Eighteen-year-old Karina McClerkin vanished into thin air on October 11, 2016, during what was supposed to be a night of celebration in Kokomo, Indiana. Last seen leaving a party with an unknown male friend, Karina’s fate remains shrouded in mystery nearly six years later, prompting her family to implore the FBI for assistance amidst frustration with local law enforcement.

Witnesses reported seeing Karina at a gas station that night, where she was captured on surveillance footage before getting into a car driven by an unidentified individual. After two days of silence, her family reported her missing, only to face a lackluster response from the Kokomo police. Despite the family’s determination to find her and the critical leads they believe were overlooked, police insist they are investigating. The stark reality is that Karina’s case has not garnered the attention it desperately needs.

The McClerkin family’s anguish has only deepened as they navigate years of unanswered questions and unfulfilled hope. Frustrated with the local police’s perceived indifference—rooted in Karina’s past struggles with addiction—the family fears that Karina’s race and circumstances have rendered her case a lower priority. In a heart-wrenching plea, her grandmother Jerry stated, “Every person is important… Karina did exist, and she deserved the attention that her family has been begging for.”

Amidst the sorrow, the family has rallied support through social media, demanding justice and visibility for Karina. The lack of substantial updates has left them feeling abandoned, and they are now turning to the national media, hoping for a breakthrough that will lead to answers. As the years go by, the urgency to locate Karina intensifies—her family refuses to give up, desperately seeking closure and the truth behind her disappearance. If you have any information regarding Karina McClerkin’s case, please contact the Kokomo Police Department immediately. Time is of the essence.