SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Shasta County mother of four is missing, as her husband faced domestic violence charges that were dismissed Friday.
Supporters gathered at the Capitol Friday and Shasta County Courthouse, demanding answers and attention to the case.
"Nikki has been missing since May 18. It has already been 49 days without her,” said rally co-organizer and family friend Kae Saeteurn. "I can only imagine what it is to be her kids right now, now knowing where their mom is."
Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain was last seen by her family members May 17.
In the early hours of May 18, a text from her phone told family she was driving her mother's-in-law vehicle back to her in-laws’ home near the Win-River casino.
She hasn't been heard from since, though her Chevy Avalanche was found in neighboring Tehama County a week later.
She disappeared two weeks before Tyler McCain, Nikki's husband of more than a decade and father of her children, was due in court to face four felony domestic violence charges.
Last December, according to Shasta County Sheriff's Office documents, Nikki checked into a Redding hospital with severe injuries. She told the investigator that Tyler McCain had bound and beaten her over the course of three hours at their home just outside Anderson, two nights earlier. She went to her sister's house in Redding and eventually filed a police report.
In the latest court hearing Friday, a Shasta County judge dismissed the case against Tyler McCain at the District Attorney's request.
In a statement, the DA’s Office said it “made the difficult decision to renew our request to dismiss the case against Tyler McCain because the victim, Nikki, has still not been located and her presence at this point in time is necessary to move forward with this case… the DA's office has exhausted all avenues to prove the case at this time without her," adding the DA's office "reserves all rights to refile this case in the future."
"I don't want to get emotional, I'm sorry,” Saeteurn said. “It's just so hard because we feel like we're so powerless. We can't find her. We know that Tyler knows where she's at."
Tyler McCain's attorney has declined several requests for comment, including one Friday from our ABC affiliate in Redding, KRCR.
The case is catching the attention of social media influencers.
"Because, you know, the victim just conveniently disappeared two weeks before Tyler's first court date,” said Ed Choi.
Even Nancy Grace is featuring the case.
“A gorgeous, young, missing mom-of-four's Chevy Avalanche just found on a remote and hilly county road. Tonight: Where is Nikki?" Grace said on an episode of her Crime Stories show this week, where she spent 43 minutes on Nikki’s case.
This attention comes as searches continue for Nikki and a billboard along I-5 in Anderson asks for information.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Shasta County Sheriff at 530-245-6135.
This story even has ties to a wildfire burning right now. Cal Fire cited Tyler McCain with starting the Olinda Fire in Shasta County, which ignited Wednesday. Cal Fire says a failed catalytic converter started the fire.
Tyler McCain told Redding’s ABC affiliate KRCR that he parked on dry grass on his property.
KRCR reports law enforcement officers from multiple agencies were at the scene of the fire Wednesday and walking the McCain property, even while much of it was burning.
Meanwhile, Nikki’s family and supporters are extra mindful of not letting this story fade into the background. The late and longtime journalist Gwin Ifill coined the term ‘Missing White Woman Syndrome.’ It describes the amount of media attention when a white woman goes missing, especially one who is attractive and middle- or upper-class, compared to women of color.
The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) has studied this trend, which spans decades. CJR has even developed an interactive tool called—“Are you pressworthy?”
CJR says families of missing people of color often have to work harder to get media attention for their loved one’s situation. This matters, CJR says, because, “those coverage decisions have a significant influence on whether those people are found.”