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Missing Kristy Jean Rogers 
Kristy, approximately 1997; Age at the time of disappearance: -progression to Age at the time of disappearance: 35 (approximately 2015) Date reported missing : 08/02/1997 Missing location (approx) : Crestview, Florida Missing classification : Endangered Missing Gender : Female Ethnicity : White DOB : 08/23/1980 (40) Age at the time of disappearance: 16 years old Height / Weight : 5'3, 109 pounds Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A dark-colored t-shirt and and white shorts, or a white cut-off t-shirt, blue jeans, a friendship necklace and several rings. Medical conditions : Kristy was suffering from a kidney infection at the time of her disappearance and was supposed to be taking medication for it. She left her medicine behind. Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Caucasian female. Brown to sandy-blonde hair, blue eyes. Kristy has a lazy right eye. Her navel is pierced and she has pierced ears. Her wisdom teeth have been removed. Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Kristy told her family she was spending the night of August 1, 1997 at a girlfriend's home in Crestview, Florida. She stayed at her boyfriend's instead. This was the first time she had spent the night with him. Her boyfriend, Mack Cawthon, told authorities Kristy departed his house on north Lloyd Street at approximately 5:00 a.m. on August 2. He asked her to leave early so his grandparents, who lived next door, would not know she had stayed there. Cawthon's residence was located less than one mile from Kristy's family's Walnut Avenue house, about a fifteen-minute walk. She never arrived home and has never been heard from again. In February 1998, six months after Kristy's disappearance, a bag containing clothing belonging to her was found in a wooded area behind the Crestview Plaza Shopping Center. The area had already been thoroughly searched by investigators and cadaver dogs; they believe, therefore, that the bag was left there after the search. The contents included a shirt, shorties, underpants, a bra, socks, keys, and makeup, all belonging to Kristy. The bag was not hidden and the clothes inside appeared to be more weathered than the bag. Unidentified female remains were located in a canal west of Boynton Beach, Florida in 1999, two years after Kristy vanished. Authorities incorrectly identified the body as Kristy in January 2001. Her loved ones finalized funeral arrangements by the time the mistake was corrected, but the burial had not taken place. Investigators initially believed that Kristy's dental records matched the victim. The error was reported less than one week after the incorrect identification was announced. Police originally believed Kristy was a runaway, but later decided she met with foul play due to the long period of time that passed where she didn't contact anyone. At first they investigated her family, who have all since been ruled out as suspects. Cawthon has not been named as a suspect either, and investigators stated there were no inconsistencies in his story. They described his relationship with Kristy as "on-again, off-again." She was not having any problems at the time of her disappearance and she left behind all her belongings, including her kidney medication. Authorities believe Kristy was abducted by someone she knew. Her mother describes her as a naive, trusting individual. Kristy's mother now lives in Alabama, but continues to hope for resolution in her daughter's disappearance. Her case remains unsolved. Other information and links : ncy Crestview Police Department 850-682-2055 September 2021 updates and sources The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Child Protection Education of America The Palm Beach Post Northwest Florida Daily News A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece. The Tampa Bay Times |