LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- It's been five months since a Little Rock teen disappeared.

Since October 24, no one has seen or heard from 18-year-old Central High student Ebby Steppach.

Thursday, March marks her 19th birthday. Ahead of a candlelight vigil that night, THV11’s Laura Monteverdi sat down with her mother, who refuses to label her daughter as a runaway.

Laurie Jernigan says she doesn't know exactly what happened to her daughter, but the search has opened her eyes to a world she never even knew about: sex trafficking.

And now she fears that her daughter may be a victim.

“Someone has her. Someone has her and is not letting her come home,” said Jernigan.

It's a thought Laurie Jernigan refuses to let cross her mind; that her 18-year-old daughter simply ran away.

“When we found her makeup case in the car, that's when I knew she didn't leave on her own.”

Since Ebby disappeared last year, Jernigan has returned to work. But her fight to find her daughter is never far from her mind.

“This whole incident with Ebby has uncovered some really dark and evil things that go on in this world.”

Jernigan believes her daughter could possibly be a victim of human trafficking.

For months, she's been working closely with local law enforcement, the FBI and a non –profit, Halos Investigations, which searches for missing, trafficked and kidnapped teens.

“I look every day in places that are your worst nightmare to see if your daughter's there.”

“Up until a few years ago it wasn't a buzz word as it is today. It's a word people associate with prostitutes, runaways and other things like that,” said Sgt. Allen Hamby with the Little Rock vice Unit.

Sgt. Hamby says his detectives handle reports of human and sex trafficking every single day.

“We’re going to try everything we can to help them find her and locate her and see if she wants to be found. We don't know that.”

While the details to her daughter's disappearance remain unclear, one thing Jernigan is certain of is that awareness is key.

She's hoping a community wide candlelight vigil Thursday night to mark Ebby's 19th birthday will help bring her home.

“I want it to be so big, with so many lights so she will see how much she is loved,” said Jernigan.

Other items recovered from Ebby's vehicle, including her contacts and cell phone, have led Jernigan to believe her daughter was taken against her will.

The vigil will begin at 7 p.m. at Little Rock Christian Academy's campus. Candles will be provided.

There will also be a love offering, which will be used to help fund the search.

ATTALA COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The human remains found in eastern Attala County have been identified.

Mykendrionia Lewis’, described as a 14-year-old runaway, remains was confirmed by Attala County Sheriff Tim Nail.

Lewis died of a gunshot wound.

Lewis was last seen walking down Peeler Street in Kosciusko on May 27, and left home on May 26, 2015. She has not been seen or heard from since.

The remains were found by hunters on Saturday morning, October 13, 2015, in a heavily wooded area.

They were sent to the state crime lab to be analyzed.

Sheriff Nail said the skeletal remains were then sent to Mississippi State University for further analysis.

UPDATE:

The remains have been released to the family and the funeral will take place Monday January 11th 2016 in Kosciusko Mississippi. We will be attending the funeral. Sandye M Roberts and Tina Storz

Funeral held for murdered Kosciusko teen

David Kenney

Posted: 01/12/2016 9:31 AM

KOSCIUSKO, MS (Mississippi News Now) - An Attala County teen who was murdered last year was laid to rest on Monday.

14-year-old Mykendrionia Lewis went missing last May and her body was discovered in October in a remote part of the county.

Family and friends gathered Monday in Kosciusko, at Tipton Street Church of Christ, still desperate for answers in her brutal death.

Investigators say she was shot in the head and her body was found dumped off a rural logging trail.

Alex Nickerson, a family friend said, "They haven't found the person who did it and we want justice and we want that person found for one thing."

With no arrests in the case, family and friends can only speculate on the status of the investigation.

They hope Mykendrionia's memory will not be forgotten.

She is described by her loved ones as a young, smart girl, with a bright future.

Debra Lewis, Mykendrionia's sister said, "My sister was amazing, my sister was intelligent she was ambitious, she was friendly, kids loved her."

Tina Storz, a Private Investigator said, "She was student of the month, letters from teachers saying she was an excellent student going into the next level, they knew she would make a career out of herself so justice needs to be done it's sad."

Attala County Sheriff Tim Nail's office continues to follow up on leads in this case, with the help of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Copyright 2016 MSNewsNow. All rights reserved.

The 18-year-old was last heard from on October 24, 2015. She was reported missing on Oct. 26, and her car was found six days later.

Several efforts have been made by her family and police to find this missing teen. Currently, there is a $3,000 reward set for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts.

Now, a non-profit organization known as Halos Missing is trying to assist officials in finding Steppach. This organization is based out of Mississippi, and their mission is to find young adults that have been kidnapped, trafficked or murdered. To learn more about the organization, click here.

Steppach is described as standing 5'1" tall and weighing 105 pounds. She has hazel eyes and long blonde hair. If you have any helpful information, contact the Little Rock Police Department at (501) 371-4605.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - A non-profit out of Mississippi has joined the search for missing Little Rock teen Ebby Steppach.

The 18-year-old was last heard from on October 24, 2015. She was reported missing on Oct. 26, and her car was found six days later.

Several efforts have been made by her family and police to find this missing teen. Currently, there is a $3,000 reward set for anyone with information that could lead to her whereabouts.

Now, a non-profit organization known as Halos Missing is trying to assist officials in finding Steppach. This organization is based out of Mississippi, and their mission is to find young adults that have been kidnapped, trafficked or murdered. To learn more about the organization, click here.

Steppach is described as standing 5'1" tall and weighing 105 pounds. She has hazel eyes and long blonde hair. If you have any helpful information, contact the Little Rock Police Department at (501) 371-4605.

