Will County teen, young woman still missing since spring

In Will County, a teen is still missing and a young woman is also considered missing by police even though she had contact with her family.

Nevaeh Stanford, 16, has been missing since April 29, and Melissa Maldonado, 22, has also been missing since May 5.

The case is still open on Maldonado even though she had contact with her family because she has not retuned home, said Will County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.

Stanford’s case is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Jungles said.

Stanford ran away from a youth group home in Homer Glen, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office. She previously had run away and was found in Chicago.

Maldonado was reported missing from the 25000 block of Route 30 in Plainfield.

Stanford is 5-foot-3, 163 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes.

Maldonado is 5-foot-7, 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts should contact Will County Sheriff’s Detective Kimberly Topolewski by email at ktopolewski@willcosheriff.org.

Anonymous tips also can be sent to willcosheriff.org.

The sheriff’s office’s 24-hour nonemergency phone number is 815-727-8575.