Help Find Missing Pregnant Girl & Sister~ The Hess Family in North Carolina

MOORESVILLE, NC (WBTV) - Authorities across the country are on the look out for two Iredell County girls -- including one who is 9-months pregnant -- who disappeared with their step-father last week.
Janette Hess says her 12-year-old pregnant daughter Keara and 11-year-old Sierra, vanished with their stepfather, Matthew Hess, on Thursday, Sept. 24.

Janette Hess said she hasn't seen her daughters since they went to bed on Wednesday around 9 p.m.

"It's been a nightmare, I've been living in a nightmare," Hess said.


The Iredell County Sheriff's Office has entered Matthew Hess and the two girls into NCIC. The children are also now listed on the Center for Missing and Exploited Children website. An AMBER alert was not issued because are with a legal guardian and do not meet the criteria of a missing child.

During the sheriff's office investigation this week, the sheriff's office learned new information. Lt. Julie Gibson said there is the possibility that Matthew Hess or the girls packed items for the purpose of having "...an intended stay away from home." The sheriff's office is not sure at this time. Some of the girls' clothing and other things were missing which they very likely would have taken on a trip Gibson said.

The sheriff's office is asking other states to check their state parks, homeless shelters, camping areas, hotels and rest areas in case they see Matthew Hess and the two girls.

The sheriff's office says Hess has not broken any laws at this time. He is their legal guardian and in North Carolina, a parent or guardian has the right to take their child whenever they want outside the state. The sheriff's office just wants to make sure the girls are safe.

Matthew Hess has been married to the girls' mother for 11 years. At this point, the sheriff's office doesn't have any reason to suspect that Matthew Hess has ever harmed the girls.

When asked if Hess may have taken the girl away to have an abortion, Gibson said Keara is too far along to have a legal abortion.

Keara was due to have a medical procedure on the day in which she disappeared. This procedure was very important for Keara to have, Gibson said. She would not comment further, though.

Keara has never indicated that her stepfather was the father of the child. They think the father is a young person Keara's age. The mother told authorities her daughter named a young person as the father.

Keara got pregnant when she, her sister and Matthew Hess lived in Lincoln County. At the time, Matthew and Janette Hess were separated.

This summer, Matthew and Janette Hess started living together again with the girls at a home in Mooresville.

Once the girls are found, a non-secure custody order has been issued by the Iredell County District Court to have the girls turned over to the Department of Social Services, said Lt. Julie Gibson with the sheriff's office. Gibson said this DSS order was not issued until the day the girls were reported missing.

Janette Hess says her estranged husband left a note early Thursday morning indicating that he left early to get some school supplies and was taking his daughters to school.

When Keara didn't show up for her doctor's appointment later that day, Janette Hess became suspicious and worried. She said Keara is nearly nine months pregnant.

"I'm concerned about the welfare of my daughter," Hess said. "I don't know if he's scared to take her to the hospital or if they're going to try to do this on their own."

Bank records show no activity on Matthew Hess' account since he left Thursday morning. Jeanette Hess believes the three may have left the state.

"I have a suspicion they might be over in New York or over in Tennessee because we used to live in Tennessee," she said.

The sheriff's office has been following leads from other states, but as of Monday afternoon, Gibson said they have not had any success in locating the girls.

Janette Hess is pleading for her the safe return of her daughters.

"I just want my kids back, I want my girls back," Jeanette Hess said.

Keara Hess is described as 5' 1" tall, 128 pounds, wears glasses, has brown curly hair and brown eyes. Sierra Hess is described as 5' tall, 100 pounds, has brown curly hair and brown eyes.

The sheriff's office said Matthew Hess is driving a 1993 Ford Explorer that is forest green in color. It has a NC tag YTE-8014. The back passenger window is broken and covered with Plexiglass and duct-taped in place.

If you know where Matthew Hess or these missing girls may be, call the Iredell County Sheriff's Office at 704-878-3100.