'We Just Want Her Home': Family Waiting to Hear from Missing Girl

The family of Molly Linhardt just wants to know she's OK and want her back.

Nearly two days after Linhardt was last seen, her family still hasn't heard from the missing 16-year-old. Her grandmother, Shirley Schrier, 72, came to St. Peters from her home in Lansing, Mich., to help bring Linhardt back home. 

"We just want her home," Shirley Schrier said through tears. "She needs to be here, with her family."

Linhardt was last last seen on Monday, Jan. 14. St. Peters Police said that Linhardt was reported missing at around 7 p.m. Earlier that day her father dropped her off for work at Kentucky Fried Chicken, however, he later found out she was not scheduled to work. 

Police believe Linhardt is with 27-year-old Benjamin Kinkade. St. Peters Police Media Relations Officer Melissa Doss said Linhardt and Kinkade met at the KFC where Kinkade was a manager. Kinkade was fired from the restaurant in December. 

Kinkade is a registered sex offender in Missouri. According to court documents, Kinkade entered a guilty plea on a charge of first degree statutory rape in 2005. The Wright City resident drives a 2006 silver Chevy Colorado with the Missouri license plate of 7PT914. 

Linhardt sister Katie, 20, said she had tried to dissuade Molly from spending time with Kinkade. 

"When she first mentioned him I was like, 'Come on Molly, that's a bad idea,'" Katie Linhardt said. "'He's a lot older than you. He's your manager.' Once we had this big discussion and they got caught hanging out, she was like 'Yeah, I understand.' ... She made it seem like everything was fine, but I guess she was talking to him secretly."

Doss said Molly skipped school at Francis Howell North on Monday. When her father came to pick her up, he saw her with Kinkade. Her phone was taken away and later that night she was gone.

Katie Linhardt said she has tried to reach out to both Molly and Kinkade, but has gotten no response. Police and the family are asking Molly to contact the family to let them know she alright. 

"There's nothing we can do at this point except wait for her to call or show up," Katie Linhardt said. "We just want a message or something just to let us know that she's OK. ...

"We just want her to come home."

Her grandma echoed the statement.

"She's not going to be in trouble," Schrier said.

Schrier also asked for anyone to be on the lookout for Molly. 

"They've got to stop to get food, or gas or whatever," Schrier said. "Somebody has got to see her. We want them to call so we can find out where we are supposed to be looking so she can come home."

St. Peters Police consider Linhardt as an endangered missing juvenile and are asking anyone with information about her whereabouts call St. Peters Police Department at 636-278-2222.