Kelly Juanita Staples was six years old when she vanished while walking to school in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood in the winter of 1980. She was three feet tall, about 42 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a birthmark on the left side of her chest. That morning she wore a brown and white striped cap, a brown scarf, a red plaid coat, blue jeans and blue rubber boots. Her school was only a few blocks from home, but she never arrived and has not been seen since.

Early investigators treated the disappearance as a non-family abduction. In 1992 an accused murderer confessed to killing Kelly and several other girls and women, but investigators later determined that confession was false and the man was ruled out in Kelly’s case. Law enforcement, including the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, has continued to publicize the case and age-progressed images have been circulated.

Few concrete leads have emerged and the circumstances of Kelly’s disappearance remain unsolved. If anyone knew Kelly, saw her that morning, or has information about her whereabouts, please come forward to assist the ongoing inquiry.