Family desperate for information as search continues for missing Aiken County mom

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We often report on missing person cases and how to help find them, but one family says their loved one’s disappearance doesn’t add up.

Krystal Anderson went missing in Aiken County, last seen outside her home on Aug. 20.

Her family is trying to figure out where she is, and investigators are too.

Her family’s initial gut instinct is that this isn’t good. Anderson is typically a text or phone call away.

The Aiken County Sheriff’s Office says they are looking at the evidence and are hoping to find her soon, but her family is calling for more urgency.

“I try not to think the worst, but sometimes I do,” said Shadria Smothers, Anderson’s sister.

Daughter, sister, mother, and friend are a few of the titles Anderson goes by.

“She was a great mom, a great sister. She’s my baby sister. She’s always looked up to me and called me for everything when it came down to things that she wanted to do,” said Smothers.

The 30-year-old was reported missing to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 23 from her home in Wagener, S.C.

Leaving behind her four children, her family says she would never do that by choice.

“Involuntarily breaks? Yes, a few of those. I have picked her up and brought her to North Carolina. But during these breaks, she’s always had her children,” she said.

Smothers says it’s not unusual to go a couple of days without hearing from her sister.

“Even if she had issues, she would contact me. She would contact maybe her friends. Somebody always knew her whereabouts. She has never done anything like this before,” she said.

Her sister received a call from one of the children’s fathers after she did not show up to pick up her son before school started.

“I received a call from him on Tuesday stating that Krystal never reached out to him. He’s been reaching out to her. He was concerned. That’s how I found out that she was missing,” said Smothers.

By the time she was reported missing, she had already been gone for 72 hours.

As days turn into weeks without answers from law enforcement, the family’s frustration is growing.

“I feel very much in the dark because I have not received one phone call from Aiken County, not even a call of empathy,” said Smothers.

Aiken County tells us they have assigned an investigator and are on top of the investigation but would not share any more details than what we have in this report.

Her sister says they know something is wrong, and they won’t stop until Anderson is found.

“We love you, and we are not going to stop looking for you. We are not going to ever stop looking for you until we bring you home,” said Smothers.

Aiken County tells us they are treating this as a missing persons case. Anderson and her boyfriend Tony Berry are listed as missing, and the family needs your help.

Anyone with information is urged to contact deputies at 803-648-6811.

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