Rasheeyda Wilson, 9: Disappeared In 1991 While On A Walk
Those of us “GenXers” or “Millennials” will remember the days of our childhoods when we were urged to play outside, usually until the street lights came on. It’s assumed that was what nine-year-old Rasheeyda Wilson did on July 15, 1991, when she was playing on the fire escape of an apartment building with her friend. The landlord saw the girls and told them that they needed to play somewhere else because the fire escape was a dangerous place for kids. The children quickly left and parted ways, with Rasheeyda heading to her home.
The young girl arrived just fine, but it was sometime around 2:30 p.m. when she took leave from her San Diego home once again. She told her mother she planned to walk through the city’s downtown area, but what happened to Rasheeyda remains unclear.
She has never been seen or heard from again.
A Mother’s Frantic Search Uncovers Similar Cases
Rasheeyda’s mother, Vicky Wilson, became concerned after her daughter hadn’t come home for dinner at 8:00 p.m. A few months earlier, a similar circumstance occurred when Rasheeyda didn’t arrive home on time; a quick search located her at a nearby school. However, this time, Vicky told reporters that she felt her daughter had been taken.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in 2011 that Rasheeyda was one of three girls who went missing from the San Diego area in 1991 for five months. Sadly, the two other missing girls were found murdered, and the separate suspects tied to their cases were arrested and convicted. While the situations were similar, it’s reported that investigators couldn’t find ties between those murders and Rasheeyda’s disappearance.
The Search Expands Throughout San Diego Into Mexico
At the time, Rasheeyda lived with her younger sister and her mother on the second floor of the Yale Hotel. The residence is described as a “single-room occupancy inn on F Street in Downtown San Diego.” The neighborhood was riddled with crime and wasn’t safe, so a massive search ensued. “She’s friendly,” Rasheeyda’s mother said at the time. “She’s too damn friendly.”
Police helicopters patrolled the area, flyers were handed out from San Diego to just across the Mexico border into Tijuana, and people roamed the streets calling her name. There were rumors that Rasheeyda was kidnapped in some sort of drug deal, and unsurprisingly, the child’s mother was considered a person of interest. Vicky was given a polygraph test, and the results weren’t made public, but she hasn’t been named as a suspect. In fact, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been identified.
Rasheeyda is said to have been a friendly, street-smart child who knew her way around her neighborhood. It’s unclear if any evidence was obtained or witnesses found during the investigation.
Rasheedya Wilson: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Rasheeyda Wilson stood 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds. She had black/dark brown hair and brown eyes. She had a 3-inch scar on the front of her right calf. Rasheeyda may use the last name “Robinson.” She was last seen wearing a white shirt with pink and green shoulder pads, blue jeans, white sandals, and a gold chain with a cross. She would be 39 years old at the time of this publication.
Anyone with information regarding this cold case is urged to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678. According to the center, calls are confidential and may be made anonymously. Tips may also be directed to the San Diego Police Department at (619) 531-2000. The agency case number is 91069778.
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