Family, friends gather to pray and walk for DeOrr Kunz
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IDAHO FALLS — DeOrr Kunz Jr. disappeared three years ago this week and around a dozen family members and friends gathered Tuesday evening at the Idaho Falls Greenbelt in his honor.
They said a prayer together and walked around the Snake River holding signs bearing of photos of DeOrr and heartfelt messages.
“Never lose hope.” “Who stole a piece of my heart.” “Team DeOrr.” “#FindDeOrr.”
The Idaho Falls toddler vanished July 10, 2015 while on a camping trip in Lemhi County with his parents, great-grandfather and a friend of his great-grandfather. There has been no sign of DeOrr since that day, and nobody has been charged in connection to his disappearance.
WATCH | Without a Trace: What happened to DeOrr Kunz?
DeOrr’s grandmother, Trina Clegg, says she does not want her grandson to be forgotten so she organized the walk.
“You talk about how fast time keeps moving but the past three years seem like an eternity because nothing has changed,” Clegg says. “You can’t say we took one step forward because there’s been zero steps forward in this process. The grieving is hard, the ups-and-downs are harder and there’s absolutely zero that makes it any easier.”
DeOrr’s mother, Jessica Mitchell, attended the walk but his father, Vernal DeOrr Kunz, was not there.
Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner tells EastIdahoNews.com there are no new developments in the case, but it remains “very active” and he is hoping for answers soon.
DeOrr’s disappearance gripped the nation and the blond-haired toddler, whose fifth birthday was in December, was the focus of national news programs, magazines and documentaries.
“There’s no happiness to this day. I made some tough phone calls today and talked to Officer Penner over in Lemhi County,” Clegg says. “I told him how much I appreciated him and let him know I’m glad he’s part of DeOrr’s team. We’re grateful for all of the support we get.”
