Trees dedicated to bring awareness to missing residents in north Harris Co.

Families of missing Houston-area residents set up a memorial to help bring awareness to their disappearance. 

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In collaboration with the Harris County Sheriff's Office Foundation, several residents were invited Saturday to paint and personalize a rock to place at the base of a tree located at Mercer Arboretum, also known as Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble

Loved ones were also given an opportunity to speak about the importance of bringing awareness to missing person cases. 

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Among the attendees was Willie Smith, father of Jared Chavis, who was reported missing back in 2018. 

"This is a great event just to get the awareness out of those missing," he said. "I couldn't imagine so many families were going through such a tragic moment, where you wake up and your loved one is missing." 

Willie Smith (Photo courtesy of OnScene)