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'Bring O's Home': Native American family fundraises for missing father

Forrest Boren 'O's' went missing in October 2020
Native American family fundraises for missing father
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ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — A member of the Iipay Nation has been missing for five years, and his family refuses to give up hope of bringing him home.

Forest Boren, more commonly known as "O's," was a member of the Iipay Nation of Santa Isabel, a local reservation. He was last seen on Oct. 16, 2020, on a highway between San Diego and Arizona.

According to Boren's family, on the last night he was seen, the California Highway Patrol picked him up and gave him a ride to a border patrol station, before he was taken to a hospital due to dehydration.

"He was discharged and never seen or heard from again," Veronica Cleland, Boren's cousin, said. "It's not important for us right now to know what happened to him. We're just trying to locate his remains and give him a proper burial so that my family can have closure."

Cleland said law enforcement near El Centro hasn't been in touch about Forest in a long time.

"We've had no communication. We had one meeting with the Brawley Police Department, and we've had no callbacks," Cleland said.

ABC 10News reached out to the Brawley Police Department, Imperial County Sheriff's Office, and San Diego Sheriff's Office, and are still waiting to hear back.

Cleland said Boren left behind a son named Hawk, whom he loved deeply.

"He loved his son more than anything in this world. That's why I feel in my heart that he would have never left his son willingly," Cleland said.

She acknowledged that Boren had his struggles, including alcoholism, but believes he still deserves to be found.

"He had a heart of gold, too," Cleland said.

Every year, Boren's family holds a fundraiser to support the search efforts.

Another fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, October 18th, at the Rincon Ball Field from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Forrest Boren Fundraiser
Forrest Boren Fundraiser Saturday, October 18th at Rincon Ball Field.

Cleland said the funds will be used to purchase a billboard to help find Boren.

The family works with the Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, which advocates for victims of domestic violence and missing and murdered Native Americans.

Timothy Ruise, community outreach coordinator for the Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, said there are eight missing Native Americans in San Diego County that they know of, and Forest is one of them. The majority are men.

"When it comes to native people, it seems like we're on the back burner every time. If they're blonde, they're all over the news, whereas any person of color goes waiting," Ruise said.

Ruise said this disparity is becoming commonly known as "Blonde Girl Syndrome," otherwise known as "Missing White Woman Syndrome."

As an example, Ruise said that it took three years for Boren's family to get the body camera footage of Forrest from Brawley PD, something Ruise believes wouldn't take as long in other cases.

California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
Timothy Ruise to participate alongside The Petitos in a panel discussion about missing persons.

Ruise is part of a statewide effort called "California Partnership to End Domestic Violence."

Ruise will be speaking alongside Gabby Petito's parents on the syndrome next month (November) in Orange County.

"I just met with them," Ruise said. "[The Petito's] are doing great work and bringing visibility to that blonde girl syndrome, and asking why these types of things are happening in Indian country."

Ruise will be using Boren's case as an example.

To help donate to Boren's search efforts, click here:

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