Missing Girl: Kara Kopetsky - MO - 05/04/2007
Started by
Denise
, Jun 06 2007 07:17 PM
98 replies to this topic
#51
Linda
Linda
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Posted 03 May 2008 - 09:35 PM
http://www.kansascit...ory/604165.html
Family and friends of missing teen share an unwanted bond
May. 03, 2008
Rhonda Beckford still pays the bill for her daughter’s cell phone, but Kara Kopetsky has not answered that phone for a year now.
Undeterred, Beckford puts the $49.57 on her debit card each month. She even dialed the number about a month ago. Just in case. As with countless other calls over the past year, it rolled into Kara’s voice mail.
In that sense, nothing has changed since Kara vanished that Friday — May 4, 2007.
Security cameras captured her in Belton High School, heading for an exit. That was the last she was seen, as far as anybody knows. Police have no better idea of her whereabouts today than the day they got the call. Tips and sightings come in and are investigated, they say, but don’t lead anywhere. In that sense, too, nothing has changed.
But in many other ways, things have changed in the past year for Kara’s family and friends.
“Just watching the news is different … you empathize more,†Beckford said. “Before, you would see something and change the channel because it doesn’t affect you.â€
Indeed, Beckford now finds herself connected to strangers in the news, whether it’s a relative of a missing person or anybody who has suffered the loss of a loved one. In the past 12 months, Beckford and her husband — Kara’s stepfather, Jim Beckford — met relatives of more than a half-dozen other well-known missing people or crime victims such as Shawn Hornbeck, Kelsey Smith, Summer Shipp, Sam and Lindsey Porter and others.
“It helps to talk to people who understand how you feel,†Rhonda Beckford said.
At first, she didn’t realize that. In the weeks after Kara disappeared, Rhonda Beckford received a call from Pam Akers, the mother of Hornbeck, a St. Louis area teenager. He was missing for more than four years until found alive in 2007.
“She wanted to know if there was anything the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation could do for us,†Beckford said. “At that time, I had a lot of people calling asking if they could help. All I could say is, ‘Tell me where Kara is.’ I didn’t know what else to say.â€
As the months passed, Beckford learned to accept support from Akers, such as learning new ways to keep Kara’s face in front of the public. Recently, the Beckfords traveled across the state to meet with Akers after learning that Kara’s photo would grace the hood of a race car motoring around dirt tracks of Missouri.
“People in these situations need to pull together and rely on each other,†said Jim Beckford.
While the Beckfords now find themselves part of a community that shares an unwanted bond, they also find themselves the objects of interest for strangers.
“We go anywhere at all, and you can tell people recognize us,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Some people approach, offering sympathy and prayers. Some, perhaps in an awkward attempt to provide hope, speculate that Kara simply ran away. Rhonda Beckford usually smiles and says, “Thanks.†Instead, she would like to tell those strangers that her daughter didn’t run away.
The Beckfords have grown accustomed to such moments, even at United Parcel Service in Lenexa, where they have worked a combined 32 years.
“A lot of people at work say, ‘We don’t know how to talk to you; we don’t know what to say,’ †Jim Beckford said. “I tell them, ‘Talk to us like you always do. It’s OK to talk about it.’ â€
Some interactions, though, are more poignant. Like the time Kara’s brother, Thomas, 9, noticed his mom crying as she sat at the computer. She was reading messages on Kara’s page on the social network Web site MySpace.com.
“He came over and said, ‘That’s enough, Mom,’ †Rhonda Beckford recalled. “He’s been exposed to all of this. He knows we are hurting, and we know he’s hurting.â€
A boy who enjoyed playing Xbox video games with his sister as much as fussing with her was forced to stand tall for Mom and Dad.
Some changes have been welcome: “My faith has grown in leaps and bounds,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Some have not: Last year, the family skipped their annual summer canoe trip, and trips to the lake these days are rare.
“It’s just a matter of your priorities changing,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Priorities. Before Kara disappeared, Crystal Evans’ biggest priority when logging on to MySpace each day was to catch up on the latest gossip. Evans — who met Kara in eighth-grade band class and became her best friend before moving to Nebraska — eagerly anticipated messages from back in Belton. They swapped tales of schools, parents, jobs and boyfriends.
When Kara disappeared, Evans continued to log on to MySpace every day, but with a greater sense of purpose. She started a separate page on the site to get the word out about Kara, hoping someone online would provide a clue.
“It used to be I’d get on there every single night, and there would be a ton of messages,†she said. “I don’t get on there as much now.â€
Evans, 18, finds her emotions tugged between fear that Kara was abducted and murdered, and confusion over the possibility that she ran away but chose not to contact her family or friends.
Evans has not come up with anything that makes sense.
Belton police Sgt. Brad Swanson, too, has seen nothing to suggest that Kara ran away.
“She didn’t take any extra clothes, didn’t take cigarettes, didn’t get money out of her bank account,†Swanson said. “She didn’t do the things runaways do.â€
He said he has heard of cases in which someone deliberately vanishes without a trace.
“But they are typically older,†he said. “Not a girl that’s barely 17 with no car, no money, no way to do the things that she needs to do to live.â€
Nothing, though, points to Kara as the victim of a crime, he said. Nobody reported seeing her forced into a car. None of her belongings was found strewn along the sidestreets that run the half-mile between Belton High School and her home.
Police continue to get leads in the case, Swanson said, including one in the past few weeks. In the past year, detectives have received reports of sightings from Idaho to Pleasant Hill.
Officers immediately tried to verify the sightings, using the help of officers in other jurisdictions or the FBI. The most police were able to accomplish was track the sightings to females who resembled Kara.
For now, police are stuck waiting for that tip that would break the case open — just as they were in the first days after Kara disappeared. For them, too, nothing has changed.
This afternoon, at a walk to mark the anniversary of Kara’s disappearance, Rhonda Beckford will talk about her daughter. She will accept hugs from total strangers.
Then she will return home and wait for the day a call comes from Kara’s cell phone.
Walk set today
Family and supporters of Kara Kopetsky today will participate in a walk to mark the one-year anniversary of her disappearance.
The group will meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Cedar Tree Square shopping center on Missouri 58 and walk to the intersection with Y Highway and back.
Anyone with information on Kara’s whereabouts is asked to call the Belton Police Department at 816-331-1500 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477). A $25,000 reward is available.
Family and friends of missing teen share an unwanted bond
May. 03, 2008
Rhonda Beckford still pays the bill for her daughter’s cell phone, but Kara Kopetsky has not answered that phone for a year now.
Undeterred, Beckford puts the $49.57 on her debit card each month. She even dialed the number about a month ago. Just in case. As with countless other calls over the past year, it rolled into Kara’s voice mail.
In that sense, nothing has changed since Kara vanished that Friday — May 4, 2007.
Security cameras captured her in Belton High School, heading for an exit. That was the last she was seen, as far as anybody knows. Police have no better idea of her whereabouts today than the day they got the call. Tips and sightings come in and are investigated, they say, but don’t lead anywhere. In that sense, too, nothing has changed.
But in many other ways, things have changed in the past year for Kara’s family and friends.
“Just watching the news is different … you empathize more,†Beckford said. “Before, you would see something and change the channel because it doesn’t affect you.â€
Indeed, Beckford now finds herself connected to strangers in the news, whether it’s a relative of a missing person or anybody who has suffered the loss of a loved one. In the past 12 months, Beckford and her husband — Kara’s stepfather, Jim Beckford — met relatives of more than a half-dozen other well-known missing people or crime victims such as Shawn Hornbeck, Kelsey Smith, Summer Shipp, Sam and Lindsey Porter and others.
“It helps to talk to people who understand how you feel,†Rhonda Beckford said.
At first, she didn’t realize that. In the weeks after Kara disappeared, Rhonda Beckford received a call from Pam Akers, the mother of Hornbeck, a St. Louis area teenager. He was missing for more than four years until found alive in 2007.
