GARY, Ind. (October 10, 2025) — Emma Baum, a 25-year-old woman from Portage, Indiana, and her unborn child have been missing for an entire year. Despite tireless efforts from her family, friends, and local authorities, there have been no significant leads or signs of her whereabouts since her disappearance on October 10, 2024.
What Happened to Emma Baum?
Emma Baum was last seen on October 10, 2024, after being dropped off in the 2500 block of Connecticut Street in Gary, Indiana. Family members believe she was visiting her estranged boyfriend at the time. Baum, who was nine months pregnant and days away from giving birth, never returned home. Her family grew concerned when they hadn’t heard from her for several days. A missing persons report was filed on October 28, 2024, after Baum’s family became increasingly worried about her silence.
Her sister, Hailey Baum-Waddell, recounted how the family began messaging one another in panic, realizing that Emma’s sudden disappearance was unlike her. “A couple of days went by…we all started messaging each other, ‘Hey, have you heard from Emma?’” Baum-Waddell shared earlier this year in an interview with Fox News Digital. “That’s when my mom really started to panic.”
Investigations and Searches
The Gary Police Department has been actively investigating the case, with the help of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. K9 units have been deployed to search several locations, including homes, apartments, and recreational vehicles. Cmdr. Jack Hamady confirmed that the department continues to follow up on leads and interview people connected to the case. However, despite these efforts, Emma Baum and her unborn child remain missing.
The case has raised concerns over why a Silver Alert was never issued, as her family argues that she met the criteria for a “High Risk Missing Person” due to her pregnancy and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Baum-Waddell expressed her frustration, noting that Emma was supposed to activate a phone that day but never did, leaving her family with no way of reaching her.
What the Family Believes
Baum’s family remains convinced that her estranged boyfriend is “hiding something” related to Emma’s disappearance. Although the boyfriend was later taken into custody on unrelated charges, authorities have yet to charge him in connection with Emma’s case.
The emotional toll on the family has been immense, with Baum-Waddell stating, “Looking for Emma has been a very struggling thing for everybody, mentally and physically and emotionally. But we’re not going to stop looking for her.”
One Year Later: A Community Comes Together
On the one-year anniversary of Emma Baum’s disappearance, her family and volunteers gathered at Gateway Park across from Gary City Hall. In an emotional show of solidarity, they released balloons into the sky and handed out flyers to continue raising awareness about the case. Baum-Waddell expressed gratitude for the community’s support while reaffirming their commitment to finding Emma: “We’re not going to stop looking for her.”
What You Can Do
Anyone with information about Emma Baum‘s disappearance is urged to contact the Gary Police Department at 219-881-1209. The family remains hopeful that continued awareness and fresh leads will bring them the answers they desperately seek.
As the search for Emma continues, her family holds on to the hope that one day, the mystery of her disappearance will be solved, and Emma and her unborn child will be brought home.
This story may be updated with more information as it becomes available.
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