National Missing Persons Day brings attention to missing persons in Southwest Florida

Thursday is National Missing Persons Day.

Thousands of people go missing without a trace each year.

In Southwest Florida, there are a number of unsolved disappearances.

In Lee County, there are 17 active missing person cases. Six of them are from the first 34 days of the year.

Lauren Dumolo disappeared more than a year ago in Cape Coral.

Porter Albert disappeared more than two years ago, last seen in a North Fort Myers parking lot.

Now, Fort Myers police are highlighting the case of the disappearance of 65-year-old Maria Espinal, she was last spotted on County Lakes Drive in Fort Myers. Espinal suffers from dementia.

Espinal’s family, including her daughter Jessica, are feeling the pain of not know where she is.

Jessica said investigators have no new leads that might help them find their missing mom.

Espinal disappeared in Dec. of 2020.

Fort Myers police and K9s searched the area where she was last seen.

“There’s moments that I feel frustrated, devastated and was crying,” Jessica said when her mother disappeared.

On Thursday, Jessica told WINK News there was still no sign of her mother.

There are families across Southwest Florida and the nation asking those same questions.