In Augusta, Georgia, on March 18, 1990, twin sisters Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook, aged 15, vanished without a trace. Over three decades later, their disappearance remains one of the most perplexing unsolved cases, with minimal clues, scarce media attention, and a trail that has gone cold.
The case highlights failures in how missing persons cases involving black youth are handled, sparking renewed efforts by advocates and the public to bring justice and answers for the Millbrook family.
Dannette and Jeannette lived with their mother, Mary “Louise” Sturgis, and their siblings in a housing complex on Cooney Circle in Augusta. On the morning of March 18, the twins attended church with their family.
Later in the day, their father gave them $20 to buy snacks and bus fare. Around noon, the girls left home and walked to a local gas station, where they bought food. After that, they briefly visited their godfather’s home nearby.
The twins returned home but left again later that afternoon to visit a family friend. On their way back, they stopped at a convenience store on 12th Street.
The store clerk, who was the last confirmed person to see the twins, reported that they bought chips and drinks before leaving. They were last seen walking along the street, heading toward their home, but they never made it back.
Early Investigations and Missteps
From the outset, the investigation into Dannette and Jeannette’s disappearance was fraught with issues. When their mother reported them missing, law enforcement initially suggested that the girls had likely run away, despite no evidence or prior behavior supporting this claim.
Their family insisted that the twins were not the type to run away; they had no history of truancy, no problems at home, and they didn’t take any personal belongings with them.
For years, the case was largely ignored by authorities. At one point, the Millbrook sisters were even removed from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s database after a police officer falsely claimed they had been found.
This error set back any potential progress in the case for years.
Theories and Possibilities
Several theories have been proposed regarding the disappearance of Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook:
- Human Trafficking – Some speculate that the twins could have been abducted and trafficked, given Augusta’s proximity to major highways and its history of human trafficking.
- Foul Play by a Known Acquaintance – The girls may have encountered someone they knew and trusted, who then harmed them. It’s possible that this person’s identity remains hidden due to lack of proper investigation early on.
- A Local Serial Offender – During the late 1980s and early 1990s, there were reports of serial offenders operating in Georgia. Some theorists suggest that the Millbrook sisters may have been victims of a serial predator.
- Mistaken Identity – Another possibility is that the girls may have witnessed something they weren’t supposed to, leading to their abduction.
In 2013, renewed interest in the case arose thanks to the efforts of podcasters Payne Lindsey and Donald Albright, who co-created the popular investigative podcast “Up and Vanished”. The attention brought by the podcast helped to put the Millbrook sisters’ case back in the spotlight, spurring new interest from both media and law enforcement.
As a result, law enforcement reopened the case. In 2017, the twins were officially added back to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database, giving hope to those who have long awaited answers.
The case of Dannette and Jeannette Millbrook is not just a tragedy of two missing sisters but also a symbol of the larger issue of racial disparities in how missing persons cases are handled. Their story has led to calls for greater accountability, better resources for missing children of color, and improvements in how such cases are prioritized and investigated.
