OH OH - Emily Michelle Sawyer, 4, Toledo, 1 April 1988

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Missing Since: April 1, 1988 from Toledo, Ohio
Classification: Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: April 6, 1983
Age: 4 years old
Height and Weight: 4'0, 45 - 50 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Emily may use the last names Sinkey, Cergoli and/or Cerogol.

Details of Disappearance

Emily was last seen in Toledo, Ohio on April 1, 1988. She has never been heard from again. She is believed to be with her non-custodial mother, Carol Melinda Sinkey Sawyer. Emily's father has custody of her. Photographs of Carol are unavailable. Her date of birth is September 3, 1954; she was 33 years old at the time of Emily's abduction. She may use the alias last names Cergoli, Cerogol and/or Sinkey. Additional vital statistics about her are unavailable.

Carol and her ex-husband, Daniel Sawyer, divorced in 1985 and Daniel remarried. Carol subsequently told the family court that Daniel had molested Emily and demanded that his visitation rights be revoked, but a seven-month investigation turned up no evidence of abuse. Carol and Emily disappeared the day before the judge was expected to give custody of Emily to Daniel. Daniel later sued Carol's parents, John and Marian Sinkey, alleging they helped hide Emily and know her whereabouts. They deny this, and Daniel lost the lawsuit when it came to trial. The Sinkeys petitioned for custody of Emily after the child's abduction, but they were refused and custody of the child was given to Daniel.

Emily and her mother may be being assisted in their flight by Children of the Underground, an organization that helps to hide women and children who claim to be being abused. Faye Yager, the purported leader of the group, has admitted to helping Emily and Carol after they initially disappeared. She is believed to have helped conceal other children, including Therese Vanderheiden-Walsh. A photograph of Yager is posted below this case summary. One of the workers for Children of the Underground claims Carol is now employed as a physical therapist and doing well with Emily.

Lucas County, Ohio has issued a minor warrant for Emily's return. Her father is no longer actively searching for her, but her paternal grandparents still hope she will be found. Her whereabouts are unknown and her case is unsolved.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Toledo Police Department

419-245-3340

Charley Project

NCMEC​

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[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Help needed in finding girl missing since 1988

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children" is asking for help in finding a missing Toledo girl.

Emily Michelle Sawyer disappeared back in 1988 and would be 28-years-old today. Police say she may be traveling with her mother.

More: http://www.wtol.com/story/16625619/help-needed-in-finding-girl-missing-since-1988

 

[Cubby]

Emily's Charley Project page:

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/s/sawyer_emily.html


I did a search and found an Emily Michelle with the same date of birth. Married surname. I can't find any pictures of her to see if she resembles the the age progressed NCMEC photo. I did find someone with a blog who mentions this Emily Michelle <married name> and who I believe to be a current or former husband of this Emily Michelle <married name>. The person with the blog somewhat resembles the age progressed, but of course I don't know if this cousin is related to the EM or EM's current or former husband.

I'm going to call the info in to the Toledo PD. Maybe they can find this EM's DMV photo and see if she might be the missing EM. It's not much, but it might be a start for LE to work with.


I think I will call NCMEC first.

 

[Cubby]

I spoke with someone at NCMEC who gave me an email address so I can send the information along with the links I found. Will get that email out shortly.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Tot’s case focuses on other lost children

[snip]

Emily Michele Sawyer is listed on the attorney general Web site as lost, injured, or otherwise missing. She was allegedly taken from her home Toledo by her mother, Carol Sawyer, on April 1, 1988, just four days before she turned 5 years old. The girl’s parents were nearing the end of a contentious custody battle.

More: http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-F...47279070195_472063_177714582396798#f27abbb818

 

[Richard]

Emily Michelle Sawyer, 4
Missing from Toledo, Ohio

Left: Sawyer, circa 1988; Right: Age-Progression to age 26 (circa 2009)

Emily Michelle Sawyer
Missing since April 1, 1988 from Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio.
Classification: Endangered Missing

Vital Statistics

• • Date Of Birth: April 6, 1983
  • Age at Time of Disappearance: 4 years old
  • Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 4'0" (122 cm); 45 lbs (20 kg)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; blue eyes.

Circumstances of Disappearance
Sawyer may be traveling with her noncustodial mother.

Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Toledo Police Department
419-245-3340

Local Case Number: 033253A88/NamUs MP 6630
NCMEC #: NCMC710203
NCIC Number: M-472085253

Source Information:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Dart Center
The Doe Network: Case File 1486DFOH

 

[Richard]

Emily Michelle Sawyer

Emily, circa 1988; Age-progression to age 26 (circa 2009)

• Missing Since 04/01/1988
• Missing From Toledo, Ohio
• Classification Family Abduction
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 04/06/1983 (37)
• Age 4 years old
• Height and Weight 4'0, 50 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Emily may use the last names Sinkey, Cergoli and/or Cerogol.

Details of Disappearance

Emily was last seen in Toledo, Ohio on April 1, 1988. She has never been heard from again. She is believed to be with her non-custodial mother, Carol Melinda Sinkey Sawyer. Emily's father has custody of her.

Photographs of Carol are unavailable. Her date of birth is September 3, 1954; she was 33 years old at the time of Emily's abduction. She may use the alias last names Cergoli, Cerogol and/or Sinkey. Additional vital statistics about her are unavailable.

Carol and her ex-husband, Daniel Sawyer, divorced in 1985 and Daniel remarried. Carol subsequently told the family court that Daniel had molested Emily and demanded that his visitation rights be revoked, but a seven-month investigation turned up no evidence of abuse.

Carol and Emily disappeared the day before the judge was expected to give custody of Emily to Daniel. The child had spent the Easter holiday with her mother in Carol's home in the 100 block of east University Street, and when Daniel went there to pick her up, both Emily and Carol were gone.

Daniel later sued Carol's parents, John and Marian Sinkey, alleging they helped hide Emily and know her whereabouts. They deny this, and Daniel lost the lawsuit when it came to trial. The Sinkeys petitioned for custody of Emily after the child's abduction, but they were refused and custody of the child was given to Daniel.

Emily and her mother may be being assisted in their flight by Children of the Underground, an organization that helps to hide women and children who claim to be being abused. Faye Yager, the purported leader of the group, has admitted to helping Emily and Carol after they initially disappeared.


Faye Yager

She is believed to have helped conceal other children, including Therese Vanderheiden-Walsh. A photograph of Yager is posted below this case summary. One of the workers for Children of the Underground claims Carol is now employed as a physical therapist and doing well with Emily.

Lucas County, Ohio has issued a minor warrant for Emily's return, but there are no warrants on file for her mother. Emily and Carol may be traveling around the country, moving frequently to avoid detection, and they may be using assumed names.

Emily's father is no longer actively searching for her, but her paternal grandparents still hope she will be found. Her whereabouts are unknown and her case is unsolved.

Investigating Agency

• Toledo Police Department 419-245-3340

Source Information

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Children of the Underground Watch
• Ohio Missing Children Clearinghouse
• Our Missing Children
• For the Lost
• The Toledo Free Press
• The Toledo Blade
• The Chillicothe Gazette
• Emily Michelle Sawyer – The Charley Project

 

[watcher9]

I remember a made for TV movie about a case like this. Did a search but couldn't find it. I think they ended up flying into Canada.
There are both sides to these cases, some justified.
During the search, I ran across this interesting article about Faye Yager and the underground movement.

The underground networks that hid children decades ago still exist

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Emily Michelle Sawyer – The Charley Project

 

[spartanx]

I have one question... Is Children of the Underground a legal organization? Because it's been so long and no one has stopped them or put up any obstacles... I mean, it helps women who "supposedly" don't have custody escape, but there must be a reason...
Surely both of them are alive, living in another state or another country...

 

[Pennysmom1]

I was thinking the same thing @spartanx

1486DFOH - Emily Michelle Sawyer

Right 2: Age-Progressed by NCMEC to age 26 years; 38 years

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

<<Emily Sawyer spent the Easter holiday with her mother. On April 1, 1988, Emily's father went to his ex-wife's home to pick up Emily, but found the house vacant. At the time of her disappearance, Emily's parents were nearing the end of a contentious custody battle. Emily's father won custody of her one week after she disappeared.>>

Case File of Emily Sawyer

<<She (Emily) may use the last names "Sinkey," "Cergoli" and/or "Cerogol>>

<<She was abducted by her non-custodial mother, Carol Melinda Sawyer. Photos of her are unavailable. She is a white female who was born on September 3, 1954; she was 33 years old at the time. She may use the alias last names "Cergoli," "Cerogol," or "Sinkey." Her father, Daniel Sawyer, had custody at the time. They are believed to be assisted by the group Children of the Underground, who claim to hide women and children that are supposedly being abused by spouses or parents. Lucas County, Ohio has issued a minor warrant for Emily's return. No charges have been filed against the mother.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Note: Faye Yager, the purported leader of the group, has admitted to helping Emily and Carol after they initially disappeared.