GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For two weeks now, Kisha Haggerty has not seen her son. She's heard tips, followed leads and walked with a search party. Still, she has not seen him.
On Saturday, November 2, the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) declared Cortez McConer Jr., 16, as missing. One week later, his status remains the same.
Haggerty — feeling "defeated" and needing "a little more help" — spoke to FOX 17 on Saturday, hoping continued media coverage would lead to her son's safe return.
"Son, I miss you. We miss you. We love you. You're not in trouble," Haggerty said. "Please come home to us. Please let us know you're okay. We are hurting bad, Junior."
Haggerty last saw McConer during his shift at Krispy Kreme on Saturday, October 26. However, shortly after he returned home that night, he left. His mother did not see him in the morning, making her "worried." Later that day, coworkers did not see him at work.
"Ten o'clock, I got real antsy. Something's not right," Haggerty said. "Called my mom, and I said, 'Hey, you seen you seen him? You heard from him?'"
An hour later, when McConer did not return home from the shift he was supposed to be working, Haggerty called police.
"I needed all hands on deck," she said. "I needed someone to believe this was not a runaway. This is a kid that left home with intentions to come back."
GRPD initially considered McConer a runaway. Six days later, the department declared him as missing. That same day, Haggerty and friends and family searched for the teenager in the Rockford area, where he was reportedly last seen.
READ MORE: Relatives searching in Rockford for missing GR teen
"He's very popular, but low profile. I don't even understand how that goes together," Haggerty said, describing her son. "Everybody knows him, but he just sits back, just chill."
On a Saturday night when her son normally would be at the mall or at the movies, she just wants to know he's safe.
"Cortez is loved. Cortez is missed dearly. I just need someone, a positive, 100% sure person to tell me he's okay," Haggerty said. "Just give me something. Give me a clue. Show me a shoe. Show me him sleeping. Let me see him, please, please. I need that from the community."
A $4,000 reward is currently being offered for information on McConer's whereabouts. Contact GRPD or Silent Observer to submit a tip.