LRPD released an updated photo of missing teen Ebby Steppach. (Photo: LRPD)

Related Links:

Mom wants missing teen home for Christmas

Family offering $3,000 reward for info on Ebby

LR teen reported missing; police ask for assistance

The Reward has been increased to $15,000

Update Ebby's Remains have been found

Pray for Justice 

After all the searching and investigating, there were no signs of Myra, and no credible information was developed as to her whereabouts. Some have reported sightings, but those have all been unfounded, thoroughly investigated by Madison County investigators and the FBI says Sheriff Tucker.

The Find Me Group became involved and although confident in their own findings based on previous successes, those have not led authorities to Myra either.

A Facebook page was been created and has some 12 thousand folks followed along, as posters are distributed and the site is continually updated, pressing for the public to provide information that either leads to closure, or delivers Myra home to her parents.

An Amber Alert issued shortly after her disappearence remains active to this day.

It’s a case that pulls at the heartstrings of all who have followed along. At the same time, it’s a case that has gone very quiet. Not cold, but very quiet, even amongst media like myself who have followed this story closely since her disappearance.

Within the past few days, there’s perhaps new life in this investigation. A small, private investigative group known as Halos has become involved. Mississippi based and relatively new on the radar, the group has taken on some 40 cases, all but 3 of those in Mississippi. Of the 40 cases they have taken on, 8 are active. The remaining have been solved and closed I am told. Their areas of concentration are in cases of disappearances, murders, and human trafficking. All of there work is done pro-bono.

Sandye Roberts, the founder of Halos Investigations LLC, says that Greg and Ericka Lewis requested their assistance in helping solve their daughter’s case. Sandye and her partner have now met and interviewed the Lewis’s regarding Myra, and visited the former family home in rural Madison County. She says this case is “about Myra and Myra only, and justice for her.”

Halos is also involved in the murder case of 14-year old Mimi Lewis(unrelated), found in the Happy Hollow area of rural Attala County last year. Autopsy results obtained by Halos indicate Mimi was bound with fishing line, hands behind her back, found naked and shot in the head. Her funeral was held last week, some three months after her body was discovered.

In both these cases with mysterious circumstances, Halos hopes they can help develop some answers: Those that will help bring closure or resolution to two of the many families that are desperate for any news; desperate for any help that brings justice or a loved one home. Paraphrasing Ms. Roberts: "I have been drawn to this line of work"..."to help provide just that.”

(Sandye Roberts is a licensed and trained private investigator. She began her children's advocacy work with CASA/Louisiana in 1992. She completed training under CFSI in 2014)

New investigative team searches for Myra LewisPosted: Jan 25, 2016 10:55 PM CSTUpdated: Jan 25, 2016 11:24 PM CST

By Roslyn Anderson

JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

It's been nearly two years since the little Myra Lewis disappeared from her Madison County home. Although the missing toddler has not been located, a new team of private investigators has joined the search.

There's a lot that needs to be unraveled in this case," said Sandye Roberts of Halos Investigations LLC.

The 61 year old child advocate and investigator was contacted by the Lewis family four months ago to help track down the two year old who went missing from her Camden community home on March 1, 2014.

There have been extensive searches, including recent DNA testing conducted on a child family members believed was Myra but proved otherwise.

Now Halos Investigations, a new firm on the Gulf Coast, has joined the probe, offering their services for free.

But Roberts is not optimistic that Myra will be found safe.

"The family does feel like she's still alive," said Roberts. "We can't really feel a hundred percent like that may be the case."

When asked if there was new evidence that leads to that assumption, investigators would not release details.

"Just information that we've gathered, said Roberts. "Even if someone did take her, there is a great possibility that some harm could have come to her. There's been absolutely no sightings."

The family has also reached out to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to create an age progression photograph of what Myra would look like at age four.

"I believe that either way she's still in the state," added Roberts.

Meanwhile Madison County Sheriff's Department Spokesman Heath Hall said Robert's team has not been in contact with the department.

He said they continue to track leads that come from the public but nothing has come to fruition.

Hall also said nothing leads them to believe that the child is dead.

Copyright 2016 MSNewsNow. All rights reserved.

Thank you to Don Mitchell for a wonderful work. And for sharing Halos Missing Murdered and Trafficked. Everyone please share this video to all you know to help these many family bring their family home. Don Mitchell and Missing Persons Coalition Thank You from all of us at Halos Investigations LLC. We also support Don Don Mitchell Marketing Solutions as giving back is part of it all. 2-4-16

JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

Tuesday March 1st is an anniversary a Madison County couple does not want to remember. It was two years ago that toddler Myra Lewis went missing from the yard of her home.

One day before that dreaded anniversary her father, Greg Lewis, still maintained hope for her return.

"I believe she is still alive and hope they will release her and allow her to return home," said Lewis.

He declined an on camera interview but said he has not heard anything from authorities on the search for the now four year old who went missing from her Camden community home in Madison County on March 1, 2014.

There have been countless searches across the state and beyond.

Myra's grin looked down on motorists from billboards.

Psychic detectives got involved, giving specific locations on where Myra could be. Despite extensive searches nothing was found.

"We've done everything from dig to search houses to stop cars to visit different state and at this point we haven't gotten the desired result, but we'll get there," said Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker on March 2, 2015 on the one year anniversary of her disappearance.

In January, Halos Investigations got involved.

We contacted Sandye Roberts the lead investigator with the agency about the anniversary of Myra's disappearance.

Roberts said she forwarded information about four weeks ago to the Sheriff's Department and MBI that a specific lake needed to be searched.

Monday Sheriff's Department Spokesman Heath Hall said the agency does not have any report on that.

Still the search continues.

The FBI is offering a $20,000.00 reward for information leading to little Myra's whereabouts.

Contact the Madison County Sheriff's Department at 601-987-1530 if you have any information.

Copyright 2016 MSNewsNow. All rights reserved.