By Tory Christensen
Six days of intense search and world-wide news coverage have not brought the police any closer to finding Elizabeth Smart.
The FBI administered a polygraph test to Edward Smart, Elizabeth Smart''s father, on Sunday, Salt Lake City police said in a press conference Monday morning.
Police said the test has nothing to do with developments in the investigation, but it is common and standard procedure for kidnap cases.
The FBI also plans to re-interview the only witness, Elizabeth''s Smart''s 9-year-old sister.
Thousands of volunteers spent their weekend hunting for any sign of the 14-year-old that has been missing from Salt Lake City since early Wednesday morning. However, Salt Lake City Police said the hunt has been largely unsuccessful.
'At this point, we''re no closer to solving her disappearance,' said Captain Scott Atkinson, Salt Lake City Police Department.
But according to Sergeant Fred Louis, public information officer for Salt Lake City Police, Smart''s parents are still optimistic about her safe return.
'Ed is sure that Elizabeth is going to make it home okay,' Louis said.
Over the weekend, police followed leads in Emigration Canyon and other places throughout Utah with no results. Private search groups began new searches in Utah''s West Desert and other undisclosed locations on Monday.
'We have professional mappers who work grid by grid and decide what areas should be searched and then they make assignments,' said Melinda Gifford, representative of a private search team.
'I don''t know where they are searching right now, but we don''t want to disclose that to the media right now,' Gifford said.
Sunday night, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson held a candlelight vigil to increase the public awareness of Elizabeth''s disappearance and hope of her return. At the vigil, Elizabeth''s parents thanked the community for the overwhelming show of support.
The family community and friends are offering $250,000 for information leading to Elizabeth''s return.
Louis said the police do not believe Smart ran away and are not investigating in that direction.
The support has dwindled as the days pass on and no progress has been made, Louis said. Nearly 1,500 police officers and volunteers joined in the search to begin with. Only 400 volunteers were searching on Monday morning.
'There is nothing new at all,' said Detective Beth Stevens, Salt Lake City Police. 'That is discouraging.'