“She wanted to know if there was anything the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation could do for us,†Beckford said. “At that time, I had a lot of people calling asking if they could help. All I could say is, ‘Tell me where Kara is.’ I didn’t know what else to say.â€
As the months passed, Beckford learned to accept support from Akers, such as learning new ways to keep Kara’s face in front of the public. Recently, the Beckfords traveled across the state to meet with Akers after learning that Kara’s photo would grace the hood of a race car motoring around dirt tracks of Missouri.
“People in these situations need to pull together and rely on each other,†said Jim Beckford.
While the Beckfords now find themselves part of a community that shares an unwanted bond, they also find themselves the objects of interest for strangers.
“We go anywhere at all, and you can tell people recognize us,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Some people approach, offering sympathy and prayers. Some, perhaps in an awkward attempt to provide hope, speculate that Kara simply ran away. Rhonda Beckford usually smiles and says, “Thanks.†Instead, she would like to tell those strangers that her daughter didn’t run away.
The Beckfords have grown accustomed to such moments, even at United Parcel Service in Lenexa, where they have worked a combined 32 years.
“A lot of people at work say, ‘We don’t know how to talk to you; we don’t know what to say,’ †Jim Beckford said. “I tell them, ‘Talk to us like you always do. It’s OK to talk about it.’ â€
Some interactions, though, are more poignant. Like the time Kara’s brother, Thomas, 9, noticed his mom crying as she sat at the computer. She was reading messages on Kara’s page on the social network Web site MySpace.com.
“He came over and said, ‘That’s enough, Mom,’ †Rhonda Beckford recalled. “He’s been exposed to all of this. He knows we are hurting, and we know he’s hurting.â€
A boy who enjoyed playing Xbox video games with his sister as much as fussing with her was forced to stand tall for Mom and Dad.
Some changes have been welcome: “My faith has grown in leaps and bounds,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Some have not: Last year, the family skipped their annual summer canoe trip, and trips to the lake these days are rare.
“It’s just a matter of your priorities changing,†Rhonda Beckford said.
Priorities. Before Kara disappeared, Crystal Evans’ biggest priority when logging on to MySpace each day was to catch up on the latest gossip. Evans — who met Kara in eighth-grade band class and became her best friend before moving to Nebraska — eagerly anticipated messages from back in Belton. They swapped tales of schools, parents, jobs and boyfriends.
When Kara disappeared, Evans continued to log on to MySpace every day, but with a greater sense of purpose. She started a separate page on the site to get the word out about Kara, hoping someone online would provide a clue.
“It used to be I’d get on there every single night, and there would be a ton of messages,†she said. “I don’t get on there as much now.â€
Evans, 18, finds her emotions tugged between fear that Kara was abducted and murdered, and confusion over the possibility that she ran away but chose not to contact her family or friends.
Evans has not come up with anything that makes sense.
Belton police Sgt. Brad Swanson, too, has seen nothing to suggest that Kara ran away.
“She didn’t take any extra clothes, didn’t take cigarettes, didn’t get money out of her bank account,†Swanson said. “She didn’t do the things runaways do.â€
He said he has heard of cases in which someone deliberately vanishes without a trace.
“But they are typically older,†he said. “Not a girl that’s barely 17 with no car, no money, no way to do the things that she needs to do to live.â€
Nothing, though, points to Kara as the victim of a crime, he said. Nobody reported seeing her forced into a car. None of her belongings was found strewn along the sidestreets that run the half-mile between Belton High School and her home.
Police continue to get leads in the case, Swanson said, including one in the past few weeks. In the past year, detectives have received reports of sightings from Idaho to Pleasant Hill.
Officers immediately tried to verify the sightings, using the help of officers in other jurisdictions or the FBI. The most police were able to accomplish was track the sightings to females who resembled Kara.
For now, police are stuck waiting for that tip that would break the case open — just as they were in the first days after Kara disappeared. For them, too, nothing has changed.
This afternoon, at a walk to mark the anniversary of Kara’s disappearance, Rhonda Beckford will talk about her daughter. She will accept hugs from total strangers.
Then she will return home and wait for the day a call comes from Kara’s cell phone.
Walk set today
Family and supporters of Kara Kopetsky today will participate in a walk to mark the one-year anniversary of her disappearance.
The group will meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Cedar Tree Square shopping center on Missouri 58 and walk to the intersection with Y Highway and back.
Anyone with information on Kara’s whereabouts is asked to call the Belton Police Department at 816-331-1500 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (474-8477). A $25,000 reward is available.
#52
Denise
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Posted 05 May 2008 - 04:00 PM
http://www.myfoxkc.c...TY&pageId=3.2.1
Video
Kopetsky Family Talks About Teen's Disappearance
Last Edited: Sunday, 04 May 2008, 5:48 PM CDT
Created: Sunday, 04 May 2008, 5:48 PM CDT
Kara Kopetsky's family talks about her disappearance one year later.
It's been exactly a year since Kara Kopetsky went to school one day and never came home. On Sunday afternoon, her family and friends came together to remember her and raise awareness of her disappearance. Kara's family spoke with FOX 4's Bob Stepanich about how they're coping.
Video
Kopetsky Family Talks About Teen's Disappearance
Last Edited: Sunday, 04 May 2008, 5:48 PM CDT
Created: Sunday, 04 May 2008, 5:48 PM CDT
Kara Kopetsky's family talks about her disappearance one year later.
It's been exactly a year since Kara Kopetsky went to school one day and never came home. On Sunday afternoon, her family and friends came together to remember her and raise awareness of her disappearance. Kara's family spoke with FOX 4's Bob Stepanich about how they're coping.
#53
Denise
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Posted 24 May 2008 - 06:59 AM
http://www.searchingforkara.com/
3/20/08 Statement - The Belton Star-Herald published an article on this date with outdated information regarding the community-collected funds. The article states "up to $20,000" offered by the family of Kara. The reward of $25,000 that the Bank of Belton holds, still stands and will continue to grow with the continued support of the area communities and the work of the Find Kara Committee, Helpers, Family & Friends. This website will continue to be updated by the Find Kara Committee with information about upcoming events to raise funds or awareness for Kara Kopetsky. We appreciate the continued support of our efforts to help the family find Kara.
3/20/08 Statement - The Belton Star-Herald published an article on this date with outdated information regarding the community-collected funds. The article states "up to $20,000" offered by the family of Kara. The reward of $25,000 that the Bank of Belton holds, still stands and will continue to grow with the continued support of the area communities and the work of the Find Kara Committee, Helpers, Family & Friends. This website will continue to be updated by the Find Kara Committee with information about upcoming events to raise funds or awareness for Kara Kopetsky. We appreciate the continued support of our efforts to help the family find Kara.
#54
Linda
Linda
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Posted 23 June 2008 - 08:15 PM
http://blogs.kansasc...-is-kara-k.html
Where is Kara Kopetsky?
June 23, 2008
Missed from the weekend, but there was a rally to remind the public about Kara Kopetsky, a Belton teenager who disappeared over a year ago. The reward in her case now stands at $30,000
Kopetsky's mother said the donation sends a message to those involved in her disappearance.
"If they think I'm gonna give up and go away, they're wrong. Because I ain't doing it," Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother, said.
The Beckfords said it's unlike Kopetsky to disappear, and they believe foul play is involved.
Print a poster: http://www.projectja...araKoptesky.pdf
Where is Kara Kopetsky?
June 23, 2008
Missed from the weekend, but there was a rally to remind the public about Kara Kopetsky, a Belton teenager who disappeared over a year ago. The reward in her case now stands at $30,000
Kopetsky's mother said the donation sends a message to those involved in her disappearance.
"If they think I'm gonna give up and go away, they're wrong. Because I ain't doing it," Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother, said.
The Beckfords said it's unlike Kopetsky to disappear, and they believe foul play is involved.
Print a poster: http://www.projectja...araKoptesky.pdf
#55
Linda
Linda
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Posted 23 June 2008 - 08:16 PM
http://www.myfoxkc.c...TY&pageId=3.2.1
Reward in Belton Teen's Disappearance Raised to $30K
BELTON, Mo. -- With all leads exhausted in the bizarre disappearance of a Belton teen, her family holds out hope that more cash and community awareness will lead to finding their loved one.
Kara Kopetsky hasn't been seen since she left Belton High School on May 4, 2007. She was 17 at the time of her disappearance.
