Highlights includeinterviews with Alexis Patterson'smother and with the current chief of the Milwaukee Police Department who acknowledges that, trust is a continuous process.Catch all episodes of States of America on USA TODAY's free streaming channelshere. If I went to Ohio and swabbed Lisas mouth myself if I do that, if I bring it back here and its not a match will you tell me what really happened? he asked Patterson. 1) The primary theory in the case is that Alexis stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois, was somehow involved in her disappearance. Hoping to drum up new leads, investigators looked through local sex offender registries, as well as probation and parole files, but were unable to come up with anything. In the morning, Patterson realized Alexis hadnt finished her homework, so she wouldnt let her bring the treats. Police traveled to Chicago, Louisiana, Texas and Atlanta in hopes that one of them would pan out, but none did. They probably did my background. The reward was funded by drug forfeiture money. The gathering begins at 9 a.m. Alexis Patterson's disappearance is still in the hands of Milwaukee Police Department's cold case unit, as well as the FBI. Until told otherwise, we have to keep all those possibilities open.. Receive small business resources and advice about entrepreneurial info, home based business, business franchises and startup opportunities for entrepreneurs. LEFT: Student volunteers from El Puente High School in Milwaukee gather to hand out flyers and help in the 2002 search for Alexis Patterson. Another blames the socioeconomic status of Black victims. I always hope that we as a department be as professional and honest and forthright as possible, he said. Also, Gabbys disappearance was fueled by the fact she was a YouTube celebrity. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Which leads to two important, but unanswered questions : Why did Milwaukee police and news outlets break the story prior to investigation? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that RIGHT: A Milwaukee Police officer climbs out of a boarded up home on the 2100 block N. 33rd St. in Milwaukee during the search for Alexis. Alexis is alive, she said. Nearly every conversation she had with police about Alexis case ended in a shouting match. . Lisa Miller is proud to be supported, endorsed & trusted by the following people and organizations of Polk County. Each certificate was proudly displayed, alongside a poster-sized photos of Alexis, at an event Sunday in Milwaukee marking the 20th anniversary of her disappearance. Her ears are pierced. Thats when I found out that my baby never made it, Patterson told USA TODAY. That day, Alexis did not attend any of her classes. Two years later, Black journalist Gwen Ifill gave the phenomenon a name: missing white woman syndrome. She coined the term after the disappearance of Laci Peterson, a pregnant California woman whose husband was later convicted of killing her. By the time Elizabeth had been gone two weeks, USA TODAY had published three stories about her disappearance. She and Bourgeois split up. Her mother, Ayanna Patterson, hosted a private memorial on Sunday, May 1, which she called an "awakening.". We compiled some ideas that you can DIY for not much money and with pieces you may already have . Around the time of Alexis disappearance, a man by the name of Brian T. Werner wrote and distributed racist flyers related to the case. The entire Facebook page was deleted shortly after. Tips can also be called into the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office at 414-278-4788, 414-223-5261 or 414-278-4921, the Milwaukee Field Office of the FBI at 414-276-4684 or the Milwaukee Police Department Cold Case Hotline at 414-935-1212. Within hours, Elizabeths disappearance was featured on CNNs Larry King Liveand Fox News On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. It took eight days for Alexis story to attract attention outside Milwaukee, with a segment on Americas Most Wanted. The next national story on her case aired weeks later. Local Search Options. It was Patterson's elementary school and the last place she was headed before she went missing . A month later and more than a thousand miles away, Elizabeth Smart, 14, went to sleep in her bedroom in Salt Lake City. (843) 298-1644. News reports from the time say several of Elizabeths relatives took polygraphs, but there was no mention of the results. She is too much like me, says Ayanna. Everybody always wanted to sit next to her.. When she hadnt arrived by 2:55 on that Friday in May 2002, her mother, Ayanna Patterson, began to worry. He said he wanted to get Lisa and her kids into safety, away from that man. What man? She hasn't been located since. Although it was then called a Rachael Alert, Utah had already set up its system another key difference between Alexis case and Elizabeths. This story was eventually changed to say that Kenya had woken her up to report the fall. We don't give up," Patterson said. We all paid attention. What Really Happened to Alexis Patterson? BOTTOM: LaRon Bourgeois, stepfather of Alexis Patterson, stands in the intersection near her Milwaukee school, where Alexis was last seen, in 2002. When the DNA results came back from the Wisconsin Regional Crime Lab, it was determined the two samples didnt match, meaning Joshuas ex-wife was not Alexis. Described by Ayanna as abusive and threatening, he was ordered to stay away from her before