Tavia Elizabeth Bailey was 15 when she vanished from Pensacola, Florida, after leaving home to attend a New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 1985. She spent part of the evening at a Chuck E. Cheese with friends and became separated from a companion; although her friend’s mother came to pick them up, Tavia did not return and has not been seen since. She was last reported wearing striped jeans and a black fur coat.

Tavia had a troubled history: she was sexually abused by her stepfather at age eight, spent time in group homes, used drugs, and ran away from home on multiple occasions, once traveling as far as New York City. She had kept in touch with her mother during prior runaways but never contacted her after this disappearance. At the time she was believed to be dating an unidentified man, possibly African-American, and authorities have considered the possibility she was taken against her will. Multiple agencies, including the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, continue to investigate but no major leads have emerged.

If anyone knew Tavia, the people she spent time with that night, or the man she was thought to be dating, please share any information that could help her case.