CA CA - Charitie Angelique Careins, 7, San Diego, 5 August 1988

[Mysteries1974]

Charitie, the daughter of Tommy Harmon Careins and Jane Ellen Roberts.

Charitie Angelique Careins, 7, was reported missing by her mother on Aug. 5, 1988. After Charitie failed to return home from a visit to a friend's house near the Campland Recreational vehicle park in Pacific Beach. Ten months later, in June 1989 hikers walking through San Timoteo Canyon near Beaumont in Riverside County, CA., found a small skull, including a lower jaw and nine teeth that were determined to be Charitie. Her killer was never brought to justice.

Charitie Angelique Careins (1980-1989) - Find a...

Charitie, the daughter of Tommy Harmon Careins and Jane Ellen Roberts. Charitie Angelique Careins, 7, was reported missing by her mother on Aug. 5, 1988. After Charitie failed to return home from a visit to a friend's house near the Campland Recreational vehicle park in Pacific Beach. Ten...

www.findagrave.com

34 Years Later: Who killed Charitie Careins?

One of your neighbors posted in Neighbor News. Click through to read what they have to say. (The views expressed in this post are the author’s own.)

patch.com

I wrote this article for Charitie’s kidnapping and murder since there seems to be no coverage on her still unsolved murder lately.

She went missing during the time of the Bay Area kidnappings (all determined to be unrelated for the most part) but didn’t get nearly as much attention as say Michaela Garecht or Amber Swartz-Garcia.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Clipping from The Los Angeles Times - Newspapers.com

Clipping found in The Los Angeles Times in Los Angeles, California on Aug 19, 1988.

www.newspapers.com

 

[Mysteries1974]

Clipping from The Los Angeles Times - Newspapers.com

Clipping found in The Los Angeles Times in Los Angeles, California on Aug 23, 1988.

www.newspapers.com

 

[Mysteries1974]

 

[bykerladi]

Why would her parents think she was in Mexico with a neighbor if she was supposedly just visiting a friend? The place where she went missing from and the place she was found are pretty far apart - google says 109 miles or so. She must've been kidnapped and dropped there.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Why would her parents think she was in Mexico with a neighbor if she was supposedly just visiting a friend? The place where she went missing from and the place she was found are pretty far apart - google says 109 miles or so. She must've been kidnapped and dropped there.

Her mom gave Charitie permission to go on the trip with the family so there was speculation she had gone without letting her mom or anyone know. The family left on the same day she disappeared. They confirmed however that she was not with them.

I read elsewhere that Charitie was seen being followed by a white van while she was walking home.

 

[SteeleSeeker]

I have read that dental records were used to help identify Charitie. Does anyone know if DNA was also used at any point? I am just starting to dig through articles on Charitie, but any helpful links are appreciated!

 

[Mysteries1974]

I have read that dental records were used to help identify Charitie. Does anyone know if DNA was also used at any point? I am just starting to dig through articles on Charitie, but any helpful links are appreciated!

No I don’t believe so. Charitie’s remains were found in June of 1989 but they couldn’t be identified at the time because there were almost no teeth found initially. A second search turned up the teeth which were matched to Charitie’s dental records in November 1989. The remains were initially believed to be those of April Cooper who went missing from Rancho, CA in 1986.

The remains were returned to her mother two months after they were identified

 

[SteeleSeeker]

No I don’t believe so. Charitie’s remains were found in June of 1989 but they couldn’t be identified at the time because there were almost no teeth found initially. A second search turned up the teeth which were matched to Charitie’s dental records in November 1989. The remains were initially believed to be those of April Cooper who went missing from Rancho, CA in 1986.

The remains were returned to her mother two months after they were identified

Thank you for your reply. April Cooper is why I was asking. There are a few notable similarities between April's Disappearance and Charities. Similar age, Similar size and appearance. both described as independent for their ages and had habits of being out alone late at night. Both disappeared from or around Campgrounds / RV parks. Charitie was found within reasonable distance of where April was taken. I believe that there was also jewelry or other items with Charitie that also helped identify her. I'm not insinuating that she was misidentified but I wonder if there is any chance at recovering any DNA from a possible suspect or if there are any current suspects in her case. William James Bannister The man that was convicted of abducting and killing April (missing since Dec 1986) had killed his former Girlfriend Anna Bernice Valdez in Santee CA (1978). Santee is only 22 minutes from Pacific Beach and only 54 minutes from Temecula CA. I'm not sure if anyone has ever suspected a connection between the two, but these are just beginning observations.

