Lexington, NC

The candlelight vigil this evening (10/4/13 7pm) is being held to honor Missing Donna Barnhill and is hosted by her cousin Beverly. We arrive to find Beverly standing besides her vehicle with a card table holding cherished memories. She is alone.

Donna Barnhill was 13 years old in 1981 when she left home to walk to a friends house. She never arrived and has not been seen or heard from since. Donna was one of what would total 5 siblings. Before Donna was even born, back in 1966, her older sister Anita died at 2 years of age. Anita's death was ruled accidental occurring as the result of a fall from a (high)chair. In 1999, a reporter investigating Donna's disappearance began researching Anita's death . The police reviewed Anita's case and reclassified her death as a fatal child abuse due to battery. No one has been charged in connection to either case. Both of Donna's parents are now deceased, and the remaining 3 siblings still live locally.

Beverly greets us with a smiling face and lots of hugs. She is excited to see us but nervous about the lack of support she has received. We start by letting her know that it is of no consequence, she is not alone, we are here with her, and CUE will remain on the case and continue to work with her  until Donna is found. She belongs to a family outside of her family, the CUE family.

Along with the flyer of Donna both at the age she disappeared and age progressed to 42 is a portrait she had made combining the 2 images (left half age 13 and right half age 42). She has old family pictures on the table and a valentine that she found when they were searching the attic room in Donna's old house that held only a mattress.

She had a binder full of official documents and letters protected by clear plastic. She encouraged us to read certain pages. I read the original autopsy which documented many injuries inconsistent with a fall. Then Beverly directed us to a police report from Donna's disappearance which stated "NO NEW information has been found. Mother states Donna told her that her father had tried to have sex with her about 3 weeks before she ran away. Mother thinks that HE either knows WHERE she is or has KILLED her".  How is that not new information? How was this originally classified as a runaway?

As it begins to get dark Beverly hands us lit paper lanterns and party horns in which she had placed battery tea lights ( a big hit with children at a later stop). We direct her over to sign the banner, and her husband and son drive up just in time for the balloon release.

Beverly talks a lot with us about Donna's surviving siblings and the difficulties they've encountered from the probable abuse that they both survived and witnessed. Some refuse to speak about what may have happened, some are still too scared to talk. Donna is blessed to have Beverly to speak for her and continue searching for how every long it takes.

Elisa