the charges were dropped. I know my child," Patterson said. Ayanna believes Alexis is still alive and continues to celebrate her daughters birthday each year. TOP PHOTO: A photo of Alexis at the event about 100 people attended. Becky Patterson . All Rights Reserved. LaRon has repeatedly denied any involvement in his stepdaughters disappearance and says Sheriff Clarke has no proof he was involved. The man that kidnapped her? Satan and Show Business: Lauren Londons Sacrifice. They would tell you, in todays environment, she said, this is one of the things thats automatically done. A federal law designed to help states implement Amber Alerts nationwide was passed in 2003 the year after Alexis and Elizabeth vanished and all 50 states had set them up by 2005. Lisa Miller is my daughter," Patterson said. "Believe me. As a result, she was told she wouldnt be allowed to bring in cupcakes for her classmates, which upset her, as May 3 was her day to bring in a snack for her class. Ayanna has said she feels sadness for the woman over the intense media scrutiny she received. As Alexis had no history of running away, Ayanna and LaRon initially believed she had refused to attend her classes because of the argument she and her mother had had the previous night. Fall 2022 President's, Dean's lists and graduates. We need your help. Elizabeth is white. The most recent tenant is Brent Morrow. We see this . I'm not just saying that just to say it. Alexis Patterson 274.5K views Discover short videos related to Alexis Patterson on TikTok. DATE MEET NAME STATE VENUE; 2022 XCWEEK 27: Mar 1: GFU Indoor NCAA Final Qualifier: OR: George Fox-Indoor: WEEK 26: Feb 26-27 Side by side images of the missing children and some of the young adults linked to Lisa Millers Facebook page showed chilling resemblances. A lover of roller-skating and the colour pink, she was often referred to by her nicknames, Lexi and Pie. Those who believe in this theory say that Big Brother is behind many of the child disappearances that have occurred in the United States. Alexis was not in class on the day she went missing, but was reportedly seen by classmates on the playground that morning. Kenya Campbell, Alexis biological father was imprisoned during her disappearance. We were all expected to have some type of role.. "It's amazing how Alexis just dropped of the face of the earth and nobody knows where she is. Immediately, the surrounding areas were searched, with the case initially being treated as a potential runaway. She has also went to the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and to Washington, DC in support of Alexis. Every year since 2012, longtime Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has recognized May 3 as Alexis Patterson Forget Me Not Day. Before he left office to become the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg late last year, Barrett signed the proclamation for 2022. Contact Gina Barton on Signal at 262-757-8640 or atgbarton@gannett.com. If Alexis went missingtoday, Norman said, police would issue an Amber Alert because of her age. That isnt true. Even Wisconsin senator Lena Taylor said she got chills when she saw the wedding photo of Joshua and Lisa. Learn how your comment data is processed. In 1994, he had been involved in a bank robbery that resulted in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Glendale, Wisconsin. His response, according to a recording Patterson made of the conversation, was to accuse her, again, of being involved in Alexis disappearance. This led her to hire a private investigator. The woman had strikingly similar features, including matching birth marks and a bump on her finger. In the coming months, USA TODAY Network reporters will embark on a national project to compile data and public records that expose why these disparities in police response and news coverage of missing children occur and how they can be addressed. Patterson said she wouldnt take a second test unless the FBI showed her the report of her first one, and they refused. . No matter what youre going through, remember God is using you, for the battle is not yours, its the Lords. When she hadnt arrived by 2:55 on that Friday in May 2002, her mother, Ayanna Patterson, began to worry. Lisa Miller was able to provide a birth certificate that says she was born in 1988 in Belize. Senator Lena Taylor caught wind of the theory during this time, as shed been helping the Patterson family in their search for Alexis. Tommy Sotomayor is a Paid Troll Agent Provocateur, Marriage Boot Camp Hip Hop Edition: Women Loyal to Disloyal Guys. At 8:00am the next day, LaRon walked Alexis to school, which was located at 4291 West Garfield Avenue. The agent told Patterson she had failed her first polygraph and implied they wouldnt help unless she took another one, according to a recording Patterson made of that phone call. Credit Solution Experts Incorporated offers quality business credit building services, which includes an easy step-by-step system designed for helping clients build their business credit effortlessly. Cases of suspected abduction, like Elizabeths, garner more attention from cops and reporters than children consideredrunaways by police, as Alexis initially was. The grid-by-grid search centred around the northwest section of Milwaukee, with a specific focus on West Meinecke Avenue, West Vine Street, North 60th Street and North 16th Street. Im from the 'hood. By the next morning, she was gone. I didntfinish high school. If