case closed

After mysterious Christmas Day disappearance, young family located in upperLouisiana

Haley Vilven, top, Amanda Jindra and Atorian Buckner-Brown are safe afterdisappearing for four days following a Christmas Day dinner.
Photos courtesy of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Recovery teams combed the Woodlands area for the couple's 2011 MitsubishiOutlander, before suspending the search on Saturday.
Photos courtesy of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office

A pair of Houston area families are resting easier this New Year after two adults and a child were located safe and sound following a four-day disappearance that started on Christmas Day.

On Dec. 27, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) issued a statement asking for the public's help in locating 35-year-old Woodlands resident Amanda Jindra, her 5-year-old daughter Haley Vilven and her boyfriend Atorian Buckner-Brown, 20.

While there were no immediate signs of foul play, Jindra's parents nervously told reporters that their daughter would never leave without one of her children.

Last Thursday, KPRC reported that Amanda Jindra — along with her boyfriend, daughter and 9-year-old son — had a holiday meal with some of her family members on Christmas in southern Montgomery County. The couple planned to take the children to the park, but dropped off Jindra's son with a family friend instead. By 9 p.m. that evening, the remaining three were gone.

While there were no immediate signs of foul play, Jindra's parents nervously told reporters that their daughter would never leave without one of her children and that the disappearance was very much out of character.

Jonathan Jindra, the missing woman's brother and a well-known artist in Houston, helped to spread word of the search on social media along with Burnett Specialists, a placement firm with whom Amanda Jindra has worked as a recruiter since 2011.

"None of us expected anything like this," Jonathan Jindra told CultureMap on Friday. "Like anyone, Amanda has had her ups and downs, but she always tried to remain in good spirits. This seems so random and comes as a total surprise."

Found safe

According to Sherry McKinney of Texas EquuSearch — the all-volunteer recovery team that lead the search effort — the couple made contact with family members early Saturday afternoon from a location near Shreveport, La.

"We suspended the search immediately and, by Monday, we confirmed that they were safe with their families," McKinney told CultureMap.

"EquuSearch runs entirely on donations and volunteers, and we want to thanks the Woodlands community for the incredible support last week. We're all very glad to hear that Amanda, her daughter and Atorian are all OK."

No other details were immediately forthcoming about the disappearance.

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Flood Relief News

Houston company gives back with free cleanings for Hill County families

Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings

Cotton Holdings Restoration Station team helping residents in Central Texas.

Cotton Holdings, a Houston-based disaster relief company, has been on the ground daily in Central Texas since the July 4 floods, clearing debris and cleaning up spaces. The company has deployed two "Restoration Station" vans, fully equipped with cleaning teams and professional-grade supplies, to help people recover and preserve their belongings.

For residents of Kerrville, Hunt, and Comfort, this service is being offered free of charge through July 19.

Residents in these areas can schedule a free two-hour appointment to have family heirlooms, jewelry, collectibles, or other keepsakes and valuables that may have been damaged by the floods professionally cleaned and restored.

The website notes that Cotton Holdings is currently only accepting "hard, nonporous items," and recommends throwing away soft belongings that were damaged in the floods. Some of the items they'll accept include:

Wood furniture
Sculptures
Mirrors
Jewelry
Dinnerware
Musical instruments
TVs
Gaming devices

Cotton Holdings item cleaning Most items can be cleaned within 15 minutes, a press release says.Photo courtesy of Cotton Holdings

Each home visit includes two hours of cleaning, plus a dedicated team member to offer emotional support, according to a press release.

"This effort aims to preserve treasured memories and renew hope within the community during this challenging time," says the release.

Aside from its work in Central Texas, Cotton Holdings has been at the forefront of disaster relief across the country since its founding in 1996. They've recently helped residents in the California wildfires and in Asheville, North Carolina, post-Hurricane Helene.

natural disaster charity free