On Saturday, friends and family held a rally and announced the reward for finding Kopetsky has been raised from $25,000 to $30,000, thanks to donations from her parents' truckers union and the Richards Gebaur Young Marines.
Family said the extra money is a boost in their fight to find the missing teen.
"It's like trying to go up a hill or mountain and you're stuck at the bottom," Jim Beckford said of the search for his step-daughter.
"But eventually, with persistence and trying, you're going to get to the top of the hill."
Kopetsky's mother said the donation sends a message to those involved in her disappearance.
"If they think I'm gonna give up and go away, they're wrong. Because I ain't doing it," Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother, said.
The Beckfords said it's unlike Kopetsky to disappear, and they believe foul play is involved.
If you have any information, call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
Reward in Belton Teen's Disappearance Raised to $30K
BELTON, Mo. -- With all leads exhausted in the bizarre disappearance of a Belton teen, her family holds out hope that more cash and community awareness will lead to finding their loved one.
Kara Kopetsky hasn't been seen since she left Belton High School on May 4, 2007. She was 17 at the time of her disappearance.
On Saturday, friends and family held a rally and announced the reward for finding Kopetsky has been raised from $25,000 to $30,000, thanks to donations from her parents' truckers union and the Richards Gebaur Young Marines.
Family said the extra money is a boost in their fight to find the missing teen.
"It's like trying to go up a hill or mountain and you're stuck at the bottom," Jim Beckford said of the search for his step-daughter.
"But eventually, with persistence and trying, you're going to get to the top of the hill."
Kopetsky's mother said the donation sends a message to those involved in her disappearance.
"If they think I'm gonna give up and go away, they're wrong. Because I ain't doing it," Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother, said.
The Beckfords said it's unlike Kopetsky to disappear, and they believe foul play is involved.
If you have any information, call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
#56
Denise
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Posted 24 June 2008 - 02:54 PM
Saturday, Jun. 14, 2008
Bradley Harrison Barker
Brad Barker, 19, of Blue Springs, Mo., passed away on June 4, 2008. Graveside services took place on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at Lobb Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Higher Impact, P.O. Box 117118 Kansas City, MO 64138.
Brad was born on March 22, 1989 in Blue Springs. He was a 2007 graduate of Valley View High School and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Indian Tribe. Brad enjoyed playing basketball, riding his bike and listening to music, but most of all, he loved to help his neighbors.
You would usually find him doing handiwork around one of his, or his grandmother’s neighbor’s houses. Brad had such a big heart and would always put everyone else’s needs first. He will be truly missed.
Brad leaves behind his parents Mike and Melinda Kopetsky of Blue Springs; sister, Courtney Barker of Blue Springs; brother, Spc. Tyler Barker, U.S. Army, Iraq; sister, Kara Kopetsky, missing from Belton, Mo., since May 2007; maternal grandparents, Eddie and Juanita Barker of Eufaula, Okla.; aunt Cassie Miller of Kearney, Mo.; uncle Eddy Barker of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; cousin, Jeremy Barker of Independence, Mo.; paternal great-grandmother, Hazel Jeter of Raymore, Mo.; paternal grandparents, Jim and Eleanor Kopetsky of Raymore, Mo.; father, Blaine Asby of Pleasant Hope, Mo.; sister Miranda Vanic of Kansas City, Mo.; sister, Nicole Asby of Pleasant Hope, Mo.; and many other aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Online condolences may be made at www.meyersfuneralchapel.com.
(Arrangements: Meyers Funeral Chapel, 1600 W Main St., Blue Springs, MO 64015, 816-229-3276)
Source:
http://www.bluesprin...story/2922.html
Bradley Harrison Barker
Brad Barker, 19, of Blue Springs, Mo., passed away on June 4, 2008. Graveside services took place on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at Lobb Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Higher Impact, P.O. Box 117118 Kansas City, MO 64138.
Brad was born on March 22, 1989 in Blue Springs. He was a 2007 graduate of Valley View High School and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Indian Tribe. Brad enjoyed playing basketball, riding his bike and listening to music, but most of all, he loved to help his neighbors.
You would usually find him doing handiwork around one of his, or his grandmother’s neighbor’s houses. Brad had such a big heart and would always put everyone else’s needs first. He will be truly missed.
Brad leaves behind his parents Mike and Melinda Kopetsky of Blue Springs; sister, Courtney Barker of Blue Springs; brother, Spc. Tyler Barker, U.S. Army, Iraq; sister, Kara Kopetsky, missing from Belton, Mo., since May 2007; maternal grandparents, Eddie and Juanita Barker of Eufaula, Okla.; aunt Cassie Miller of Kearney, Mo.; uncle Eddy Barker of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; cousin, Jeremy Barker of Independence, Mo.; paternal great-grandmother, Hazel Jeter of Raymore, Mo.; paternal grandparents, Jim and Eleanor Kopetsky of Raymore, Mo.; father, Blaine Asby of Pleasant Hope, Mo.; sister Miranda Vanic of Kansas City, Mo.; sister, Nicole Asby of Pleasant Hope, Mo.; and many other aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Online condolences may be made at www.meyersfuneralchapel.com.
(Arrangements: Meyers Funeral Chapel, 1600 W Main St., Blue Springs, MO 64015, 816-229-3276)
Source:
http://www.bluesprin...story/2922.html
#57
Denise
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Posted 24 June 2008 - 02:59 PM
Family Says Search for Kara is Not Over
Reported by: Sloane Heller
Last Update: 6:05 pm
BELTON, Mo. - They took their message to the streets and the sky. The search for Kara Kopetsky is not over. The Belton teen has been missing since May 4, 2007.
And then there are dozens of signs that now line the streets of Belton. The city has agreed to keep them up for several weeks and bend the 30 day rule.
The Kopetsky awareness campaign continues to get financial support from the community.
The local teamsters have donated more than $1,000 dollars. Saturday, the family announced they are raising the reward from $25,000 to $30,000 dollars.
Kara was last seen leaving Belton High School. A surveillance camera captured her in the hallway.
Her parents believe someone knows something.
"Kara needs to be found. I'm not giving up. If the people responsible think I'm giving up, they're wrong,†Kara's mom Rhonda Beckford said.
"We've been running our campaign for Kara for a year and we're going to win," Kara’s stepdad Jim Beckford said.
Kara's younger brother and his fellow Young Marines have raised hundreds of dollars.
If you have any information regarding Kara's disappearance, you are urged to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS or the Belton Police Department at (816) 331-1500.
Source:
http://www.nbcaction...32-3eb5d32ff47c
Reported by: Sloane Heller
Last Update: 6:05 pm
BELTON, Mo. - They took their message to the streets and the sky. The search for Kara Kopetsky is not over. The Belton teen has been missing since May 4, 2007.
And then there are dozens of signs that now line the streets of Belton. The city has agreed to keep them up for several weeks and bend the 30 day rule.
The Kopetsky awareness campaign continues to get financial support from the community.
The local teamsters have donated more than $1,000 dollars. Saturday, the family announced they are raising the reward from $25,000 to $30,000 dollars.
Kara was last seen leaving Belton High School. A surveillance camera captured her in the hallway.
Her parents believe someone knows something.
"Kara needs to be found. I'm not giving up. If the people responsible think I'm giving up, they're wrong,†Kara's mom Rhonda Beckford said.
"We've been running our campaign for Kara for a year and we're going to win," Kara’s stepdad Jim Beckford said.
Kara's younger brother and his fellow Young Marines have raised hundreds of dollars.
If you have any information regarding Kara's disappearance, you are urged to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS or the Belton Police Department at (816) 331-1500.
Source:
http://www.nbcaction...32-3eb5d32ff47c
#58
Linda
Linda
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Posted 07 August 2008 - 06:42 PM
http://www.myfoxkc.c...TY&pageId=5.7.1
Kara Kopetsky Fundraisers Scheduled for August
Aug 06, 2008
The Find Kara Committee announced a number of fundraising events to take place in August.
