This is the first time I’m going to write this here on Our Black Girls, but undoubtedly not the last: there isn’t much information available about this case.
In early September 2004, Amysena Chappell from the Bay Area in central California traveled south to Hawthorne, more than six hours away. Some reports state that she had taken the Amtrak to visit loved ones in the Southern California area and was supposed to contact her family in Antioch to let them know about the train arrival information.
They became concerned when they didn’t hear from Amysena, so they naturally reached out to authorities. A quick search of this case doesn’t bring up any further updates besides the fact that an 18-year-old girl vanished 14 years ago.
Don’t be fooled by misinformation propagated by certain sources on the internet that state Amysena went missing in Antioch. Her family assures that the last place she was confirmed to be was in Hawthorne and that she traveled there alone.
I can only imagine that investigators did the most that they could in searching for answers to Amysena’s disappearance. There is no public information stating that she was a troublesome teen or was a runaway threat, especially because she and her family made plans to speak to one another about her traveling plans to return home. There also hasn’t been any word about the friends or family members that she was visiting in Hawthorne nor what Amysena Chappell’s last movements were in the 24-48 leading up to her disappearance.
I also don’t know if she was traveling without a cell phone or if she even made it to the Amtrak station, but one thing is certain: her family is still searching for answers to their mystery.
Amysena is described as being 5’2″ to 5’4″ tall with dark brown hair and eyes. At the time of her disappearance, she was 150 pounds. According to the State of California Department of Justice, Amysena didn’t have any dental X-rays available. They also said her last known whereabouts were in Antioch so…take that for what it’s worth.
She is considered to be endangered.
Please share this article to continue the discussion about Amysena. She is not forgotten.
If you have any information related to Amysena Chappell’s case, please contact the Antioch Police Department at 925-778-2441.
