Liberty teen, missing for 6 months, is remembered at family prayer vigil

More than two dozen friends and relatives gathered Sunday to say a prayer, release some balloons, and mark six months that 18-year-old Desirea Ferris, of Liberty, has been missing.

Many of those attending the balloon release spent the summer searching for Ferris, being bitten by ticks and mosquitoes as they picked their way through wooded areas around Kansas City.

They haven’t found Ferris. Her mother, Patti Tam, said she fears the worst.

“There’s never going to be any closure,” Tam said Sunday at the balloon release, held at the home of a relative in Kearney.

“That was my baby girl,” Tam said. “I tried to protect her more, just because she was the youngest. And she was gorgeous, and somebody took advantage of that.”

Ferris was the youngest of Tam’s four children. She hasn’t been seen since May 2. On the last night she was heard from Ferris told her sister she was headed to a friend’s house, but she never arrived.

Liberty police have said detectives spoke with hundreds of people. Many leads led them to south Kansas City. Persons of interest have been identified in the investigation, but no charges have been filed.

One person of interest said he would speak to investigators if granted full immunity, Tam said, but investigators didn’t agree to the deal.

Ferris remains classified as a missing person. Police and family members fear she came to harm.

Ferris was described as being 5 feet 1 inch tall, 101 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She may have been wearing a fuzzy pink jacket and a cream crop top. She was last known to carry a tan purse.

Friends who have helped search for Ferris said they will continue until they find her.

Anyone with information about Ferris is asked to call Liberty police at 816-439-4701 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

This story was originally published November 5, 2017 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Liberty teen, missing for 6 months, is remembered at family prayer vigil."