PHOENIX — Each year, Phoenix Police, ASU and advocates band together to bring awareness to missing people in Arizona.
This year's event will be held virtually due to COVID-19 concerns, but families are encouraged to participate.
It's an effort to find missing loved ones of Valley families, like Alicia Navarro.
"I don't know if my daughter is being trafficked. I don't know if she's being held captive in a basement," Alicia's mother, Jessica Nunez, told 12 News.
Navarro, 15, is one of almost 2,000 missing persons reported right now in Arizona. She disappeared last year and left nothing but a note.
"There is not one day that I don't think of you," her mom added.
Nunez said she's never giving up and neither is the Phoenix Police Department.
"I just encourage people to report a missing person case," said Phoenix Police spokeswoman Sgt. Maggie Cox.
"Some people don't report it because they don't think it's a crime or they don't know that there's someone out there that can help them, so let us take the report and connect you with the right resources."
Even though the event this Saturday is virtual, it shouldn't discourage parents like Nunez from providing DNA and details about their lost loved ones.
"There is not one day that I don't ask myself, 'Are you OK? Where are you? And why haven't you reached out to me?" Nunez said.
She's helping officers connect any clues that might turn up even a glimmer of hope.
"My daughter did not just disappear like that. I need to know what's going on," she added.
With so many families in similar situations, police are hoping for participation to carry out plans to find and protect the missing persons in our state.
"I'm not going to give up. She's my daughter," Nunez stated.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. You can find more information here.