On Wednesday, August 6, the House of Heavilin Beauty Colleges will host the first of three dates at their three locations starting with their Blue Springs location. Wednesday, August 13th will be held at the Grandview location and Wednesday, August 20th will be held at the Kansas City location.
All stores will have extended business hours the day of their event running from 10am to 7pm.
Hair cuts will cost $5.00 and proceeds will be directed to Kara and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Visit the House of Heavilin website at www.KC-Hair.com
On Saturday, August 9th, Maurices Dress Shop of Belton will host a fashion show fundraiser for Kara at the Life Quest Event Center at 1400 North Scott in Belton, Missouri.
This event will have a $2.00 cover charge and be held from 6-8pm with refreshments available for your donation from Applebee's of Belton. This event is cosponsored by .925 Sterling Jewelry, Absolute Music and Life Quest. All proceeds will be directed to the Find Kara Fund at the Bank of Belton.
There is a $30,000 Reward for information on finding our missing Kara, if you have the answer, call the Belton Police Dept. at 816-331-1500 or TIPS at 816-474-TIPS.
Please continue to direct donations to the Find Kara Kopetsky Fund at the Bank of Belton, 204 Main Street, Belton, MO 64012 at 816/331-4888.
The Find Kara Committee continues efforts to bring awareness to our missing Belton teenager and assist the family in coordinating these events. More information on scheduled Kara Events can be found at www.SearchingForKara.com.
Kara Kopetsky Fundraisers Scheduled for August
Aug 06, 2008
The Find Kara Committee announced a number of fundraising events to take place in August.
On Wednesday, August 6, the House of Heavilin Beauty Colleges will host the first of three dates at their three locations starting with their Blue Springs location. Wednesday, August 13th will be held at the Grandview location and Wednesday, August 20th will be held at the Kansas City location.
All stores will have extended business hours the day of their event running from 10am to 7pm.
Hair cuts will cost $5.00 and proceeds will be directed to Kara and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Visit the House of Heavilin website at www.KC-Hair.com
On Saturday, August 9th, Maurices Dress Shop of Belton will host a fashion show fundraiser for Kara at the Life Quest Event Center at 1400 North Scott in Belton, Missouri.
This event will have a $2.00 cover charge and be held from 6-8pm with refreshments available for your donation from Applebee's of Belton. This event is cosponsored by .925 Sterling Jewelry, Absolute Music and Life Quest. All proceeds will be directed to the Find Kara Fund at the Bank of Belton.
There is a $30,000 Reward for information on finding our missing Kara, if you have the answer, call the Belton Police Dept. at 816-331-1500 or TIPS at 816-474-TIPS.
Please continue to direct donations to the Find Kara Kopetsky Fund at the Bank of Belton, 204 Main Street, Belton, MO 64012 at 816/331-4888.
The Find Kara Committee continues efforts to bring awareness to our missing Belton teenager and assist the family in coordinating these events. More information on scheduled Kara Events can be found at www.SearchingForKara.com.
#59
Denise
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Posted 25 August 2008 - 06:12 AM
http://www.kmbc.com/...785/detail.html
Fundraiser Held For Missing Belton Teen
Kara Kopetsky Missing Since May 2007
POSTED: 10:23 pm CDT August 20, 2008
UPDATED: 10:34 pm CDT August 20, 2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Parents of a missing Belton teenager haven't given up hope of finding their daughter alive.
The family of Kara Kopetsky helped with a community fundraiser to support the ongoing search efforts.
Volunteers collected donations as children were fingerprinted and photographed for ID kits.
Kopetsky has been missing since May 2007. She was last seen at Belton High School
"It's important to keep Kara's name and face in front of the public so they don't forget she's missing," mother Rhonda Beckford said.
The reward for information in the case is $30,000. Anyone with information in the case can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS.
Fundraiser Held For Missing Belton Teen
Kara Kopetsky Missing Since May 2007
POSTED: 10:23 pm CDT August 20, 2008
UPDATED: 10:34 pm CDT August 20, 2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Parents of a missing Belton teenager haven't given up hope of finding their daughter alive.
The family of Kara Kopetsky helped with a community fundraiser to support the ongoing search efforts.
Volunteers collected donations as children were fingerprinted and photographed for ID kits.
Kopetsky has been missing since May 2007. She was last seen at Belton High School
"It's important to keep Kara's name and face in front of the public so they don't forget she's missing," mother Rhonda Beckford said.
The reward for information in the case is $30,000. Anyone with information in the case can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS.
#60
Denise
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Advanced Member
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Posted 30 August 2008 - 03:05 PM
http://www.kmbc.com/...819/detail.html
Rally Spotlights Local Missing People
Tour Remembers Kara Kopetsky, Jesse Ross
POSTED: 5:06 pm CDT August 30, 2008
UPDATED: 5:35 pm CDT August 30, 2008
BELTON, Mo. -- A national missing persons tour staged a rally in Belton to raise publicity for two local missing persons cases: Kara Kopetsky and Jesse Ross.
Kopetsky was last seen on a surveillance video at Belton High School in May, 2007. Ross, a UMKC student, disappeared during a trip to Chicago in 2006.
Friends and family members attending the On The Road To Remember tour event released balloons and again asked the public for help finding their loved ones.
“Call an investigator and get through to somebody and let them know what you know,†said Monica Caison of the CUE Center For Missing Persons.
The group is visiting 17 states in 12 days, holding rallies to highlight 110 unsolved case of missing people.
Rally Spotlights Local Missing People
Tour Remembers Kara Kopetsky, Jesse Ross
POSTED: 5:06 pm CDT August 30, 2008
UPDATED: 5:35 pm CDT August 30, 2008
BELTON, Mo. -- A national missing persons tour staged a rally in Belton to raise publicity for two local missing persons cases: Kara Kopetsky and Jesse Ross.
Kopetsky was last seen on a surveillance video at Belton High School in May, 2007. Ross, a UMKC student, disappeared during a trip to Chicago in 2006.
Friends and family members attending the On The Road To Remember tour event released balloons and again asked the public for help finding their loved ones.
“Call an investigator and get through to somebody and let them know what you know,†said Monica Caison of the CUE Center For Missing Persons.
The group is visiting 17 states in 12 days, holding rallies to highlight 110 unsolved case of missing people.
#61
Linda
Linda
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- Guests
Posted 18 October 2008 - 06:20 PM
http://www.myfoxkc.c...TY&pageId=3.2.1
Parents of Missing Belton Teen Keeping Her Memory Alive
Oct 18, 2008
BELTON, MO. -- A Belton, Missouri, family has been waiting 17 months for news on their missing daughter, and the parents of 17-year-old Kara Kopetsky are working tirelessly to bring her back home. FOX 4's Bob Stepanich has the report.
** News video at link above
Print a poster: http://www.projectja...araKoptesky.pdf
Parents of Missing Belton Teen Keeping Her Memory Alive
Oct 18, 2008
BELTON, MO. -- A Belton, Missouri, family has been waiting 17 months for news on their missing daughter, and the parents of 17-year-old Kara Kopetsky are working tirelessly to bring her back home. FOX 4's Bob Stepanich has the report.
** News video at link above
Print a poster: http://www.projectja...araKoptesky.pdf
#62
Kelly
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Posted 02 November 2008 - 01:19 PM
AAN Notify Sent. Code 39
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
Kelly Murphy, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#63
Lori Davis
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Forum Team Leader
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Posted 14 November 2008 - 03:31 PM
http://www.fortmillt...ory/359454.html
Reward increased for girl missing since May 2007
(Published November 14, 2008)
BELTON, Mo. — The reward for finding a Belton girl missing for 18 months has been raised to $80,000 - if she's safely returned by her birthday.
Kara (KAR'-uh) Kopetsky's 19th birthday is Feb. 17. She was last seen May 7, 2007, at Belton High School, near her home.
The girl's family and friends have collected $30,000 in reward money, and an anonymous donor has temporarily added $50,000 in hopes of someone coming forward with information.
Kopetsky is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.
Her parents - Jim and Rhonda Beckford - said Kara called home the morning she disappeared asking her mother to wash her work clothes because she had to report for work later that day.
