Baby Lisa Irwin missing: One-year later on anniversary, baby Lisa case still splits community

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - This week will mark one year since the disappearance of baby Lisa Irwin. She was only 11-months-old when she was reported missing from her family's Kansas City, Mo., home on the night of October 3, 2011.

While police have never classified the case as a kidnapping, flyers plastered around the area often do. But when one volunteer group that wants to help find Baby Lisa switched their flyers from saying "kidnapped" to describing her as "missing" or "endangered", they were met with some resistance.

One member of the group, which consists of a couple dozen volunteers, said their new flyers are always ripped down. She also said members have been harassed at their own vigils for Baby Lisa and through Facebook.

"It's just snowballed into something very ugly, very awful and very unnecessary -- there's a child missing. She's not my child, but she's a child of my community," she explained.

This woman did not want 41 Action News to identify her because she fears retaliation. She and her group are planning their own vigil near the Irwin home Wednesday night.

"Obviously they appreciate the support, obviously anyone who wants to help them in terms of passing out flyers, making the public aware of what's going on -- that's fantastic, we welcome that," said John Picerno, Irwin family attorney.

Picerno said the next flyer the Irwin family plans to put up around the area will contain a sketch of what Lisa would like at almost 2 years old.