Victim Assistance Specialists help families go through difficult times like the Closs disappearance where a couple was found dead and their 13-year-old daughter went missing.
Jane Straub is a victim assistance specialist at the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center and she says it is important for families to stay focused on positive and practical parts of the situation.
"Was there something different that happened in the last week? Was there someone she was talking about? Just any of those questions. It's a mystery so we need pieces of the puzzle to come together," Straub said.
Straub mentioned it is critical for the families and greater community to hold onto hope for a safe outcome.
“There’s hope for these kids to come home. We know they come home every day. And it’s people – see something and calling and saying, ‘I’m not sure, but I think this may be a child.’ And that’s what we need,” she said.
The hotline for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).