Missing Girl: Kayla Berg--WI--08/11/2009

[Kelly]

Gilbert Caravallo and Kayla Berg are Project Jason's featured missing persons for October of 2009. The image you see below, with links to their news and information threads, is on the main page of the Project Jason website. This is one means of awareness for their cases, and with a high average of daily hits to the site, we'll reach many with their stories.

If your missing loved one is not registered with us for services, please click here: http://www.projectjason.org/report.shtml

[La Vina]

http://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20091011200643

Kayla Berg Missing for Two Months

10/11/2009
Alex Ronallo

ANTIGO - Hope Sprenger has been wearing a cross necklace everyday for the past two months, a present from her missing daughter. She says she'll continue to wear it until she comes home, "I have no idea. It's like she just vanished."

Hope's 16-year old daughter Kayla Berg has been missing since August 11th.

"She did not run away. That's my true gut feeling it's not in her nature," says Hope.

Kayla grew up in Antigo and her mom says there's no way her happy, outgoing daughter would have left without telling anyone. According to Hope, Kayla went missing while visiting her father in Wausau. The Antigo Police Department is calling Kayla missing and endangered.

"Everybody's dedicated to the cause and we hope that we can bring her home safe," says Captain Nate Musolff of the Antigo P.D. He says they have at least one person working on this case everyday. He says they also receive tips from the community constantly, "Community is aware of it and everyone's chipping in to and doing what they can to help us locate her."

Hope and Captain Musloff say Kayla's entire family and the Antigo community are working hard to find her. They both say no one involved will rest until they do.

"We're not going to quit until we come up with what happened. It's hard to say when that will happen, but at some point we're going to figure this out," says Captain Musolff.

"She is my single motivation. She's what gets me up every morning," says Hope.

Hope adds she gets through the days by working to find her daughter, but it's not easy, "It's just a nightmare, like I can't, I can't wake up. It's a living nightmare."

A nightmare Hope says she will only wake up from when Kayla comes home.

If you have any tips on Kayla Berg's whereabouts, the Antigo Police Department asks that you call

To do so you can call Crimestoppers at 715-627-NAIL or the Antigo Police Department at 715-627-6411

Kayla is 16-years-old, she has brown hair and eyes, she is 5 feet two inches tall, she weighs about 108 pounds, has pierced ears and a pierced navel and has scars on the right side of her nose and her right shin.

[La Vina]

http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/65285662.html

Finding Kayla May Berg Top Priority For Antigo Police Department
There is still no sign of missing Antigo teen Kayla May Berg.

Oct 21, 2009
Julia Fello

There is still no sign of missing Antigo teen Kayla May Berg.

She vanished 71 days ago.

Now, the 15-year-old's mother is pleading for your help, to bring her daughter home.

Kayla's mom, Hope Sprenger, says it's become harder to remain optimistic every day she doesn't hear from her daughter.

While investigators wait for leads, her family is raising money to help in the search.

"To help raise the reward money and keep giving posters, fliers, anything else that we can get out that might help and that's pretty much what it's for," says Kayla's Mom.

The family is accepting donations at the CoVantage Credit Union in Antigo, payable to the family of Kayla Berg.

Kayla was last seen in the Wausau area on August 11th.

She was reported missing 6 days later, after her parents, who are separated, realized the girl was not at either household.

The Antigo Police Chief says finding Kayla is their top priority, but he says there are no solid leads right now.

"Unless we get more information, we are still going to be handling it the same way and we're still gong to be investigating all those leads and following up as best we can and hope for the best case scenario," says Chief Eric Roller with the Antigo Police Department.

Kayla has brown hair and eyes, is 5'2, and about 110 pounds

If you have any information you're asked to call Langlade County Crimestoppers at 715-627-6245. Callers can remain anonymous.

[La Vina]

http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=11388101

Arrest made in connection to Berg disappearance



Kayla Berg

Oct 26, 2009
Donnie Forti

LANGLADE COUNTY (WAOW)--  The Antigo police captain tells Newsline 9 that Kevin Kielcheski, 24, of Deerbrook was taken into custody on a charge of second degree reckless endangerment.

