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Who Was Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones?

Lenoria Eleise Anne “Noria” Jones was born on January 3, 1992, to her mother. From the start, Lenoria had a difficult life. At birth, she tested positive for cocaine, and she didn’t have much of a relationship with either of her parents. Her birth father has never been publicly named, and within days of her birth, a motion had been filed to terminate her birth mother’s parental rights.

Due to her mother’s legal issues, drug charges, and cocaine use, Child and Family Services took Lenoria from her custody and placed her in foster care. For the next few years, the young girl lived with various relatives, including her aunts, great-aunt, and maternal grandparents. In July 1994, she was placed in the custody of Berlean Williams, her great-aunt. By this point, the young girl’s personality was unfolding, and she was growing into a very active child.

Berlean grew up in Mississippi, but she later relocated to Washington State. At this time, she stayed with various relatives until she ended up in Tacoma, around the time Lenoria was born. She also ran an in-home daycare, as she reportedly loved caring for children.

In March of 1995, the court granted Berlean full custody of the young girl, naming her the legal permanent guardian. Unfortunately, Lenoria would disappear before the legal papers arrived in the mail.

The Day Lenoria Jones Disappeared

While the circumstances on the day of Lenoria’s disappearance are unclear, records show that Berlean called 911 at 9:42 AM on July 20, 1995, to report the young girl’s disappearance. She had also called her daughter at 8:47 AM, stating she did not know where Lenoria was. Why she waited an hour to report the young girl missing has never been explained.

According to the 911 call, she and Lenoria had been shopping at a Target store and while the two were looking at toys, the young girl was gone. The police arrived a short time later, believing that she had wandered off. However, after searching the store and the surrounding property, they failed to locate her.

Without any leads to go on, the police examined the store surveillance tapes, thinking they could discover the direction she had gone. But what they uncovered shocked them.

What Happened at Target?

Contrary to Berlean’s story, she entered the store alone that day. After reviewing all available footage, they discovered the young girl had never entered the store.

At this point, the police were suspicious, as Berlean’s story wasn’t adding up. They questioned her about the young girl’s whereabouts, but she gave conflicting information and changed her story multiple times.

Meanwhile, a more extensive search-and-rescue operation was conducted near where Lenoria had been reported missing, with approximately 100 people participating in the efforts. The search lasted for a few days, during which officers were also dispatched to search Berlean’s nearby home. Despite thorough searches, they were unable to find any evidence of Lenoria’s whereabouts or fate.

Fortunately, investigators were able to piece together a timeline of Berlean’s and Lenoria’s movements that morning:

• The pair left the home at approximately 8:00 AM and went to a car wash.
• They made a stop at a nearby convenience store.
• They then stopped at a Top Foods grocery store.
• They arrived at Target sometime after 9:00 AM.

Investigators also questioned Berlean’s daughters, who shared a home with her and Lenoria. Two of them were home that morning, but they were unable to provide any concrete information.

Inconsistencies in the 911 Call and Investigation

As the searches continued the following day, the police questioned Berlean further. As she was questioned, her story shifted several times. Among her claims were:

• Lenoria wandered away from home,
• she was abducted from the Target parking lot, and
• two African-American men kidnapped her near their residence.

Jim Mattheis, the Tacoma Police Spokesman, claimed that Berlean supposedly knew Lenoria’s location, but she was unable to tell them. She also claimed the child was safe and living in an undisclosed location.

As a result of Lenoria’s disappearance and the unexplained circumstances surrounding it, the authorities and the Department of Social & Health Services suspended Berlean’s in-home daycare center.

On Sunday, July 23rd, Lenoria’s family spoke to the public for the first time outside of Berlean’s home. During the press conference, the family defended Berlean, claiming her inconsistent statements were from worry and stress about the young girl’s wellbeing, as well as nervousness about interacting with law enforcement. The local Black community had had an adversarial relationship with the police at the time, and Berlean had been grilled from the onset of the investigation.

The family also claimed that Lenoria had been kidnapped. One of Berlean’s daughters, Narissa Johnson, stated that the young girl had asked to look for a toy. Berlean agreed to do so after they looked at swimsuits. Lenoria replied, “Ok,” and Berlean assumed the young girl was following her. Once she turned around, she saw that the young girl had vanished. At that point, she looked for the missing girl, called family members, and later called 911.

The press conference concluded with Berlean permitting investigators to reinterview her, as well as the family pleading for Lenoria’s safe return.

The following week, Berlean was called to testify in the Pierce County Juvenile Court, which would challenge her custody of the young girl if she was located. Among other tasks, officials wanted her under oath so they could ask her questions, obtain more information, and further their investigation. While this hearing was closed to the public and a gag order was put in place, the spokeswoman for the state’s DSHS stated that

There’s been more than one person interested in custody.

Within two weeks of Lenoria’s disappearance, her case began growing cold. With searches turning up empty and questioning getting nowhere, the authorities had little to go on. The authorities placed Berlean under house arrest for four months for failure to provide information. She also attempted to reopen her daycare center but was told she could not until Lenoria’s case had been resolved.

Since Lenoria’s disappearance, there have been no sightings, no evidence, and no information uncovered as to her fate. Her family is divided, with some believing Berlean’s innocence, while others think either she or another family member is responsible for what happened. Berlean has never been charged in her disappearance, and the authorities have never named any persons of interest or suspects. As of this writing, the disappearance of Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones remains unsolved.

Key Theories in Lenoria’s Disappearance

The disappearance of Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones is confusing, heartbreaking, and tragic. A young girl with a rough start in life enters foster care, where she’s placed with her great-aunt. That should’ve given her the fresh start she deserved, but that’s not what happened. Instead, her great-aunt claimed to have lost her in a Target store, only for the authorities to determine that there was no evidence the young girl had ever been there. And that would be the first of many stories investigators would uncover.