Find Kara Kopetsky: http://www.findkarakopetsky.com
Reward increased for girl missing since May 2007
(Published November 14, 2008)
BELTON, Mo. — The reward for finding a Belton girl missing for 18 months has been raised to $80,000 - if she's safely returned by her birthday.
Kara (KAR'-uh) Kopetsky's 19th birthday is Feb. 17. She was last seen May 7, 2007, at Belton High School, near her home.
The girl's family and friends have collected $30,000 in reward money, and an anonymous donor has temporarily added $50,000 in hopes of someone coming forward with information.
Kopetsky is about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.
Her parents - Jim and Rhonda Beckford - said Kara called home the morning she disappeared asking her mother to wash her work clothes because she had to report for work later that day.
Find Kara Kopetsky: http://www.findkarakopetsky.com
Lori Davis, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#64
Lori Davis
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Forum Team Leader
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Posted 14 November 2008 - 03:32 PM
http://www.kansascit...ory/890480.html
Reward increased in Kara Kopetsky case
Friday, Nov 14, 2008
The reward for finding a missing Belton girl has been boosted to $80,000 if she is safely returned by her birthday.
Kara Kopetsky’s 19th birthday is Feb. 17. She was last seen May 7, 2007, at Belton High School. A reward of $30,000 has been collected by family and friends, and an anonymous donor has temporarily added $50,000 to encourage someone to come forward with information.
Call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (816-474-8477).
Reward increased in Kara Kopetsky case
Friday, Nov 14, 2008
The reward for finding a missing Belton girl has been boosted to $80,000 if she is safely returned by her birthday.
Kara Kopetsky’s 19th birthday is Feb. 17. She was last seen May 7, 2007, at Belton High School. A reward of $30,000 has been collected by family and friends, and an anonymous donor has temporarily added $50,000 to encourage someone to come forward with information.
Call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (816-474-8477).
Lori Davis, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#65
Jenn
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Advanced Member
- LocationOntario, Canada
Posted 18 February 2009 - 05:29 PM
http://www.fox4kc.co...0,1826969.story
Family of Missing Belton Teen Kara Kopetsky Not Giving Up
Megan Cloherty, edited by Jason Vaughn
February 17, 2009
BELTON, MO - The family of Kara Kopetsky is celebrating her 19th birthday, but without the birthday girl herself as her family works to remind the community of her disappearance two years ago in May.
Experts with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children say it's not important anymore whether Kara Kopetsky left on her own ,or whether someone took her and she went missing. They say its important for authorities to assume that she's still in danger.
"Another birthday's come around and its another birthday we dont have kara with us," said Kara's father, Jim Beckford. "There's an emptiness, a loneliness there."
According to Belton Police, there is nothing new in their investigation. They say that occasionally a tip will come in to the police, but so far nothing that's lead them to Kara.
Sgt. Brad Swanson with the Belton Police said that he's surprised that with $80,000 in reward money on the line the people who know what happened to Kara have not come forward.
The reward will drop back to $30,000 after Kara's birthday.
"Everybody wants to know what happened to Kara," said Kara's mother, Rhonda Beckford. "I mean not just us. I mean shes got a bigger family now."
"They go on with their own lives, we can't. We have a child missing, we have an empty bedroom, we have an empty dinner plate at the table. And we're not giving up," said Rhonda.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky, police ask that you call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
Family of Missing Belton Teen Kara Kopetsky Not Giving Up
Megan Cloherty, edited by Jason Vaughn
February 17, 2009
BELTON, MO - The family of Kara Kopetsky is celebrating her 19th birthday, but without the birthday girl herself as her family works to remind the community of her disappearance two years ago in May.
Experts with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children say it's not important anymore whether Kara Kopetsky left on her own ,or whether someone took her and she went missing. They say its important for authorities to assume that she's still in danger.
"Another birthday's come around and its another birthday we dont have kara with us," said Kara's father, Jim Beckford. "There's an emptiness, a loneliness there."
According to Belton Police, there is nothing new in their investigation. They say that occasionally a tip will come in to the police, but so far nothing that's lead them to Kara.
Sgt. Brad Swanson with the Belton Police said that he's surprised that with $80,000 in reward money on the line the people who know what happened to Kara have not come forward.
The reward will drop back to $30,000 after Kara's birthday.
"Everybody wants to know what happened to Kara," said Kara's mother, Rhonda Beckford. "I mean not just us. I mean shes got a bigger family now."
"They go on with their own lives, we can't. We have a child missing, we have an empty bedroom, we have an empty dinner plate at the table. And we're not giving up," said Rhonda.
If you have any information about the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky, police ask that you call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
Jennifer, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#66
Jenn
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Advanced Member
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Posted 18 February 2009 - 05:30 PM
http://www.kmbc.com/...3/detail.html#-
Family Honors Birthday Of Missing Belton Teen
Kara Kopetsky Last Seen Leaving Belton High School In May 2007
POSTED: 9:03 pm CST February 17, 2009
UPDATED: 10:47 pm CST February 17, 2009
BELTON, Mo. -- The family of Kara Kopetsky held a somber birthday celebration on Tuesday.
Kopetsky, who turned 19 this week, hasn't been seen since leaving Belton High School in May 2007.
A tree outside New Horizon's Church has been planted in her honor. Her family decorated it with butterflies and hearts.
Relatives said they're still hoping someone will come forward with information about Kopetsky's whereabouts.
"Today is her 19th birthday. We're still looking for Kara -- she's not home. Unlike other people who have birthdays to celebrate with cake, our birthday girl isn't here," said Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother.
The reward for information about Kopetsky's disappearance is $30,000.
Anyone with information in the case can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS.
Family Honors Birthday Of Missing Belton Teen
Kara Kopetsky Last Seen Leaving Belton High School In May 2007
POSTED: 9:03 pm CST February 17, 2009
UPDATED: 10:47 pm CST February 17, 2009
BELTON, Mo. -- The family of Kara Kopetsky held a somber birthday celebration on Tuesday.
Kopetsky, who turned 19 this week, hasn't been seen since leaving Belton High School in May 2007.
A tree outside New Horizon's Church has been planted in her honor. Her family decorated it with butterflies and hearts.
Relatives said they're still hoping someone will come forward with information about Kopetsky's whereabouts.
"Today is her 19th birthday. We're still looking for Kara -- she's not home. Unlike other people who have birthdays to celebrate with cake, our birthday girl isn't here," said Rhonda Beckford, Kopetsky's mother.
The reward for information about Kopetsky's disappearance is $30,000.
Anyone with information in the case can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS.
Jennifer, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#67
Kathylene
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- Guests
Posted 28 April 2009 - 05:33 AM
http://www.cnn.com/2...dcase.kopetsky/
Teen argued with teacher, left school and vanished
updated 4/28/2009
By Rupa Mikkilineni
NEW YORK (CNN) -- On May 4, 2007, Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old high school junior in Belton, Missouri, was not having a good day.
Kara Kopetsky, 17, left school early in Belton, Missouri, on May 4, 2007, and hasn't been seen since.
She forgot one of her textbooks and called home and asked her mom to drop it off at the school office. She also asked her mother to wash her uniform so she could work the 4 p.m. shift at Popeye's Chicken.
Later that morning, Kara had an argument with one of her teachers in class, according to police and her family. Frustrated, she left campus about 10:30 a.m., ditching school for the rest of the day.
A school surveillance video shows her walking out. But no one can say which way she went, or whether she got into a car.
It was the last time anyone saw or heard from her.
Police say there has been no activity on Kara's cell phone since shortly after she walked out of school. They followed some pings from the phone, conducted some searches, but found nothing significant. Beyond that, they aren't commenting.
Kara's stepfather says the cell phone's long silence makes him suspicious.
"This doesn't make any sense," said Jim Beckford. "Kara was on her cell phone sending texts constantly. Her cell phone bill was typically 80-100 pages long."
When Kara didn't come home from school as usual, her family -- mother Rhonda, stepfather Jim and stepbrother Thomas -- grew worried. They filed a missing persons report later that afternoon.
Police told them they believed Kara was a runaway, and that she'd come back on her own in a few days.
