CHICAGO — When Reverend Ira Acree speaks of Yasmin Acree, his niece who disappeared 10 years ago on Tuesday, he speaks of her in glowing terms.

“Yasmin was a good girl,” he said. “Teachers loved her. She had a wonder personality.”

A 15-year-old honor student at the time, Yasmin disappeared on MLK Day in 2008, something her uncle now calls cruel irony.

She was living with her aunt who had adopted her in the Austin neighborhood.  After spending the day at the West Lawndale YMCA, Yasmin was dropped off at home around 8 p.m. on Jan. 16, 2008. She was never seen by her family again.

After initially investigating the case as a runaway, police later admitted officers initially mishandled aspects of the investigation, like not securing a door handle that could have had a suspect’s fingerprints on it.

There have been very few leads in the case. A man who had lived in her building was later convicted of raping and abducting several other women.  He was questioned about Yasmin’s disappearance, but nothing ever came of it.

Rev. Acree lead a prayer vigil Tuesday night at the same church Yasmin attended in her honor, in part with hopes that if someone knows something, they will be inspired to do the right thing.