Kielcheski appeared in court Monday and cash bond was set.

He remains in the Langlade County Jail Monday night.

Police say he drove Berg to Wausau and was the last person known to have contact with the teen.

Berg was 15 when she was last seen in Wausau on August 11th.

Friends reportedly dropped her off near a home on the city's east side.

She hasn't been heard from since.

But despite the arrest, police say they're still checking into leads.

If you have any information on where Kayla Berg might be, you're asked to call Antigo police at 715-627-6411.

[La Vina]

http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/66378957.html

DEVELOPING: Last Man Known to See Kayla Berg Arrested

Oct 27, 2009
WSAW Staff

The Antigo Police Department has arrested a 24-year-old man in connection to the disappearance of an Antigo teen more than two months ago, according to the The Antigo Daily Journal.

Authorities say the suspect, Kevin J. Kielscheski, who resides in the Deerbrook, will be charged with a felony count of second degree reckless endangerment of safety in regards to the disappearance of 15-year-old Kayla Mae Berg.

Berg, who has since turned 16, was last seen on the night of August 11 in Wausau near Colonial Manor.

According to Police Chief Eric Roller and Captain Nate Musolff, the suspect had driven Berg to Wausau and is the last known person to have had contact with the teenager.

Authorities stressed that the arrest by no means brings a conclusion to the investigation.

Anyone with information on Kayla Berg should contact the local police. She is described as having brown hair and brown eyes, weighing approximately 108 pounds and 5'2" tall.

[La Vina]

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20091028/WDH0101/910280619/1981/Antigo-man-jailed-in-connection-with-missing-girl

Antigo man jailed in connection with missing girl

October 28, 2009
Jeff Starck
Wausau Daily Herald

ANTIGO -- The parents of an Antigo girl missing for three months said Monday's arrest of a 24-year-old in connection with her disappearance leaves many questions unanswered.

The primary question: Where is Kayla Berg?

Kevin J. Kielcheski was charged this week with second-degree reckless endangerment after he told police he smoked marijuana with Berg, then 15, and then dropped her off at a Wausau home Aug. 11, according to police reports.

Kielcheski said Kayla called and asked him to pick her up at her father's Antigo home and drive her to Wausau, according to a criminal complaint. Kayla, now 16, has not been seen since Kielcheski left her at a home near Colonial Manor, 1010 E. Wausau Ave., where she planned to meet another friend, police said.

Kayla's mother, Hope Sprenger, said she remains optimistic for Kayla's return and that the arrest at least begins to shed more light on what happened to her daughter.

"We knew eventually he was going to get charged with something," Sprenger said. "I can't explain my reaction."

Kayla's father, Jim Spanbauer, said he is unsure if the criminal charge is an indication that police are close to resolving the case. Spanbauer remains convinced that his daughter would not have left on her own.

Langlade County District Attorney Ralph Uttke said the charges were filed because of Kielcheski's admission during an interview with police Aug. 25 that he consumed drugs with Berg and that she has been missing ever since.

"He dropped off a young girl knowingly using a controlled substance and was under the influence," Uttke said. The investigation into Berg's disappearance is ongoing, he said.
Investigators from Wausau referred the questions related to the charges to Antigo police. Messages left with an Antigo officer were not returned Tuesday, but police have previously said there is no evidence that Kayla was taken against her will.

"All we can do is wait and see," Spanbauer said.

Kielcheski remains in the Langlade County Jail on a $7,500 cash bond. Langlade County Circuit Court Judge Fred Kawalski ordered Kielcheski to not consume alcohol or have contact with juvenile females if released from jail. His next court appearance is Monday.

[La Vina]

http://new.wsau.com/news/articles/2009/oct/29/suspect-missing-antigo-girls-case-freed-jail/

Suspect in missing Antigo girl's case freed from jail

Missing Antigo teenager Kayle Mae Berg, 16

Thu October 29, 2009

ANTIGO, Wis. (WSAU) – A man accused of endangering the safety of a missing Antigo girl has been freed from jail.

