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Family Pleads For Help Finding Missing Transgender Woman Dawn Manson

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A heartbroken family is begging for help in finding its missing daughter.

The family of Dawn Manson traveled from Florida to West Mifflin looking for answers in the 21-year-old's disappearance.

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(Photo Credit: KDKA)

"I want my daughter back, today, now," said Lateea Neely, the mother of Dawn Manson, during a Monday press conference in Freedom Corner.

The family says the transgender woman was living in Florida and recently told them she was driving to meet a man in San Francisco.

She has not been seen since.

"I feel in my heart that his intention was to cause harm to my child. That is the last person my child has seen," said Neely.

The family traveled to West Mifflin after police discovered 21-year-old Dawn Manson's phone last pinged there, but police told the heartbroken family that her phone wasn't ever there.

The family was getting text messages as late as Thursday from someone believed to be Dawn Manson, but now they aren't sure if the messages were actually coming from her.

"Dawn's number itself had got reallocated two weeks ago. Dawn was calling from another number, also a Text Me Now number," said Ronna Davis Moore of the Dignity Act Now Collective.

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(Photo Credit: West Mifflin Police)

Family and friends are heartsick and want the community to be on the lookout for her.

"We have to support this family as they are showing us how to move as a Black community to protect our community members," a member of Dignity Act Now Collective said.

"Our demand is that San Francisco police do what the family of Dawn Manson is asking," said Moore.

The family says the man Dawn Manson was texting and driving to see is named Caleb.

Police say Dawn Manson drives a red Kia Rio with Florida license plate NXQF18.

"My daughter needs to be found," said Neely.

Anyone with any information on Dawn Manson's whereabouts is asked to call the police.

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