Family members of an Iowa woman who has been missing in Mexico since traveling across the border seven months ago vowed during a vigil at her church Wednesday night to bring her home with prayer.
Chris Leguisano, the 51-year-old mother of four and parishioner at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Des Moines, has been missing in Mexico since Aug. 9, KCCI8 reports. Family members say she drove a truck full of belongings to Mexico as a favor to her ex-brother-in-law, who the family alleges has not been cooperating with the FBI to help locate her.
During a vigil at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Leguisano’s son insisted that as long as they keep praying, she will return home.
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“As long as we continue to pray and fight for her return, she’ll be here,” said Edgar Leguisano. “I know my mom is still out there, and I hope you guys keep praying for my mom each and every day.”
Well-wishers lit candles and sang hymns at the vigil to strengthen the missing mother’s spirit, but her daughter told WeAreIowa that it is difficult not knowing where she is.
“It’s been depressing, sad, not knowing where our mother could be at,” said daughter Stephanie Quintana Leguisano.
Chris Leguisano was supposed to return to the U.S. on Aug. 10, after traveling to Reynosa, Mexico, to deliver the truck. When she did not return, a missing person report was filed. Her family has been waiting for her safe return ever since.
“Across the border, things like this happen every day,” Edgar Leguisano said. “You know we’re not the only individuals left with uncertainty.”
Although the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico have been warning Americans about the risk of ransom kidnapping around Reynosa, Edgar Leguisano doesn’t believe his mother was aware of the dangers in the border town. He told Iowa News Now in an earlier interview that they traveled to Mexico numerous times without a problem.
“I’ve traveled with my mom to Mexico plenty of times, and we’ve never encountered any situation of being held captive or, you know, being targeted as a tourist,” he said.
The family has been contacted by unknown individuals seeking a ransom payment for Chris Leguisano’s return, prompting Iowa Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to lobby Mexican authorities for answers.
The family is now inviting people to mass this Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, where they’ll again dedicate the service to their mother.
“I want to be super optimistic, but at the same time trying to keep realistic as well,” son Brian Garay said.
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