Jeff Rucker has spent the past several days walking West Akron, just hoping like so many others that all is well with his stepdaughter.
Taylor Robinson, 19, has been missing since last talking to her mother Friday night. On Monday, Rucker and a small army of friends, family and complete strangers offered support or canvassed neighborhoods and area businesses passing out more than 500 fliers seeking help in finding the woman.
Akron police detectives remain concerned over Robinson’s sudden disappearance, but said there have been no new leads as the search ended its third day. The FBI has now agreed to assist police investigating the disappearance.
For the family of Robinson, there has been little sleep as each day passes.
“It’s super hard. Ain’t no way to describe it,” Rucker, 39, said as he walked the Hawkins Plaza with his brother, DeAngelo Walters.
That Robinson’s disappearance is so out of character has given the family and police detectives reason for concern. For Rucker, he hopes the search has a positive ending. In 2006, his son, David Rucker, 17, was shot and killed outside a Yale Street house.
“For this to be like happening, I don’t want to think like that, that I’m losing a child or whatever, hopefully something happens where she pops up or I get a phone call or something,” he said. “But until then, I can’t just sit around and do nothing.”
Robinson, 19, was last seen Friday night going inside a Kipling Street home where she worked as a home health aide for a disabled patient. Her mother, Carmilla Robinson, dropped her daughter off that night. But when she went back in the morning at 7, her daughter was gone.
Taylor also failed to show up Saturday for her second job at a Chapel Hill clothing store.
Police say there were no signs of a struggle inside the Kipling Street home. However, Taylor’s shoes and coat were still inside the home.
A Kenmore High School grad, Taylor is enrolled at Kent State University’s Stark campus and plans a career in nursing.
“This is not like Taylor. She goes to work, she comes home,” Rucker said.
Police have interviewed Taylor’s friends, family and her current and former boyfriend. They have also reviewed the woman’s cellphone records.
Police Capt. Elizabeth Daugherty said the FBI agreed to assist detectives, but she urged the public to contact police to offer help.
“We’re very concern about Taylor’s safety,” she said.
Police detectives can be reached at 330-375-2530. Anonymous tips may be left by phone or at http://ci.akron.oh.us/ASP/tip.html.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com. He can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PhilTrexler.