A Langlade County judge lowered Kevin Kielcheski’s bond from $7,500 to $2,500 today. The 24-year-old Kielcheski must remain sober and cannot have any contact with young women he’s not related to.

Kielcheski must also cooperate with police as they continue to search for 16-year-old Kayla Berg.

Prosecutors charged the Deerbrook man this week with recklessly endangering Berg’s safety in August after he admitted using drugs with her and giving her a ride to a home in Wausau. Berg has not been since August 11th.

Kielcheski also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. A status update in his case is set for November 25th.

[LoriDavis]

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20091029/WDH0101/91029156/1981/WDHopinion/Man-who-last-saw-missing-girl-released-from-jail

Man who last saw missing girl released from jail
Wausau Daily Herald • October 29, 2009

The last man known to see missing girl Kayla Berg of Antigo posted bond this afternoon.

Kevin J. Kielcheski of Deerbrook was no longer in custody at the Langlade County Jail this evening.

At a bond hearing this afternoon, his bond was reduced to $2,500 from $7,500, according to court documents. He was released on the condition that he wouldn’t consume alcohol, would not have contact with unrelated females and would continue to cooperate with the police department. His next court appearance is set for Nov. 2.
Kielcheski was charged this week with second-degree reckless endangerment after he told police he smoked marijuana with Berg, then 15, and then dropped her off at a Wausau home Aug. 11, according to police reports.


Kielcheski said Kayla called and asked him to pick her up at her father's Antigo home and drive her to Wausau, according to a criminal complaint. Kayla, now 16, has not been seen since Kielcheski left her at a home near Colonial Manor, 1010 E. Wausau Ave., where she planned to meet another friend, police said.

[Kelly]

Project Jason announces the featured missing persons in the November 2009 issue of the CDLJobs.com Online Magazine, which can be viewed at http://www.cdljobs.com/cdljobsonlinemagazine/NOV09.htm  This month's ad is on page 23. The site receives thousands of visitors per day.

Each month, CDLJobs.com publishes a full color ad in their popular online magazine which will feature 5-6 of Project Jason's missing person cases from across the country. The ad has clickable links which take the reader to additional information about the missing person, and a link to their printable poster.  Readers are encouraged to sign up for the AAN program and help with poster distribution. "You can be a Hero" is the theme of the joint venture.

Awareness Angels Network (AAN). AAN, begun by Project Jason in 2008, provides a way for the public to assist the families of missing persons. Missing persons posters designed specifically for the AAN program are disseminated via email to those enrolled in the program. Participants can then upload the posters to websites, print and place the posters in public areas, and forward them to their contacts. The program helps spread the word and increase the chances of finding the person.

In the November issue, the following missing persons were featured:

Lacey Anderson, missing from Norfolk, NE since 8/23/2009: http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6804
Note: Sadly, Lacey was found deceased after press time.
 
Lily Aramburo, missing from Miami, Fl since 6/2/2007: http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=1874.0
 
Kayla Berg, missing from Antigo, Wi since 8/11/2009: http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6746.0
 
Robert Harrod, missing from Placentia, CA since 7/27/2009: http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6671.0
 
Beverly Meadows, missing from Marshall, TX since 12/26/2008: http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=5032.0
 
Thomas Zinza, missing from Emlenton, PA since 2/19/2008: http://www.projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=4391.0


You can read more about this program at http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6319.0

[La Vina]

http://www.wsaw.com/home/headlines/75366907.html

Family Wants Your Help Bringing Daughter Home for Holidays

Nov 26, 2009
WSAW Staff

Watch Video

An Antigo family is hoping you may be able to help bring one of their loved ones home for the holidays.

Kayla Mae Berg was last seen in Wausau on August 11th and investigators still are not sure what happened the 16-year-old.

Her mother is hoping anyone with information on her disappearance will come forward.

