Tonia
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While police say they don't suspect foul play in the disappearance of a Moundville woman, her friends and family say that there's no other explanation.
Tonya Hyche Stephens, 30, last spoke to her best friend, Melinda Berryhill, on the night of Sunday, Jan. 4.
Berryhill said Stephens was on her way to pick up her son, Gabe, from her ex-husband's house in Gordo, where the boy had stayed for the weekend.
'I was the last person who talked to her, on the phone around 6:45,' said Berryhill, 33. 'She was going to stay with me that night. I started trying to call her at 8 and couldn't get her.'
Berryhill said she drove to the ex-husband's house, but didn't find her there, although her car was parked in front of the house, she said.
'We definitely suspect that something happened,' she said. 'She's never left and not told anybody where she's going. She would not leave her baby.'
The baby is now staying with Stephens' ex-husband.
Stephens was told years ago that she was infertile, Berryhill said, and was thrilled when she became pregnant with Gabe, who turns 2 on Feb. 12. Stephens quit her job working in Moundville's water department to stay home with him when he was born.
Stephens had gone to church in Greensboro with her grandparents earlier that day and visited a friend there, Berryhill said.
Since her disappearance, volunteers have gathered at Moundville Church of the Nazarene before setting out to search different locations in Moundville, Pickens County and Tuscaloosa County.
Searching has been easier now that the water levels of rivers and streams are receding after last week's heavy rains, she said.
Jody Brooks has taken time off from her job with an ambulance service in Selma to look for her daughter. She suspects her daughter is a victim of foul play, but remains optimistic.
'You never give up on your child,' she said. 'None of us is going to stop searching until we find her. We know that God is going to lead us to her.'
Brooks said that many volunteers have taken off work to search for her daughter and even more have sent cards and letters of encouragement.
'I have no words to express how much I appreciate what everyone has done,' she said.
Anyone wishing to donate to the search effort can contact the Bank of Moundville about the Tonya Hyche Stephens fund. The family intends to use the fund for reward money or expenses to provide supplies for the searchers. Mail can be sent to the family at P.O. Box. 200, Moundville, AL, 35474.
Reach Stephanie Taylor at stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosa news.com or 205-722-0210.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...pect_foul_play
This is the odd part to me:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...pect_foul_play
Berryhill said Stephens was on her way to pick up her son, Gabe, from her ex-husband's house in Gordo, where the boy had stayed for the weekend.
'I was the last person who talked to her, on the phone around 6:45,' said Berryhill, 33. 'She was going to stay with me that night. I started trying to call her at 8 and couldn't get her.'
Berryhill said she drove to the ex-husband's house, but didn't find her there, although her car was parked in front of the house, she said.
This link says her car was at her home...
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0109/584944.html
Tonya's MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/luvlylittlelump
It shows her last login was the 12th which is also weird unless it was by LE and I wonder what prompted her friend to start calling her an hour and fifteen minutes after she had talked to her and to go look for her....
Tonya Hyche Stephens, 30, last spoke to her best friend, Melinda Berryhill, on the night of Sunday, Jan. 4.
Berryhill said Stephens was on her way to pick up her son, Gabe, from her ex-husband's house in Gordo, where the boy had stayed for the weekend.
'I was the last person who talked to her, on the phone around 6:45,' said Berryhill, 33. 'She was going to stay with me that night. I started trying to call her at 8 and couldn't get her.'
Berryhill said she drove to the ex-husband's house, but didn't find her there, although her car was parked in front of the house, she said.
'We definitely suspect that something happened,' she said. 'She's never left and not told anybody where she's going. She would not leave her baby.'
The baby is now staying with Stephens' ex-husband.
Stephens was told years ago that she was infertile, Berryhill said, and was thrilled when she became pregnant with Gabe, who turns 2 on Feb. 12. Stephens quit her job working in Moundville's water department to stay home with him when he was born.
Stephens had gone to church in Greensboro with her grandparents earlier that day and visited a friend there, Berryhill said.
Since her disappearance, volunteers have gathered at Moundville Church of the Nazarene before setting out to search different locations in Moundville, Pickens County and Tuscaloosa County.
Searching has been easier now that the water levels of rivers and streams are receding after last week's heavy rains, she said.
Jody Brooks has taken time off from her job with an ambulance service in Selma to look for her daughter. She suspects her daughter is a victim of foul play, but remains optimistic.
'You never give up on your child,' she said. 'None of us is going to stop searching until we find her. We know that God is going to lead us to her.'
Brooks said that many volunteers have taken off work to search for her daughter and even more have sent cards and letters of encouragement.
'I have no words to express how much I appreciate what everyone has done,' she said.
Anyone wishing to donate to the search effort can contact the Bank of Moundville about the Tonya Hyche Stephens fund. The family intends to use the fund for reward money or expenses to provide supplies for the searchers. Mail can be sent to the family at P.O. Box. 200, Moundville, AL, 35474.
Reach Stephanie Taylor at stephanie.taylor@tuscaloosa news.com or 205-722-0210.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...pect_foul_play
This is the odd part to me:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...pect_foul_play
Berryhill said Stephens was on her way to pick up her son, Gabe, from her ex-husband's house in Gordo, where the boy had stayed for the weekend.
'I was the last person who talked to her, on the phone around 6:45,' said Berryhill, 33. 'She was going to stay with me that night. I started trying to call her at 8 and couldn't get her.'
Berryhill said she drove to the ex-husband's house, but didn't find her there, although her car was parked in front of the house, she said.
This link says her car was at her home...
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0109/584944.html
Tonya's MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/luvlylittlelump
It shows her last login was the 12th which is also weird unless it was by LE and I wonder what prompted her friend to start calling her an hour and fifteen minutes after she had talked to her and to go look for her....
his mother is gone.