Alexis went missing today, Norman said, police would issue an Amber Alert because of her age. The plot of land where the pair lived is now a vacant lot. Upon arriving at the Patterson home, police agreed with the potential scenario presented by Alexis parents. She also has the same birthmark Joshua noted, as well as a bump on her pinky finger and a scar under her right eye, both of which Alexis had as well. We're going to keep fighting until the end,"Quinones said. The woman, who denies she is Alexis Patterson, provided. The alerts, which are disseminated tothe public and the press via cellphones, billboards, news organizationsand social media, include childrensphotos, descriptions and information about when and where they were last seen. In Milwaukee, law enforcement sources leaked information to the media, saying Alexis mother had passed a polygraph, but her stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois, had failed. I don't depend on the police. Pero los secretos no pueden permanecer para siempre y a medida que me acerco a Clark, mis sentimientos por l tambin crecen. If he was involved, Patterson says, he never told her. If Patterson passed with flying colors, then nobody has a second thought about doing whatever we need to do, the agent told her. His mother had tried to call him at 7:00am, but he didnt answer. However, despite the intensive investigation, very little progress has been made in relation to the case and there has been no physical evidence uncovered to contradict what those interviewed have told police. . Satan and Show Business: What Happened to These Actresses? She still does not believe them. Jamaal on What Really Happened to 106 & Park . In December 2013, Kenya was charged with beating his 8-month-old daughter. She couldnt sleep. Includes summary of election income, expenditures and surplus campaign funds. A song by Black gospel singer Yolanda Adams played on repeat: There is no pain Jesus cant feel, no hurt he cannot heal, for all things work according to his perfect will. Alexis Patterson, 7, of Milwaukee, was last seen alive on May 3, 2002. "It's been twenty years, and this is a hard fight. Alexis Patterson went missing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 3, 2002. We are being as professional and responsible as possible. Children like Alexis Patterson. Daniel Chong. Saturday, July 9, 2016 --- Fourteen years ago, seven-year-old Alexis Patterson was dropped off at a Milwaukee elementary school and never seen again. Investigators also ruled him out as a being involved. Joshuas ex-wife has said she felt agitated and angry over the attention she received as a result of the DNA tests, as some who had read about the case online had gathered outside her home, but also shares that she feels sorry for the family. Remembering Alexis Patterson after 11 years. Seeing how injured she really was, Kenyas mother brought her to the Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin, where a CT scan and physical examination were conducted. He watched her walk across the crosswalk, toward the schools playground, before he returned to the house. For months after Alexis disappeared, Patterson almost never left the house. About 100 people attended the gathering, which Patterson called an awakening, to join in prayer, poetry, music and a banquet prepared by Patterson and her family. The resemblance to an age-progressed photo of Alexis posted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was uncanny. I feel like its because of me being African American, Patterson said. The post included pictures of missing children from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Police divers searched the river, but nothing was found. Alexis Patterson | Source 7-year-old Alexis Patterson lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with her mother, Ayanna Patterson, her stepfather, LaRon Bourgeois, and her 6-month-old sister, Dysoni. Police records say otherwise. As of the end of last year, more than 1,000 missing children had been recovered as a result of the alerts. When Patterson tried to get the FBI involved in verifying the identity of the Ohio woman, she received a similar response. There was a frenzied approach of, Theres someone missing in our community, a young one, and were going to put in all the effort, the work, hold no stops, he said in an interview last week. Werner was arrested for posting the flyers, but was later released after it was determined his comments were protected by the First Amendment free speech clause. I told him the truth, and he says that?. She went missing on May 3, 20. Bourgeois received immunity to testify against the suspected shooter. Lexi was full of light and personality, with an infectious smile and a happy personality. Hoping those already incarcerated might know something, Milwaukee police included her image in a pack of cold case playing cards that were then sent to jails and prisons across Wisconsin. Around this time, a relationship was re-established with the Patterson family. So was Linda Andersen in 2003, Shele Covlin in 2009, Nikki Whitehead in 2010, and Sharon Katz in 1970. . Patterson said she wouldnt take a second test unless the FBI showed her the report of her first one, and they refused. MILWAUKEE Tuesday marks 20 years since 7-year-old Alexis Patterson disappeared in 2002. Two weeks before Alexis went missing, parents at Hi-Mount Boulevard School had received letters warning them of man who had tried to abduct a little