In the spring of 1982, 22-year-old Diana Avera was sent to Searcy Hospital, a mental health facility in southern Alabama. Diana was arrested for disorderly conduct in Foley, Alabama, where she lived. The details of her arrest are unknown because we only truly know what happened after her arrest. Diana had several mental health diagnoses, and the decision was made to send her to the mental health facility. Just three months later, around the beginning of August 1982, Diana allegedly escaped from the hospital and was never seen again. But is that really what happened 40 years ago in a case shrouded in secrets, abusive hospital practices, and unanswered questions? 

If you have any information about Diana’s disappearance, please call the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at 251-574-8720.

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Diana Avera

The Vanished is a true crime podcast that explores the stories of those who have gone missing. The Vanished goes beyond conventional news reports to take a deep dive into the story of a different missing person each week. Host Marissa Jones brings you exclusive interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement and experts. What will The Vanished uncover next? All episodes are available for free. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ or on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.

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In late 2023, 24-year-old Cole Hosack was working to recover from an exceptionally difficult year with multiple losses within his family. Cole and his fiancee, Morgan, were temporarily staying in Prince George, British Columbia. Cole decided to set out for a fresh start in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The plan was for Cole to start a new job, settle in, and later move Morgan out there to live with him. Cole's friend, Shelby, picked him up in Prince George, and they intended to stop in Shelby's hometown of Dawson Creek to visit for a few days before driving to Medicine Hat. Everything was going according to plan until New Year's Eve. Cole and Shelby went out that evening to celebrate the holiday. They stopped at a couple of bars in Dawson Creek and ended up at the Lonestar Bar. The place was bustling that evening as everyone was ushering in the new year. Not long after midnight, Shelby briefly stepped outside, and upon her return, Cole was nowhere to be found. Shelby waited around, searching the crowd for her friend, but he had vanished. She drove around Dawson looking for Cole, but there were no signs of him. Eventually, Shelby returned to her family home and waited to hear from her friend, but that call never came.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Cole Hosack, please contact the Dawson Creek RCMP at 250-784-3700. You can follow developments in Cole's case on social media at Missing: Cole Hosack.

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Cole Hosack

On a Sunday evening in August 1989, 13-year-old Elisa Roberson left her home in Aransas Pass, Texas, to meet a friend at a local elementary school just a short walk away. Witnesses saw her along the way, and someone even reported seeing her enter a red or maroon car. But Elisa never made it to meet her friend. Her family later suspected that she might have been abducted by her mother's ex-boyfriend, Ralph, who had been abusive and threatened Elisa's mother when they ended their relationship. However, the police had their eyes on someone else, the father of the girl Elisa was walking to meet, who had a history of disturbing allegations made against him and a strange alibi. The investigation failed to uncover concrete evidence, and Elisa's case went cold. Years later, the case heated up again, and took a strange turn. 

The family is currently offering a $20,000 reward for any information regarding Elisa's disappearance. If you have any information, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department at 361-758-5224, or reach out to the family and private investigator at missingelisa1989@gmail.com.

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Elisa Roberson Part 2: Flipping the Narrative

It was a hot August evening in 1989 when 13-year-old Elisa Roberson left her Aransas Pass, Texas, home to walk a short distance to meet a friend. The girls planned to meet halfway near an elementary school. The phone rang shortly after, and Elisa's younger sister, Ruby, answered. On the other line was the friend that Elisa had left to meet. She told Ruby that Elisa never showed up. Elisa's mother, Marina, was nearby and overheard the conversation. Marina began to worry, Elisa was her oldest child, and she was always dependable. If she wasn't with her friend, then where had she gone?

Elisa's family is desperate for any information that could lead to finding Elisa. They are currently offering a $20,000 reward for any information that could help solve this mystery. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Elisa Roberson, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department at 361-758-5224. The family and private investigator can also be reached via email at missingelisa1989@gmail.com. Stay updated on Elisa's case by following Missing Elisa Roberson on social media.

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Elisa Roberson Part 1: Goodnight Avenue

On December 7, 2023, 36-year-old Danielle Croft was at the home of a man she recently began seeing. He said Dani left his Bonham, Texas, home around 3 or 4 AM to walk around town and look at Christmas lights. No one ever saw or heard from Dani Croft after that time. Hours later, he said he left home to walk to a local store. Along the way, he said he found Dani's clothing on the road. He continued to Dani's grandmother's nearby home to alert her, which was just the beginning of this strange tale.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Dani Croft, please contact the Bonham Police Department at (903) 583-2141.

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Danielle Croft

We first brought you Judith Brown's story on May 2, 2022. In April of 1977, 19-year-old Judith Brown vanished without a trace from New York City. But Judy wasn't the only person to disappear. She had recently begun dating a man named Richard, whom she met while briefly seeking treatment for depression. This man was much older and had a violent history. How much of that Judy knew, we can't be certain. She was still a teenager and likely groomed by him. Richard was housed at the Creedmoor facility after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 1971 murders of his wife and 17-month-old son, and that is where he and Judy crossed paths. Richard was given many freedoms at Creedmoor, even to wander the city alone. One day, he walked off the grounds and never returned. Judy's family was concerned that they hadn't heard from her, but then, the FBI came to their door as they were trying to track down Richard. Judy's family believed that law enforcement was looking for her since the FBI was on the case, but it doesn't appear that much was done to find Judy. Decades later, Judy's case began to heat up after a younger family member, Julian, took an interest in pursuing answers. Since we first spoke to Julian in 2022, he has kept digging. Julian joined us again to provide an update on Judy's case.

You can find Julian's page for Judith on Facebook at Judith Anne Brown Missing - "Vanished With a Killer." 

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Judith Brown, please contact the NYPD missing persons squad at 212-694-7781.

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Diana Avera

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