TN TN F ages 4-10 Missing Foster Care 1975

[edm77]

A private missing person's investigation brought me here in search of finding a missing girl ages 4-10 that was last seen in Dickson, TN. There is a link to the foster care system.

Searching for: Any information that you or others may have about a missing Caucasian female that was in foster care in 1975 in Middle Tennessee. She had long blondish/brownish hair and was small in build.

Thank you!

 

[Betty P]

Did anyone ever report to LE that she was missing? Would there have anything in the news media at the time, or did she go missing under suspicious circumstances from the foster home? A few more details would be helpful, I'm not really sure where to start searching. TIA.

ETA: Have you searched NAMUS? It would provide you with information about any unidentified, deceased persons found in that area. If you need more tips for how to do this search, pls let us know.

Unidentified Person Search

 

[edm77]

General
In this case, I have suspects ID'd to a missing persons crime of a young girl, but I don't know her name or place of origin. I am searching for and soliciting for any information from researchers, parents, siblings, or interested persons that may have any information about a child they know that went missing around 1975, was a female with these demographics, and lived or was transported to the Middle Tennessee area.

Reports
I'm not sure if any one reported her missing to the LE. I contacted the Dickson County Sheriff's Department to submit a document request for missing persons incident reports regarding this matter. Side note: in 1975, Tennessee Sheriff departments had the statutory authority to remove and transport foster care children. The Sheriff's departments are also responsible for maintaining missing persons records filed with the department. The department's records coordinator said that they don't know where the files are located from 1975, as they were all in paper files and weren't converted into digital files [she believes that they could be in storage somewhere but no one in the department seems to know where].

I have witnesses that have alleged a sheriff's deputy participated in the abduction of this missing girl outside the scope of his duty (i.e. "off the clock" and for personal purposes), and this sheriff's deputy also transported foster care children to and from placements. Thus, I am wary of whether the reports originating from this department from this time period, as they could have been possibly "doctored" or destroyed by this deputy. However, I will be submitting information requests to this department, particularly searching for "non-custodial parental kidnappings" since many reports stemming from the foster care system for missing children are either for runaways or non-custodial parental kidnappings. I will be submitting information requests to the City of Dickson, which maintains its own filing system for reports filed with the city.

Counties that I'm looking into for missing persons reports matching my Janie Doe's description: Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys, Williamson, Montgomery, Maury, Davidson, Cheatham, and Houston.

NAMUS
I have searched NAMUS and the Jane Doe Network. I have a few leads from girls within this age group from 1973-1976 that went missing from within states nearby to Tennessee. [I widened my scope]. But very few match my fact scenario. These leads are being pursued. *I will post a list later today with the girls that are leads in this case.

Other Information
I have reason to believe through other evidence that this child was illegally abducted through the foster care system under the guise of a Deputy Sheriff's statutory authority to remove foster care children. This Sheriff's Deputy was allegedly a predator within the Dickson County/Middle Tennessee area. [Due to privacy purposes and confidentiality requirements, I will not disclose this individual's name]. In 2000, the State of Tennessee was sued in the case Brian A. v. Haslam for the state's failure to protect children in the child protection system, and one of the many allegations of Tennessee's failure to protect the children in this system was regarding negligent placement of foster care children and failure to monitor foster care children in their placements. I have reason to believe that this girl was placed in a foster care placement, she went missing, and she was another child that fell through the cracks of this system. If there was a report, I think it would have been filed later by the custodial agency, which would have been the child services department that had custody of her.

 

[Cubby]

Does TN maintain a list of children missing in the foster care system and would their names remain on that list and terms they age out of the system?

 

[Betty P]

General
In this case, I have suspects ID'd to a missing persons crime of a young girl, but I don't know her name or place of origin. I am searching for and soliciting for any information from researchers, parents, siblings, or interested persons that may have any information about a child they know that went missing around 1975, was a female with these demographics, and lived or was transported to the Middle Tennessee area.

