LORAIN, Ohio — More than a month later, a Lorain family is still searching for their missing loved one.
The family of 33-year-old Desiree Simone, a mother of six, says she went missing on Oct. 8. They report Simone was last seen getting into a vehicle in Lorain with an unknown person, and it's unclear where she was headed.
Family members tell 3News that they have received unconfirmed reports of Simone being seen in the city of Sandusky within the past week. If these sightings are true, they are now pleading for her safe return.
"I didn't here from her. I didn't hear, 'Hey Aunt Danielle, can I get $5? Aunt Danielle, Aunt Danielle, Aunt Danielle?'" Simone's aunt, Danielle Long, said. "After a week, I reached out to her friends (asking) 'Have you heard from Des?' and that’s what started everything."
Long says she would often communicate with Simone over social media platforms like Facebook, but when she didn’t hear from her niece, she became concerned.
"Nobody had heard from her, and that’s just shocking to us," Long explained, "She’s always reaching out to us about something."
On Saturday, Desiree's friends and family gathered in Lorain to search for clues about her whereabouts, but unfortunately, they came up empty handed.
"She has a lot of people concerned about her, worried about her whereabouts, if she's OK," Long said. "People love her."
Now, they're holding onto hope she’ll be home for the holidays.
"Someone did say they've seen her, but I need to see a picture," Long added. "I need to see her on something, I need to see something visual."
The family is offering a $10,000 cash reward for a credible tip that leads to finding Simone.