Families of missing people convene at Madonna University for day of support

(FOX 2) - There are more than 4,000 active missing persons cases in Michigan - a large number with an even greater breadth of sorrow for the families that have never seen or heard from their loved ones again.

On Thursday, many of those families convened at Madonna University for the 14th annual Missing in Michigan event, which seeks to provide a network of care for people who in years past didn't have anyone. 

"They need to feel supported," said Nina Innsted, of Missing in Michigan. "They’re going through something traumatic and they're going through it by themselves and it really helps when the community can rally around them and be the support they need to bring their loved one home."

That includes Pam Sanford, who last saw her husband James on April 8. They were preparing to leave the home when he went missing.

"And he went out the back door. I went out the front to get the car and in five minutes he disappeared," she said.

James had dementia and needs his medication. He was last seen at the couple's home in Westwood Circle near Joy and Newburgh. 

"Just not knowing where he's and the fact that it's just five minutes and it's like could he be with somebody? Because where could you go in five minutes?" said Sanford.

The day of remembrance was founded by Sarah Krebs, an inspector with Michigan State Police. 

"When I first founded Missing in Michigan it was really out of the fact that I realized that the family members involved in these types of cases had no support either from their community, from law enforcement, really they didn't know where to turn," she said.

The kinds of cases involving missing people can be challenging. Law enforcement has done more in recent years to make it easier to search for and identify people who are missing. The added help of a group like what meets on Missing Person's Day makes it a little easier for the stricken families.

"We needed to embrace these families. A lot of them we found out later that their loved one was a homicide victim and law enforcement never took a report because of laws at the time so we’ve really come a long way," said Krebs.