Two years later, her family hasn't heard a word from Kara. She left behind most of her belongings -- money, clothes, iPod and a new carton of cigarettes. Her bank debit card was left in her school locker and her bank account, with $150 from her recent paycheck, remains untouched.
According to police in Belton, the case is being actively investigated. But with no certain evidence of foul play, police continue to characterize Kara's disappearance as an endangered and missing adult case.
The state of Missouri considers Kara Kopetsky to be an adult because she was 17 when she disappeared.
Belton Police Capt. Don Spears said police are looking at several persons of interest, but haven't narrowed their investigation to focus on a single suspect.
Her family says she has no history of running away. They say they fear that she was abducted when she left school that day.
"She is a very beautiful girl and so we often warned her to be careful, but like any teen, she had an attitude that she was invincible," her stepfather said.
About a month after she disappeared, Kara's case was eclipsed by another sensational case -- the abduction and slaying of Kelsey Smith.
Smith was taken from a store parking lot in Overland Park, Kansas, and her body was found in the Missouri woods, six miles from Kara's home in Belton. A suspect was charged, pleaded guilty, and is serving a life sentence.
Police in Belton and Overland Park compared notes but could find no connection.
According to family and police and Kara's MySpace profile, she had an on-again, off-again boyfriend. He lived in her neighborhood, was 18, and attended the same high school but dropped out earlier the spring Kara disappeared.
Kara was trying to end the relationship, friends told police. It is unclear whether the two saw each other the day Kara vanished.
A $30,000 reward is offered for tips leading to the whereabouts of Kara Kopetsky or the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance.
Police and family urge people to call the Belton Police Department's tip-line at 816-474-TIPS. Kara is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.
Teen argued with teacher, left school and vanished
updated 4/28/2009
By Rupa Mikkilineni
NEW YORK (CNN) -- On May 4, 2007, Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old high school junior in Belton, Missouri, was not having a good day.
Kara Kopetsky, 17, left school early in Belton, Missouri, on May 4, 2007, and hasn't been seen since.
She forgot one of her textbooks and called home and asked her mom to drop it off at the school office. She also asked her mother to wash her uniform so she could work the 4 p.m. shift at Popeye's Chicken.
Later that morning, Kara had an argument with one of her teachers in class, according to police and her family. Frustrated, she left campus about 10:30 a.m., ditching school for the rest of the day.
A school surveillance video shows her walking out. But no one can say which way she went, or whether she got into a car.
It was the last time anyone saw or heard from her.
Police say there has been no activity on Kara's cell phone since shortly after she walked out of school. They followed some pings from the phone, conducted some searches, but found nothing significant. Beyond that, they aren't commenting.
Kara's stepfather says the cell phone's long silence makes him suspicious.
"This doesn't make any sense," said Jim Beckford. "Kara was on her cell phone sending texts constantly. Her cell phone bill was typically 80-100 pages long."
When Kara didn't come home from school as usual, her family -- mother Rhonda, stepfather Jim and stepbrother Thomas -- grew worried. They filed a missing persons report later that afternoon.
Police told them they believed Kara was a runaway, and that she'd come back on her own in a few days.
Two years later, her family hasn't heard a word from Kara. She left behind most of her belongings -- money, clothes, iPod and a new carton of cigarettes. Her bank debit card was left in her school locker and her bank account, with $150 from her recent paycheck, remains untouched.
According to police in Belton, the case is being actively investigated. But with no certain evidence of foul play, police continue to characterize Kara's disappearance as an endangered and missing adult case.
The state of Missouri considers Kara Kopetsky to be an adult because she was 17 when she disappeared.
Belton Police Capt. Don Spears said police are looking at several persons of interest, but haven't narrowed their investigation to focus on a single suspect.
Her family says she has no history of running away. They say they fear that she was abducted when she left school that day.
"She is a very beautiful girl and so we often warned her to be careful, but like any teen, she had an attitude that she was invincible," her stepfather said.
About a month after she disappeared, Kara's case was eclipsed by another sensational case -- the abduction and slaying of Kelsey Smith.
Smith was taken from a store parking lot in Overland Park, Kansas, and her body was found in the Missouri woods, six miles from Kara's home in Belton. A suspect was charged, pleaded guilty, and is serving a life sentence.
Police in Belton and Overland Park compared notes but could find no connection.
According to family and police and Kara's MySpace profile, she had an on-again, off-again boyfriend. He lived in her neighborhood, was 18, and attended the same high school but dropped out earlier the spring Kara disappeared.
Kara was trying to end the relationship, friends told police. It is unclear whether the two saw each other the day Kara vanished.
A $30,000 reward is offered for tips leading to the whereabouts of Kara Kopetsky or the arrest of anyone responsible for her disappearance.
Police and family urge people to call the Belton Police Department's tip-line at 816-474-TIPS. Kara is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes.
#68
Kathylene
Kathylene
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Posted 01 May 2009 - 10:07 AM
http://www.wowowow.c...rs-later-279511
Kara Kopetsky Still Missing
04/28/2009 12:00 pm
Kara Kopetsky's Disappearance Still Unsolved Two Years Later
Kopetsky family offering $30,000 for tips and information on the whereabouts of the Belton, MO, teenager.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
It’s been almost two years since Kara Kopetsky was last seen exiting her high school, and police are still "actively investigating" the teenager’s whereabouts.
On May 4, 2007, Kara Kopetsky, then a 17-year-old high-school junior in Belton, MO, disappeared without a trace. Kara was a 5’5", 125-pound student classmates described as attractive. She attended school during the day and worked at Popeye’s Chicken at night. On this particular school morning, she called her mother and asked her to drop off a textbook she had forgotten. She also asked her mother to wash her uniform so she could work the evening shift at Popeye’s Chicken. Kopetsky, though, never went to work that night.
After the phone call, Kopetsky had an argument with a teacher and subsequently walked out of the classroom and off school grounds. School surveillance videos captured Kopetsky walking in the hallway, but didn’t provide any clues about her mode of transportation once leaving school. Since that day, Kopetsky’s cell phone has remained silent and her location remains a mystery.
Police classified Kopetsky’s disappearance as an "endangered and missing adult case" because Missouri law classifies a 17-year-old as an adult. This also means that even if police find the teen, they cannot force her to return home.
An interesting twist in the case is how Kopetsky, besides never using her cell phone, also has not used her bank card. She left all her money and belongings behind.
Unfortunately, investigators say they have found few, if any, leads, and her disappearance has left many friends and family yearning to find her or, at the very least, wishing for an explanation. A MySpace page has been devoted to Kopetsky. It includes personal photographs of Kopetsky as well as a YouTube clip of the school surveillance tape. The family has also created a website — findkarakopetsky.com — that includes news clips and more details about their daughter’s case. They are offering a $30,000 reward for tips leading to her whereabouts or to the arrest of anyone responsible.
Our prayers and thoughts are with young Kopetsky, her family and friends. If you have any information, police encourage calling 816-474-TIPS.
Kara Kopetsky Still Missing
04/28/2009 12:00 pm
Kara Kopetsky's Disappearance Still Unsolved Two Years Later
Kopetsky family offering $30,000 for tips and information on the whereabouts of the Belton, MO, teenager.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
It’s been almost two years since Kara Kopetsky was last seen exiting her high school, and police are still "actively investigating" the teenager’s whereabouts.
On May 4, 2007, Kara Kopetsky, then a 17-year-old high-school junior in Belton, MO, disappeared without a trace. Kara was a 5’5", 125-pound student classmates described as attractive. She attended school during the day and worked at Popeye’s Chicken at night. On this particular school morning, she called her mother and asked her to drop off a textbook she had forgotten. She also asked her mother to wash her uniform so she could work the evening shift at Popeye’s Chicken. Kopetsky, though, never went to work that night.
After the phone call, Kopetsky had an argument with a teacher and subsequently walked out of the classroom and off school grounds. School surveillance videos captured Kopetsky walking in the hallway, but didn’t provide any clues about her mode of transportation once leaving school. Since that day, Kopetsky’s cell phone has remained silent and her location remains a mystery.
Police classified Kopetsky’s disappearance as an "endangered and missing adult case" because Missouri law classifies a 17-year-old as an adult. This also means that even if police find the teen, they cannot force her to return home.
