Mothers hope billboards will help bring missing kids home
MISSING IN TACOMA and SNOHOMISH COUNTY --
Two moms committed to finding their missing adult children are making sure their cases are not forgotten.
20-year-old Brittany Walker disappeared from Tacoma more than a year ago.
23-year-old Antonio Neill disappeared from Everett in December of 2016.
Now, if you travel through either city -- there's no way you can miss their faces.
It is bold. It is in your face and it is what one Tacoma mother feels she has to do to get some answers. “We put out a billboard for her to hopefully get answers from the community to bring her home. It's located right off I5 at Portland Ave. East and it's just one example of how desperate Chastity Solis is to find her daughter, Brittany Walker.
“Brittany is an outgoing, fun person. She loves to be on social media, taking photos, making funny faces,” said Solis.
Brittany has been missing for more than a year now. Police say she was last seen last year on April 2nd in Fife. Her last post on social media was just nine days later. Her mom said, “We knew something was badly wrong with Brittany, so we reached out to Tacoma police.”
Investigators believe Brittany is struggling with substance abuse. “We are concerned because even if you want to disappear, people still have a tendency to reach out to let family know they are okay, or let friends know they are alright and leave me alone. In this case, there has been no contact,” said Tacoma Police Ofc. Loretta Cool.
I just want my baby home. I miss her every single day. If she’s on drugs or anything I will help you, to get through whatever it is,” said Solis.
Jenny Neill knows her pain. Her son, Antonio, also struggled with drug issues. He was last seen in Everett, where drivers along 128th St. across from Home Depot will see this billboard. "It`s a very busy highway and Antonio`s high school is just a few blocks from here," said Neill.
She got the idea from Brittany's mom and is grateful to Parker Outdoor Inc. for donating the space. “I hope it helps,” said Neill. It`s a big media attention for people driving by, so I want people to realize that Antonio`s been gone for over a year now and I wanted to capture people`s attention, because we don`t have any findings yet on the case, so I hope it will help. It`s a busy road and he`s from this area."
Both families insist their loved ones would not disappear without a trace. “I just want my cousin to come to home. Someone to come forward and help us find him and bring him home,” said Antonio’s cousin, Elena Ruiz.
The billboards, the fliers, the sleepless nights -- and the pain of not knowing what happened to their kids. “Brittany is a very good person she is full of life she needs to be home with her family to bring closure, to find an answer what really happened to my daughter,” said Solis.
Police say there have been recent reports of possible sightings of Brittany near the Westwood Village Target in West Seattle. There is no confirmed foul play in her case, but it has been suggested to police.
Brittany is 5’4” and weighs 125 pounds. She has hazel eyes and brown hair.
If you have any information that can help police locate her, or Antonio Neill in Snohomish County, use the P3 Tips App on your phone to submit it to Crime Stoppers, or call the hotline at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477). It is anonymous.