Community Prays Missing Persons Return - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Leah Uko

Omaha (KPTM) – More than 300 people in Nebraska are considered missing and this leaves their families without any trace or answers.

Sunday at Pulaski Park a family and a local organization prayed for each and every one of the missing to return or at least call so they know they're okay.

One family says they are not giving up on finding a girl who went missing exactly a year ago.

"We went out for dinner, we came back," said Olga Valle. "She grabbed a glass of water and she sat at the table and she said she was going to go to bed."

This was the last time Olga Valle saw her daughter Cindy—August 26^th last year.

Sunday—still unsure where Cindy went and with whom—Valle and her family prayed she comes homes safely.

"I just want to know if she is still alive," said Valle. "I want to tell her that I love you and I miss her and I want her back home with her baby."

Valle said when Cindy left home she was about six months pregnant. Though this news was a surprise, Valle said there was no argument about it.

The family attended a vigil in Pulaski Park to pray for Cindy and all the people who have disappeared in Nebraska.

"A Hand to Hold" is the organization that hosts the vigil.

Sunday they put up a poster board for the public to see—with a list of every missing person's name and highlighting the most recent.

"In this year 150 people missing just this year alone," said Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan with A Hand to Hold.

They set 303 candles on a table to represent every missing person in Nebraska. They hope events like these will help find them.

"303 when you really look at that and you see that number and you see all these candles," said Barrientos-Patlan. "They learn by hearing, they learn by sight. And hopefully a name will trigger."

Although A Hand to Hold has helped some families reunite, they said they can't tackle 303 cases without help from the community.

Valle's biggest fear is that the father of Cindy's baby—who she said no family members know—is standing in the way of them reuniting.

"Maybe he's holding her back. Maybe holding her from making a phone call, maybe holding her from coming home."

For now all they do is pray.

If you have information about where a missing person may be, please call the Omaha Police Department.