CHICAGO ( NewsNation Now) Two weeks ago, Kierra Coles would have turned 29. The woman, who hasn't been identified, was working in San Jacinto. Kierra Coles has been missing since October 2, 2018, when she was 26 years old. Example video title will go here for this video. The 26-year-old was about three months pregnant and was eager to meet her first child, according to her mother, Karen Phillips. Law enforcement continues conducting interviews and reviewing surveillance videos in an effort to locate Athena. According to police, Kenley worked with the United States Postal Service for 20 years. In that last conversation, Coles also told her mother that her boyfriend was planning to come over the night of Oct. 2, Phillips said. He agreed to speak to NBC 5 Investigates for the first time about Coles' activities before she disappeared as well as new details that have emerged in the case. The purpose of the event is to bring to attention to all the unsolved cases of missing women and girls of color. Alysia Adams, 31, was arrested Thursday afternoon at the Grady County Sheriffs Office on two counts of child neglect, the state bureau said. Police also executed a search warrant at the parents' home, a move that Arbeitman said was "standard procedure" to find any clues of her whereabouts. Phillips said Coles seemed happy in their last conversation; Coles asked her mother for advice on what milk to drink during pregnancy. A caregiver of a missing 4-year-old Oklahoma girl has been arrested, two days after a postal worker found the child's older sister wandering alone near their home, authorities said. Then, she and her boyfriend decided they were ready for a baby, Phillips said. . A postal worker spotted Athenas 5-year-old sister by herself near Adams house in the town of Cyril about 2 p.m. Tuesday and called police, the state bureau said. The agency said it had no further comment due to a gag order filed in Caddo County District Court. Authorities have also used tools including search dogs and helicopters equipped with infrared, the state bureau said. Multiple law enforcement agencies have been looking for Athena Brownfield, of Cyril, since Tuesday. The family's home was searched, which Arbeitman said is a standard procedure. After searching through hours of video, police put together a timeline of her disappearance. "The person of interest exits the passenger side of the vehicle, but nobody exits the driver's side.". "That's all I'm really praying for.". She would be a mother of a young child now. According to the latest available data from the BLS, over 2 million people suffered non-fatal injuries in private industry workplaces in 2021, while there was a total of 5,190 fatal injuries in all sectors in the same year. Anything they may know, even if they don't think it's important enough -- any small thing could lead to breaking this whole case," she said. All Rights Reserved. Investigators say this appears to be a natural death after learning that the worker had a medical condition. The following day, the man returned to Coles apartment and left her car parked in front, police said. Bruning Grain and Feed Company is located in southeast Nebraska and specializes in processing grains such as soybeans and corn. There is no evidence at this point to suggest foul play. Coles purse, phone, and lunch were still inside her car when police searched it. "Sometimes I just have to completely put it out of my mind because it'll wreck you.". And not knowing if she's out there, the baby's out there, if they're together -- it's hurting," she said. It's been two years since Kierra Coles, a young, pregnant U.S. postal worker, disappeared from her Chicago neighborhood without a trace. The boyfriend could not be reached by ABC News for comment. Is she dead or alive? Police said this video showing newly made public footage from Coles' case is part of a "series launched last month to tell the stories of homicide victims in hopes of solving their cases." "Just seeing her walking, in person, was heartbreaking," Phillips said Thursday. In the video briefing, Arbeitman would not provide details on the postal carrier's interaction with Athena's sister or where she was found. There is no evidence at this point to suggest foul play. Chicago police Tuesday released some of the last images of her before she vanished. "I have to do all that I can to bring her and her child home safe.". The two girls had been under the care of Adams and her husband, officials said. Since then there have been desperate pleas for help, but the case remains unsolved, with . OHP noted in an alert that Athena was last seen wearing a pink butterfly sweater and pink pants. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Kierra Coles has been missing since 2018 and Tuesday, Chicago police released video showing some of the pregnant postal worker's final moments before her disappearance. That's yet to be determined. Postal Inspection Service said it's also still investigating Coles' disappearance. "They don't even reach out and say, 'Well, Ms. Phillips, we're still going through this' or, 'We don't have any new leads.' Authorities search for missing 4-year-old Athena Brownfield, of Cyril, Oklahoma. She saluted Oklahoma Highway Patrol, pointing out that they've helped in the search and looked from a helicopter view. Nebraska authorities are investigating the death and an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of death. The 26-year-old woman was three months pregnant . "Not even my worst enemy would I wish this type of pain on," she said. