In July of 2018, a 26-year-old Washington woman attempted to flee her adoptive mother’s house, but was carried back inside by her brother. She hasn’t been seen by friends or neighbors since, and her family claims she ran away. Strangely, it would be nearly a year-and-a-half until she was reported missing. And as police dove into the lives of her adoptive family, suspicions against them grew. This is the story of Courtney Holden.

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CASE SOURCES

1. Uncovered: https://uncovered.com/cases/courtney-holden#timeline

2. The Spokesman-Review: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jan/21/warning-signs-were-there-for-spokane-woman-missing/

3. Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/t5t58a/courtney_holden_was_reported_missing_by_her/

4. The Charley Project: https://charleyproject.org/case/courtney-corrinna-holden

5. Stories of the Unsolved: https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2020/06/12/the-disappearance-of-courtney-holden/

6. Websleuths: https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/wa-courtney-holden-27-not-reported-missing-was-living-with-adoptive-family-spokane-apr-2018.497670/page-2?utm_content=cmp-true

7. KXLY: https://www.kxly.com/i-couldve-dug-deeper-friends-regret-not-reporting-missing-spokane-mom-sooner/

8. King 5: https://www.king5.com/article/news/investigations/one-foster-child-cost-washington-state-37000-per-month-for-his-care-records-show/281-db00198b-fcbb-4773-a858-363002214614#:~:text=Right%20now%2C%20a%20foster%20parent,best%20environment%20for%20each%20child.

9. Stories of the Unsolved: https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2020/06/12/the-disappearance-of-courtney-holden/

10. Courtney's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shortney.holden.7

11. KHQ: https://www.khq.com/news/i-know-courtney-was-murdered-spokane-man-details-life-in-the-holden-home/article_c2a56760-4170-11ea-afba-17196c0fca0d.html

12. Fox 41: https://www.fox41yakima.com/ive-seen-no-evidence-that-courtney-holden-is-alive-twists-and-turns-in-missing-womans-case-lead-spd-to-believe-shes-dead/

13. National Center for Biotechnology Information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9216342/#:~:text=Estimates%20suggest%20that%2060%E2%80%9370,Increasing%20Adoptions%20Act%2C%202008).

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