Where is Michaelle van Kleef?

 

Of Dutch heritage, Michaelle (pronounced Mah-Kay-Luh) van Kleef is a somewhat less than typical 19 year-old. Until late this past summer, Michaelle and her parents and four siblings lived in Clifton, Tennessee; the small Wayne County town had been her home for seven years. She and her sister Gabrielle formed the singing duo Grafted Culture and were beginning to make a name for themselves. Some might have called Michaelle a celebrity, but she called herself a servant of God.

In August, the Van Kleefs moved to Boston in order to secure an advanced education for Michaelle and Gabrielle. It was there Michaelle decided to work with the blind and visually impaired. She was eager to learn how to train service dogs and returned to Tennessee to take a three-week course in specialized training at K-9 Companions in Mt. Juliet. 

Near the end of the course, Michaelle disappeared from the home in which she was staying while in Mt. Juliet. She had remarked on a Zoom call that she had forgotten to check something on the property's barn; she also told a course director that she was going for a walk at around seven o'clock Sunday night. No one has seen Michaelle since.

What CCTV footage that was available failed to turn up any images of Michaelle near that time. She had only her ID and a debit card with her, leaving her purse and cell phone in her room. 

Michaelle's parents realized something was wrong when she failed to call before lunch on Monday. The young woman had never been away from home for any extended period, and normally liked to communicate with her parents and siblings two or more times a day. 

By Monday afternoon, the Van Kleefs were on a flight to Tennessee and the Wilson County Sheriff's Office was starting its investigation. As of Friday, there have been absolutely no clues discovered to indicate where Michaelle may be. She was known to go out of her way to help others and could have been lured into a dangerous situation. She also could have rebuffed the wrong person who took rejection by a young woman who didn't even date as a personal affront.

Michaelle and her sister had perfomed at the Roxy and are said to be familiar with the Shoals area (Wayne County is immediately to the north of Lauderdale). If this is an abduction, it's possible there may be information among locals. If you know anything at all, no matter how small, please call the Wilson County Sheriff's office at 615-444-1412.

Even more importantly, we can all pray for Michaelle.