Teen Tourist Missing From Walmart Reunited With Mother In Kentucky
(Louisville, Kentucky)… Natasha Gay-Regis is breathing a sigh of relief now that her 16 year-old daughter Charencia ‘Renci’ Charlisa Gay who went missing while the family shopped at a Florida Walmart is safe and sound.
The mother and daughter released a photo of them smiling in a Kentucky restaurant on Tuesday shortly after being reunited. According to the family, the teen accompanied by her 15 year-old brother, mother and step-father were in the Walmart at 2300 W. Atlantic Blvd Pompano Beach FL 33069 on Saturday August 03, 2013. She was given $100 to purchase school items but indicated she had some items already and wanted to shop in another area of the store. She is to be going in grade 12 at Jack Hayward High in Grand Bahama when school resumes in a few weeks.
“There obviously are a lot of things that go through a parent’s head during this time but right now the first thing I have to do is thank God,” said Gay-Regis. “There were a lot of interesting things stated over social media about what I ought to do when I get in touch with her and about what kind of person she is.
At the end of the day, she is my child and we are going to begin by just being grateful that she is back with us and move on from there. Until this happens to your family, you can’t even begin to imagine what emotions you feel.”
“I have to thank everyone who supported us during this time and all those who stepped in when we did not know where to turn,” added Gay-Regis. “I also have to thank the media who respectfully allowed our representatives to speak while we kept our lines clear for authorities to contact us. Sometimes people just talk on and on and in the heat of the moment some things can be taken the wrong way.
I am especially grateful to our family and the Bahamians with US connections who stepped up when we needed assistance. We are asking the media to kindly respect our wishes to be with Renci right now as we reconnect privately and out of the limelight.”
Christine Stubbs, formerly of the Chatham County Sherriff’s Office and founder of Operation S.O.L.D (Save Our Little Darlings) stated that she was thrilled with the outcome.
“The family wants this time to reunite privately and we ought to allow them to,” she said. “There are so many cases where we do not have a happy ending. It could have been a whole lot worse. There are far too many cases where teens are gone forever so this is truly a positive outcome.”
“I’d also like to the thank the law enforcement agencies of South Florida, especially Mr. Hill and the Kentucky Metro Police, Ms. Linda Mickey and Apostle Stephen Stubbs and the Restoration of Life Christian Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. We also extend our heartfelt thank you to everyone in The Bahamas and South Florida who was helpful in executing this reunion. It also speaks to the power of media. Within minutes of the story being released it hit Bahamian and American media. So I have to personally thank publicist Thia Nixon and her networks in Florida and her African-American media colleagues for their quick response. She was up from 5am working with us to ensure we got it out to the media and I appreciate that.”
The family plans to return to The Bahamas within the week.
