KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
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Greg Parr will never forget May 16: That's the last day he saw his daughter Serene after sharing a wonderful dinner together.
"We sat there for almost two hours, and we had a great conversation, and she actually told me that was one of the greatest times we had together," Parr said.
During that dinner, Serene shared her plans to move to Las Vegas and start a new job. But there's no evidence she ever made it to Nevada, and nobody has heard from her since.
The absence has been particularly painful for Parr, who has spent his life helping others. This time, it's him who needs help.
"There's never been a time when she missed saying, 'Happy Father's Day,' and this has been the first time ever," Parr said.
The family has filed missing person reports in both Kansas City and Las Vegas, but there have been no updates from either.
Serene's disappearance highlights a broader crisis affecting Black women across the region.
The National Crime Information Center has reported 1,172 missing people in Missouri, with 224 of those being Black females. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reports that Missouri and Kansas have the highest numbers of murdered Black women in the United States.
Missouri State Sen. Angela Mosley (D - St. Louis) has started a task force specifically focused on missing and murdered African American women and girls to address this growing crisis.
"A lot of times, they accused Black women of running away, or you ran off with your boyfriend, or you're out on a drug binge; It's always a negative thought that goes with it," said Mosley. "Instead of understanding you are a human being that needs the same attention that anyone else deserves."
The task force includes members from law enforcement, politics, and activist communities working together to find solutions.
"We need to figure out why we are an endangered species," said Mosley. "And find solutions on how to take that number down."
For Parr, his focus remains on bringing his daughter home safely.
"I just want to let Serene know we love her, we miss her, and we want her back," Parr said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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