Niki Diane Britten was 15 and lived with her grandparents in Albany, Oregon, when she disappeared a week before her 16th birthday. She was last seen at home on July 16, 1969. Niki was described as white, 5 feet 4 inches, about 145 pounds, with brown hair, hazel or green eyes, and wore eyeglasses.

Her history of running away complicated the response; her grandparents did not report her missing for three weeks because they expected her to return. In September 1969 Niki called family friends and said she was in New York, had found work, and was doing well — that was the last confirmed contact. A later letter signed Niki, left at her grandparents’ house, said she was living with people in a large old house and might return, but her mother doubts the note’s authenticity.

The file was likely purged when she turned 18 but was reopened in 2003. DNA from relatives has been submitted for a mitochondrial profile and entered into a national database, Niki’s Social Security number hasn’t been used, and she is listed in NamUS.