the story of two families linked by living with loss

Concepcion and Laura Elizabeth set out from Morelos, Mexico in the summer of 2009. Concepcion planned to visit her daughter Maria in Pennsylvania and Laura Elizabeth to live with her father in New York.

They reached the Arizona-Sonora bordertown of Nogales - and were never heard from again.

Below are interviews from their family members interviewed one year later for the report Missing & missed by a reporter for News21's 2010 ASU Team. (the story is also available on this site and in pdf)

ties: how Concepcion and her family came to the United States and the painful decision to leave

living in the dark: how living off the radar has impacted the family

left: how most of the family returned to Mexico and what they found there

missing: how Concepcion planned her visit - and then disappeared

the husband's search: how Concepcion's husband searched from the Mexican side of the border

a daughter's questions: how Maria searched for her mother from the United States side of the border

mixed emotions: how Maria and her husband live with having familiy on both sides of the border

maria: Maria remembers leaving home for the United States and adjusting to a new life

today: how living without answers affects Maria and her family on a daily basis

gallery

gallery: personal photos from each family are bittersweet reminders.

read transcripts of the audio pieces

missing & missed: read the 2010 report on site

Laura Elizabeth

Laura Elizabeth: read her story in her father's words and an English translation