Brian Peters was planning on asking his daughter, Amber Evans, to accompany him to Natalie's, a pizza and live music joint in Columbus, OH to watch a friend play. Though the two hadn't seen each other in a bit, they would talk and text frequently, and had plans to get together soon. But no one, including Peters, has seen or heard from Evans, 28, since January 28.
"I don't have any updates," Peters told Refinery29 in an interview on Tuesday. "At this point, she just vanished from downtown. I am not one to speculate but things just don't add up."
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Evans, who works as a director at the Juvenile Justice Coalition and does activism work with organizations like March for Our Lives, was reported missing after an alleged dispute with her boyfriend. She sent a text to her mother, Tonya Fischer, that read, "I love you and I'm sorry." Her car was found near the Scioto River.
Like Fischer, Peters doesn't believe his daughter was suicidal. "I have a real hard time believing that she was suicidal or severely depressed but, who knows? Maybe she hid it well. ... I know always dealing with negative situations and constantly fighting for something can take its toll," Peters said. The Columbus Police Department had to postpone a search of the river due to rising waters; it is unclear when it will resume.
Evans being listed as a "distraught high risk" missing person and the mention of a dispute with her boyfriend has led to confusion, according to Peters. "So many people took domestic dispute to [mean] domestic violence. A dispute could be nothing more than a conversation," he said. "I have no intention of saying anything more than what the police have at this point. But I don't have any evidence that there was or wasn't a big dispute. I think it leads to speculation." (Refinery29 has reached out to the Columbus Police Department.)
"To know her is to love her and I just want her home," Peters said. "She is strong, always willing to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. I just want the world to know how amazing she is. I love that girl."
Evans is described as a 5'5" light-skinned Black female, with brown hair and eyes. She was last seen wearing a white parka with black leggings. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus Police Department's Special Victims Bureau at 614-645-4624 or 614-645-4545.