Archive for the ‘FBI’ Category

Missing you after six years

Friday, November 7th, 2014

Hello Nadi,

It’s mom. Today marks six years since you’ve disappeared. I think of you every day and wish you were home safe with me. I’d tell you how much you are loved and missed. My heart aches to see you and hear your voice once again. How precious you are.

The searches for you continue as our primary search area begins to reveal itself. Dedicated teams are now focused on a smaller, refined target area. Each day brings forth new hope as new leads emerge and more people come forward with information about the horrible situation you were in. I can see more clearly now how the last few months of your life may have unfolded.

Years ago you told me about someone you were afraid of. As I understand I wasn’t the only one you spoke to about this. Since you disappeared I’ve watched as one person you knew was arrested for international drug trafficking, another took advantage of your disappearance and essentially claimed your family and your life, and a number of people took to the media claiming to have known you.

As I piece together information, I can only hope the professionals tasked with investigating and solving your disappearance will take an unbiased look at the evidence when they revisit your case. As I say this we are still waiting for DNA analysis to return from the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia. Hard to believe it’s been years since this piece of evidence was submitted to them.

Given you were adopted from Russia, some time ago you asked me whether or not you had a biological sibling living in Alabama and at that time my answer was that I didn’t know. I can tell you now after further investigation my understanding is that there is no evidence to support you having any biological siblings in the US.

It is with heart wrenching sadness I need to tell you your little son is lost to us. Although we were awarded unlimited visitation, we have chosen to stay away from him since our kids, our family was threatened. I hope he will come to understand how very much we love him and always want to bring him home. He holds a special place in our hearts (as I know he is in yours) and maybe one day he will seek us out and ask us about you…his mommy. As I understand, very soon he will legally become part of someone else’s family. He will have a new name and we will no longer be his legal family…and you will no longer legally be his mommy. I can’t imagine how you must feel reading this. As you know it’s not an action we’d ever support. I keep thinking what would happen if you walked through the door today and asked for your little one…how devastating that would be for you. It’s hard for me to grasp how a baby can be taken from his very capable family who loves him and essentially given to another but this is what happened in Jefferson County, Alabama.

Nadi, I’m sure you never thought your life would turn out this way. I can’t imagine how you must feel. I long to hold you, hug you and tell you it’s going to be alright. In this time of seemingly hopelessness and helplessness I trust you’ll continue to focus on our love for you…God’s love for you. He doesn’t want you to have an awful life. He wants you to be happy and know you are not forgotten. God is at the helm Nadi, He is the driver, He’s in control and one day if it is His will, the truth about the circumstances surrounding your disappearance will become clear to all. If it is His will, we’ll find you.

I love you so very much Nadia. With each sunrise I wonder where you are. I hope and I pray you come home to us soon. If you are out there and are being held captive, I hope you see this to know we have not given up hope…we have not forgotten you.

All my love,

Mom                                                                                                                                                                                 3 November 2014

 

As we approach Easter

Friday, April 6th, 2012

As Easter draws near it is a time to refresh our hearts and minds that our Lord died for us…He paid the ultimate price.  Some people in this world take His sacrifice as a given or entitlement and have strayed from Him and His way.  This has caused turmoil, confusion and discouragement for many.  I believe it may have led some people away from sharing what they know about our daughter Nadia who went missing on 3 November 2008.

If you have submitted to this darkness and the intimidation of others I ask you to get right with God. Intimidation, discouragement and hopelessness compromises what we know to be right.  Don’t be afraid to come forward.  Remember intimidation usually comes from people who are immature and have a wicked heart.  These people will accuse you of the weaknesses they seek to hide in themselves.  The Lord gives you authority to confront this darkness.  Once you do and stand your ground you’ll find a peace in your heart…that is God’s presence.  Listen to your heart and come forward with information to help us find our daughter Nadia by contacting us through this website or the Birmingham, Alabama FBI office.