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police announced Friday that the investigation into the disappearance of a pregnant postal worker has been suspended. We receive calls from family members many times during the day asking for assistance finding their missing loved ones. Her car was found in front of her apartment with her phone and packed lunch still inside. "People forget these cases because as time goes on they believe the individual may have been found or that they are deceased. Trash service in Cyril, a town about 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, has been postponed as investigators search for clues about Athenas location. Kierra Coles was last seen on Oct. 2, 2018. Multiple law enforcement agencies have been looking for Athena Brownfield since Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a Facebook post. Missing. Postal Inspection Service requesting information leading to the location of postal worker Kierra Coles, who has been missing since Oct 2, 2018. They're gone to lunch, they'll call me back, they're out of the office. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol released this photo of missing Athena Brownfield. New footage released this month showed Coles withdrawing money from an ATM at a Walgreens store on October 2, 2018, according to CBS News. She said that the unnamed postal worker alerted police after seeing the 5-year-old sister, knowing that she "wasn't where she was supposed to be.". The postal worker notified the. "At that time, we realized that there was another child missing," Arbeitman said at a news conference. However, police say the investigation is still active and are waiting for the official autopsy and toxicology findings. In a follow-up post shared Wednesday morning, the OSBI shared more details, adding that "a postal carrier reported finding Athena Brownfield's five-year-old sister near her home.". But is she a victim of physical harm? Kierra Coles missing for. No foul play is suspected and a Portsmouth police spokesperson said this appears to be a natural death. When it comes to the investigation, Phillips said she feels "the police just put it [the case] to the side because they're frustrated with it.". Phillips said she misses the grandchild she never got a chance to meet. "We continue to urge the public to contact the U.S. Please contact the U.S. In an earlier statement, the Nebraska State Patrol said that Balluch was missing under "suspicious circumstances.". This year, "other competing priorities" -- like the pandemic and the presidential election -- are "definitely hampering the awareness" of missing persons cases, Wilson noted. Svilar said in the video, "When officers questioned the person of interest after Kierra was reported missing, he gave varying accounts of the last time he saw her.". ", The United States Postal Inspection Service, which is involved in the investigation because Coles was a postal worker, said in a statement, "Chicago Division Postal Inspectors continue to investigate the whereabouts of USPS employee Kierra Coles. Jamie Balluch, 43, was last seen on February 2 at his workplace, Bruning Grain and Feed Company. A caregiver of a missing 4-year-old Oklahoma girl has been arrested, two days after a postal worker found the child's older sister wandering alone near their . Hampton Roads locals open up about healthcare following Biden's speech, Supreme Court hears arguments for and against student loan forgiveness; Norfolk residents react, Hampton Roads breaks 1975 record for warmest February 23rd. And were asking and pleading with them for that information., 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Kierra Coles disappeared in 2018 while three months pregnant, Newly released footage shows Coles withdrawing money from an ATM, Coles, a USPS worker, was last seen wearing her uniform despite calling out of work that day, Her family and the USPS have offered a reward for information on her whereabouts. Coles, a devoted aunt to her nieces and nephews, was the last of Phillips' children to have a baby. Kierra Coles was about three months pregnant when she vanished on Oct. 2, 2018, on Chicago's South Side. On Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. I don't know if she's being tortured or if she's safe or what," Phillips told ABC News. I just wish somebody would have a heart to say, 'I'm gonna give this family some justice. Wilson asks anyone with information to submit an anonymous tip to the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc at 1-877-97BAMFI or at bamfi.org. Athena was reported missing earlier Tuesday afternoon. Is she safe? ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Coles' siblings range in age from 35 to 24. Men were more likely to be fatally injured in the workplace, with women only making up 8.6 percent of workplace fatalities. The person of interest "then drives away in his personal vehicle that was parked on the block overnight," Svilar said. ", It stated that the "entire law enforcement community" that is "assisting with locating Athena appreciates local volunteers, restaurants, churches and all the tips that have been phoned in.". As for whether Athena could be in danger, Arbeitman said "there's not anything to indicate that other than she's a little child and she's missing. