Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and it is not meant to cause harm to anyone connected with the case. Please do not contact, threaten, harm, malign, or otherwise intimidate those mentioned in the post. Please do not release any personal information of the people mentioned in this post, and do not join in attacks conducted by others. Per U.S. law, every person directly or indirectly connected with this case is innocent until proven guilty.

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About Alexis

Alexis Patterson was born on April 4, 1995 to her parents, Ayana and Kenya. Although little is known about her early life or her family, her parents separated in the years leading up to her disappearance, and the young girl gained a new stepfather named LaRon Bourgeois and an unnamed stepbrother. LaRon had a history of selling drugs, and he had robbed (and been robbed by) armed drug dealers. At least one incident occurred that threatened the young girl’s safety. Reportedly, a man held Alexis and Ayanna at gunpoint. Both survived, but the details of this incident are unclear.

At the time of her disappearance, Alexis was a first-grade student at Hi-Mount Boulevard School, which was located less than one block from the family home. She had been late 20 times during that school year, and she almost always walked alone.

Approximately 18 months before Alexis disappeared, the principal sent a letter home to parents, warning them of the attempted abduction of a young boy as he was walking to school.

This school would be the location of the young girl’s last confirmed sighting.

Disappearance

On the morning of her disappearance, Laron walked Alexis to school around 8 AM. He reportedly saw her walking towards the playground before he walked back to their residence. Other students reported seeing her crying on the playground before and after school, but she never attended classes that day. Alexis never attended classes that day, and Ayana and LaRon weren’t notified about her disappearance until after school.

Upon hearing the news, Ayanna and LaRon believed that she refused to go to school because of an argument she had had with her mother. According to Ayanna, Alexis had not completed her homework the previous evening. As a result, she was not allowed to bring cupcakes for her classmates that day.

The authorities agreed with this scenario, even though she had perfect attendance and had never run away before. They believed that something had caused Alexis’s disappearance after she was seen on the playground.

Investigation

After Alexis was reported missing, the surrounding areas were searched. The investigators canvassed nearby Washington Park, and divers searched the park’s lagoon. This search focused on areas near Meinecke Avenue, Vine Street, 16th Street, and 60th street, all of which were in the northwest section of the city. Despite their searches, investigators were unable to find any evidence.

However, the police came across other interesting pieces of information:

• Her stepbrother (age 5 at the time) stated that Alexis “got a whooping” on the morning of her disappearance. According to his account, Ayanna hit Alexis on the arm because she pretended to not know how to put her socks on, causing the young girl to cry. This incident was not described as life-threatening or violent, and he further stated that LaRon walked Alexis to school.
• A school crossing guard (who was in 5th grade) couldn’t remember if LaRon walked her to school that day, but he reportedly returned to the intersection in tears the next morning.
• One of LaRon’s drug suppliers came to the home on the morning of her disappearance, reportedly to help LaRon clean up after the police raided the home.

By May 14th, investigators told the public that Alexis had disappeared under suspicious circumstances, and they reclassified her case from a missing child to a criminal investigation.

Later on, some of her classmates came forward to police. According to their accounts, a red truck was parked near the school for almost a week leading up to her disappearance. The truck was not seen dropping off or picking anyone up, and it was not seen again after she vanished. It has not been identified, and investigators have not said if it’s connected to her case.

Later Developments

Shortly after Alexis disappeared, Kenya (her biological father) was released. He, Ayanna and LaRon all cooperated with the authorities. Although Kenya and LaRon had criminal histories, investigators do not believe that either man was connected to her case.

A year after the young girl’s disappearance, LaRon failed a polygraph test and was charged in an unrelated crime. He had a domestic dispute with Ayanna, who had reportedly tried to leave him. She described him as “abusive” and “threatening,” and he was ordered to stay away from her. However, the criminal charges were later dropped.

In 2005, Ayanna and LeRon divorced, and LaRon died in 2021 at the age of 52.

