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CLEVELAND (WJW) — The family of Amanda Dean, a mom who went missing five years ago, is bringing her case to light in hopes she can finally be found and brought back home to her loved ones.

The Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults hosted a press conference Wednesday morning featuring members of Amanda’s family, who says Ohio BCI has taken over the case.

She has been missing from Huron County since July 2017.

Her disappearance is under unusual circumstances where the family was initially told by law enforcement that she was at a safe house and not missing.

But as time has passed, the family still has no answers and is seeking help in locating Amanda, who was the victim of domestic abuse.

At the press conference, her mother, Caroline Tokar shared that her daughter lit up the room with her personality. Since her disappearance, Amanda, who has four sons, became a grandmother.

Her sister, Shannon Dean, also spoke saying it’s not in her sister’s character to leave her family and not keep in contact with them.

Her son, Joshua Dean, shared an emotional plea for his mother to be found and brought home because he hasn’t seen her since he was in high school. He is now 24 with two children.

The family strongly believes she is the victim of violence and was held against her will in a cabin. Tokar said the property was never searched and hopes officials can obtain a search warrant to find answers.

She also said a threat was made when her daughter disappeared saying that she was going to be killed and put in a blue barrel.

Shannon Dean was in contact with her sister prior to her disappearance but explained that keeping in touch with her was difficult. Shannon Dean said Amanda’s boyfriend sometimes took her phone from her, prompting Amanda to sneak and use her boyfriend’s phone but erase the texts to her sister immediately.

Her mother believes if the investigation went differently five years ago, Amanda would not be missing.

The family says, in recent days, law enforcement required proof of danger in order to start an investigation. That’s when they reached out to BCI with a promise to keep searching for Amanda whatever the outcome.

If anyone has information on Amanda’s whereabouts, call 1-855-BCI-Ohio.

The Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults is located at 2937 W. 25th Street in Cleveland and is co-founded by Cleveland kidnap survivor Gina DeJesus and her cousin Sylvia Colon. Their mission is to help family members and loved ones of missing persons.