ST. LOUIS - Maurreusa Wallace keeps a collage of photographs of her daughter in plain view.  

She said Dornae Hayes, 15, was missing for two weeks before she was murdered in May of 2024.

“They took my baby,” Wallace said.

Wallace holds out hope that an arrest will be made. She is also pleased that a new state law established the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force.

State Senator Angela Mosley, D-Florissant, pushed for the legislation. Mosley said the missing and murder rates for African American women and girls are disproportionately higher than other demographics and believes their cases often fail to garner the attention other cases receive.

“There’s a crisis going on here and we want to be able to address that,” said Mosley.

The new law that took effect Thursday requires the task force to hold its first meeting by Oct. 1. 

Mosley said lawmakers, law enforcement and community advocacy groups are all part of the task force that will hold hearings and listen to testimony.   

A report will be prepared and sent to lawmakers by the end of the year.

“I hope that we look into what is the cause of this and come up with a solution,” said Mosley.

During a recent interview with FOX 2, the family of Michelle Harper, 38, expressed hope the task force will help.

Harper, a mother of three, has been missing since March.  

Her family expressed frustration not only for a lack of progress in their case but also for the hundreds of other missing persons reported in Missouri. 

Mosley believes the task force will help give families hope that their cases are not being ignored.

She said the formation of a similar task force in Minnesota led to a Missing and Murdered unit in that state.