Norton Shores, Mich.- Wednesday, a break in the search for Jessica Heeringa. Investigators confirm a substance gathered from the crime scene was Jessica’s blood.
It’s been 12 days since the 25-year-old mother was taken from the Exxon Mobile gas station while working the late shift. Police say the new information confirms what they’ve believed all along, that Jessica was abducted.
Upon hearing Jessica’s blood was found outside the gas station, Diane Homrich, Jessica’s Grandma said, “ I’ve always tried to raise my kids to be strong independent women. To me, it shows she fought and she didn’t go willingly and the whole family feels she is still alive and hopefully waiting for her chance.”
The sample was taken from a small amount of blood found outside the gas station the night Jessica was abducted. Chief Daniel Shaw says the new information fuels investigators, “We need to bring her home, we need to give her medical attention and she needs to go home to her little boy.”
Homrich has a message for the man who took Jessica, “I will say to him as I said before, step to the plate, be a hero, be a man, return this lovely young lady to us. Return her to her son who misses her terribly and give us a reason to celebrate.”
Chief Shaw says investigators are getting closer to finding the person responsible for Jessica’s disappearance, “There is someone out there who knows where Jessica is, that knows who took Jessica.”
Until that day comes, the Heeringa Family will continue gathering in the parking lot just outside the gas station where Jessica was abducted. Homrich says, “That’s why we continue to stay here. Hopefully, she knows we are here. Basically, she would have some place to go if she would get that chance.”
