Amanda Berry's sister offers statement after search of Cleveland lot reveals nothing

CLEVELAND - Police were no longer parked outside of Beth Serrano's West 129th Street home Friday after authorities called off the massive search for her sister's remains.

Detectives said no evidence was found after an extensive search of a vacant lot by West 30th Street and Wade Avenue for Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003.

After receiving the news, Berry's sister offered a handwritten statement reading:

"I wanna say thank you to the FBI and the police for their help and support. Thanks to everyone out there for their support on behalf of my family. I'm happy they didn't find my sister there, because my faith and hope is that she's coming home. This time is emotional for me and it's hard for me to keep speaking of this at the moment, but I wanna say thank you to everyone. It's been 9 long years and I'm just wishing someone would say something and bring my sister home.

"Thank you,

"Beth Serrano"

"Right now, we don't know what to think," said Serrano's husband, Teddie Serrano. Teddie handed NewsChannel5 his wife's handwritten letter saying, they're relieved nothing was found in the vacant lot.

"We still have hope that she's coming home," said Serrano.

When the search started, Serrano told NewsChannel5 he and his wife didn't really receive any more information than wasn't already in the news. Serrano said a surprise came when they were told by the FBI that inspectors and detectives were going to start digging.

"It let's us know that they're actually out there doing their job and, you know. It gives us a little bit of hope too that they're out there," said Serrano.

Still, the family reiterated, they're happy to know nothing was found. Serrano said he and his wife want closure, but they're not giving up hope that Berry will one day, come home alive.