Adre-Anna Anita Jackson, a 10-year-old girl of Native American descent who vanished on December 2, 2005, while walking to school in Lakewood, Washington. This case exemplifies the challenges of cold cases involving missing children, particularly those from marginalized communities, and highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to seek justice nearly two decades later. It remains active and unsolved as of November 2025, offering rich material for a compelling narrative on unresolved mysteries, systemic issues in investigations, and the enduring impact on families.
Case Summary
Adre-Anna, also known as “Baby Anna,” was last seen leaving her home in the early morning hours to catch the school bus on her usual route along 112th Street South in Lakewood, a suburb of Tacoma. She was described as a bright, outgoing child who enjoyed drawing and playing with her siblings. Witnesses reported seeing her walking alone that morning, but she never arrived at school or returned home. Her family reported her missing that same day, triggering an immediate search.
Four months later, on April 22, 2006, her skeletal remains were discovered in a dense thicket approximately one mile from her home, hidden under brush and debris. The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, though the exact cause—likely blunt force trauma or strangulation—could not be conclusively determined due to decomposition. No clothing or personal items were found with the remains, suggesting an attempt to conceal the crime. The case was classified as a cold case by the Lakewood Police Department after initial leads dried up, with no arrests or named suspects to date.
Key Details and Timeline
- December 2, 2005: Adre-Anna leaves home around 7:00 a.m. She is wearing a dark jacket, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Last confirmed sighting: A neighbor sees her walking toward the bus stop.
- December 2005–April 2006: Extensive searches involving volunteers, K-9 units, and helicopters yield no results. Tips pour in, including unverified sightings in nearby areas, but none pan out.
- April 22, 2006: Remains found by a passerby in a wooded area near McChord Air Force Base. Identification confirmed via dental records.
- 2006–2024: Investigations focus on potential suspects in the local transient community and registered sex offenders, but DNA evidence from the scene does not match any known profiles. The case receives intermittent media coverage, including features on true crime programs.
- April 2025: The Washington State Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit announces a formal review, incorporating advanced forensic techniques such as genetic genealogy to re-examine evidence. No breakthroughs reported as of November 2025.
Why This Case Remains Unsolved
Several factors have contributed to the stalled investigation:
- Limited Physical Evidence: The remote location of the remains and exposure to the elements degraded potential DNA and trace materials. Initial crime scene processing was hampered by the site’s overgrowth.
- Community and Systemic Challenges: Lakewood’s proximity to military bases and high transient population complicated witness canvassing. Adre-Anna’s Native American heritage has raised concerns about under-resourced investigations for Indigenous victims, a pattern noted in reports by the National Institute of Justice. The case echoes broader disparities, where missing persons from minority groups receive less public attention than high-profile cases.
- Evolving Forensic Tools: While genetic genealogy has solved dozens of cold cases since 2018 (e.g., the Golden State Killer), applying it here requires familial DNA matches, which depend on public databases like GEDmatch. As of 2025, no viable leads have emerged from this method.
Recent discussions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) underscore public frustration, with users advocating for renewed focus on cases like this amid 2025’s wave of DNA breakthroughs in other homicides.
Impact on Family and Community
Adre-Anna’s mother, Annette Jackson, has publicly shared her grief, describing the daily torment of uncertainty and the void left in their family. Siblings have grown up without closure, and the case has become a symbol for advocacy groups like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement. In 2025, the family continues to appeal for tips, emphasizing that even minor details—such as a vehicle seen in the area—could crack the case. The Washington State Cold Case Unit’s involvement signals hope, but the lack of resolution perpetuates trauma for those affected.
Blogging Opportunities and Calls to Action
This case lends itself to a multifaceted blog post: Explore the human element through interviews (if possible) with advocates, analyze forensic advancements, or compare it to solved cases like the 2025 identification of skeletal remains in Bay County, Florida. To engage readers, include visuals such as timelines or maps, and end with a call for tips.
If you have information, contact the Washington State Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit at (360) 753-6200 or submit anonymously via the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) at namus.gov.