Kayla has brown eyes and hair, is 5-feet-2-inches tall and weighs about 110 pounds.

If you have any information on her whereabouts, you should call the Langlade County Crime Stoppers at (715) 627-6245.
 

[LoriDavis]

http://new.wsau.com/news/articles/2009/nov/27/family-hopes-news-about-missing-teen-during-holida/
Family hopes for news about missing teen during the holidays
Fri November 27, 2009

ANTIGO, Wis (WSAU) The family of a missing 16-year-old is still hoping that their daughter might be found for the holidays. Kayla Mae Berg was last seen in Wausau in August.

Her mother is hoping that anyone with information will call the Langlade County crimestoppers hotline, 715-627-6245.

On the night of August 11th, Kayla was dropped off by a family friend at a vacant home near Colonial Manor in Wausau. That friend, 24-year-old Kevin Kielcheski, admitted to smoking pot with Kayla and dropping her off at 11pm. He's been charged with reckless endangerment. As part of the terms of his bond, he must cooperate with police while awaiting trial. None of the leads have panned out.

Kayla is a white female, brown hair, brown eyes, 5-2. Her photo is at wsau.com.

[Jenn]

http://www.waow.com/Global/story.asp?S=11751947

UPDATE: Police interview man about missing Antigo teen

Posted: Dec 31, 2009 7:56 AM EST  by Kelsi Schindler



MARATHON COUNTY (WAOW) -- Police have interviewed a man about the Antigo girl who has been missing since this August.

That's according to a police report.

The man, 18, was questioned by police at the Marathon County Jail. Newsline 9 will not identify the 18 year old since he is not currently charged in connection to the case.

Newsline 9 spoke with Captain Greg Hagenbucher from the Wausau Police Department Thursday morning.

He says the 18 year old male was picked up for underage drinking.

When investigators found out he was a friend of Kayla Berg, Hagenbucher says they questioned him.

However, he provided no new information.

Kayla Berg was 15 when she was last seen after being dropped of at a house on Wausau's east side.

Recently, her photo was posted on America's Most Wanted Web site.

Police say Kevin Kielcheski, 24, was the last known person to have contact with Berg. Kielcheski has since been charged in connection with Berg's disappearance. 

She hasn't been heard from since.

If you have any information on where Kayla Berg might be, you're asked to call Antigo police:  715-627-6411

[LoriDavis]

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20091231/WDH0101/91231104/1981/WDHbusiness/Story-of-missing-teen-appears-on-America-s-Most-Wanted

Story of missing teen appears on America's Most Wanted
Wausau Daily Herald • December 31, 2009

The story of a missing Antigo teen last seen Aug. 11 in Wausau was shown last week on the Web site for America’s Most Wanted.

Kayla Berg, 16, left her father’s home in Antigo and was dropped off at an abandoned home near Colonial Manor, 1010 E. Wausau Ave., where she planned to meet another friend, police said.

Berg has not been seen since.

Wausau Police recently interviewed an 18-year-old man in connection with the Berg case, according to a police report. The man is an inmate in the Marathon County Jail and is in custody for an unrelated incident.

Kevin J. Kielcheski, 24, of Deerbrook, who admitted to police that he drove Berg to the Wausau home, was charged Oct. 29 with second-degree reckless endangerment in Langlade County Circuit Court.

To see the America’s Most Wanted story, visit http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=70198

[Kelly]

Kayla has been placed on Project Jason's 18 Wheel Angels campaign. A special poster has been made for her and can be downloaded and printed for placement. More information about the program, and the link for the poster can be found here:

http://projectjason.org/18wheel.shtml

In addition to the campaign, Kayla was also featured in a national trucking publications, either Independent Contractor or TruckJobSeekers. These free magazines are distributed in truck stops nationwide and have a circulation of about 150,000.

Independent Contractor and TruckJobSeekers are two of Target Media Partner's many publications. In partnership with Project Jason, they each feature two missing persons each per month. You can pick up your free copies at a local truck stop, but if it's far from you, you may want to call and ask if they carry that magazine. These are NOT with the regular for purchase magazines.

