By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Few details have emerged about a missing woman and her infant son following the Great Bend Police Department's attempt to locate 32-year-old Crystal DeMoss Monday. The post on Facebook has elicited more than 1,700 shares. A friend of DeMoss, who wishes to remain anonymous, said it's not unlikely for DeMoss to take a break from social media.
"It's normal for her to get off social media for a couple weeks but she will always contact somebody," the friend said. "It was a shock when we saw the poster of her missing. We're looking at like, you reported her missing in May, but she's actually been missing since January, but no one understood she's the type of person that will step away from media for a while."
The post from the GBPD states DeMoss' vehicle was located at the residence of 25-year-old Tyler Epp in Great Bend. DeMoss and Epp share the missing infant son, and DeMoss had been residing at his residence. GBPD officers served two search warrants in Great Bend on Sunday in relation to DeMoss. Epp was booked into the Barton County Jail on May 6 on charges of criminal use of a firearm and possession of marijuana. He posted a $10,000 surety bond the same day.
Last September, Epp was charged in Russell County District Court for allegedly choking DeMoss in a Sept. 24, 2023 incident. The Russell County Sheriff's Office attempted to serve DeMoss a subpoena for a Jan. 22, 2024 court hearing but was unable to locate her at her Russell address. The case was dismissed on March 12, 2024, after DeMoss failed to make an appearance.
Some friends of DeMoss say she was once active of social media but has not made any posts since January. The anonymous friend has not had contact with DeMoss since the summer of 2022, but remembers a fun-loving mother of three at the time.
"There's a bar in Russell that would have karaoke and we'd go," said the friend. "We would also hang out, just shopping and doing girls' stuff and having fun. We talked about going to the pool when it opened."
The friend also said a source she believes to be credible claims to have spoken with DeMoss on the phone as late as April 29.
Anyone with information about DeMoss or her son can contact the Police Department via 911, or you can do so anonymously through the TIPS Hotline (620) 792-1300 or online at p3tips.com.