Police, Family Still Hoping Missing Ross Twp. Woman Will Be Found
ROSS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- It's been exactly one year since a Ross Township mother vanished. Family, friends and police have been searching for Jamie Peterson ever since.
There has been no sign of Peterson, 30, since Sept. 26 of last year.
Peterson's two young children first discovered she was missing when they returned home from school in the afternoon.
Their mother wasn't there, but her car was still parked outside of their apartment on North Fremont Avenue in Ross Township.
"It's not a good thing to not have your mother around, and to not know where she is," said Crystal Devine, a neighbor. "It's probably weighing really heavy on them, they are young kids."
"Think about putting yourself in those kids' spot, they need to know something, and somebody out there does know," added John Higgins, another neighbor.
Ross Township Detective Brian Kohlhepp agrees someone knows something. He says the case is still open and very active.
"With the diligence in their work, it has given me hope," Darlene Peterson, Jamie's mother, said. "I do have hope. I do believe my daughter is still out there."
There have been several leads and tips over the past year and some are still being checked out.
"At this point in this investigation, as we have from earlier on, we're really keeping all of our options open, nothing is off the table," Detective Kohlhopp said.
He says Peterson's kids are being cared for by their grandmother.
"They are still very hopeful that we will bring the case to a successful resolution," he added. "They have been very cooperative and very supportive of our efforts."
Peterson's family and friends held a candlelight vigil in front of her home.
KDKA's Kym Gable Reports:
"I'd tell my mom that I really miss her, that I love her a lot and that I wish she was here to see my journey and how brave I've been," Daisy Peterson, Jamie's daughter, said.
"It's just good to have the support that we're getting," Jim Peterson, Jamie's father, said. "I mean, that's what it's all about. Jamie was the type of person who went out on a limb to help anybody and she cared about everything."
Searching for clues and holding on to hope – a task her loved ones are willing to uphold for as long as it takes.
"But there will be a day that she will come home," her mother said. "God will bring her home."
Anyone with information on her disappearance is asked to call Ross Township Police.
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