TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCJB) - Hundreds of children are reported missing in Florida every year. For some families, the search continues. For others, the grief of knowing their child won’t come home never fades.

On Monday, parents, grandparents, and law enforcement gathered in Tallahassee for Florida Missing Children’s Day, a ceremony honoring those children and the families who love them.

“I still want her to walk in the door and hug me. That’s never going to happen,” said Debra Appling, grandmother of 14-year-old Demiah Appling, who went missing from Dixie County in 2022. Her body was found two months later in Gilchrist County.

Debra has attended the ceremony for the past two years. She says being surrounded by other families offers comfort and support.

“These people are wonderful. You wo

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