PITTSBURGH — An event in Pittsburgh sought to raise awareness of the hundreds of people reported missing in Pennsylvania.
The fourth-annual Missing Persons Awareness Day took place Saturday in Oakland’s Schenley Plaza.
More than 10 families with missing relatives were in attendance, sharing their stories, receiving tips and helping to comfort people in similar situations.
The event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Missing Persons Foundation, a nonprofit that helps investigators and families solve missing persons cases.
PMPF CEO Ruth Brannigan is a licensed private investigator. She tells Channel 11 that the organization represents these families and increases public awareness of their cases.
“I believe that every case can be solved with enough time and opportunity," Brannigan said.
Brannigan recommends that individuals report their loved one missing as soon as they notice they’re gone. No law says they must wait 48 hours, she added.
She also noted that Allegheny County families can benefit from the district attorney’s office’s Project Lifesaver. The free program uses a small transmitter to track people at risk of wandering, such as those with dementia or another disorder.
According to the PMPF, there were 498,000 children and adults determined to be missing last year in the U.S. Data shows there are currently 526 missing persons and 373 unidentified remains cases in Pennsylvania, including 61 in Pittsburgh.
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, has brought more attention recently to missing persons cases, Brannigan said.
Family members of Pittsburgh resident Lisa Michelle Davis were in attendance at Saturday’s event. Davis has been missing since 1991, when her daughter, Jayqua Harris, was three years old.
“We all need answers,” Harris told Channel 11. “We need closure. We need justice. Nobody should keep anything a secret from us. Our loved ones are missing. They’ve been missing for too long — too long — and we need answers."
Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor signed a declaration recognizing June 6, 2026, as Missing Persons Awareness Day.
“Missing Persons Awareness Day serves as a reminder that every missing individual is a valued member of the community whose disappearance leaves lasting emotional impacts on loved ones and neighborhoods alike,” the declaration reads in part.
Click here for more information about the Pennsylvania Missing Persons Foundation.
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