Edited to Add that "Rancho" CA, Where the Woodchuck RV park was is now known as Aguanga, right next to Temecula CA. I lived near the area from 1990 - 2000, and we would pass Veil Lake and the campgrounds across the way very regularly.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Thank you for your reply. April Cooper is why I was asking. There are a few notable similarities between April's Disappearance and Charities. Similar age, Similar size and appearance. both described as independent for their ages and had habits of being out alone late at night. Both disappeared from or around Campgrounds / RV parks. Charitie was found within reasonable distance of where April was taken. I believe that there was also jewelry or other items with Charitie that also helped identify her. I'm not insinuating that she was misidentified but I wonder if there is any chance at recovering any DNA from a possible suspect or if there are any current suspects in her case. William James Bannister The man that was convicted of abducting and killing April (missing since Dec 1986) had killed his former Girlfriend Anna Bernice Valdez in Santee CA (1978). Santee is only 22 minutes from Pacific Beach and only 54 minutes from Temecula CA. I'm not sure if anyone has ever suspected a connection between the two, but these are just beginning observations.

Edited to Add that "Rancho" CA, Where the Woodchuck RV park was is now known as Aguanga, right next to Temecula CA. I lived near the area from 1990 - 2000, and we would pass Veil Lake and the campgrounds across the way very regularly.

This honestly sounds very plausible and I had never thought of it. Do you know if Bannister owned a white van by chance? One was following Charitie when she was walking home that day, her friend who walked partway with her saw the van turn the corner with her as she continued walking.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I don’t think anything was found related to the suspect at the scene either. Based on how Charitie’s remains were found, she was probably there for the entire year she was missing

 

[SteeleSeeker]

This honestly sounds very plausible and I had never thought of it. Do you know if Bannister owned a white van by chance? One was following Charitie when she was walking home that day, her friend who walked partway with her saw the van turn the corner with her as she continued walking.

I'm not sure about a van but it's something I will keep an eye out for. I know he was cited for having a fictitious business called B-Bar-J Trucking in Temecula Ca, in and around 1987-88 and that he lived in at least 1 RV park. As far as I can tell all of his jobs involved driving in some form or another (San Diego Transit Bus Driver, then Big Rig Driver).

 

[Mysteries1974]

I'm not sure about a van but it's something I will keep an eye out for. I know he was cited for having a fictitious business called B-Bar-J Trucking in Temecula Ca, in and around 1987-88 and that he lived in at least 1 RV park. As far as I can tell all of his jobs involved driving in some form or another (San Diego Transit Bus Driver, then Big Rig Driver).

I wonder what he might’ve been doing in San Diego but I feel like it’s a possibility for sure. She was found so far away from home and I wouldn’t put it past him to drive Charitie back to Riverside County to kill her or dump her body

 

[SteeleSeeker]

I wonder what he might’ve been doing in San Diego but I feel like it’s a possibility for sure. She was found so far away from home and I wouldn’t put it past him to drive Charitie back to Riverside County to kill her or dump her body

I am still trying to confirm the routes he would take with his trucking company but He Had previously lived in San Diego and his Parents lived there as well. His mother Died in the earlier half of the 80's but his Father lived there until he passed in 91. The day after April went missing Bannister went to his fathers wedding covered in mud and allegedly told his father "I did it again"

 

[Mysteries1974]

I am still trying to confirm the routes he would take with his trucking company but He Had previously lived in San Diego and his Parents lived there as well. His mother Died in the earlier half of the 80's but his Father lived there until he passed in 91. The day after April went missing Bannister went to his fathers wedding covered in mud and allegedly told his father "I did it again"

I read a lot about April’s disappearance one newspapers.com and I never noticed the similarities between April and Charitie. Bannister is still alive and can be questioned about this

 

[SteeleSeeker]

I read a lot about April’s disappearance one newspapers.com and I never noticed the similarities between April and Charitie. Bannister is still alive and can be questioned about this

Right! The last information I could find on where he is being held was Mule Creek CA around 2020. I have been searching CDCR Inmate information and Department of corrections for Oregon also but his name is not bringing any results, neither is his old Mule Creek Inmate ID. I can't even find a mugshot

 

[Mysteries1974]

Right! The last information I could find on where he is being held was Mule Creek CA around 2020. I have been searching CDCR Inmate information and Department of corrections for Oregon also but his name is not bringing any results, neither is his old Mule Creek Inmate ID. I can't even find a mugshot

In the last few years, I’ve looked for photos of Bannister like mugshots and I can’t find anything which is kind of odd. I will look in newspapers because I feel as though I saw something one time

 

[Mysteries1974]

Right! The last information I could find on where he is being held was Mule Creek CA around 2020. I have been searching CDCR Inmate information and Department of corrections for Oregon also but his name is not bringing any results, neither is his old Mule Creek Inmate ID. I can't even find a mugshot

Here is a photo

 

[SteeleSeeker]

Yes this i

Here is a photo
View attachment 397222

Yes, this is the only one that my sister and I have found other than one when he was featured for being an 11lb baby on the day he was born.

 

[crussell821]

What the heck?? I lived across the street from Campland in the military housing in 1988. I was 6 years old. I’ve never heard of this!