Masaraha Ross, MCAlert, October 18, 2009 FL-GA.
Police Searching for Missing Girl By Merissa Green THE LEDGER Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 6:49 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 6:55 p.m. WINTER HAVEN | Winter Haven police said they are searching for a 2½-year-old girl who they described as “missing and endangered.’’ Police said Masaraha Ross was last known to be with her mother, 29-year-old Ronkeya Holmes, 29, who is also missing. Police would not say why they consider the child to be endangered. The child and Holmes, who is from Georgia, were last seen Oct. 18 at a Walmart store in Haines City, said Winter Haven police Detective Amity McGee. Holmes came to Polk to pick up her daughter who was visiting with relatives. When family members did not hear from Holmes, they notified police, McGee said. Police said there are conflicting stories as to the last known location of the mother and daughter. However, witness statements place them in either the Winter Haven or Haines City area. Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in this case, according to police. Anyone with information about the missing pair can contact Detective Sgt. Chris Ford at 863- 291-5733 or 863- 412-5973 and Detective Amity McGee at 863-291-5312 or 863- 287-1961. http://www.theledger.com/article/20091028/NEWS/910289949?Title=Police-Searching-for-Missing-Girl

Police search for missing child Updated: Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 8:26 PM EDT Published : Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 6:19 PM EDT WINTER HAVEN - Police are searching for a missing 2-year-old. Investigators say Masaraha Ross was last known to be in the company of her mother. The girl's mother, Ronkeya Holmes, 29, is also missing. Right now there are conflicting stories about their whereabouts. Anyone who knows where they are should call Winter Haven Police at (863) 298-7660. Stay with FOX 13 for updates on this developing story. http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/nature_coast/missing_child_search_102809

Missing 2 1/2-year-old might be in danger, police say News Chief Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 6:47 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 6:47 p.m. WINTER HAVEN - Winter Haven Police Department detectives are searching for a 2 1/2-year-old girl who they say might be in danger. The girl, Masaraha Ross, was last known to be in the company of her mother, 29-year-old Ronkeya Holmes, who also is missing, the police department reported late Wednesday afternoon. Masaraha is black with black hair and black eyes, according to a missing persons flyer released by the police department. She stands about 38 inches tall and weighs about 30 pounds. There are conflicting stories about the last known location of the missing girl and mother, but witness statements place them in either the Winter Haven or Haines City areas, according to Sgt. Brad Coleman, a spokesman for the police department. "Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in this case and information is currently being filtered from a variety of sources," Coleman said in a news release. Anyone with information about location of the girl or her mother is being urged to call police Detective Sgt. Chris Ford at 863-291-5733 or 863-412-5973 or Detective Amity McGee at 863-291-5312 or 863-287-1961. The police department had no further additional information to release Wednesday evening. http://www.newschief.com/article/20091028/NEWS/910289996/1021/NEWS01?Title=Missing-2-1-2-year-old-might-be-in-danger-police-say

Police search for missing 2-1/2 year old girl Jim Peppard 5 hrs ago Winter Haven, Florida -- Police have issued a missing child alert for a 2-1/2 year old girl and her mother. The two were last seen in either the Winter Haven or Haines City areas, police said. They say there are conflicting statements on where they were last seen. The child, Masaraha Ross, is considered endangered. Police say she may be in the company of her mother, Ronkeya Holmes, 29. The mother is also missing. Anyone who sees them is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Chris Ford at (863) 291-5733 (office) or (863) 412-5973 (cell) or Detective Amity McGee at (863) 291-5312 (office) or (863) 287-1961. Winter Haven Police Department http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=116478&provider=rss

Search continues for missing mother and child Posted: Nov 07, 2009 5:52 PM EST Updated: Nov 09, 2009 10:48 AM EST By Lynda Figueredo SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) – The family of a missing Savannah mom, and her child are hoping someone will come forward with information on their whereabouts. It has been almost 3 weeks since a Savannah woman and her child simply vanished. Now family members are doing some searching of their own, canvassing two cities in Florida looking for 29-year-old Ronkeya Holmes and her 3-year-old baby girl Masaraha Ross. "We not able to sleep. All of us had our own personal relationship with my sister you know. It's just, it's hard, real hard having to be there for each other," said Angel Fletcher, the sister of the missing mom. It was October 18, 2009 when Ronkeya drove to Florida to pick up her daughter from the child's father. Masaraha was staying at her father's home in Winter Haven while Ronkeya took classes at Savannah Technical College. The child's father says he handed the girl over at a Haines City Walmart, but police haven't found any evidence to back up that claim. We spoke to the Ronkeya's mother shortly before she headed to Florida in search of her daughter. "It's just hard knowing that you have spent two weeks without her not knowing anything. Where she is, or how she is doing," said Ronekya's Mother, Edith Fletcher. With each day that passes Fletcher worries that her daughter may no longer be alive. "I'm ready for that call, but I don't want to get that call," said Fletcher. Investigators found Ronkeya's car shortly after her disappearance with her luggage in the front seat, her college badge hanging from the rear view mirror and several children's items in the back seat. "I think they planted it in there to cover it up," said Fletcher. Ronkeya's mother believes the child's father may have something to do with their disappearance. Either way the family says they won't stop searching until they know what really happened to Ronkeya Holmes and her child. The FBI is also looking into this case. If you know anything about the missing mother and daughter, just call Polk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS. http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11463397

