CARTHAGE, Mo. — The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is asking for the public’s help in locating 17-year-old Adrienna Bussey, who has been missing since July 17, 2025.
Adrienna was last seen leaving her home in Carthage, Missouri. Her mother, Stacey Bussey, shared that nothing seemed unusual the night she disappeared. Adrienna said goodnight before everyone went to bed, but the next morning, her family realized she was gone. Home surveillance footage showed Adrienna leaving the home around 10 p.m. with no belongings. Her family fears she may have left to meet up with an unknown male.
Stacey said the family is heartbroken and has not heard from Adrienna since she vanished. This is very unusual behavior from Adrienna, and her family’s concern for her safety grows with each passing day.
Stacey hopes this message will reach her daughter,
“Adrienna, I miss you. With every breath. With every heartbeat. There is not a second that goes by that I don’t think of you. I miss your laugh. I miss your presence in the house. I miss hearing, ‘Goodnight, I love you.’ I miss you sending me reels. You have no idea how quiet everything feels without you. How heavy the air is. How much I ache just to know you’re safe. I don’t care what happened. I’m not here to question. I just want to hold you. I want to tell you everything’s going to be okay. I want you to know that you are deeply loved more than you could ever understand. If you’re scared, it’s okay. If you’re hurting, it’s okay. We’ll figure all of it out together. Just please… come home. No matter what, I will always be your mom. And I will always, always love you. Forever and always, Mom.”
Adrienna is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, and has brown eyes and brown hair with blonde highlights. She was last seen wearing a white shirt and red and black pajama pants. Authorities believe the teen may still be in the Carthage, Missouri, area or may have traveled to surrounding cities.
In an effort to bring more attention to Adrienna’s case, her poster is being featured on the Ring’s Neighbors app as a part of a partnership between NCMEC and Ring. This feature reaches millions of users, providing real-time assistance in locating missing children.
If you have any information about Adrienna or her disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Carthage Police Department (Missouri) at 1-417-237-7200.