My Thoughts

The disappearance of Alexis Patterson is equally tragic and mysterious. A young girl goes to school one morning after her stepfather drops her off, where she’s seen crying on the playground, only to disappear. And since then, her family, friends, and community are left to come to terms with her disappearance, with little hope of the case resolving any time soon.

When it comes to this case, there are three main theories:

• Alexis was abducted by a stranger.
• Alexis was taken by a neighbor or other family member.
• Laron and Ayanna, Alexis’s mother and step father, had something to do with her disappearance.

Let’s examine these one by one.

First, we have the theory that Alexis was the victim of a stranger abduction. At first glance, this seems reasonable. It would explain why no suspects have ever been named and why she’s never been found.

However, other than her classmates’ accounts of the red truck, there’s no evidence to suggest a stranger took her, or even that she was taken at all. Not only that, but Laron took her to school, and she went to the playground, where other students reported her crying. That means there were other people there who would’ve seen any suspicious people or activities. But it’s been over 20 years, and no one has come forward to say anything like this happened. You would think that if that had happened, we would’ve had more eyewitness reports by now.

This, combined with the fact that FBI analysts dismissed the idea, tells me that this is the least likely theory and can be set aside.

Our second theory is that Alexis was taken by a family member or friend, someone other than her parents. This theory also seems reasonable. Given that Laron had a history of drug dealing, it’s possible that a friend or family member took her in an effort to keep her safe and give her a better life.

But this theory also has its issues. For example, if this person had good enough intentions to keep Alexis safe, why would they have taken her when they could’ve called the police or child protective services? Why would they take Alexis and leave her younger stepbrother behind?

Let’s assume they had their reasons for only taking her and leaving her stepbrother behind. When would they have had an opportunity to take her? As mentioned in the previous theory, no one witnessed unknown individuals talking to Alexis or luring her away from the playground. She could have wandered away from the playground, but again, no one saw her leave.

While it’s possible a friend or family member took her, there’s a very slim window of opportunity where someone could’ve taken her. If she wandered away from the playground, someone could’ve taken her from there. But due to a lack of eyewitness reports, we can’t confirm or deny that this happened. As a result, this theory is more probable than the stranger abduction theory, but we can neither confirm nor deny if this happened.

Our last theory is that Laron and Ayanna, Alexis’s stepfather and mother, had something to do with her disappearance. In the time leading up to her disappearance:

• A man connected to Laron’s drug dealing held Alexis and Ayanna at gunpoint, and
• Ayanna gave Alexis a “whooping” the morning of her disappearance.

While this is hardly ironclad evidence, we have to consider the effects of her stepfather’s drug dealing. That can invite a lot of shady people into her life, ones that have no qualms about hurting children. There are a myriad of possibilities, each more horrific than the last.

But, while Laron and Ayanna might have been suspicious, there’s no evidence to suggest either of them were involved. They might know more, and if that’s the case, I can only hope that they’ll come forward to the authorities.

Until more evidence is uncovered, I think this case will stay at a standstill, unfortunately. As of this writing, there simply isn’t enough evidence to name a person of interest, never mind arrest or convict someone.

If you know something, please come forward. Help put this case to rest. Let’s bring Alexis home.

***

If you’re looking for more information about the disappearance of Alexis Patterson, there isn’t much information available. Outside of The Charley Project, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and a handful of articles, information is limited. The following sources helped me as I wrote this post:

• The Charley Project
• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What We Learned from the Milwaukee Police Reports in the Alexis Patterson Case
• Investigation Discovery: Search Continues Over 20 Years After Alexis Patterson Disappeared From Milwaukee School
• USA Today: One Theory About What Happened to Alexis Patterson

If you have any information about the disappearance of Alexis Patterson, please contact the Milwaukee Police Department at 1-414-935-7401. You can also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

What do you think happened? Let me know in the comments.