A grieving Ohio family’s seven-year search for answers intensifies with a $15,000 reward offer, highlighting the heartbreaking reality faced by thousands of American families left without closure when loved ones vanish without a trace.
Story Highlights
- Paige Coffey vanished in May 2019 after failing to contact family on Mother’s Day, last seen at Cleveland Home Depot
- Family announces $15,000 reward on National Missing Persons Day 2026, funding it personally after nearly seven years without answers
- FBI Cleveland Field Office assigns new agent to cold case, seeking tips as family pleads for public assistance
- Close-knit family endures emotional toll through holidays and birthdays, maintaining hope someone will come forward
Seven Years of Unanswered Questions
Paige Coffey’s disappearance from Bratenahl, Ohio began with an absence that alarmed her close-knit family on Mother’s Day 2019. Security footage captured her at a Home Depot in Cleveland’s Steelyard Commons on May 7, 2019, marking the last confirmed sighting. When she failed to contact family on Mother’s Day five days later, relatives immediately recognized something was wrong and reported her missing. The 5’7″ Black woman with brown eyes, black hair, and a distinctive piano sleeve tattoo has remained missing ever since, leaving her mother, siblings, and cousins desperately seeking closure.
Family-Funded Reward Escalates Case Urgency
On National Missing Persons Day, February 4, 2026, Coffey’s family partnered with the FBI Cleveland Field Office to announce a $15,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts. The family personally funds this substantial reward, demonstrating their unwavering commitment despite the financial burden. Aunt Lolita Polk, serving as family spokesperson, emphasized the emotional strain: “It’s been hard, holidays, birthdays… someone knows something, just come forward.” The timing leverages national attention to missing persons cases, hoping fresh publicity will shake loose crucial tips that could finally bring answers to a family trapped in limbo for nearly seven years.
FBI Brings Fresh Perspective to Cold Case
The FBI Cleveland Field Office assigned a new agent to Coffey’s case in 2024, bringing fresh eyes to evidence that local Bratenahl police initially gathered. This renewed investigative approach combined with the substantial reward represents the family’s best hope for a breakthrough. Authorities confirmed details from the 2019 security footage at Steelyard Commons, reestablishing the investigation’s factual foundation. The FBI now serves as the primary investigative lead, accepting tips through 216-522-1400 or tips.fbi.gov. This federal involvement underscores the seriousness of the case and provides resources beyond local capabilities, though no suspects have been named and the case remains frustratingly open.
Community Plea for Information
Polk’s public statements reveal the family’s desperation for any information, even acknowledging uncertainty about whether Coffey left voluntarily or met with foul play. “Even if she left on her own accord… we just don’t know,” she stated, urging anyone with knowledge to stop protecting potential suspects. The family maintains Coffey’s old artwork in their homes, preserving memories of her artistic side while hoping for her return. They credit local media, particularly Cleveland’s 19 News, for keeping Coffey’s name circulating publicly, understanding that sustained attention often proves critical in cold cases. This heartbreaking situation exemplifies challenges thousands of American families face when loved ones disappear, highlighting the importance of community vigilance and willingness to report even seemingly minor information that could solve cases.
Sources:
BOLO: $15K Reward Offered for Ohio Woman on National Missing Persons Day