As it is with you, I believe it is my God given responsibility to protect our grandson (Nadia’s son) in his mother’s and father’s absence. As a result I’ve asked people to come forward with information about his welfare and help us protect him from the darkness of this world. I’m grateful for those who have contacted us thus far but I believe there are many more who can help shed light on what is happening to him. Please do not be afraid but come forward with what you know and contact us through this website or the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

As you gather with your families this Easter we ask you to remember Nadia and her little son Christopher for they are not home with us.  We ask when you look at your family members you look at them with a sense of gratefulness they are there with you.  Appreciate and love them in His name.

We wish all of you God’s Peace this Easter season.

In His name,

Nancy for all

 

Murder Charges Dismissed

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Hello everyone,

Capital murder charges against Joacquas Haywood, suspect in our daughter Nadia’s disappearance, were dismissed today.  He has been released from the Birmingham, Alabama jail.

Two weeks ago the judge in Nadia’s case denied the assistant district attorney’s (DA’s) request for a continuance of Mr. Haywood’s murder trial scheduled to begin 19 September 2011.  As I understand, the DA’s request was based upon DNA analysis test reports not yet received from the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.  The DA considers these reports to be important to the case and did not want to proceed without the FBI lab findings. A second request for continuance was denied today.  The DA then requested charges against Mr Haywood be dismissed.  This request was granted.

We support the DA’s decision to request charges against Mr Haywood be dismissed as we wait for the DNA lab reports.  This move by no means indicates a final chapter in the case.  As we understand, once the results of the DNA tests are in the DA will revisit options and then make a determination of what course of action they will take.

During this time of waiting we ask people of the Homewood/Birmingham, Alabama community to come forward with information about the whereabouts of our daughter Nadia.  We have been searching for her for almost three years and desperately want to find her.  Please feel free to contact us at this website or call the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office and ask to speak with the assistant DA assigned to Nadia Kersh’s case if you have any information.

As her family we will continue to pursue leads in an attempt to find her.  A number of search crews will be out this Saturday and Sunday once again looking in several newly identified areas in hopes of locating her.  New equipment has been brought in to assist them.  Central Alabama Search and Rescue (formerly Walker County Search and Rescue) is the lead team in the search for Nadia.  They recently spoke about how they do what they do at a Victims of Crime and Leniency meeting in Jefferson County in Alabama (click on link). http://www2.alabamas13.com/news/2011/aug/18/ker-ar-2293944/

Thank you all for your continued interest in Nadia’s case.  We appreciate your emails and words of encouragement.

His Blessings to you,

Nancy for all

August 2011 Update

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Hello everyone,

My apology for our absence.  We have been dealing with litigations and complications involving the Alabama legal system.  It’s been an educational process for us as we move forward to help our grandson (our daughter Nadia’s son whom she left behind when she went missing on 3 Nov 2008).  We ask for your patience as we continue on this journey.

There have been some questions/concerns about the amount of time it takes to receive DNA test results in Nadia’s case.  My understanding is that all lab testing was done at the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia.  The FBI lab deals not only in missing person/murder cases but cases of even higher priority as well…for example, issues/cases involving national security.  Lab testing in Nadia’s case is taken in turn of priority and so therefore a more lengthy wait for the results.

Search efforts continue in an effort to find Nadia.  (Alabama) Walker County Search and Rescue is the lead team in these efforts.  We’re pleased to announce they will be the guest speaker at this month’s Jefferson County Victims of Crime Against Leniency meeting on 18 August at 6pm.  The meeting will be held at 2200 8th Ave. N, Sheriff’s Department Training Room, 2nd floor, Birmingham, Alabama.  We encourage all who can to attend this meeting and learn more about this search and rescue team and how they do what they do. For more information please contact Wanda Jones Miller at (205) 731-2814 or cell (205) 438-0586.

Thank you all for standing beside us as we continue to diligently look for Nadia.  Search efforts have stepped up and expanded to include some interesting new areas.  We are very thankful for the leads that have come in to assist us in our search.

