'We Are All Broken': Family Of Manhattan Teen Pleads For Her Return

MANHATTAN, IL — The family of a Manhattan 16-year-old girl who police said ran away three weeks ago is pleading for her to let them know she's safe.

Lana Roemer, 16, was reported missing Feb. 5, and Will County Sheriff's police later classified her as a runaway. As more time passes, her family has taken to social media to ask her to come home.

"You left so many hearts shattered," family wrote on social media, "not only your parents, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, your sister and your brother, that not only looks at you as an older sister but his close friend.

"We are all broken because the uncertainty of not knowing if you are alive or safe and it's leaving a huge hole in our lives."

Lana's father Tim Roemer describes her as "a very bright, beautiful amazing soul. Very artistic and loving." He told Patch that Lana ran away previously in July 2022, and was located at a friend's house in Logansport, Indiana. They're not able to verify she is currently at that location, or that she was heading that direction.

Detectives have been conducting interviews with Roemer's friends and family. Multiple police agencies in Illinois and surrounding states have been notified to provide assistance based off of information gathered in the investigation. The sheriff's department is still seeking help from the public.

Anyone with information on Lana's location should contact Detective Topolewski at ktopolewski@willcosheriff.org, or submit a tip at www.willcosheriff.org.

"Before you left, we had holiday celebrations together, we had family dinners and game nights and it would be so nice to have that with you again," her family wrote. "If you don't want to personally let any of us know you are okay, PLEASE LET SOMEONE REACH OUT TO ANY ONE OF US TO LET US KNOW YOU ARE SAFE."