Reports
I'm not sure if any one reported her missing to the LE. I contacted the Dickson County Sheriff's Department to submit a document request for missing persons incident reports regarding this matter. Side note: in 1975, Tennessee Sheriff departments had the statutory authority to remove and transport foster care children. The Sheriff's departments are also responsible for maintaining missing persons records filed with the department. The department's records coordinator said that they don't know where the files are located from 1975, as they were all in paper files and weren't converted into digital files [she believes that they could be in storage somewhere but no one in the department seems to know where].

I have witnesses that have alleged a sheriff's deputy participated in the abduction of this missing girl outside the scope of his duty (i.e. "off the clock" and for personal purposes), and this sheriff's deputy also transported foster care children to and from placements. Thus, I am wary of whether the reports originating from this department from this time period, as they could have been possibly "doctored" or destroyed by this deputy. However, I will be submitting information requests to this department, particularly searching for "non-custodial parental kidnappings" since many reports stemming from the foster care system for missing children are either for runaways or non-custodial parental kidnappings. I will be submitting information requests to the City of Dickson, which maintains its own filing system for reports filed with the city.

Counties that I'm looking into for missing persons reports matching my Janie Doe's description: Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys, Williamson, Montgomery, Maury, Davidson, Cheatham, and Houston.

NAMUS
I have searched NAMUS and the Jane Doe Network. I have a few leads from girls within this age group from 1973-1976 that went missing from within states nearby to Tennessee. [I widened my scope]. But very few match my fact scenario. These leads are being pursued. *I will post a list later today with the girls that are leads in this case.

Other Information
I have reason to believe through other evidence that this child was illegally abducted through the foster care system under the guise of a Deputy Sheriff's statutory authority to remove foster care children. This Sheriff's Deputy was allegedly a predator within the Dickson County/Middle Tennessee area. [Due to privacy purposes and confidentiality requirements, I will not disclose this individual's name]. In 2000, the State of Tennessee was sued in the case Brian A. v. Haslam for the state's failure to protect children in the child protection system, and one of the many allegations of Tennessee's failure to protect the children in this system was regarding negligent placement of foster care children and failure to monitor foster care children in their placements. I have reason to believe that this girl was placed in a foster care placement, she went missing, and she was another child that fell through the cracks of this system. If there was a report, I think it would have been filed later by the custodial agency, which would have been the child services department that had custody of her.

Thank you for the details. This sounds like very important work you're doing, also difficult. I wonder if there's a way to do outreach on social media, since some of these poor girls may not have been reported missing?

 

[watcher9]

During that time period, most all records were on paper. I'm not sure how far back in time the states went when they began posting missing persons to NAMUS as well as to their own digital files.
Because of the law suit and publicity of the TN foster care system failures, maybe the Dept of Child Services in your counties would now be more lenient in helping you with your quest. Even if they couldn't release info directly to you, they may be eager to start an in-house investigation and report any missing child during that time period to NAMUS which you could then access. Another possibility could be to get an eager reporter involved.

 

[msphilosopher]

Have you checked family ancestory boards and/ or adoption boards?

From previous research I’ve seen people post on those sites saying they’re searching for male / female X years old at time of adoption, adopted from or around X city / state and around X timeframe.

It’s probably a long shot but maybe someone is looking for her.... a sibling, aunt/ uncle, family friend, or neighbor.

Let us know how else we can help you further...

 

[Cubby]

Or, if this person might be related to you the genealogy DNA data bases are also an option. I'm seeing more adoptees find their bio families that way.

 

[edm77]

During that time period, most all records were on paper. I'm not sure how far back in time the states went when they began posting missing persons to NAMUS as well as to their own digital files.
Because of the law suit and publicity of the TN foster care system failures, maybe the Dept of Child Services in your counties would now be more lenient in helping you with your quest. Even if they couldn't release info directly to you, they may be eager to start an in-house investigation and report any missing child during that time period to NAMUS which you could then access. Another possibility could be to get an eager reporter involved.

