Mother of Indiana woman missing for more than a year believes daughter is dead

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The family of an Indiana lawyer who went missing more than a year ago believes she is dead.

Ciera Breland hasn't been seen since Feb. 24, 2022 when a surveillance camera recorded her outside of her mother-in-law's home in Johns Creek, Georgia, reported by Fox News.

Breland's mother, Kelly Locklair, believes the 31-year-old woman is dead.

"You know how they say they're waiting for the shoe to drop? We're waiting for the bomb to drop," Locklair said to Fox News. "We're hoping a fisherman or a hunter or someone like that will stumble across her. Just, please, Lord, someone find her."

Breland, her husband and their 5-month-old son and her dog had been in Georgia for more than a week in February 2022. Breland's husband was a convicted felon who was facing stalking and weapons charges in separate criminal cases.

"Ciera had no intention of returning to Indiana," Locklair said. "She told me, 'However I have to leave, I'm leaving … My furniture can rot. I'm never going back.' That's how desperate she was to get out."

Xavier Breland's lawyer could not be reached for comment. He is the only person of interest police have publicly named since the woman's disappearance. No charges have been brought against him.

Johns Creek police said last week that there were no updates in the case, but the investigation "remains very active."

Locklair believes her body could be in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky or Indiana.

There's a $10,000 reward for information in the case.

Anyone with details about it is asked to call the Johns Creek Police Department at 678-372-8046, the Carmel Police Department at 317-571-2580, Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation tip line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

Mother of Indiana woman missing for more than a year believes daughter is dead