 AM
By: Lynette Adams
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Boyfriend of missing Chili teen speaks out
 

It has now been nine days now since a Gates-Chili High School student disappeared from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

There has been an all out search for Brittanee Drexel. And still no sign of the 17-year-old. She was in South Carolina on spring break.

Drexel's boyfriend, a 19-year-old from Chili, believes Brittanee has been abducted. John Grieco said, “It is not a runaway. I can tell you that right now.”

Grieco says he's known Brittanee for two-and-a half years and she would not runaway.

“She could not drop her brother and sister, her grandfather," Grieco said. "She knows her grandfather has a bad heart. She would not put her family through this.”

Grieco has been in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the past week searching for his girlfriend. He was in Rochester when she disappeared and is back in Rochester for a day to take care of some business and he's headed back as soon as he can get a flight out.

Grieco has put college and his job on hold. “Even though every instinct is telling me she's not in Myrtle anymore. It's still a lot easier to walk the beach and hand out flyers than to sit at home and talk about it.”

Grieco was possibly the last person to communicate with Brittanee. Grieco sent her a text and she never responded. He broke the news to her family that she was in Myrtle Beach and missing.

“Once I talked to her friends I found out that she walked back to her hotel alone and that was the last contact I had with her and that's when I knew something was wrong,” he said.

Grieco says about eight people, mostly family members from Rochester, are in Myrtle Beach searching for the Gates-Chili High School junior.

He says they hand out flyers and talk to people everyday. Grieco is convinced Brittanee has been abducted and is no longer in Myrtle Beach. “My gut is telling me she's out there, she's alive and somebody has her and is doing horrible things to her.”

No matter what, Grieco says he won't give up. “Everything's been devoted to Brit, so I'm hoping this pays off.”

Grieco will be headed back to South Carolina with his father. He says Drexel's family is coping as best as possible. He says the support from Rochester is helping tremendously.

Related articles:
Missing teenager’s mom: “Someone took my daughter”

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