KILGORE - Sheryia Grant has been missing for nine months. She would have been 21 years old with a eight month old daughter. While arrests have been made in her missing case, the Grant family said she is more than a missing person.
Imagine life with someone who's cherished, suddenly, they're gone in an instant. Sheryia Grant was somebody's best-friend, sister and grand daughter. She was one of Arnita Grant's 13 grand children. With her daughter expected to be on the way, Arnita could have had three great-grand children.
"She was a joyful person," Arnita Grant said. "She'd want to tell jokes and dance around and make everyone laugh."
Grant was known as 'Gata' to her family. She is the second youngest of four, but still considered to be 'the baby' to her siblings. Her older brother Rondrick Grant, said her presence would cheer someone up. He described her as the person who held the family together. It was an inseparable family bond. Since her disappearance, staying optimistic is at times almost impossible.
"I'm one of the only one's still having faith that she's still here." Rondrick said. Arnita said she can't help but feel 'lost'.
Grant was eight months pregnant when she disappeared. She was excited to give birth to her first -born daughter, Iyanna Elise-Ree Grant.
"I would rub her stomach and say 'How's Sally Sue doing?'" Arnita chuckled. "She'd say 'Granny don't say that!'"
Arnita said Grant would walk to work at a Chicken Express almost everyday during her pregnancy. She would save her money and make sure she was taken care of. Iyanna would have been born on September 16. Grant's siblings were excitedly waiting for her to give birth.
"If my sister wanted it [a baby], if Sheryia wanted it, that's what it is," Rondrick said.
However, Grant's due date has passed. Grant has been missing since August 19, but her family is holding on to what little hope they have left. Rondrick said he would call and text his sister, waiting for a response.
Investigators believe Grant was killed shortly after she was reported missing. Authorities arrested Allen Sutton Jr. and Laneshia Young for tampering with physical evidence. Grant's family, on the other hand, is still waiting for closure. Arnita said the pain of losing her loved one would hurt less if her family had a chance to have a burial and time to say goodbye.
"Will they come forward and let us know where her body is?" Arnita asked. "Just show me were my grand baby and great grand baby is so we can do a proper memorial."
Rondrick said he feels like Grant could still out there. He's trying to stay strong for his siblings. If he had one more chance to see his baby sister. He'd remind her how much she was loved.