His Blessings to you all from Nadia’s family,

Kevin and Nancy, brother John and sister Charlize

Two Year Remembrance for you Nadia

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Nadia

Fox 6 News Link  Nadia Kersh remembered after 2 years missing

November 3, 2010 was the second year remembrance for our daughter, Nadia who disappeared from Homewood, Alabama and has not been seen or heard from since then.  Below are the words shared by our family at her remembrance at Vulcan Park in Birmingham, Alabama later that evening:

It’s been two painfully long years since our daughter Nadia disappeared from Homewood, AL on November 3, 2008 and every day since then we’re reminded she is not here.  Three days after she went missing we were notified of her disappearance.  We lived just outside of Washington D.C. at the time and we were completely overwhelmed by the news.  Questions fired away at us at an alarming rate.  What happened to Nadia?   Where is she?  Where is her son?  Our grandson?  What could possibly have happened?  Today two years later many questions continue to go unanswered.

Albert Einstein was known as one of the most brilliant people in the world.  He once said, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” 

Well over 1000 people have been reported missing in AL.  Most of them remain missing because those who have information on their whereabouts have been afraid to come forward and have remained silent.  It is this choice of inaction that can damn a community into bondage of secrets, untruths and deception, the greatest tools used against a society creating misery, uncertainty and pain.  That is not what our Lord in heaven would want. 

Our God is not the author of confusion, misery, separation and despair.  He would want you, the people in this community who have clues about what happened to Nadia and where she is to come forward with information concerning her whereabouts to end the darkness, to end the confusion and the mystery of where she is that surrounds us all. 

Most people don’t want to see me here, they don’t want to hear what I have to say because it’s a reminder once again that their children, their siblings, their mother, father, sister, brother could be the next one taken and not heard from again. Each day we as a family are reminded Nadia is not here, each day I look at her picture and tell her we have not given up looking for you.  But still, we need your help.  We need your help to answer some of those unanswered questions.  I ask you good people of Alabama to come forward and give us the information we need to find Nadia and bring her home.  I ask you all who hear this message to ask around Birmingham and the surrounding communities to see if anyone has any information that could help us find Nadia and end this bondage of the unknown, of deception and of secrets.

You can help by calling the Homewood PD on their tip line at (205) 332-6262 with any information that might help us find her.  If you’ve called before and you did not receive a response, don’t be afraid, don’t hesitate and please call again.  All information is so important, so critical. It’s important for us as a family as a society to find the truth, to find Nadia and release this community from the darkness of secrets.

If you’d like to contact us, you can reach us at helpfindnadia.com (repeat) Just register on the site and send an email.

In the meanwhile, we as Nadia’s family and friends won’t stop praying, praising God and looking to Him as our source of strength and hope.  As we do each day we thank the Lord for He is all sovereign and we know He looks over Nadia and her son wherever they are.

Dear Heavenly Father we ask for Your continued protection and grace for Nadia, our grandson, the rest of our family and this community plagued with knowing one of its members is still missing. We pray for Mr Haywood and his family that you Lord may comfort their hearts for they are also a family in pain and despair.  We lift up this community to You and ask You to touch the hearts of those people who can help us find our beloved daughter Nadia and bring her home to rest.  Lord we ask you to guide the search teams as they continue to volunteer endless hours looking for her.  We thank you for the officers of Homewood PD, Birmingham PD and the FBI who have been working to find the truth behind Nadia’s disappearance.  Lord, we ask you to put people in our path to help us find answers we need and this community needs to heal.  In Your Holy Name we pray.  Amen.

Nadia’s brother, John added these words:

Hello everyone,  I am John Kersh, Nadia’s brother.  I am nine years old.  I really miss my sister and if she came back home I would give her a big hug and show her around Montgomery, Alabama where we live now.  I would show her where I go to school at Montgomery Academy.

I have a nice comfortable bed for her to sleep on at home and a big backyard and a big lake with some ducks, lots of geese and a big water fountain in the middle of the lake.  I think Nadia would enjoy feeding the ducks and playing in the backyard with me and my sister, Charlie.

I really miss Nadia a lot.  I wish she was here.  Please help us find her.  Thank you.

Nadia’s sister, Charlize added:

Nadia is my sister.  She’s bigger than me.  She is lost.  We need to find her.

 

In Christ,

Nancy for all.

