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 Case Updates with Photos

Adji Desir








Adji, date, approximate 2009; Age-progression to age 15 (date, approximate 2017); Adji's sneakers
Date Missing 01/10/2009
Missing From
Immokalee, Florida
Missing Classification Endangered Missing
Sex Male
Race
Black
Date of Birth 10/15/2002 (19)
Age 6 years old
Height and Weight 3'0, 45 pounds
Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue t-shirt with thin yellow stripes, blue shorts with pink flamingos down the sides, and two-tone blue sneakers. A photo of the sneakers is posted with this summary.
Medical Conditions Adji is mentally disabled; he functions at the level of a two-year-old and is almost completely nonverbal. He understands Haitian Creole, but cannot speak it, and he cannot speak his name although he knows it. He can speak about a few words in English, and can nod and shake his head to indicate yes and no. Due to his disability, Adji may be unable to ask for help.
Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes. Adji's nickname is Ji Ji. He is of Haitian descent.
Details of Disappearance Adji was last seen in Immokalee, Florida on January 10, 2009. His mother left him at his grandmother's home in Farm Workers Village in the 800 block of Grace Street that day, as she had to work. Adji was last seen at approximately 5:15 p.m. He went outside to play with other children and disappeared.
His grandmother realized he was missing about half an hour after she'd last seen him. After searching for two hours, Adji's grandmother called the police. He has never been heard from again. An extensive search of the area turned up no indication of his whereabouts.
Adji lived with his mother and stepfather at the time of his disappearance. Investigators looked into the possibility that Adji was taken to Haiti, where his father and extended family members live, but they found no evidence to support this theory.
None of Adji's family members are considered suspects in his disappearance. His grandmother no longer lives in the Farm Worker's Village; she now shares a home with Adji's mother and stepfather, who have since given birth to a daughter they named after her brother.
Authorities believe Adji either wandered away, or was abducted by a non-relative. His remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
Collier County Sheriff's Office
239-793-9300
Other
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
America's Most Wanted
The Naples Daily News
Find Adji

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 Case Updates with Photos