An interesting twist in the case is how Kopetsky, besides never using her cell phone, also has not used her bank card. She left all her money and belongings behind.
Unfortunately, investigators say they have found few, if any, leads, and her disappearance has left many friends and family yearning to find her or, at the very least, wishing for an explanation. A MySpace page has been devoted to Kopetsky. It includes personal photographs of Kopetsky as well as a YouTube clip of the school surveillance tape. The family has also created a website — findkarakopetsky.com — that includes news clips and more details about their daughter’s case. They are offering a $30,000 reward for tips leading to her whereabouts or to the arrest of anyone responsible.
Our prayers and thoughts are with young Kopetsky, her family and friends. If you have any information, police encourage calling 816-474-TIPS.
#69
Kelly
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- Administrators
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- 7,704 posts
President and Founder
- LocationRenton WA
Posted 03 May 2009 - 11:54 AM
AAN Annual Poster Notify Sent to AAN Subscribers Code 66
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member and receive notifications about missing persons via email.
Click here to become a part of the solution: http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member and receive notifications about missing persons via email.
Click here to become a part of the solution: http://www.projectja.../awareness.html
Kelly Murphy, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#70
LINDA
LINDA
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- Guests
Posted 03 May 2009 - 05:44 PM
http://www.kmbc.com/...71/detail.html#
Kara Kopetsky: 2 Years, No Answers
Belton Teenager's Disappearance Prompts Few Leads
May 3, 2009
Kopetsky disappeared two years ago Monday and was last seen leaving Belton High School. She was 17 at the time of her disappearance.
On Sunday, walkers gathered with signs to try to keep her case in the forefront.
"What we've done is keep the awareness out, awareness that she's not been found," said Terri Mason. We've done a tremendous amount of work."
Mason and other supporters said they've been able to arrange to have signs for Kopetsky installed along two area highways.
Kara Kopetsky: 2 Years, No Answers
Belton Teenager's Disappearance Prompts Few Leads
May 3, 2009
Kopetsky disappeared two years ago Monday and was last seen leaving Belton High School. She was 17 at the time of her disappearance.
On Sunday, walkers gathered with signs to try to keep her case in the forefront.
"What we've done is keep the awareness out, awareness that she's not been found," said Terri Mason. We've done a tremendous amount of work."
Mason and other supporters said they've been able to arrange to have signs for Kopetsky installed along two area highways.
#71
Kelly
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- Administrators
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President and Founder
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Posted 14 August 2009 - 09:23 AM
http://www.kc.rr.com...=12488&CatID=55
Missing Teen Featured on National Broadcast, August 9-15
E! Entertainment Channel Spotlights Kara Kopetsky Case
by Joyce Peters
E! Entertainment presents “Young, Beautiful & Vanished†this week. The 60-minute show profiles 15 cases of young women who have vanished in the past three years. Two of the profiles are well known to the Kansas City area: Kara Kopetsky from Belton and Kelsey Smith of Overland Park. While the perpetrator of the Kelsey Smith murder was found and convicted of the crime, Kara Kopetsky’s disappearance has never been solved and is still an open case. Her family and friends hope that someone, somewhere has information to share and will call investigators as a result of seeing the show this week.
The program first aired on Sunday evening and will be repeated this week:
Monday, August 10, 4:00 pm
Wednesday, August 12, 7:00 pm
Thursday, August 13, 9:00 am
Saturday, August 15, 5:00 pm
Learn more at www.findkarakopetsky.com
Missing Teen Featured on National Broadcast, August 9-15
E! Entertainment Channel Spotlights Kara Kopetsky Case
by Joyce Peters
E! Entertainment presents “Young, Beautiful & Vanished†this week. The 60-minute show profiles 15 cases of young women who have vanished in the past three years. Two of the profiles are well known to the Kansas City area: Kara Kopetsky from Belton and Kelsey Smith of Overland Park. While the perpetrator of the Kelsey Smith murder was found and convicted of the crime, Kara Kopetsky’s disappearance has never been solved and is still an open case. Her family and friends hope that someone, somewhere has information to share and will call investigators as a result of seeing the show this week.
The program first aired on Sunday evening and will be repeated this week:
Monday, August 10, 4:00 pm
Wednesday, August 12, 7:00 pm
Thursday, August 13, 9:00 am
Saturday, August 15, 5:00 pm
Learn more at www.findkarakopetsky.com
Kelly Murphy, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#72
La Vina
La Vina
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- Guests
Posted 23 October 2009 - 09:16 PM
http://www.kmbc.com/...728/detail.html
Is Girl Found In NYC Kara Kopetsky?
Teen In Manhattan Doesn't Know Her Name
Kara Kopetsky (left) and an unidentified girl found in New York City
October 23, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A teenage girl found in New York City who doesn't remember her name bears a resemblance to Kara Kopetsky, a Missouri teenager who has been missing since May 2007.
Police said the girl was found two weeks ago in Midtown Manhattan and has no memory of her name, her home or her family.
The girl is estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall, medium build, has short, blond hair and blue eyes.
The girl wrote down the name Amber, but she doesn't know whether it's her name, police said.
Kara Kopetsky's father spoke to reporters on Friday night and said he doesn't think the Manhattan girl is his daughter.
Kara Kopetsky, 17, was last seen on May 4, 2007, at Belton High School. Relatives have said there are no apparent clues as to her whereabouts.
There were rumors that Kopetsky ran away; however, her parents said in 2007 that Kopetsky hadn't touched her bank account, she hadn't used her cell phone and she didn't take any clothes.
There is a reward for information in the Kopetsky case. Anyone with information can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS
EDIT: Please note this teen was found NOT to be Kara. Kara is still missing! (by Jenn)
Is Girl Found In NYC Kara Kopetsky?
Teen In Manhattan Doesn't Know Her Name
Kara Kopetsky (left) and an unidentified girl found in New York City
October 23, 2009
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A teenage girl found in New York City who doesn't remember her name bears a resemblance to Kara Kopetsky, a Missouri teenager who has been missing since May 2007.
Police said the girl was found two weeks ago in Midtown Manhattan and has no memory of her name, her home or her family.
The girl is estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old. She is 5 feet 6 inches tall, medium build, has short, blond hair and blue eyes.
The girl wrote down the name Amber, but she doesn't know whether it's her name, police said.
Kara Kopetsky's father spoke to reporters on Friday night and said he doesn't think the Manhattan girl is his daughter.
Kara Kopetsky, 17, was last seen on May 4, 2007, at Belton High School. Relatives have said there are no apparent clues as to her whereabouts.
There were rumors that Kopetsky ran away; however, her parents said in 2007 that Kopetsky hadn't touched her bank account, she hadn't used her cell phone and she didn't take any clothes.
There is a reward for information in the Kopetsky case. Anyone with information can call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hot line at 816-474-TIPS
EDIT: Please note this teen was found NOT to be Kara. Kara is still missing! (by Jenn)
#73
Jenn
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- 5,706 posts
Advanced Member
- LocationOntario, Canada
Posted 05 February 2010 - 08:23 AM
http://www.kansascit...ry/1682379.html
Runaways pose a quandary for police
By MARY SANCHEZ The Kansas City Star
A jarring call, among the worst for parents to initiate, woke Capt. Mark Folsom in the wee hours Monday morning.
A 14-year-old girl was missing in South Kansas City. She’d gone to a neighbor on her street to have her hair styled, but never returned. She sent alarming text messages:
She’d been abducted, they read. She had no idea where she was.
Folsom rushed to work, coordinating a sergeant and four detectives. The FBI was alerted; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, too.
But there was no abduction.
Shortly before 10 a.m., officers spotted the young woman walking. She admitted concocting the texts, staying out all night.
Tally one toward the shocking number of approximately 900 runaway cases Kansas City police expect this year. That’s about three a day.
Contrary to assumptions, just taking off does not qualify as a juvenile crime. In this case, however, the girl is facing possible juvenile charges for the bogus texts. I doubt she realized the massive waste of time her little excursion cost, including nearly 18 hours of police overtime.