Endangered Missing MASARAHA ROSS DOB: Mar 24, 2007 Missing: Oct 18, 2009 Age Now: 2 Sex: Female Race: Black Hair: Black Eyes: Brown Height: 3'2" (97 cm) Weight: 30 lbs (14 kg) Missing From: HAINES CITY FL United States RONKEYA HOLMES Companion DOB: Sep 22, 1980 Sex: Female Race: Black Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown Height: 5'5" (165 cm) Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg) The photo on the right and in the center are of Masaraha. She may be in the company of her mother, Ronkeya Holmes. Ronkeya may have dyed her hair. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) Winter Haven Police Department (Florida) 1-863-291-5858 http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=1134329&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US

Absence of mom, girl signals empty holidays By Donna Kelly News Chief staff Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 4:01 a.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 2:03 a.m. WINTER HAVEN - Edith Fletcher isn't looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday - it just won't be the same without her daughter, Ronkeya Holmes, and granddaughter, Masaraha Ross, who have been missing for a month. "Holidays don't even matter anymore. Holidays are for family," Fletcher said Tuesday during a phone interview from her home in Savannah, Ga. "A holiday isn't a holiday without your babies." It's difficult, she said, to wait for news of her daughter and granddaughter. She is frustrated by not knowing what has happened to them and information seems slow in getting to her. And she doesn't understand why the man she believes is responsible for their disappearance - Masaraha's father, Lester Ross - has not been listed by law enforcement agencies as a suspect. But Detective Amity McGee of the Winter Haven Police Department said investigators from several agencies - WHPD, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - are working together to find Holmes, 29, and her 3 1/2-year-old daughter. Authorities are still sifting through and analyzing information received through court orders. "At this time nobody has been named a suspect," McGee said. Meanwhile, Fletcher is on a leave of absence from her supervisory job at the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront until Nov. 24, while she deals with the emotional roller coaster she's been on since her daughter and granddaughter were declared missing Oct. 28. She wonders about "her babies" - where they are, what they are doing, how they are dressed, whether or not they are eating. "All these things you wonder every day," she said. Fletcher describes her daughter as "a good mom." "She loves her kids. She takes them to the mall and to the park," she said. "She has a sweet personality. Everyone loves her." In addition to Masaraha, Holmes has an 8-year old daughter, Remiah. Masaraha lives in Savannah, Ga., with her mother, but had been staying with her father in Winter Haven while Holmes went back to school. Holmes had come to pick up her daughter to take her home. At the time, Sgt. Brad Coleman, spokesman for the Winter Haven Police Department, said Holmes was to retrieve Masaraha from Ross at the Wal-Mart in Haines City. But surveillance tapes from Wal-Mart didn't allow detectives to see whether or not the exchange actually took place. Law enforcement agencies started piecing together the story, which began April 14 ,when Holmes met with Lester Ross in St. Augustine. Holmes was leaving Masaraha with Ross until she finished training to become a certified nurses assistant and a childcare associate. When Holmes finished school around Sept. 18, she began attempting to get her daughter from Lester Ross. On Oct. 2, she made contact with Ross via text messaging and informed him that she was traveling to Winter Haven to pick up her daughter. The following day, Holmes arrived in Winter Haven and contacted Ross, who told her that Masaraha was out of town with an uncle and would be returning Oct. 4. On Oct. 4, Ross did not deliver Masaraha to Holmes as promised. Holmes returned to Georgia and on Oct. 7, contacted Winter Haven Police Department to make a report. By Oct. 14-15, Holmes was in Winter Haven trying to get her daughter back and was staying with her former stepfather, Archie Forte. She then stayed with her grandmother in Haines City one day before returning to Forte's home. On Oct. 18, Nafateria Fletcher came to Winter Haven because she was worried about her sister. Later that night, Joseph Wilcox, 34 of Winter Haven, was stopped by Lake Mary Police while driving the 1992 Ford Escort driven to Florida by Holmes. Wilcox was arrested on unrelated charges and the vehicle was impounded. Wilcox is Lester Ross' cousin. Items belonging to Holmes and her daughter, such as clothes, toys and Holmes' identification badge were found in the car. On Oct. 20, Nafateria Fletcher spoke with Holmes on the phone. Fletcher said Holmes told her the car had been towed when Wilcox was stopped by police and arrested. Holmes would not tell Fletcher where she was located. Oct. 23, Fletcher filed a report with the Winter Haven Police Department. Ross told police he last saw Holmes and his daughter on Oct. 18, when he turned Masaraha over to Holmes at the Haines City Wal-Mart. Ross and Wilcox have stopped providing information in the case, Coleman indicated earlier this month. Edith Fletcher and her family continue to pray and face each day as it comes. Holmes' sisters, Tameka and Nafateria, who is called Angel, continue to have dreams about their sister. And Fletcher will return to Winter Haven on Thursday. "We're doing the best we can. We are just depending on God. That's all we can do," Fletcher said. "I really need my babies back because I miss them," Fletcher added. Anyone with information about Ronkeya Holmes and Masaraha Ross is asked to call McGee at 863-291-5312. donna.kelly@newschief.com http://www.newschief.com/article/20091118/NEWS/911185029/1003/NEWS?Title=Absence-of-mom-girl-signals-empty-holidays