Families of Florida's missing children gather to honor loved ones, continue search
Families of missing children gather at Capitol
Families of Florida?s missing children gathered in Tallahassee on Monday for the annual Missing Children?s Day ceremony. The event serves as both a tribute to the children who vanished and a powerful reminder of the families still waiting for answers. Genevieve Curtis reports.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Families of Florida’s missing children gathered in Tallahassee on Monday for the annual Missing Children’s Day ceremony. The event serves as both a tribute to the children who vanished and a powerful reminder of the families still waiting for answers.
For many, the mysteries surrounding their loved ones remain as heavy today as the day they disappeared.
What they're saying:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass addressed the crowd, pledging to continue the fight to solve these cases and bring closure.
"I made a promise to you all when I first stepped into this role, that I would fight to bring your loved ones home, give you closure, and go after those who committed these heinous crimes," Glass said.
Dig deeper:
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) lists 246 children as missing in Florida. Dozens are from the Tampa Bay area, including Jennifer Marteliz, who disappeared while walking home from school in Tampa in 1982.
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"No one knows the pain and agony you live with every single day," Glass told the families.
For these families, the day is both a time to honor their missing children and to stand alongside others who understand their unique pain.
Among those attending were the loved ones of Bonnie Lee Dages and her 4-month-old son, Jeremy, who went missing from Hillsborough County in 1993.
"It’s like living a nightmare that never goes away," Joe Dages, Bonnie’s brother, told FOX 13 earlier this year.
Longest-running Ambert Alert in Florida
Local perspective:
One of the state’s most haunting cases is that of Zachary Bernhardt, who vanished from Clearwater in 2000.
His case remains Florida’s longest-running active Amber Alert.
At the ceremony, loved ones placed a single rose by Zachary’s photo.
His aunt, who has attended the ceremony for years, shared a heartfelt plea after last year's ceremony. It’s the same one she’s been delivering for more than two decades.
"Please don’t stop looking for Zach. Twenty-four years later, please don’t stop looking for Zach," said Billie Jo Jimenez.
A call to never stop searching
What you can do:
For these families, the ceremony is a solemn reminder that while the years pass, their determination does not.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children urges anyone with information about a missing child to come forward — reminding the public that even the smallest tip could help bring a child home. If you have information about a missing child, call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
The Source: Sources for this report come from the FDLE ceremony, past interviews with family members, Amber Alert yearly reports, FDLE website and NCMEC data.