Warm Wishes for Christmas and This Holiday Season

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Hello everyone,

Nadia has been missing 13 months today and we miss her more than ever. 

More leads continue to come in as we wait for the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia to complete the DNA analysis in her case.  I never realized the process would take this long…it’s been a lesson on patience for us and all concerned.

I’d like for everyone to know that although it’s been over a year since Nadia disappeared, private professional searches continue in hopes of finding her.  These outstanding search and rescue teams are made up of highly trained volunteers who work in tandum with the Homewood, AL Police Department and the FBI.  They have donated countless hours of their time looking for her.  We couldn’t be more grateful for their continued  efforts and commitment.

It is the beginning of Advent and with that comes hope as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of our Savior.  With open hearts we pray that maybe this month we will find Nadia and bring her home where she belongs.  Wouldn’t that be the greatest gift we could all give our grandson (Nadia’s baby)?  …to find his mommy? 

To all of you who have been faithful in following Nadia’s story and have been supportive of our efforts to find her, thank you for your endurance as the authorities continue to piece her case together…and it is coming together.  The Lord asks us to be patient and accept His peace.  And so we need to be while the people He has put in our path work to help us find Nadia and bring a brighter future to our grandson. 

Thank you all once again for being there for us as we continue our journey forward.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with peace and joyfulness.

In His Name,

The Kersh Family

Remembrance for Nadia

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Hello everyone,

The one year remembrance for Nadia on the 3rd of this month was just wonderful!  We were very touched by the dedicated people who came out to remember her and so thankful for the team who was responsible for orchestrating the event. We’d like to thank Nadia’s friends from school who provided inspirational support to us with their kind words of remembrance.  Special thanks to the Homewood Police Department, Walker County Search and Rescue and Mayor McBrayer.  It was good to meet someone new from her work as well…we were so glad you came. 

Each time Nadia’s story is captured by the media (See ABC Video) new leads are generated and this event was no different.  We’re so grateful for those who called in to the Homewood Police Department tip line (205) 332-6262.  One individual called with very credible information but did not leave a way for the PD to contact them.  Please, if you would, call Homewood PD again!  They very much want to talk to you!!

I feel compelled to mention that sadly there’s been a group of people who have tried to compromise our events for Nadia.  This group has attempted to derail our efforts to find our daughter and our efforts to provide a better future for our grandson.  To those of you who are involved in this group, please know you are welcome to attend events for Nadia and participate in efforts to find her, but if you are truly Nadia’s friends and love her as we do you would not taint her memory by casting a dark shadow over it.  

To the people who have taken Nadia’s belongings we’d like you to know we harbor no ill feelings.  Eventhough some of those things were gifts from us and her little brother, we have all we need.  Please feel free to keep her items since they have importance to you. 

To all the lovely people who have supported us along the way, thank you so much.  Joey, I’ve received your email and know you and the good people of Australia are thinking of us as we continue to move forward in our attempts to find Nadia.  To family and friends in Europe, we know you have been with us from the start. To our friends in Guam, Figi, China, Korea, Azores and Thailand, thank you for your continued support.  To all family and friends in CONUS (stateside) we appreciate your friendship and thoughtfulness.  To the people of Faith Chapel Christian Center, thank you for inviting us to worship with you and to be part of your family.  To Nadia’s good friends from school, thank you for holding her close and not forgetting her.  To Angie, thank you for setting up a Facebook site for Nadia.  To those I have not mentioned, thank you for staying by our side as we continue our search.  What a great tribute you all are to Nadia!

If you have ANY information about ANY aspect of Nadia’s life or her disappearance, please do not hesitate to contact the Homewood PD at (205) 332-6262.  You can also contact us in confidence at this website.  Please do so and let us know your story.  Your story could provide the piece that leads us to find her. 

All the Lord’s blessings to you,

Nancy Kersh 

Nadia Missing Nine Months Today

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Hello everyone,

Today Nadia has been missing nine months.  The announcement of an increase in the reward monies last month for information leading to her whereabouts has brought about more leads in her case for which we are extremely grateful.  The authorities are following up on those leads as more continue to come in.  The FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia is working very hard on the massive amount of evidence sent to them over time…each piece adding to the overall puzzle of her disappearance.

