Family of Jennifer Kesse suing Orlando Police

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The family of a Central Florida woman, missing for more than 12 years, is suing the Orlando Police Department. 

Jennifer Kesse’s parents filed the lawsuit Monday, claiming the Orlando Police Department has repeatedly refused to hand over documents about the investigation into their daughter’s disappearance. 

For almost 13 years, Drew and Joyce Kesse have refused to give up on finding their daughter, Jennifer. 

“I'm her father. I'm Jennifer Kesse's father. I'm trying to find her.”

Jennifer’s been missing since January of 2006. To this day, no arrests have been made. Now her parents are suing the city of Orlando, Orlando Police and Police Chief Orlando Rolon, saying police have repeatedly denied them access to their missing daughter’s case files. 

Drew Kesse told FOX 35 they want to hire private investigators to see what they can find on their own.

“If we haven't been able to by the means that we have tried in the past, give us an opportunity.”

After several denials, the Kesses hired a law firm to draft a formal request last year. According to the suit, the city lawyer told them the investigation and files are actives and would have to be redacted at a significant cost: more than $18,000. 

The suit called that price “exorbitant and unreasonable.”

“Don't tell me that I can't have information. Don't tell me that I cannot try and find my daughter,” said Drew Kesse.

When the Kesses received some documents this past January, the suit says so much was taken out of them and redacted, they became “unreadable.” According to the suit, the Kesses made one more request in November and received no response.

“We’re looking for a bit of information. Period. We don't know. Who knows? Only they know what they have. We don't know,” said Kesse.

Orlando Police told FOX 35 they learned about the lawsuit through the media, saying “the city has not been served, so our legal team has not had a chance to review it.”