The family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar and the KlaasKids Foundation gained about a $3,000 donation from an art auction conducted by the Thomas Kinkade Studio Saturday.
The money will assist in the ongoing efforts to find Sierra, 15, who has been missing from her north Morgan Hill home since March 16.
The studio auctioned off a Kinkade painting that included an original sketch by Kinkade on the back, according to Sierra’s father, Steve LaMar of Fremont. The proceeds of about $3,000 were donated to the Sierra LaMar fund.
The auction took place at the Club Del Monte, at the Monterey Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.
Kinkade, who died in April, is a renowned artist who has sold millions of dollars’ worth of his art in the decades preceding his death. His studio’s corporate headquarters are in Morgan Hill.
Sierra’s family and volunteers with the KlaasKids Foundation continued searching for the teen Saturday, as they will continue to for the foreseeable future.
About 30 volunteers showed up to assist in search efforts Saturday, Steve LaMar said.
The family and volunteers will host a booth to continue to raise funds and awareness of Sierra’s case at Saturday’s Scotty’s Customs Hot Rod Show and music festival at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road. The show takes place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Authorities think Sierra was kidnapped while she was walking to her school bus stop near the intersection of Palm and Dougherty avenues. She never showed up to school March 16, and has not been seen since.
Sierra was a sophomore at Sobrato High School at the time of her disappearance.
Arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Sierra was Antolin Garcia Torres, 21 of Morgan Hill, on May 21. He remains in custody on charges of murder, with an enhancement for kidnapping, authorities said.
Garcia Torres’ next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose.
Anyone with information on the case can call the sheriff’s tip line at (408) 299-2311 or (408) 808-4431. Tips can also be sent by e-mail to ti**@sh*****.org, and via the sheriff’s office website at sccgov.org/portal/site/sheriff.
