Police are investigating and searching for two men who disappeared after going out on a boat at northwest Indiana’s East Chicago Marina.
Tatiana Herron told NBC 5 she is desperate to find her older brother, Curtis, who was last seen two weeks ago at the marina.
“It’s hard and it’s devastating to know that he’s out there and I don’t even know about his well-being,” she said.
Investigators said the 36-year-old took went boating with his friend Dexter Sain on July 27, and hasn’t been seen since.
“This is not even him to just you know just disappear like this or randomly do anything like this,” she said.
According to investigators, surveillance video captured his 30-foot bayliner heading north toward Illinois. Hours after leaving on the morning of July 27, investigators learned they called for a private tow after experiencing electrical issues on the boat. But investigators said the men never went through with the service due to pricing.
The last location they gave was approximately one mile away from Cleveland Cliff Steel.
“One of the Coast Guards did explain to me that it’s a possibility that it has sunk,” she said.
The Lake County Sheriff Marine Unit began the search when the boaters were reported missing on July 29.
The U.S. Coast Guard also joined the efforts and told NBC 5 crew members spent three days searching by boat and air but couldn’t find them or any signs of the boat or crash site and suspended the search last week.
“I feel like they didn’t utilize all the resources that they have to get out there and actually search for my brother,” she said.
Herron hasn’t been able to sleep or eat just thinking about her brother and said he’s paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair to get around.
“I want him to let us know he is okay,” she cried. “Just let us know you’re okay at least if you are out there, reach out to us, give us some type of sign that nothing happened.”
The East Chicago Police Chief told NBC 5 by email detectives have found no evidence of foul play at this time. Multiple agencies are still investigating the case, including the U.S. Coast Guard, F.B.I., the Department of Natural Resources, Chicago Police Department Marine Unit, and the Lake County Sheriff Department Marine Unit.
If you have any information about the investigation you can call East Chicago Police Detective Miguel Pena at (219) 391-8318 or you can call the department’s anonymous tip line at (219) 391-8500.