Father: Wichita woman’s disappearance ‘100 percent out of character’

The father of a missing Wichita woman said Thursday that his daughter’s disappearance has baffled friends and family.

Toni Anderson, 20, a 2014 East High School graduate and University of Missouri-Kansas City student, was last heard from on Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. Police continue to investigate her disappearance.

Brian Anderson, Toni’s father, said he and his wife, Liz Anderson, are staying with friends in the Kansas City area to be closer to the investigation.

“There has never been a time in her entire life that there has been a situation like this, where she completely goes off the grid and doesn’t reply,” Brian Anderson said.

“Between my wife and myself, we have daily contact with her. It’s always, ‘Hey, love you. How are you doing? Hope you had a great day.’ And there’s always a reply.”

He said the family has fielded questions from regional and national media outlets, including “Good Morning America” and “Inside Edition.” He hopes the wide coverage will lead to clues that will help authorities track down his daughter.

Brian Anderson said the last contact he had with his daughter was a brief text exchange about health insurance on Saturday afternoon.

Kansas City police said Thursday that there has been no indication of foul play in the case, but they remain concerned about her disappearance.

Toni Anderson was supposed to begin classes at UMKC on Tuesday, her father said. When her parents went through her apartment after she disappeared, they found her day planner with classes and other appointments written in.

“We asked her friends, ‘Has there been any change in behavior, or any things that she said that have been out of character?’ And there’s been absolutely nothing,” Brian Anderson said.

“That’s what everyone is so concerned about, because it’s 100 percent out of character.”

A GoFundMe account set up by Toni Anderson’s boyfriend earlier this week has raised more than $9,500 so far.

The fundraiser initially was established to help pay for a private investigator, but those plans are on hold while police work on the case, Brian Anderson said. He said the GoFundMe account has been turned over to him and his wife, and that the funds may be used as a reward for information that could lead authorities to his missing daughter.

“Please keep us in your prayers. Share information and keep the word out,” Brian Anderson said Thursday.

“We appreciate everyone in the community, from the law enforcement to media to all the friends and family and total strangers that are sending messages of hope and support and willingness to offer assistance,” he said. “Thank you to everyone, and please don’t stop that.”

A candlelight vigil to pray for Toni Anderson’s safe return was held Thursday night in Wichita at Risen Savior Lutheran Church, near K-96 and Woodlawn.

“We’re just encouraging people to pray for them at a very difficult time with a lot of questions,” Tom Harmon, senior pastor of the church, said before the service.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Father: Wichita woman’s disappearance ‘100 percent out of character’."