We hope this helps in the search for Kayla. Please consider printing and placing a poster in businesses in your community.



Thank you.

Kelly, Project Jason

[Kelly]

A story written by Kayla's mother for the 18 Wheel Angels Campaign:

Dear 18 Wheel Angels:

This is the story of my daughter Kayla May Berg, who went missing on August 11, 2009, from Wausau, WI.  She is from Antigo, WI, a small community in the north central WI.  I can remember that afternoon like it was yesterday!  She was staying at her dad’s house and had called me to say that she was “just hanging out at her dad’s”. She had said that if she was going to go anywhere and hang out with her friends she would let me know.  She said “I love you,” and I told her that I loved her back.  I never thought that would have been the last time that I would hear from my daughter again.

She had left her dad’s house to go riding around with a friend, which was her older brother’s good friend.  So her dad didn’t think anything about it and let her go.  When she never came home that night, he began to call the friend and he said that he took her over to Wausau, WI, because she had wanted to go see a friend.  He could not remember exactly where he had dropped her off.  I did not find out about all of this until a couple of days later.  Now it is Thursday and I get a phone call from her brother and he tells me that Kayla has not been seen or heard from since Tuesday evening.  I start to get a hold of all of her friends through texting and phone calls, and that took most of the night.  I had an interview for a job on Friday, and when I was done I had talked to my son and he said that she was at her friend’s house.  I could just kill myself for not double checking.  Although it was very unusual for Kayla not to talk to me every day, I did not put too much into it, because we had been gone all summer to Texas.  I just figured that she was busy visiting her friends that she had missed so much.  After no word all weekend I talked to her father and had him meet me at the police station to file a missing person report.

The report was filed and the police were convinced that this was just another runaway.  After making posters and passing them out all over our town and surrounding areas, I got a hold of the Wisconsin Committee for Missing and exploited children and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and got them involved.  By now it has been around two weeks that my daughter has been missing.  After pleading and begging with the police that she was not a run away, it took so long for her to be reported because there was a lot of miscommunication between her father and I.  They listed her as missing and endangered, and started to take her case more serious.

It is now going on three months that she has been missing and not heard from.  Her MySpace has not been logged onto since Aug. 7, 2009.  We have relentlessly tried to keep her name and face out there.  There was, at first, lots of sightings and rumors going around.  Every lead that the police had they followed up on and all of them turned out to be nothing.

The house where she was dropped off was condemned, no one was around, no lights, no vehicles, and no person around.  The person that took her over there just dropped her off and left.  It is like she has just vanished into thin air.  The FBI is being brought in on Tues Aug. 10, 2009 to finally help work on her case.  She also has a website at www.Kaylaberg.tumblr.com, if you have a chance check it out.

Although I have family members scattered all around the United States through the military.  It is just not enough. I would appreciate it if you could keep your eyes and ears open to help aide in the search for my baby girl.  She was only 15 when she went missing and has turned 16 on Aug.29, 2009.  Please! Please! Please! keep her poster in you truck and distribute them to places in your travels when you can.  We pray for her every night for her safe return home, and asked that others keep her in their thoughts and prayers as well.

Kayla and her brother are the loves of my life. Without her I am not complete.  I am not a whole person.  I am in a constant living nightmare that I can not wake up from.  I can’t sleep, I can’t hardly eat, and I can not function without knowing that my baby is okay.   

I could never reach the amount of people that the volunteers of the Eighteen Wheels Angels can.  My goal is to get her face and name out across the entire United States, and to do that I need your help.  Best wishes to all of the drivers and their families I pray all of you have safe trips every time you go on a run.

If you have any information please contact the Antigo Police Department (Wisconsin) 715-627-6411, The Langlade County Crime Stoppers (Wisconsin) 715-627-6245, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678, or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-THE-HOPE.

Sincerest Thanks and Prayers,

Hope Sprenger
Mother of Kayla May Berg