Mother of Cleveland woman missing for 7 years demands answers after remains identified

“I had to tell Kristy’s son. That was the hardest part.”
Published: Jun. 20, 2022 at 11:12 PM EDT
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The mother of a missing woman whose remains were found in Cleveland last month is speaking out about her daughter’s death.

“I was mad, angry, and hurt. I had to tell Kristy’s son. That was the hardest part,” said Kimberly Osborne.

Her daughter, Kristy Thomas, was last seen alive on June 19, 2015.

On May 13, a worker found bones in a field near the 3500 block of East 55th Street in Slavic Village.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office compared Osborne’s DNA to the remains, confirming they belonged to Thomas on June 17.

Cleveland Police identified human remains found as a woman who has been missing since 2015.

Cleveland Police identified human remains found as a woman who has been missing since 2015. https://bit.ly/3Oad96v

Posted by Cleveland 19 News on Saturday, June 18, 2022

“I knew something was wrong because she would’ve contacted her son. Everyone tried giving me that hope and I got that hope back but now it’s shot down again,” she said.

Thomas’s family previously said she was last spotted just a few streets away from where her remains were found.

Osborne also told 19 News she didn’t know her daughter was missing until she received a suspicious phone call, telling her that her daughter disappeared, and still does not know who made that call.

“It’s a little bit of closure but it ain’t fully closure until I know what happened to my daughter, and then I can lay her to rest properly,” Osborne said.

It’s not known when or where Thomas, who was 25 when she went missing, died, or how long her body was in the location where her remains were found.

The interview with Kimberly Osborne and 19 News can be viewed in its entirety here:

Thomas’s family also made a statement on a Facebook page created to help effort a potential safe return:

“I can’t put into words how I feel right now but just know, this is our first step towards healing. We don’t have to wonder if she is alive or an angel. She gained her wings. We love you so much Kristy.”

The Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to determine the cause of death.

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more details are released.

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