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. The County Sheriff's Office requested the assistance of the Nebraska State Patrol on February 15. Did she have her baby? The U.S. At about 10:43 p.m. that night, Coles was spotted on surveillance video making ATM withdrawals -- the last known images of her, according to Svilar. Is that in danger? When contacted by PEOPLE, Arbeitman did not give any additional information on the search for Athena. Kierra and the man later got into her car and drove off with Kierra in the driver's seat.". Phillips urges anyone with information to come forward. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Is she cold? asked Karen Phillips, who added that her daughter was excited to be a new mom. The 5-year-old sister is in state protective custody and didnt require medical care when she was found, Arbeitman told reporters Wednesday. "We are not seeing as many missing persons reported in the media, however our caseload has increased dramatically," she said. "Right now our top priority is locating her and sorting out who's responsible will come next. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. "I can't let her down," Phillips said. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Dispatchers said they got a call before 10:30 p.m. Monday night about a postal worker who had gone missing. Moms of missing Black women gather in Loop to ensure cases are not forgotten: 'Our babies are gone'. High number of mail-in ballots could delay Chicago election results, Michael Madigan's attorneys seek to dismiss part of his indictment, Major change coming to North Side's city council representation. But no, it has increased. Chicago police told ABC News, "At this point, anybody with knowledge of her last whereabouts is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department as we are seeking any and all information in an attempt to locate her and we won't stop until we do.". The Milwaukee Police Department responded to a call just before 6 p.m., where they found the 44-year-old worker. Kierra Coles was three months pregnant and reportedly called in sick the day she went missing in 2018. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said on Jan. 16 that the search was now considered a "recovery operation" and that its agents and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol were searching areas of Caddo County for the child's remains. Coles first wanted a good job, and after years with the post office she had saved for a car and a home. "Were just digging for every clue, processing everything that we can to see if it can help us locate her," she said. On Oct. 2, 2018, Coles, who was 26 years old and about three months pregnant, vanished on Chicago's South Side. Phillips said the last time she saw the boyfriend was when she filed the missing person report, and after that, he "vanished." Masako Yamada Kenley was last seen in Midvale at. Alysia Adams is related to the sisters, the agency said. Phillips said she has no idea what happened to her daughter. There's still no sign of her, with the mysterious case classified by Chicago police as "a high-risk missing person investigation with potential foul play suspected.". A man discovered the body around 10:30 a.m. Friday behind a garage near 146th. Chicago police Tuesday released some of the last images of her before she vanished. P ostal worker, Kierra Coles, 26, has been missing since October 2.She mysteriously disappeared near her South Side Chicago neighborhood. "Additionally, community members are encouraged to search their own property for Athena. If you have information that will help us locate Kierra Coles, please contact the U.S. "I try to stay strong for the other kids, I try to not really break down in front of them. "It was just days of searching and passing out flyers and praying," Phillips said. Kierra Coles went missing in October 2018, and. Police won't identify their person of interest. But we need to find this little girl," Arbeitman said. "The next day, the person of interest is seen parking Kierra's vehicle near her residence before entering the building and exiting with unknown items," Svilar said. "Since October 2018, Postal Inspectors have tracked down and vetted nearly 400 leads across the country. A 4-year-old girl in Oklahoma was reported missing shortly after a postal worker found her 5-year-old sister wandering alone near their Cyril home, authorities said. "It's already frustrating that it's gonna be two years, and for y'all [the Chicago Police Department] to say y'all don't have enough to go on, it's really disappointing," she said. Coles' boyfriend could not be reached by ABC News and the Chicago police declined to comment about him, citing the ongoing investigation. Kierra Coles is a U.S. postal worker who was 26 years old and about three months pregnant when she went missing on Chicago's South side on October 2, 2018. "I just want somebody to come forward and say what happened. We just want Kierra brought home safe.. Each day brings more pain and frustration for Coles' mother, Karen Phillips, who is "begging for anybody to come forward" with information. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. "If it were your family member you would want someone to come forward with information. "Kierra Coles is a member of our Postal family and we will continue looking for her and following up on all leads," the agency continued. ", The Chicago police didn't respond to Phillips' claim that they ignored her calls, but in a statement to ABC News the police department said it urges "anybody with knowledge of her last whereabouts to contact the Chicago Police Department.". '", "Any small lead can lead to what really happened," Phillips said. We just really want her home.". Amid the search, Brook Arbeitman, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, said that authorities were finding items in town that "could be relevant" and helpful to the case, though did not elaborate. ", "Somebody knows something other than the person that did whatever happened," she said. Kierra Coles was last seen on Oct. 2, 2018. