The receipt and publication in the “Poplarville Democrat” of a Santa letter by a child — who wrote all he wanted for Christmas from Santa was a heater — has sparked a search for the child, and an effort to reach someone whom residents here believe is really in need.

“Dear Santa,” the letter read. “I love you. I just want a heater. Love, Kiesten.” The exact spelling of the name is unclear.

Charitable officials and Butch Weir, editor of “The Democrat,” who have examined the letter closely, say they believe that Kiesten is the child’s name. Some of the letters are formed backwards.

The signature is hard to read and decipher.

“As best as can be determined, the child’s name is K-i-e-s-t-e-n,” said Weir.

The letter came to the newspaper through the Post Office, which forwards some letters to Santa to “The “Democrat” post office box.

The letter had no return address.

The “Democrat’s” receptionist, Lynn Burge, said the office even received a call from a subscriber in Atlanta, saying she was upset over the letter and wanted to know how to contact the child so she could purchase the child a heater.

The letter ran in the Dec. 17 “Poplarville Democrat.”

Susan Fuller with Brothers Keepers Ministries, 310 E. Smith St., has also been trying to find the child.

Also, a spokesperson in the Poplarville school system said that they were concerned about the matter and were checking to see if there were any names in their system that matched the one on the letter.

Fuller said on Monday she had looked into it but added, “We have no way of knowing how to go about contacting the child. We have no leads.”

“We don’t know who it is and we have no way of finding out. I wish we did so we could get the child a heater,” she added.

Weir said anyone who might have some information on who the child might be could call “The Democrat” at 601-795-2247.