In late summer 1984 one-year-old Deborah Lyyn Sanders was taken from her mother’s Chicago home on September 24 by her non-custodial father, Odell Sheppard. According to the mother, Norell Sanders, Sheppard arrived during an argument, assaulted her and left with the child. In the days afterward Sheppard made repeated, disturbing phone calls to Norell; once he allowed a brief call in which she heard Deborah, and later demanded $2,000 for the child’s return and warned that next time she would see Deborah in a pine box.

About two weeks after the abduction Deborah was reportedly seen in Memphis, Tennessee, at a family member’s funeral; after that the trail went cold. Legal confusion over custody initially limited police action, and although Norell later obtained full custody, it did not lead to locating Deborah. Sheppard was arrested in 1988, refused to disclose Deborah’s whereabouts, and was held in contempt of court, serving about ten years. He maintained he had returned Deborah to her mother in December 1984; Norell denied that. Norell died of kidney failure on January 24, 1998; Deborah’s Social Security number has never been used and the case was closed after Norell’s death.

Did anyone ever know where Deborah was taken after that funeral in Memphis, or have information about her last confirmed sightings?