Family mourns daughter's disappearance

By KATHY NUSSBERGER

Managing Editor

As the anniversary date of her daughter's disappearance slowly approaches, a local mother shares how troubled her family is about the lack of closure in this case.

"I know the Bonner County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate this case and follows every lead, but so far, it's been three years and there is no word on our daughter Christine Marie Lott," Lucille Kucera said. "Christine has three sons who still don't know where their mother is or whether she is still alive. The oldest boy who is now 17, lives in the Kellogg area while the two younger boys, ages 15 and 13, are living in Phoenix, Ariz., with Christine's husband Steve Lott."

According to Lucille, in his original statements to Bonner County Sheriff's deputies, Steve Lott said that he and Christine had gone to Mitchell's IGA in Priest River, Idaho on Mar. 25, 2004. Steve said that at approximately 11 a.m., he saw his wife Christine getting into a red pickup in the store parking lot.

"I don't know why he didn't follow the pickup or could not provide some type of description of the driver or license plate," Lucille said. "It feels so surreal at times to think of my child just vanishing. Then at other times, I have hope that she will return, but then a tip will fail to materialize and just as suddenly that hope disappears, and the emptiness settles into my soul. All I know for sure is that my daughter is gone, and she is dearly loved and missed by her family."

In June 2004, Steve Lott moved to Phoenix with the two youngest boys, neither of which are his biological sons.

Lucille explained that Steve had adopted the youngest boy before Christine disappeared, and although the family had considered keeping both the oldest and middle child with them, "the two younger boys were so close, and we decided that separating them was not in their best interest."

Although all three boys stayed with Lucille and her husband in Boundary County after Steve left in June, they sent the two youngest down to Phoenix at the end of July.

"Steve was the only father they'd ever really known because he and Christy had been married for eight years before she disappeared," Lucille explained.

Lucille pointed out that information dated July 2006 on the Missing Adults website, www.missingadults.org, showed there were 50,523 missing adults and 6,076 unidentified remains found throughout the country.

In an effort to remind people that Christine has still not been found, Lucille writes a letter each year on or near the anniversary for all the local newspapers.

In this year's letter she writes:

Missing three years on Mar. 25, from the Dufort Road area. I made a gift for Christy and gave it to her on May 12, 1996. (I give my daughters "a little something" on Mothers Day because they are the reason I have a Mothers Day.)

This poem was part of that 1996 gift to Christy.

Not flesh of my flesh

Nor bone of my bone

but still

Miraculously my own.

Never forget

for a single minute

You didn't grow under

my heart

but in it.

Author Unknown

Love and prayers

Mom

If anyone has information on the whereabouts of Christine Marie Lott, or information regarding her disappearance, please contact Lt. Gary Johnston at the Bonner County Sheriff's Office, 208-263-8417.