Kenosha woman's mission to bring missing children home

KENOSHA (WITI) -- The story of three long-missing women discovered in Cleveland, Ohio and reunited with their families is proof to many to never give up home when it comes to cases of missing people. There are said to be more than 1,300 people missing in Wisconsin -- and one woman has made it her mission to bring them all home.

"People have that misconception that if they're not found in a certain amount of time that they're gone. I'm hoping that this will bring this cause to the forefront and we can get some people reunited," Patty Hall said.

Hall is Kenosha County's Medical Examiner. She is on a quest to bring more than 1,300 missing persons in Wisconsin back home. She says many times, families looking for them skip step one.

"First thing we ask them is 'did you file a missing person's report with police?' Just amazing that people don't file a missing person's report," Hall said.

Hall's organization, "Missing in Wisconsin" has an event in September that will bring families with missing loved ones in contact with law enforcement. They're asking people bring as much information as possible -- pictures, dental records, and DNA.

"All they do is swab the inside of your cheek," Hall said.

The DNA sample will be sent to NAMUS -- the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System -- hopefully a step closer in the process of identifying the missing.

"They are always looking. They're always holding out that hope that their loved one is going to be found alive," Hall said.

Nationwide, there are more than 85,000 people who are missing. "Missing in Wisconsin's" event is planned for September 29th in Kenosha.

CLICK HERE to visit "Missing in Wisconsin's" Facebook page