As a family we continue to wait as pieces fall into place in the case.  This should not discourage those of you who are sitting on the fence holding a piece of information to Nadia’s disappearance to come forward.  You could hold that piece that brings all other pieces together helping the authorities find her and bringing closure for us.  If you believe you have any information relating to Nadia’s case no matter how insignificant, please come forward and contact the Homewood Police Department in Homewood, Alabama at (205) 332-6262.

On 19 August, the Community of United Effort for Missing Persons will take their Road to Remember Tour to Oak Mountain Park in Pelham, AL beginning at 12:00 noon.  Nadia’s case will be one of several missing persons’ cases remembered that day.  In the past the Road to Remember Tour has spawned new investigations which found numerous missing persons and in one case solved a 30-year old cold case.  If you have any interest in helping to find any of the missing persons, I urge you to come and attend this special event.  More information is at www.ncmissingpersons.org.

Thank you all for being so patient and giving us your unconditional support as we piece together Nadia’s case.  Words alone cannot thank you enough for all your help.  May the Lord bless you all.

In His Joy,

Kevin, Nancy, Ryan, John and Charlize

Search for Nadia, 3 Apr 09

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Hello everyone,

This Friday, 3 April 09 will begin with our most recent search for Nadia. This will be an extensive non-public search lead by the Homewood, Alabama Police Department Special Operations with support from the Emergency Management Agency, FBI, other authorities and involving numerous search teams from all over the U.S.  It will be conducted in West Birmingham and will include an area identified by witnesses who saw two black men with a car fitting the description of Nadia’s vehicle on the day she disappeared. 

We are extremely grateful for the search teams who have dedicated their time, resources and efforts to help us find Nadia and bring her home.  We want everyone to know that the authorities and search teams involved are made up of individuals with the ultimate sense of dedication and determination to find her.  We are truly blessed and extremely thankful.  Our family has been waiting to hear news of her whereabouts for almost five months now…maybe Friday will bring that news.

In his love,

The Kershes

Homewood, Alabama Press Release 24 March 09

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Nadia Kersh

Hello family, friends and concerned others waiting to hear about news on Nadia’s case,

The Homewood Police Department issued a press release today.  Here are some of the issues addressed in that release:

Nadia has been missing almost five months.  The Police Department continues their criminal investigation against the 27 year old suspect from Irondale, AL.  They’re waiting for DNA evidence analysis from the FBI crime lab.  Information was received from the Homewood PD tipline (205) 322-6262 that Nadia’s car was seen in W. Birmingham driven by two black males on the day she disappeared.  Because of this information a new search is being planned for that area on Friday, 3 April.  Homewood PD Special Operations will be coordinating the search.   

Total reward donations are now at $45,000.  Contributions to the reward money for information leading to Nadia’s whereabouts have come from the FBI, Barber’s Dairy, State of Alabama and private donations.  Recently, the State of Alabama donated an additional $5,000 to the reward monies.  Barber’s Dairy of Homewood matched that increase with another $5,000 for a total of $45,000.  

 

We ask for anyone who may have any information about Nadia’s disappearance to please call the Homewood PD tipline at (205)332-6262.  Please do not continue to watch this (these) suspected offender(s) walk about your home in your community and possibly commit another offense to maybe someone you love.  Please help us bring the people responsible for Nadia’s disappearance to justice.  Please come forward with any information you have.

 

We’d like to thank those people who have come forward and helped us draw nearer to finding Nadia.  You’ve made a courageous choice to help us.  It’s never a popular choice but one you’ve made I’m sure after much thought and contemplation.  We thank the Lord for your strength and thank you for thinking of Nadia and those who love her.   

 

Although our hearts are burdened with not knowing where Nadia is or how she is, we have hope that we will find her and with that hope we wait.

 

In His name,

 

The Kershes: Kevin, Nancy, John (brother), Charlize (sister) and our grandson (Nadia’s baby)