Wilda Mae Benoit was 14 when she disappeared from her family’s home in Creole, Louisiana, in the summer of 1992. On July 23 she had just returned from the hospital after surgery for a shoulder injury and was reportedly heavily sedated and still in a hospital gown when last seen at the residence. In the hours that followed she vanished, leaving all of her personal belongings behind.

Wilda is described as a white female with brown hair, blue eyes, 5 feet 0 inches tall and about 100 pounds, with pierced ears and dimples. The family doubted she left voluntarily; despite their concerns the case was initially handled as a runaway. The case received wider exposure when Wilda was featured in the music video for Soul Asylum’s Runaway Train, but no significant leads developed. There were unconfirmed suggestions she may have traveled to Florida. The Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office has kept the case open and the family continues to search, including a cousin submitting DNA to databases in hope of a match.

Are there details from Creole or surrounding areas in 1992 that anyone can share which might help fill gaps in Wilda’s movements that day?