Amber Harris

Twelve-year-old Amber Harris lived with her parents, Melissa and Michael Harris, two brothers and two sisters. Amber was a precocious and likeable student who attended Beveridge Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska. Sometimes the young girl would remain late after school to tutor some of the elementary students. On November 29, 2005, Amber took the late school bus home, after one of her tutoring sessions. At 4 p.m. she called her father from a friend's cell phone to let him know she would be late.

When their daughter failed to return home, Melissa and Michael Harris immediately contacted the Omaha Police Department to report her as missing. Investigators quickly responded and began searching for the missing child. Amber was seen as a possible runaway. "At this point in the investigation, there is really no evidence that any foul play is involved, or anything like that," said Omaha Police Officer Chris Legrow. "The investigation is still ongoing."

When questioned by authorities, Amber's parents expressed feelings she had not gone on her own. "This is not a runaway. She's never done it," said Mrs. Harris. "She always comes home. Problems at school or not, she always comes home."

"I told her on the phone to come straight home," said Mr. Harris. "Then it started getting later and later and darker and darker and she wasn't home, so we called the police." Both parents believed Amber had been abducted.

Investigators retrieved the videotape from the school bus Amber had taken. It showed her wiping her face before getting off the vehicle at 5:41 p.m. The bus stop was only a couple of blocks from her home. Authorities believed the tape showed her removing makeup. Amber's parents were strictly against her wearing makeup and believed she had done so without their knowledge and was removing it before getting home. This led the distraught parents to believe their daughter had every intention of returning home. "I just think that somebody has done something with her," said Mr. Harris. Investigators still believed Amber was a possible runaway. "She voluntarily got off the bus herself," said Omaha Police Sergeant Teresa Negron. "There's nothing to indicate her doing anything other than walking away." An Amber Alert was not issued because of no signs of foul play.

More than two weeks have now passed since the disappearance of Amber Harris and the search for her continues. Despite questioning many of her relatives, friends, classmates and neighbors, law enforcement authorities were repeatedly frustrated. Only a few leads proved to be positive. Family and friends of the missing girl are now offering a $2,000 Reward for her safe return.

Amber Harris is considered to be missing and endangered. She was last seen wearing light blue jeans, a black and white wind-breaker jacket and white K-Swiss shoes. She was carrying a new black and white Nike book bag. Anyone with information on her whereabouts and/or this case is urged to immediately contact the Omaha Police Department (402-444-5600).

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