Missing girl's parents speak to ABC57

Five days after their 16-year-old daughter reportedly ran away from home, the Grossnickle family spoke to ABC57.

Jenifer Grossnickle, the mother of the missing girl said, “I gotta find her. Just call let me know you're okay.”

That’s her plea after five days of searching for Torrie Warren-Crowder.

Torrie was first reported missing on July 8th.

Grossnickle said, “Torrie if you're watching we love you.”

Her parents are still desperate for answers.

South Bend Police classified their daughter as a runaway.

“Ok, ok, this is a runaway child but we are still scared for her safety because even if she is a runaway it's not the end of it. She's still a child. She's my child," said Grossnickle.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports there are 800,000 missing children every year.

"By labeling a child a runaway the public just looks at them like ‘oh they're just being rebellious, they want to have a good time,'" said Cathey Rhodes, Regional Director of CFSI.

But that’s not always the case. Reports show many runaways are manipulated by predators or sold into sex slavery.

“These parents don't know where their child is. They don't know if they are being fed or clothed, if they have a place to sleep. So we always view the child as missing," said Rhodes.

Grossnickle said that is why she is begging for her daughter to come home.

“I'm just scared and I need to know that you are okay," said Grossnickle.