LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Police are continuing their search for a Lexington teenager who disappeared nearly three decades ago, with renewed efforts bringing both hope and anxiety to her family.
Lydia Perkins was just 14 years old when she vanished from the Cardinal Valley neighborhood on October 19, 1997. Her case has remained an active missing persons investigation for 28 years.
Covering Kentucky
Family still searching for answers 28 years after Lexington teen vanished
On Sunday, officers searched Preston's Spring Park in connection to Perkins' disappearance, marking the first significant development in the case in close to 15 years, according to her brother Justin Perkins.
"I'm just hopeful for good news. It's been a long time. So hopefully we can get answers," Perkins said.
The search area has long been of interest to investigators. Police attempted to search the same park several years ago, but flooding in certain areas prevented them from conducting a thorough search.
Covering Kentucky
Lexington police search park in connection to 1997 missing person case
"That area has always been an area of interest and so I'm glad they're over there searching," Perkins said.
For the Perkins family, the renewed search efforts bring mixed emotions after nearly three decades without answers.
"The thought of my sister being left out in the woods somewhere is devastating. She deserves to come home," Perkins said.
The case has profoundly shaped Justin Perkins' life over the years.
"I've done this for so long, I've thought about, if she is found, like where do I go next? Because this is, in a way, made who I am," he said.
Despite the heartbreak, the family holds onto hope for closure.
"I just want to bring her home, give her a place, I want -- I'll never talk to my sister but I want a place where I can go to talk to my sister. A place where it can just be us," Perkins said.
Anyone with information that could help investigators find Lydia Perkins can call the Lexington Police Department at 859-258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling 859-253-2020 or online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com.
