'Missing' investigates cases of missing people in Tri-State who never got the coverage they deserved

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The Eyewitness News series, "Missing," tells the stories of missing people around the Tri-State area who never got the coverage they deserved.

Every single victim and every single family deserves justice -- and that's the mission of this series.

It all began on Sept. 13, 2021, the first day Eyewitness News reporter Kristin Thorne covered the disappearance of Gabby Petito and met with her distraught parents on Long Island. The story consumed the next two months of her life.

Throughout this time, she spoke routinely with Gabby's father, Joseph Petito. Most of what they spoke about, she has never reported, but one thing he made clear to her is that he wanted the media to cover other missing people. He said they deserved attention, too, and he was right.

Kristin started to look at databases of missing people across the Tri-State area and as she scrolled through the hundreds of faces, she thought about not only those people but their families and friends and the ripple effect of pain that is caused when they disappeared.

She thought, "Maybe I can help?"

Kristin started calling private investigators around New York City looking for cases to profile.

We first profiled the story of Leanne Marie Hausberg, which you can watch below.

Watch the first episode of "Missing," ABC7's new series investigating cold cases of people who have vanished without a trace. This is the story of Leanne Marie Hausberg of Bensonhurst, a 14-year-old girl who went missing in 1999.

In our second story, we examined the disappearance of Chelsea Michelle Cobo, which you can watch below.

In this episode of "Missing" Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter Kristin Thorne profiles a young mother, Chelsea Michelle Cobo, who vanished from Brooklyn in 2016.

In our third story, we are investigating the disappearance of Corinna Paige Slusser, whose episode drops Friday, May 20.

Below, Kristin Thorne explains in her own words why she launched the new series, "Missing."

WATCH | Kristin Thorne on the process behind investigative series 'Missing'

Kristin Thorne sits down with Bill Ritter to reveal the emotional process behind her investigative series "Missing."

If you know anything about the disappearance of Leanne Marie Hausberg, Chelsea Michelle Cobo, or Corinna Paige Slusser call the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781. Tips can be kept anonymous.

If you want to have a better viewing experience, did you know you can watch 'Missing' on your television set? Just make sure you add the ABC7NY app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV. To download our app, viewers can search "ABC7 New York" in the app store.

CREDITS:

Kristin Thorne | Writer, Producer, Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter

Emily Sowa | Senior Digital Producer, Videographer, and Editor

Stephen Cioffi Photographer

John Sprei | Photographer

Anthony Saturno | Photographer

Evan Shumrak | Photographer

Fred Mason | Photographer

Rolando Pujol | EP Digital Content, Innovation and Strategy

Jim Gorham | Vice President, Marketing

Kim Dillon | Assistant News Director

Peter Kunz | Assistant News Director

Dana Bussey | Creative Director, Design

Jason Kuffler | Graphic Artist

Joseph Kollar | Graphic Artist

Lesley Pierson | Graphic Artist

Robert Monek | EP Web and OTV Digital Project Manager

Adam Stephan | Managing Editor

Brian McLaughlin | Assignment Editor

Brandon Cook | Media Manager

Brandon Nelson | Creative Director, Brand

Johanna Trupp | Senior Marketing Producer

Toby Hershkowitz | Marketing Producer

Luke Richards | Senior Manager, Content Development

Chad Matthews | President and General Manager

Debra OConnell | President, Networks Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution

SPECIAL THANKS

Townsend Davis

Copyright 2022 | WABC-TV