‘Somebody has to know something’: Family, friends, concerned after Champaign woman reported missing

WCIA
Jack Krumm
January 29, 2025

A Champaign woman was reported missing to police last week. Brittney Schurvinske has been missing for six months — and now friends and family members are concerned about her whereabouts.

The 35-year-old mother of two was last seen by friends and family in July. On Friday, an official police investigation was opened by Champaign Police after a concerned friend, Kendra Keeler, reported the disappearance — And she said she’s deeply concerned about Brittany’s well-being.

“I asked anybody and everybody, have you seen her? Somebody has to know something,” Keeler said.

Keeler said she was made aware of her disappearance last week.

“Her mom reached out last week to me and asked me if I had heard from her, that she had missed the girls’ birthdays and Christmas, and that that was the last contact that she had from her and she was getting worried and that she sounded the alarm,” Keeler added.

She says that alarm was triggered by an uncharacteristic and prolonged silence from her friend.

“She’s a social person. She’s always been a social person. If she’s not in contact with one of us, if we have a falling out, she’s in contact with one of the other people that we know we have,” Keeler said.

Soon after, she reported the absence to the Champaign Police Department, who then opened an investigation. Keeler also reached out to several missing persons organizations, like the Black and Missing Foundation.

“The Black and Missing Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to bringing awareness to missing persons of color across the nation,” said Rebekah Howard, chairperson for the foundation.

Howard said it helps offer resources and exposure to cases like this.

“We will create a flier that we distribute on our social media channels, but as well as a flier that they can download themselves and post in their community,” she added. “They can post it as well on social media themselves.”

Champaign Police said Schurvinske was last seen near the Illinois Bus Terminal in Champaign on July 24, 2024

“She has touched everybody she has ever met, and she has just got to get home,” Keeler added.

Keeler says she’s already started posting fliers for Schurvinske across Champaign. It’s her hope this will bring awareness and more eyes to her case. Champaign police say Schurvinske is a 35-year-old African American woman. She’s described as about 5’7″ and weighs around 180 pounds. If you have any information about her whereabouts, please call Champaign Police at 217-351-4545.

Photo credit: WCIA