boy near the school. I know thats my child, Patterson told USA TODAY in April. The previous day, Pattersonhad taken Alexis to the store, where shepicked out some cupcakes to share with her classmates. He still feels she is indeed Alexis, but says she wont admit it because shes afraid of the people she knows to be her current family. She has fully cooperated with the investigation. He also told police he had returned home with his daughter around 3:00pm on November 21, 2013, with no signs of injury, after which he was her sole caretaker until 5:00pm. Alexis was last seen on her way to Hi-Mount Elementary School on May 3, 2002. If you're a Pinterest-perfect mom who has been planning her children's Halloween costumes for weeks if not months, we seriously applaud you. Are Milwaukee and Bryan officials in on the secret? On May 6, 2002, he was released from prison and questioned by police, who say he has been fully cooperative with the investigation. A leading theory faults the lack of racial diversity in newsrooms and media ownership. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). She never made it to school.. The centers Long-term Missing Guide for Law Enforcement discusses reviewing past polygraph resultsbut not administering new tests. Everything changed when a reporter knocked on her door in 2016. If he was involved, Patterson says,he never told her. However, nothing related to this has been publicly proven. Milwaukee police told Patterson it didnt match but she doesnt believe them. Over the years, theres been hope that Alexis will return home alive. You know, my mom was on drugs, my daddy wasnt around. Watch popular content from the following creators: Preston Nicholson(@prestonnicholson87), TheRoseSavage(@therosesavage), Nostalgic(@80sbaby90sluv), Jenna Lynn(@jennalynn468), Preston Nicholson(@prestonnicholson87) . Ayanna believes Lisa is in fact Alexis. RIGHT: LaRon Bourgeois, stepfather of Alexis Patterson, stands in the intersection near her Milwaukee school, where Alexis was last seen, in 2002. When questioned, Kenyas mother initially said that the baby had been sleeping on her back in the living room, before falling off the couch after Kenya had already left for work at 5:00am. She too was certain Joshuas ex-wife was the missing girl after seeing the pairs wedding photo. Lookup the home address, phone numbers, email address for this persons Upon him leaving for work the next morning, she had been asleep on the couch. Discover short videos related to alexis patterson lisa miller case on TikTok. I know that the department took it very seriously. For the rest of us, some last-minute help might be in order. The Deseret News ran a story the following day. That theory stemmed from an argument she had with her mother the morning she disappeared. I dont think theres anyone who is any less worthy than anybody else, myself included, to come home.. He angrily denied the reports. Milwaukee Police Track New Lead In Alexis Patterson Missing Person Case Her stepfather told. I didnt finish high school. Former sheriff of the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office, David Clarke, believes LaRon was involved, but says the authorities havent been able to prove it with the evidence theyve uncovered. In Milwaukee, the first story about Alexis was published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Sunday, two days after she disappeared. Through these tests, it was determined she had suffered abusive head trauma, a broken jaw, a fractured rib, a lacerated liver and an adrenal haemorrhage, and bruises to her face, abdomen and chest. Alexis Patterson was born on April 4, 1995 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Im not afraid of nothingnow that I know my babys safe, and I know my babys alive.. Because if you pass it, then you can tell anybody you want, Look, I passed this polygraph. If you dont, you dont have to tell anybody. According to the doctor, the trauma was consistent with severe child abuse and the police were dispatched. I know that can be a little disheartening or unnerving, said Norman, the current Milwaukee chief. In the days and weeks that followed, hundreds of tips rolled in. In addition to celebrating those who have stood by her for two decades, Patterson also spoke her truth, loudly and sometimes through tears. Police gave an Ohio woman a DNA test to see if she is Alexis Patterson, who was 7-years-old when she disappeared while walking to her Milwaukee, Wisconsin elementary school 14 years ago,. I know thats my child, Patterson told USA TODAY in April. A month later and more than a thousand miles away, Elizabeth Smart, 14, went to sleep in her bedroom in Salt Lake City. Bourgeois, who denied having anything to do with Alexis' disappearance, died of a probable drug overdose in 2021. Kenya has shared that he mourns the loss of his daughter. MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee cold case detectives are following up on new trips related to the 2002 disappearance of Alexis Patterson -- a 7-year-old girl last seen walking to school. If alive, she would be 24 years old. Judgement on behalf of the city was vacated nearly 10 years later, in August 2011. A week later, a teacher spotted Alexis talking to an unknown woman at the back of the school. In addition to race, we will examine other factors that may explain the discrepancies, including families incomes, whether they live in urban or rural areas and whether they have had past contact with police.