Virtually all of these cases involve teenagers, most struggling with family dramas — issues for counselors, not crime labs. Finding people’s children is not the job of the police when the child isn’t in danger.
For police, runaways are a constant quandary. If your child is in danger, you want Folsom and his eight detectives on the job.
But if not, the special victims unit would better spend its hours on child pornography, sexual and physical abuse of children and juvenile court bookings.
The department never wants to assume it’s just a simple runaway, when indeed, something horrible may have happened. Remember Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old from Belton who vanished in 2007?
But the last young child abduction Folsom could recall was 10-year-old Pamela Butler, in 1999. Witnesses saw her murderer grabbing her, triggering a massive police response.
But those are the horrible exceptions when a child really does go missing. The vast majority of disappearing teens come home.
Folsom’s alarms amplify when the child is younger than 14. Small children do not tend to run away.
“I’d spend 1,000 hours looking for a kid if it was the real deal,” Folsom said.
Problem is, deciphering the real deal.
Parents understandably panic when a child runs away, sometimes without thinking of all the possibilities first.
But some call to report their teenager gone, and that they know where he or she is holed up. Kansas City doesn’t tally those calls in runaway statistics.
If you know where your child is, they aren’t missing.
Go get them.
Runaways pose a quandary for police
By MARY SANCHEZ The Kansas City Star
A jarring call, among the worst for parents to initiate, woke Capt. Mark Folsom in the wee hours Monday morning.
A 14-year-old girl was missing in South Kansas City. She’d gone to a neighbor on her street to have her hair styled, but never returned. She sent alarming text messages:
She’d been abducted, they read. She had no idea where she was.
Folsom rushed to work, coordinating a sergeant and four detectives. The FBI was alerted; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, too.
But there was no abduction.
Shortly before 10 a.m., officers spotted the young woman walking. She admitted concocting the texts, staying out all night.
Tally one toward the shocking number of approximately 900 runaway cases Kansas City police expect this year. That’s about three a day.
Contrary to assumptions, just taking off does not qualify as a juvenile crime. In this case, however, the girl is facing possible juvenile charges for the bogus texts. I doubt she realized the massive waste of time her little excursion cost, including nearly 18 hours of police overtime.
Virtually all of these cases involve teenagers, most struggling with family dramas — issues for counselors, not crime labs. Finding people’s children is not the job of the police when the child isn’t in danger.
For police, runaways are a constant quandary. If your child is in danger, you want Folsom and his eight detectives on the job.
But if not, the special victims unit would better spend its hours on child pornography, sexual and physical abuse of children and juvenile court bookings.
The department never wants to assume it’s just a simple runaway, when indeed, something horrible may have happened. Remember Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old from Belton who vanished in 2007?
But the last young child abduction Folsom could recall was 10-year-old Pamela Butler, in 1999. Witnesses saw her murderer grabbing her, triggering a massive police response.
But those are the horrible exceptions when a child really does go missing. The vast majority of disappearing teens come home.
Folsom’s alarms amplify when the child is younger than 14. Small children do not tend to run away.
“I’d spend 1,000 hours looking for a kid if it was the real deal,” Folsom said.
Problem is, deciphering the real deal.
Parents understandably panic when a child runs away, sometimes without thinking of all the possibilities first.
But some call to report their teenager gone, and that they know where he or she is holed up. Kansas City doesn’t tally those calls in runaway statistics.
If you know where your child is, they aren’t missing.
Go get them.
Jennifer, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#74
Jenn
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Advanced Member
- LocationOntario, Canada
Posted 15 March 2010 - 05:59 AM
NamUs profile for Kara: https://www.findthem....org/cases/1056
Jennifer, Project Jason Forum Moderator
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
www.projectjason.org
Help us for free when you shop online or do a websearch:
http://www.goodsearc...harityid=857029
Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member
http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
#75
Kelly
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- Administrators
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- 7,704 posts
President and Founder
- LocationRenton WA
Posted 07 April 2010 - 10:38 AM
http://www.kansascit...ed-to-kara.html
Large search near old Richards-Gebaur base connected to Kara Kopetsky case
By DONALD BRADLEY JAMES HART and ROBERT A. CRONKLETON
The Kansas City Star
4/7/2010
More than 220 officers with area law enforcement agencies are searching a wooded area in southern Kansas City in connection to the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky nearly three ago.
Officers are searching the 400-acre area just east of the former Richards-Gebaur airport, near East 155th Street and U.S. 71.
The area has been searched before in relationship to Kara’s disappearance “but never a shoulder-to-shoulder grid search,” said FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton.
This particular land has come up consistently in the investigation, she said.
Officials started searching the area about 9 a.m. and are expected to continue into the mid-afternoon. Searchers are from Belton police, FBI, Missouri Highway Patrol, Kansas City police, Cass County Sheriff, Blue River Police Academy and United States Marine Corps.
The searchers lined up on the south side of the area, about an arm’s length apart. They then marched north in unison, cutting a quarter-mile swath through the area, which is made up of dense brush and woods on hilly land.
Rhonda Beckford, Kara’s mother, said Belton police told them last week that police would be back out in force today.
“It’s just an area that they wanted to search,” she said. Her husband, Jim Beckford, said they did not know what led police to that area, or why they’re doing it now. He said it’s possible authorities are going over the area to rule it out.
“Just the emotional strain of not knowing pulls on you,” Beckford said, adding that he and his wife just “try to count their blessings.”
His wife doubted that she would go to the scene today as to not distract the searchers. “I try not to jump to conclusions. I just wait to get a phone call.
“As a mother, it’s painful,” she said. “It’s been three years.”
Kara was 17 years old when last seen at Belton High School on May 4, 2007, on security cameras heading for an exit.
Family and friends are planning a walk in her memory at 2 p.m. May 2 at the Cedar Tree Shopping Center in Belton. The annual event is a way to honor her and keep the case in the public eye.
Large search near old Richards-Gebaur base connected to Kara Kopetsky case
By DONALD BRADLEY JAMES HART and ROBERT A. CRONKLETON
The Kansas City Star
4/7/2010
More than 220 officers with area law enforcement agencies are searching a wooded area in southern Kansas City in connection to the disappearance of Kara Kopetsky nearly three ago.
Officers are searching the 400-acre area just east of the former Richards-Gebaur airport, near East 155th Street and U.S. 71.
The area has been searched before in relationship to Kara’s disappearance “but never a shoulder-to-shoulder grid search,” said FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton.
This particular land has come up consistently in the investigation, she said.
Officials started searching the area about 9 a.m. and are expected to continue into the mid-afternoon. Searchers are from Belton police, FBI, Missouri Highway Patrol, Kansas City police, Cass County Sheriff, Blue River Police Academy and United States Marine Corps.
The searchers lined up on the south side of the area, about an arm’s length apart. They then marched north in unison, cutting a quarter-mile swath through the area, which is made up of dense brush and woods on hilly land.
Rhonda Beckford, Kara’s mother, said Belton police told them last week that police would be back out in force today.
“It’s just an area that they wanted to search,” she said. Her husband, Jim Beckford, said they did not know what led police to that area, or why they’re doing it now. He said it’s possible authorities are going over the area to rule it out.
“Just the emotional strain of not knowing pulls on you,” Beckford said, adding that he and his wife just “try to count their blessings.”
His wife doubted that she would go to the scene today as to not distract the searchers. “I try not to jump to conclusions. I just wait to get a phone call.
“As a mother, it’s painful,” she said. “It’s been three years.”
Kara was 17 years old when last seen at Belton High School on May 4, 2007, on security cameras heading for an exit.
Family and friends are planning a walk in her memory at 2 p.m. May 2 at the Cedar Tree Shopping Center in Belton. The annual event is a way to honor her and keep the case in the public eye.
Kelly Murphy, Mother of Missing Jason Jolkowski
President and Founder,
Project Jason
www.projectjason.org
Please help us in our mission as a 501 c 3 nonprofit: http://projectjason....y-campaign.html
If you have seen any of our missing persons, please call the law enforcement agency listed on the post. All missing persons are loved by someone, and their families deserve to find the answers they seek in regards to the disappearance.
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