Justina Morales was eight when she was last seen in Brooklyn sometime in November 1995. She lived on Halsey Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant and attended Public School 1, but had a history of frequent absences that brought a Bureau of Child Welfare truancy report. A caseworker found no abuse, and after three months away from school the family said they were moving; Justina was never re-enrolled.

In February 1997 a family friend told police Justina had been killed, prompting an investigation that focused on her mother Denise Solero’s live-in boyfriend Luis Santiago. Both Solero and Santiago gave differing accounts that placed Justina’s death on December 31, 1995. Santiago admitted unintentionally killing her during a beating; Solero described a prolonged assault and said she helped restrain Justina while Santiago wrapped duct tape around the child’s nose and mouth. Prosecutors, lacking a body, accepted Solero’s plea to hindering prosecution in exchange for her testimony. Santiago was later convicted of second-degree manslaughter and evidence tampering; no remains were ever recovered and foul play is suspected.

Did anyone in Bedford-Stuyvesant at the time remember seeing Justina or hearing about the family after late 1995?