A Father's Desperate Search: How the NYPD's Apathy Failed One Family as a Mother Remains Lost in New York City

NEW YORK, NY - As summer fades and the cool breeze of autumn creeps in, our thoughts often turn to the upcoming festive season, filled with the promise of making memories with our loved ones. But for one family, this time of year is far from the usual warmth and comfort. Instead, they’re grappling with a heart-wrenching absence.

For Rich Lewis, a contractor from New Jersey, and his young daughter, the end of this summer has been marked by an unthinkable loss—Rich’s fiancée, Tashia Holmes, has been missing since July 1st. Their five-year-old daughter, too young to fully comprehend the crisis but old enough to feel her mother's absence, asks the same painful question every day: “Is mommy coming home today?"

Rich’s life has been a relentless nightmare over the last few months. What should have been a summer filled with playdates, family outings, and date nights with his beloved Tashia has been marred by endless searches and a growing sense of despair. His fiancée didn’t just vanish; she fell through the cracks of a broken system—one disturbingly ill-equipped to protect vulnerable individuals like Tashia.

MISSING!

Courtesy: Hope Alive 845 INC.

Tashia Holmes, whose mental health deteriorated after a brutal battle with COVID-19, disappeared following a stay at a Newark hospital when she was released and brought to a Brooklyn shelter to wait and be picked up by her fiancée. When he came to get her, she was nowhere to be found. Struggling with both physical and mental health issues, Tashia was discharged into the streets of New York City, confused and unwell.

"She was supposed to sign into an outpatient program that day," Rich recalls, his voice shaking. "But instead, they essentially dropped her back on the streets, confused and mentally unstable. And they didn’t even call me."

That was the last time Rich knew her precise whereabouts—Tashia, vulnerable and scared, was let go in a manner that has only added to their family’s anguish. Even worse, the authorities, who should be working to solve such cases, seem disjointed and indifferent.

Rich has been constantly in touch with the NYPD, providing all relevant legal reports, case numbers, and even citizen sightings, but so far, to no avail. The authorities in New York have not officially listed her as missing, despite the report filed by New Jersey police in the NCIC (National Crime Information Center). "They act like it’s not their problem," Rich laments. "She’s in their city, but they don’t seem to care."

There have been scattered reports of potential sightings—Tashia seen sleeping on the subway or standing at street corners in Hell's Kitchen. Yet every time Rich rushes to these locations, she’s gone, leaving him "chasing a ghost, though I know she’s still out there, somewhere, terrified."

What’s even more terrifying is that in some of these reported sightings, Tashia hasn’t been alone. Rich fears she may have fallen victim to dangerous figures who prey on vulnerable individuals. "Someone saw a man near her with four cell phones in his pocket—people say he takes advantage of homeless women," Rich shares, his voice filled with torment. "What if that’s what’s happening to her?"

The thought keeps him up at night. He’s contacted human trafficking hotlines, advocacy groups, and anyone who might listen. Despite his desperate efforts, the system’s response has been tragically inadequate.

"I’ve talked to everyone, filed reports, and given them everything I know," Rich says. "But I’m still out here checking subway maps and chasing leads myself. I just want to bring her home—how is that so hard?"

In a city as big and bustling as New York, it’s painfully easy for a missing person to become just another statistic. The system seems resigned to letting that happen. But Rich refuses to give up. He’s pleading for help—for justice, for care, for humanity.

And most of all, for the chance to finally answer his daughter’s daily question with good news—for the long-awaited moment when he can say, "Yes, Mommy is coming home."

As New York prepares for fall, Rich and his daughter remain suspended in heart-wrenching limbo, held captive by a fractured system that shows little urgency to provide answers. This father should not walk these streets alone, hunting for clues to bring home the woman he loves.

It’s time for someone—anyone in a position of authority—to do more than offer shrugs and empty reassurances. Someone needs to help bring Tashia home.

Have info regarding the whereabouts of Tashia Holmes?

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