Cleveland’s Missing Persons Team: Tireless Efforts Amidst Rising Challenges
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – In Cleveland, a dedicated team of six detectives works around the clock to solve missing persons cases, fielding tips from the public and even psychics as they strive to reunite families. With a significant number of new cases reported each day, the detectives are often stretched to their limits.
Detective Kevin Callahan, the Missing Persons Liaison for Cleveland Police, shared the immense pressure of their roles. “It could be anywhere between five and some days it could be much more than that,” he said, emphasizing the high volume of cases they handle.
Despite the overwhelming workload, the team is committed to investigating every lead, no matter how improbable it may seem. “We get calls from psychics,” Detective Callahan admitted. “It’s a lead.”
Detective Ryan Corrigan, one of the newer members of the unit, describes the work as both rewarding and challenging. “It can be hard sometimes,” he said. “Whatever my caseload is, I’m doing everything I can to bring them home.”
The detectives receive crucial support from patrol officers, state, and federal agencies, but the burden of each unresolved case remains heavy. “We document every single thing that we do,” Callahan noted, underscoring their dedication to finding closure for families, even if it takes decades.
Callahan recounted a poignant case where he used DNA to identify a family’s brother who had been missing since 1970. Currently, Detective Corrigan is working on the case of Keshaun Williams, a 15-year-old who disappeared without a trace. Despite no breakthroughs yet, Corrigan remains determined. “We keep working every angle on it!” Callahan added.
The team urgently needs the public’s assistance. If you have any information about a missing person, please come forward. You can even remain anonymous. Remember, you do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing.
