THE MISSING FILES: Sister of Esmeralda 'Kit' Mora who went missing in 2022 fears they were 'trafficked'
THE MISSING FILES is a weekly special feature that looks into cases of missing people across America that have shattered communities and families. It delves into the known facts and the latest updates on these mysterious disappearances.
OMAK, WASHINGTON: Esmeralda 'Kit' Mora, who is nonbinary and Indigenous, mysteriously went missing on April 15, 2022, from Omak. Kit had lived in the Yakima area for years, and attended East Valley schools before moving to Omak. Kit, 17, uses the pronouns they/them.
Nearly a year after Kit's disappearance, their sister Charlotte Groo opened up to MEAWW about her suspicions of foul play. "I first realized and confirmed Kit was missing in September 2022 when their friend came to me and informed me they were missing. I immediately jumped into action," Charlotte said.
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'Kit was soft-spoken and had an infectious laugh'
Charlotte's mom is Kit's great-grandmother. Kit was adopted by Charlotte's great-grandparents when Charlotte was 10 and Kit was four. They were thus raised as siblings.
"Kit is a very sweet person. They are soft-spoken, have an infectious laugh. Just a lover of animals, of people. They love art. They express through it," Charlotte said. "Kit and I always had the typical older-younger sibling bond. We were close, both having dealt with depression and anxiety and struggling with self-harm. I always tried to be a good role model."
'Kit may have been trafficked or killed'
Charlotte painted a grim picture when asked about what may have happened to Kit. "I think Kit has either been trafficked or possibly even killed. Their mother is extremely dangerous and is capable of causing harm. She has a long history of domestic violence and child abuse," she alleged. MEAWW has not been able to verify these allegations independently.
Charlotte, 24, said Kit has an "amazing detective working with us and honestly I’m grateful for him." In a message to law enforcement, Charlotte said, "Do better. Play attention. If someone says there is a missing child, believe them. Look for that child. Even if someone mentions the word "runaway," understand they are a child." "The whole town of Omak has been very helpful. We will be having a search on May 13 and 14," she added.
'Kit, I love you and accept you'
Sending a message to Kit, she said, "I love you. No matter what, I accept you. If nobody else, please just tell me you’re okay. I will help you in any way I can, even if you don’t want to come home. "
Charlotte, along with Kit's stepmother, runs a Facebook page titled Finding Kit to raise awareness about their disappearance. A GoFundMe has also been set up to raise money for "travel expenses to and from Omak and surrounding areas, flyers, Private Investigators, and any other expenses that may arise in order to bring Kit home."
A post was shared on Facebook on April 6 this year to remember Kit on their birthday. "On your birthday we’re going to be celebrating you. The person you have been becoming. The person we knew. And everything you could possibly be. We’ll be eating good food, I’ll probably be making tons of sweets, and we will finally have a lot of our family all in one spot. Including some family we’ve added along the way in this journey," the post read in parts.
Nation's first alert system for missing Indigenous people
Nearly a year ago, the nation’s first alert system for missing Indigenous people was launched in Washington. The Washington State Patrol issued an alert for Kit, according to CNN. The system, referred to as MIPA, was launched in July 2022. As of May 5, 56 alerts had been issued. Most people were found safe, but two were found dead and six have not been located. The alert is similar to Amber and Silver alerts.