TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Hundreds of children are reported missing in Florida every year. For some families, the search continues. For others, the grief of knowing their child won’t come home never fades.
On Monday, parents, grandparents, and law enforcement gathered in Tallahassee for Florida Missing Children’s Day, a ceremony honoring those children and the families who love them.
“I still want her to walk in the door and hug me. That’s never going to happen,” said Debra Appling, grandmother of 14-year-old Demiah Appling, who went missing from Dixie County in 2022. Her body was found two months later in Gilchrist County.
Debra has attended the ceremony for the past two years. She says being surrounded by other families offers comfort and support.
“These people are wonderful. You wouldn’t believe how much support you get for people around you when you’re here,” she said.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said the ceremony not only provides healing but also raises awareness about the thousands of children who go missing every year.
“It’s their therapy,” Glass said. “Because no one knows what they’re going through besides the other person who’s going through it.”
He encouraged the public to pay close attention to missing child alerts.
“Look at that alert. See if you’re in and around the area. Take a mental note, whether they talk about a car or the child’s attributes. Every lead helps,” Glass said.
Appling hopes more people in the justice system, including prosecutors and public defenders, attend in the future to better understand the impact of these cases.
“See what we go through. Maybe they can get that in their back pocket and realize this is not fun,” she said.
FDLE currently has five active missing child alerts listed on its website. Anyone with information about a missing child or adult is asked to contact FDLE.
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