OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Friends and family of Lindsey Baum held a concert in her honor this weekend.
One year ago Saturday, Lindsey Baum disappeared while walking home from a friend's home in the small town of McCleary.
In addition to the benefit concert for Lindsey Saturday night, a safety and awareness event was held Saturday in Olympia in Lindsey's honor. Kids came for the fun and games, the clowns and puppets.
Parents had their own reasons. Katie Moore, 9, is walking around with black fingertips after getting her fingerprints taken at a safety station.
"We were putting our hands in ink so, if we got lost, they would know our fingerprints," said Katie.
Her parents pray they'll never need Katie's fingerprint card. Melissa Baum never dreamed she'd need one for her daughter, Lindsey.
"You don't think it can happen to you," said Melissa. "There is no safe place for your children."
Melissa admits the small town of McCleary lulled her into a false sense of security and convinced her to give Lindsey a little independence. But that night, when Lindsey vanished, forever changed all of their lives.
"Half of my soul is missing. Half of my heart is gone and you can't really go on without that," said Melissa.
Beyond the laughter, an undercurrent of grief lurks at the child safety fair. There are others here who can honestly say they know exactly how Melissa Baum feels.
"It is a special pain that we share, and so if we can provide some support for her, that's good," said Chuck Cox. His daughter, Susan Powell, disappeared last December.
Friends of Nancy Moyer, missing from Tenino, wear t-shirts with her photo.
"It's all the family can do to get through each day," said Nancy's friend Bev Posten.
They all clutch onto hope. Yet, the mother of Teekah Lewis, missing from Tacoma for over 10 years now, knows what the future holds if these loved ones remain missing.
"It gets worse every year. Every anniversary, every birthday, every Christmas gets worse because she's not here," said Theresa Lewis, her eyes brimming with tears.
