Month: May 2026

Alison Patton

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Parents within the Moberly School District are starting a memorial scholarship for Kayla Huff, who was found dead in a wooded area after she had been missing for a week.

Moberly School Board Vice President Heather Cleavinger and parent Michelle Tindle started the scholarship fund.

“A lot of parents and kids came to me and said ‘Hey, we want to do something. We feel helpless. We want to keep her memory alive,'” Cleavinger said.

The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Huff’s class in 2028, Cleavinger said. While the scholarship is still in the early stages, the goal is to award at least $1,000, and as of Sunday evening, about $330 have already been collected.

Huff, 16, was a virtual student with the Moberly School District. She was in her sophomore year of school and her best friend, Kaidence Tiger, said Huff would be proud.

“She was really well known, and just the community coming together and doing this for her is just–I think she would really like it,” Tiger said.

Tindle and Cleavinger said there were many ideas to remember Huff, like a bench, but the scholarship won overall.

“I just think that the best thing we can do for our kids is educate them,” Tindle said. “What’s more important than educating them with, you know, helping with a scholarship to get them educated? And hopefully this brings more awareness and keeps her memory alive.”

Huff went missing on May 6, and her body was found a week later in the Rudolph Bennitt Conservation Area. Four adults have been charged in connection with her disappearance, including Alayna Mason and Hunter Ames, who face felony murder charges among others.

Jessie Dunwoody said she works with Huff’s mom, Renee Huff, and would often see Kayla. Dunwoody said she saw Huff just days before she went missing.

“I just told her [Huff] ‘See you soon, beautiful,’ and, yes, it’s [the scholarship] in honor of her,” Dunwoody said.

The Moberly community has come together in the days of Huff’s disappearance and death, with volunteers searching the conservation area; the Huff family’s church holding space for grief through mental health days and a vigil; and now the scholarship.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office Confirmed Sunday night that a body was recovered from Perche Creek near the Missouri River access.

According to a social media post from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, at 1:40 p.m. Sunday, Boone County Joint Communications received a report of a container being found in Perche Creek near the Missouri River.

Deptuies responded and found a human body inside the container. The body was turned over to the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the sheriff’s office.

A Columbia man says he was one of the few fishermen that made the discovery of human remains in the Perche Creek Sunday.

Travis Bartlett said he was fishing Sunday afternoon in Perche Creek near the Missouri River access point when he noticed debris floating in the water. He said another pair of fisherman pulled up to the debris in their boat to see what it might be and then rode off, they later returned with two sheriff’s deputies.

“They started to bring it by where I was fishing off shore, so you could see it was a trash can that had City of Columbia on the side of it,” Bartlett said “I noticed they were struggling with trying to open this can up and that was kind of one of my first indicators that something was going on, aside from the smell of death when they rolled by.”

Bartlett said he docked and brought his own tools over to assist in opening the trash can.

“I ended up using the hammer, you know, popping a couple screws loose and it was then when the sheriff identified what appeared to be a human leg,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett added that he was unable to make out if any other body parts were in the trash can, but he said the human leg appeared to be wrapped in a blanket.

Bartlett said he growing up in Mid-Missouri the situation hits close to home.

“Unfortunately, someone’s loved one is in there,” Bartlett said.

Sgt. Kyle Green with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Troop F has not been asked to assist in any investigation.

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Euphenie Andre

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A national teen driving program kicked off its teaching season in the Show-Me State.

Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe, held a total of five three-hour sessions over the weekend at the Missouri EVOC Training Center, with more than 180 students participating.

Rick Valentine, a Senior Instructor with B.R.A.K.E.S., said the program is designed to help teen drivers build confidence behind the wheel while also learning the importance of following traffic laws.

Valentine said nearly 50% of teens will be involved in a car crash before graduating high school, but students who complete the course are 64% less likely to be involved in a crash.

According to a 2021 Governor Highway Safety Association, from 2015 to 2019, speeding was responsible for nearly one-third of all deadly motor vehicle crashes. Teens ages 16 to 19 were involved in more fatal speeding crashes than any other age group, 43% of deadly crashes involving teen drivers were linked to speeding, compared to 30% for other drivers.

Based of the report, Missouri ranked among the top states for teen traffic fatalities, coming in seventh with 374 teen driver and passenger deaths. The state also ranked fourth in the nation for speed-related teen deaths, with 227 reported fatalities.

Experts said teen drivers are more likely to crash because their brains are still developing, especially the parts responsible for judgment and decision-making. While teens can learn basic driving skills quickly, it takes more time and practice to recognize dangers on the road and react safely. Studies also show teen drivers are more likely to speed and take risks, especially when other teens are in the car.

A study from the report showed teens who completed driver’s education had fewer crashes, injuries and traffic violations during their first two years behind the wheel.

The B.R.A.K.E.S. program featured several driving courses designed to simulate real-life situations, including a slalom and crash avoidance course, a panic braking ABS stop, a drop-wheel distraction course and car control recovery exercises for skidding situations.

Kailey Leesman, a Jefferson City parent, brought her soon-to-be 16-year-old son to the program to help him become more confident behind the wheel.

“I think there’s a lack of confidence in driving,” Leesman said. “Any experience that you can give [your child], behind the wheel, someone teaching them that’s not you is always a good thing.”

While students practiced on the course, parents also took part in a training session. Leesman said many driving techniques have changed since she first learned to drive.

“The ten and two is ingrained in our brain, and now it’s nine and three,” Leesman said. “Where to place the mirrors for blind spots has changed.”

Matthew Vore traveled from Fulton to bring his 15-year-old daughter to Sunday’s session. Vore said he previously brought one of his other children to the program and found it beneficial.

“The more hours they get the better,” Vore said. “I think this is good because they get to learn from people that aren’t mom and dad and maybe they’ll listen to them a little different.”

According to B.R.A.K.E.S., the organization visits the Capital City once a year. Its next stop on the training schedule is Ypsilanti, Michigan.

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