MISSOULA — The mother of a missing Missoula woman asked for help, and the community has responded.
On Wednesday, Angela Mastrovito, who traveled to Montana from her home in Virginia, made a plea to the public, asking for someone to help organize a volunteer search party to find her daughter Rebekah Barsotti.
Barsotti, 34 years old, was last seen on July 20 as she set out for a hike along the Clark Fork River with her dog Cerberus in Mineral County near mile marker 71 on Interstate 90.
Barsotti’s dog Cerberus was found dead about ten miles downstream from where Mineral County Sheriff Mike Toth believes both went into the water. The dog’s remains are being analyzed to determine a cause of death.
The family is extremely grateful for the teams from Mineral and Missoula counties, and others, that have been involved in the search - using watercraft, search dogs, helicopters, and scuba divers.
Following our story, Mastrovito was contacted by numerous people offering to help.
One person agreed to organize several searches, starting Friday, and four groups of rafters and floaters are set to enter the water Friday and Saturday.
The search party is also asking for anyone with ATVs or horses to help, as well as people to walk the shoreline.
Volunteers will be gathering at the River's Edge Resort in Alberton on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 a.m. and the search efforts will be coordinated on-site.
You can contact Mastrovito by phone at 540-834-6131 or on her Facebook page.
Mastrovito said she's grateful for the efforts of the Mineral County Sheriff's Office and others, but with their resources spread thin she believes a volunteer search can be helpful.
