17-year-old believed to be in Barry or McDonald counties
By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
The family of Serenity Lynne Black, 17, of Rogers, Ark., who has been missing for more than a month, is making a push locally to find the teen, as she is believed to be in Barry or McDonald counties.
Joe Black, father of Serenity, said his daughter left school on May 16 with friends and was later picked up.
“The reason we think she is in Missouri is we think she reached out to her mom and told her she was fine,” Joe said. “But, I have not heard anything.”
Black, who is not in contact with Serenity’s mother, said a girl at his daughter’s school said Serenity planned to go live with her grandmother in the Jacket area, north of Pea Ridge in McDonald County.
Joe is originally from the Washburn area, and he said Serenity’s mother is from the Cassville area.
“We have received messages that people think they’ve seen her in Cassville, at the trailer park and on Harold Street, but no sightings have been confirmed,” Joe said. “McDonald County or Barry County would be the only places she knows anyone.”
Joe and his wife have been flooding the two-state area with fliers hoping to find Serenity.
“Every night, we go out and hang fliers and try to get our daughter back home,” Joe said. “It’s hard to put up those fliers with her face on it.
“If she sees this, I’d tell her to come home, and we can work through anything. We love and miss her very much. All we want is for her to come home.”
Fliers have been hung in Rogers, Cassville, Seligman, Granby, Jacket, Powell, Lowell and other towns in the area.
“A lot of people have been saying she has been found, but that is not true,” Joe said. “The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is leading the case, and it is still active. We have not heard from her.”
Joe said he would like to thank all those who have helped so far, and he believes getting the word out more will lead to Serenity being located.
“I want everyone to know we appreciate all the help,” he said. “A lot of people have shared the fliers online and reached out to us. We know that’s how we will help her get back home.”
Benton County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas is leading the case, and the Morgan Nick Foundation, an organization focused on providing a support network to Arkansas parents and families of missing children and adults.
Anyone with information on Serenity’s whereabouts is asked to call the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at 479-271-1008.