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at cpdtip.com. "She's living a great life. Minutes later, Kierra was seen on the surveillance video using the ATM. Reward poster provided by the U.S. "He or she will almost be 2. Authorities in Oklahoma are searching for a little girl after a postal worker found her 5-year-old sister alone and wandering around. DOLTON, Ill. - Police are investigating after the body of a woman was found behind a garage in the south suburb. Remains found last week amid the search for a missing 4-year-old girl in Oklahoma have been confirmed to be those of the child, authorities said. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. "A man who police identified as a person of interest also arrived and entered the residence. Police said less than an hour later, that same vehicle was seen parking in another area of the city. "I miss him -- he or she -- even though they wasn't born yet. Authorities have released few details about the incident. Minyvonne Burkeis a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. unsolved disappearance of postal worker Kierra Coles, Chicago artist brings attention to missing women of color in 'Still Searching' series, Kierra Coles' family fights to keep case active on missing pregnant postal worker's birthday. Transportation incidents were responsible for the highest number of workplace deaths in 2021. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Claire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in Texas. "What's most important is Kierra Coles case and every cold case gets the attention it deserves in Black and Brown communities," Tanisha Williams, Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, said. "Sorting out who's responsible will come next, but we need to find this little girl," Arbeitman said. New surveillance video released showing the moments before Kierra Coles disappeared has been released by Chicago police. "We are finding things that we hope might give us clues," she said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Authorities believe this is her last known sighting. By Minyvonne Burke and Claire Cardona. She . ", RELATED VIDEO: 'Please Bring My Baby Girl Home': Tenn. Postal Inspection Service hotline at (877) 876-2455 and reference case number 2693502. Arbeitman said she has "limited verbal skills.". "Think of a place where a (child) could crawl into and look into those places and if you find anything please notify us.". Rickher says the workers are a tight-knit group and during the overnight shift that clocks in at 1 a.m., there are no more than a half-dozen employees. The youngster was reported missing on 10 January after a postal worker found her five-year-old sister alone outside the family home in Cyril, Oklahoma. There's still no resolution, leaving her heartbroken mother desperate to know if her daughter is even alive or dead. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Girl, Caretaker Accused of Killing 4-Year-Old on Christmas, Alligator Pulled from Lake in Brooklyn's Prospect Park Is 'Too Weak to Eat on Its Own', 3 Dead, 5 Injured After Gunman Opens Fire in Multiple Buildings on Michigan State University Campus: Police, Urgent Search Continues in Australia as Tiny Radioactive Capsule Remains Missing, Calif. Police Pause Search for 5-Year-Old Boy Who Was Swept Away in Severe Flood, Bodies Believed to Belong to Rappers Missing Since Canceled Gig Found: 'They Didn't Deserve This', 7 People Killed in Half Moon Bay in California's Second Mass Shooting This Week: 'Our Hearts Are Broken', 'Loving, Friendly' 7-Year-Old Girl Vanishes from Her Texas Home and a Search Is Underway, officers and volunteers looking for Athena. CHICAGO -- Chicago authorities have released new information in the unsolved disappearance of postal worker Kierra Coles, including footage of a "person of interest" in Coles' car, who police say gave "varying accounts of the last time he saw her.". While initial surveillance video released by CPD was not Coles, investigators and Coles' family hope everyone will stop to check out these new images to try and close this cold case. "Less than an hour later, [Coles'] vehicle was seen arriving and parking in another area of the city," Svilar said. The two sisters had reportedly been in the couple's care for at least a year, before the 5-year-old was found alone outside their home in Cyril, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The Chicago Police Department considers the case "a high-risk missing person investigation with potential foul play suspected.". "The person of interest exits the passenger side of the vehicle, but nobody exits the driver's side.". '' she said Department responded to a call just before 6 p.m., they! Want somebody to come forward with information, with the care of Adams and her boyfriend they. Stories about interest together a timeline of her before she vanished person that did whatever happened ''! In San Jacinto investigators say this appears to be a new mom a gag order filed in County... Was excited to be a natural death after learning that the worker had medical! 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