Most of the reports were on paper. I contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's missing children's investigation specialist, and she told that this agency also did not have any files from that year related to this investigation.

Great idea about connecting with the department of children's services to see if it would cause an in-house investigation. I will give that a try! I also received information about a living social worker from that time period and may try to interview her. But, seeing as TN was already sued for its negligence over foster care, they may try to cover it up. It's a worth a shot though!

 

[edm77]

Have you checked family ancestory boards and/ or adoption boards?

From previous research I’ve seen people post on those sites saying they’re searching for male / female X years old at time of adoption, adopted from or around X city / state and around X timeframe.

It’s probably a long shot but maybe someone is looking for her.... a sibling, aunt/ uncle, family friend, or neighbor.

Let us know how else we can help you further...

Thank you so much! This is a great suggestion! Which websites have you seen the most foot traffic on for these adoption postings? I'm definitely looking for any living relative that may be searching for her.

 

[edm77]

Thank you for the details. This sounds like very important work you're doing, also difficult. I wonder if there's a way to do outreach on social media, since some of these poor girls may not have been reported missing?

I have considered reaching out to social media, but I worry about the privacy concerns through social media. Are there any Facebook threads or groups that you would recommend?

Thank you so much for the suggestion! It is hard work, and I work on it when I can during my free time. I'm getting closer and closer to finding this girl with each new day, so it's all going to be worth it. Even if I don't find her, I feel like someone should try. I don't know if anyone has investigated it in criminal investigation, but this private investigation is worth it if it means we can provide a family closure.

 

[Laughing]

Elementary schools? One elementary school I attended was adjacent to the county Children's Home and sometimes there were residents in my class.

Court records from the lawsuit: unless those records are sealed, you should be able to walk into the courthouse, read the files, make copies (you'll pay for the copies.)

If you try genealogy sites, just use a vague post, and fib a little -- "I remember Junie B. Jones from 3rd grade at Main Street Elementary in Town, Tennessee, can you help me find her?"

 

[edm77]

Elementary schools? One elementary school I attended was adjacent to the county Children's Home and sometimes there were residents in my class.

Court records from the lawsuit: unless those records are sealed, you should be able to walk into the courthouse, read the files, make copies (you'll pay for the copies.)

If you try genealogy sites, just use a vague post, and fib a little -- "I remember Junie B. Jones from 3rd grade at Main Street Elementary in Town, Tennessee, can you help me find her?"

Will look into nearby elementary schools, great idea! The court records are likely sealed, since there was a settlement. The complaint that was filed against the state of TN is still public, and I've saved and printed that. I've tried contacting the non-profit agency that litigated that law suit but no one would return my calls.

Good idea too on the genealogy sites!

 

[Laughing]

edm77, not sure how you were drawn into this, but someone remembers that little girl. Across all of her on WS, a poster will point you to that person.

Local Girl Scout or 4-H group records could include this child, as could Sunday School rosters if you can find the denomination of her placement family? Our church recently celebrated our 150th anniversary, we sorted through lots of pictures -- lots of comments like "wait, they came from St. Paul, and their girl was in the same grade as the Smith's middle one...."

You might try adoptee-seeking-birth-family sites? Not sure how these work, but perhaps the girl was permanently placed & doesn't know anyone is looking for her.

Please keep us posted!

I hope you find that she left the custody of the state to live with relatives who took very, very good care of her & helped her grow into a content & productive adult!

 

[strangerthanfiction1200]

Georgia Tann was deceased at this time, but a woman wrote two books about her and the second one was reuniting the adopted children with their biological parents. The names have been changed in the book. In my personal opinion, she might have contacts that can help you. She found children across the United States who were adults in the 1990s and beyond. I'm wondering if the lawsuit was based on this story. The adoptees sued to get their records. I do not know the policy about naming the author (her privacy), but if you search Georgia Tann, her name will come up. This story can give you background information about Tennessee foster care system. Sorry, this is long. I hope this helps you.