help; needed.

[Jesse 'Opie' Ross]

Donald Andrew Ross

Cindy Elzea Young
Im gonna tell you what I am up against in Peoria and why Christina has not been found. A lady called me with a lead last nite. She saw Christina in a store on Sunday. She was alarmed at how bad Christina looked. She was scared and dazed. She tried to approach her but was scared to because of the man who was with Christina. She said he looked like pure evil. This lady has called the Peoria police 3... times and was connected to 3 different detectives and left messages with them all. Not a single one of them has returned her call. That's what i'm up against there. To say I am frustrated is a huge understatement. I left message for the police chief. I really dont know who to contact down there but I am so thankful for Detective McBride here. He will contact the store for vid...eo tapes and view them. Do you all have any ideas as to what I should do or who I should contact down there? I cannot believe she is so unimportant that they cannot even return a phone call.The det handling mer case has not returned my calls in 6 months. When we are living a nightmare everyday and Christina is to. Please pray for her. This lady is positive it's her. I got the exact lead from a lady in another store there a couple months ago. The Peoria police has never spoken to that lady either. Only Det. McBride has. God bless him.See More

If you live in or around Peoria, this mother needs your help. Private citizens report seeing her daughter, but pathetic police won't be bothered finding out if she is endangered or ill. We all have to stand up in the face of official apathy. any one of us could find ourselves in this stituation.

[Jesse 'Opie' Ross]

As the poster says, Never ever ever give up.

[Maureen Reintjes-Peace4 Admin]

Cindy,

That's a common feeling like a failure when you can't find your loved one.  I went through it and still do as do most of the families of the missing. In the four years of my search I beat myself up with that very thought and now I beat myself up because I couldn't convince an uncaring judicial system that my husband of 28 years needs help, needs evaluated. In a search for a missing male adult the family's hands are so tied but now it as if they severed my hands ... there is nothing legally I can do.  

I know how hard I searched and I know, Cindy, how hard you are searching.  Failures we are not.  The only people that fail their missing loved ones are the ones that curl up in a ball on their couch and never do anything to actively search for their loved one, never reach out to others and never try to make changes in this broken system.

Love you....and you will never, ever stop till Christina is home.

Maureen 

[cindy young]

Peoria is pretty bad to Don in certain parts. I really wish they would try at least. It makes it so hard to do this on your own. We are all human. And can only do so much. And no matter how hard I try and what I do I feel like such a failure because Christina is still out there in danger. Being drugged and prostituted for over 2 years now. I love and admire my daughter so much for having the strength to go on everyday. Being trapped in that night mare. I don't believe I could of survived it this long. Just please keep her in you prayers and thoughts. I will get Peoria covered in fliers again and hopefully she will be found soon. I will never stop. Never.

[Jesse 'Opie' Ross]

this is in IL same state where Our son Jesse disappeared.  chicago is a hard city, little compassion or help when your son goes missing there.  At least cindy has had some leads and needs LE to step up and help.

[cindy young]

I appreciate all the good advice. I am not going to just stop and will keep on going as high up as I can. The detective working on Christina's case has not returned my calls in many months.I had a good lead in Oct and the lady was never interviewed by Peoria Police, The det here in Hannibal spoke with her over the phone. But she had an accurate description of Christina. She even saw her tattoos. She is the first to tell us what size she is and how sickly and scared she looks. the man with her had a hold of wrist really hard and was jerking her around. That was a black man. This new lead the lady said this girl looked really thin and sick and also looked dazed and very scared of the man she was with. He is a white man. She said the man looked very evil and she was going to approach this girl to see if she could help her. She seen the man with her and it scared this lady. But she remembered many details also. After I called the chief of police office, the mayors office, the FBI in Peoria and St. Louis the det who had been ignoring my calls called this lady with in a couple hours. I have been told that these two men have her at different times. And in different parts of town. they keep her heavily drugged and are still prostituting her. I do know that these are not the ones who originally took her. They got rid of her a year ago when we found out who they was and det questioned them. I will be in Peoria from Wed - Fri. I am having a flier rally on Thur and Fri. If anyone can help that lives in that area please come on out and help us.Peoria is in Illinois. It's around 70 miles from Springfield,Il.We do have a donation of $1000.00 for a reward now also. I know it isn't a lot but all of our money goes toward searching. It's a start. I appreciate all of you so very much. Thank you all and God less.

[Jesse 'Opie' Ross]

Often difficult to find someone with a heart and determination to see your case thru.  Most of our help has come from non LE sources.

[Maureen Reintjes-Peace4 Admin]

Jan....I actually went higher and higher all in one full swoop.  Pressure is the key.  Also making sure that everyone I contacted knew who else I had contacted.  Play everyone against everyone, pressure.

I think what bothers me the most is in Christina's case, as in most human trafficking cases, awareness can cause major problems such as the victim being moved constantly or worse. But when LE is not acting on tips in a timely manner, or at all, these families have to decide for awareness...they have no other choice.  Families shouldn't have to make this call themselves that is horrible for any entity to do to them to place that burden on a family.

I agree Jan there are good even great LE out there.  I had detectives across the country reach out to me but where it counted, the jurisdictional detective appeared to do nothing.  We made our peace sort of and he did give me a wonderful complement in the end but that guy has little clue how much his lack of action cost me and till the day I die I will have one foot in the world of the missing because of my answer without an answer.

 

[Jan Smolinski]

This is really bothering me .... Maureen did say keep on going higher and higher if there are no results. In reality unless there are some who will listen and take action ...it took me eight  months before they let me sit down and talk with the Chief. The Attorney general listened said he would get back to me and after several phone callsto his office  he never returned my call...the Governor lost my letter...it still continues to this day. It was told me that I am the mom and only the mom could reach places that others can't ...perserverance, determination, Faith and always Hope. DO NOT become discouraged it is so easy to with draw but DON'T they (LE) would like nothing more.  There are good ones find one, two whatever you could find and question, keep on calling every so often to make sure the file does not go to the bottom. Best wishes and  Hope answers come quick and she is home and safe soon. God bless

[Maureen Reintjes-Peace4 Admin]

RaVae....I'll go with you.  Let me know.

[Jan Smolinski]

Cindy we understand the  frustrations for sure.  Every minute, every hour,  everyday counts when it comes to trying to get an investigation active. We have hit many road blocks in Billy's case and still are seven years later. If you get in touch with me I will offer advice to you of the avenues we have taken to try  and get answers. It is repulsive and inexcusable like Ra'Vae said...everyone is important and the police are paid to serve and protect...