Five years have passed since the disappearance of Kierra Coles, a then 26-year-old pregnant U.S. postal worker, who vanished without a trace in 2018 after reportedly being last seen in the Chatham neighborhood of Chicago. Despite efforts by the Chicago Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and FBI, the case remains unsolved and the desperation of her family grows increasingly pressing with each passing year.
Karen Phillips, Kierra Coles' mother, and families of other missing persons have been left in a state of perpetual heartache as they continue to seek answers and justice for their loved ones. Despite their persistence, they feel neglected by the media and let down by law enforcement compared to the attention received by recent high-profile missing persons cases involving white women, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Phillips last spoke with the Chicago Police Department about her daughter's case in 2021, and she remains unsatisfied with how authorities have managed the investigation.
Families like Phillips' are left grappling with the reality of their missing relatives, as they mark the passage of time through birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. These occasions serve as a constant reminder of what has been taken from them. As reported by the ABC7 Chicago, Coles' family and friends recently gathered to mark what would have been her 31st birthday. In their continuous battle for answers, they must endure the suffocating weight of not knowing their loved one's fate.
LaShann Walker, mother of Diamond Bynum and grandmother of King Walker, who went missing from Gary, Indiana, eight years ago, laments the lack of justice and help for those who have disappeared, as per the Chicago Tribune. Walker believes there should be a state of emergency for missing persons, as she contrasts the lack of attention to her family's case with others that have received widespread national coverage.
The call for information on Kierra Coles' disappearance remains open. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the family, call 911, or call Area South detectives at 312-747-8274.
