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: personal photos from each family are bittersweet reminders.
missing & missed: read the 2010 report on site
Laura Elizabeth: read her story in her father's words and an English translation
• resources for families of missing persons: an active resource list maintained at Missing from Mexico (the reporter's blog)
• missing & missed: read the 2010 report (also available at the News21 2010 ASU Team site and in pdf)