Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Photos

Kelly Jean Harris




Kelly, date, approximate 1984; Age-progression at age 42 (date, approximate 2013); Leonard Hugall, date, approximate 2010
Date Missing 08/10/1984
Missing From
Jackson, Michigan
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Female
Race
Biracial, Black, White
Date of Birth 04/29/1971 (51)
Age 13 years old
Height and Weight 5'5, 100 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description A pink, orange and gray shirt and black striped shorts.
Associated Vehicle(s) Biycle (accounted for)
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Biracial (African-American/Caucasian) female. Black hair, brown eyes. Kelly has a gap between her upper front teeth. She occasionally wears eyeglasses.
Details of Disappearance Kelly was last seen riding her red three-speed bicycle near her family's home in the 100 block of Lincoln Court in Jackson, Michigan on the morning of August 10, 1984. She was reported missing by her family when she failed to return home later in the evening. Her bicycle was located later that same day at the entrance to Ella Sharp Park, some distance from Kelly's home.
Her family learned that Kelly had purchased a bus ticket to Detroit, Michigan and was observed boarding a bus to that location at the local station. She has never been heard from again.
On the day of her disappearance, Kelly was upset because she had not been able to attend the county fair. Initially her was classified as a runaway, but foul play is now suspected in her disappearance.
Kelly lived with her father in Pasadena, Maryland until 1984, when she moved to Michigan to spend the summer with her mother. She planned to move in with a great-aunt in California afterwards.
Leonard Victor Hugall, who was Kelly's stepfather in 1984, was the prime suspect in her from the time police first began investigating the child's disappearance as a crime. He and Kelly's mother divorced in 1994. He has a history of violent behavior and child molestation dating back to before he met Kelly.
Hugall, who describes himself as "evil," was convicted of burglary, theft and sexual battery in Florida in 1993. Kelly's mother stated her daughter's relationship with Hugall was "strained" in 1984 and that she believed he had murdered the the child.
Hugall initially told investigators he thought Kelly had run away from home. For over twenty years he refused to cooperate with authorities in her or to take a polygraph test. In 2006, however, Hugall confessed to Kelly's rape and murder. Investigators found blood evidence to back up his statement.
Hugall will not be charged in connection with her presumed death until his scheduled release from prison in approximately 2033, by which time he will be over 90 years old. A photo of Hugall is posted with this summary.
Authorities stated they would attempt to locate Kelly's remains, based on information provided by Hugall. He says he buried her in a shallow grave. Investigators said it is unlikely that anything can be recovered after so long a time, however. Unless Kelly was buried deeply, her body would probably have been disinterred and destroyed by animals.
Some agencies may list August 14, 1984 as the date of Kelly's disappearance. It remains classified as a non-family abduction.
Investigating Agency
Jackson County Sheriff's Office
517-788-4200
Other
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children
Child Protection Education of America
The Jackson Citizen Patriot
WLNS 6 News
The Doe Network
Florida Department of Corrections

Missing Person Photos

A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2 to 5 percent of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. A number of organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and images of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.

Resources for Missing Persons

According to current statistics, 4,000 people in the United States go missing every day. Sometimes a child suddenly vanishes from the bus stop or the local park or even from their own yard or bedroom. Or a teenager doesn�t return home after a walk to the neighborhood grocery store or a bike ride or a party with friends. Other times, an adult is mysteriously absent from their job or neighbors haven�t seen them for several days, and family and friends haven�t heard from them either.

Missing Person Photos