CONYERS, Ga. — A Rockdale County teenager went missing Memorial Day weekend and now her family is getting some high-tech help in their search.
Everyone who lives in the Conyers area and has the Ring doorbell app got a notification about a missing 15-year-old Kellis Smith Thursday afternoon.
Sandra Smith has five grandchildren. She can't sleep over what's going on with her oldest granddaughter, Kellis, who is an honor student with a 3.9 GPA.
“It’s just tearing the family apart. It’s breaking everyone’s heart," Smith said.
Smith said it all started when she got a frantic phone call from her son early on Memorial Day.
“Her window was open, but she wasn’t there," Smith said.
The family put up fliers and then they went a step further.
“I decided to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after a couple of days and realizing this is really something serious," Smith said.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children often helps get the word out about children who have seemingly disappeared. It has partnered with Ring to send out notifications of missing children.
In a statement, Ring said through the partnership, the company can help spread awareness about missing children through local users who may have helpful and relevant information -- adding that it "has helped recover hundreds of missing children across the country."
“We’re trying all avenues we could possibly think of," Smith said. "This will be another way for people out there to see her and hopefully give us a call and let us know because we really want her back.”
A notification with Kellis' description and a 30-second video went out to Ring users in the Conyers area. That's where she was last seen.
“It has been successful in the past that they were able to find missing children through that," Smith said. "I’m old school. The technology for me is amazing.”
Smith is learning about the power of new technology while she uses some old-fashioned prayers.
“I just want her to come home. We all want her to come home. Her father is not doing well emotionally. He’s devastated," Smith said.
Anyone who thinks they may have seen Kellis is asked to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Conyers Police Department at 770-483-6600.