Now this family has faith, Anquiatte Parker and Cermen Lamunt Toney Jr aren't forgotten

Two remain missing after months
03/19/2006
By Denise Hollinshed
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Dogs, police and volunteers have searched 17 times for a pregnant baby sitter and a 4-year-old boy who have been missing since November.

Illinois State Police agents have even spoken to psychics, who told them that 19-year-old Anquiaette Parker, who was eight months pregnant, and the boy, Cermen Toney, were facing each other in a wooded area. Still, there has been no word of their whereabouts, although police are pointing to a Collinsville man in the disappearances Nov. 6.

Illinois State Police Lt. Greg Fernandez said police had gathered substantial evidence in the case and were awaiting DNA results from the state crime lab.

Fernandez was scheduled to retire in February but has postponed it until July in hopes of finding Parker and her 4-year-old nephew. He said he has had sleepless nights since working on the case.

"I'm at a loss," Fernandez said. "I was going to retire in February, but I just can't walk away from this because I feel I have a responsibility to the family. They want to know what happened to their people. I want to know what happened."

He said a two-day delay in filing a missing person report didn't help. Parker, 19, of East St. Louis, and Cermen, 4, of Centreville, were last seen in State Park Place on Nov. 6. Family members didn't file a missing person report until two days later.

"That kills you in any case," Fernandez said. "I don't know if we are going to ever find them."

Parker's 1995 black Crown Victoria was recovered from the area. Her boyfriend, Reginald V. Moses, 20, of East St. Louis, supplied police with information that led them to a Collinsville man and to Parker's jacket. Moses is in the St. Clair County Jail on charges resulting from a shooting in East St. Louis.

Fernandez said he asks the Illinois State Police crime lab every week about the DNA analysis that is the key in the case to charging their suspect.

Parker's father, Gregory Parker of East St. Louis, said at least 60 people, including 25 children who wanted to know what happened to their cousins, marched through the neighborhoods last Saturday. He said they were met with hostility by five Caseyville police officers with dogs.

"I'm here for one reason only, and that is to bring my kids home," Parker said. "We can't have no closure until then. I'm not going to leave the community until I find them. They might as well get used to it. Ain't no fear in our hearts anymore."

Parker said a State Police agent told him later that he wouldn't let up, either, if it was his family. He said it's a shame if they are being harassed.

State Park volunteer firefighter Billie Hayes, 58, said he has participated in most of the searches.

"We searched all the wooded areas, and they were up in helicopters and we floated down the creeks in a boat," said Hayes, who has been in the fire department for 32 years. "We haven't given up on the search."

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