Cases that involve children break my heart. Cases that involve children in foster care (like Lenoria and Evelyse Cabrera) and children who are homeless (like Relisha Rudd) wreck me. Kids are the innocent victims of societal issues. Because of how vulnerable they are, they’re disproportionately impacted by issues like homelessness, addiction, abuse, and neglect.

Many people question why I (and other content creators) choose to cover cases about kids. They often argue it’s too heartbreaking. And I agree. These cases are heartbreaking. As I researched Lenoria’s case, all the possible outcomes haunted me.

But I keep going.

I keep going because many of these kids either don’t have anyone to advocate for them, or their family/friends are no longer able to advocate for them. I keep going because as heartbreaking as it is to read about these disappearances, my pain pales in comparison to what they went through. I keep going because it doesn’t matter when they disappear, they deserve answers and justice.

With all of this in mind, let’s go over the theories:

1. A family member abducted Lenoria and raised her as their own, bitter that Berlean had been granted custody.
2. Lenoria overdosed on Norpramin, her ADHD medication.
3. Berlean knows more about what happened.

Let’s address these one by one.

Could a Family Member Have Taken Her?

First, we have the theory that a family member abducted Lenoria to raise as their own, bitter that Berlean had been granted custody. This was the theory that investigators and the press believed in the early days of the investigation. Lenoria had been removed from her biological mother’s care and placed with several other extended family members before Berlean was granted custody. There could have been animosity about this custody arrangement. It’s happened before, and it continues to happen.

The only problem is that the police investigated all of Lenoria’s family members, including her biological mother (who was living in Arkansas at the time). There was no evidence that any of them had taken the young girl.

However, this didn’t stop the family from fighting. Berlean and her family, her brother and sister-in-law, and Lenoria’s biological mother’s family all accused the others of being involved. Lenoria’s maternal grandparents even filed a lawsuit against Berlean, trying to force her to disclose more information, but nothing came of it.

Considering that law enforcement couldn’t find anything, and the courts were unable to uncover anything, I strongly doubt that any of them took her to raise as her own. Because of this, I believe we can safely set this theory aside.

Was ADHD Medication Involved?

Next, we have the theory that Lenoria overdosed on Norpramin, her ADHD medication. I’ll be honest, when I first read that Lenoria had ADHD and was prescribed medication, I was shocked. According to the New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute, 90% of brain development occurs in the first five years of a child’s life. During this time, children learn how to regulate their emotions and interact socially. Before then, they can have tantrums, emotional outbursts, and hyperactivity, all of which are considered parts of normal child development.

I have some personal experience with ADHD, but the people I know received their diagnoses as kids, teens, and adults. I had never heard of a child so young getting diagnosed.

So I did some research. According to the Child Mind Institute, diagnoses in young children can be done, but it should be done carefully. For a diagnosis, the behaviors have to occur in two or more locations, like home and school. Pediatricians often collect questionnaires from the child’s parent/guardian and another adult who spends extensive amounts of time with the child, such as a teacher. They also need to rule out other conditions that can present similarly to ADHD, such as hypothyroidism, autism, anxiety, trauma, and medication side effects.

Importantly, medication should only be used for young children under certain conditions. The first line of treatment is to train parents/caregivers on alternate parenting strategies. These help to encourage healthy behaviors and how to respond if the child breaks a rule or doesn’t follow instructions. Medication is only considered if this training doesn’t work, if there’s a family history of ADHD, or if the ADHD is getting in the way of other needed therapies, like speech therapy. Even then, medication should only be used at a very low dose.

Lenoria was reportedly prescribed Norpramin about a week before her disappearance. Although I was unable to verify the dose she was taking, my research into the medication caused some concerns. A journal entry from 1991 by the National Institute of Health detailed the “acute collapse” and “sudden death” of an eight-year-old male, after being on the medication for two years. It also reviews the circumstances around the deaths of two other children while taking this medication. Although it’s unknown whether the medication had anything to do with their deaths, the fact that this has occurred on at least three separate occasions while on this drug is noteworthy.

Given Lenoria’s young age and the controversial nature of this medication, it’s a theory we have to consider. Although psychiatric medications have helped millions around the world, they need to be managed with care. When prescribed incorrectly, they can cause a variety of side effects and even death.

This theory is plausible, but again, we have no evidence. As far as we know, there were no signs that a young child had died or that her body was concealed somewhere. After 30+ years, you would think that something would’ve arisen by now. A piece of evidence, remains, a confession, something. But that hasn’t happened yet. And unless we get new information, we can’t rule this theory in or out.

Does Berlean Know More Than She’s Saying?

The last theory is that Berlean, Lenoria’s great-aunt, knows more about what happened. When a child goes missing, their parents/guardians come under suspicion, and that’s exactly what happened in this case. Supporters of this theory point out that Berlean’s 911 call and subsequent stories were inconsistent, and her in-home daycare was shut down.

However, this theory runs into the same problem as the others; there’s no evidence to support it. The authorities extensively investigated Berlean, questioning her for hours at a time and investigating her home. To my knowledge, there were never any complaints filed against her when her daycare was operational. The only reason it was shut down was because of Lenoria’s disappearance. The young girl never showed any signs of abuse or neglect, so I find it hard to believe Berlean could’ve done something to her.

If she had been involved, she would’ve had to keep it a secret for over 30 years, despite pressure from law enforcement and her family. There’s also no real motive. If she didn’t want to raise Lenoria, several family members would’ve been glad to take her in. 

But without more evidence, all we can do is speculate. It’s important to remember that Berlean has never been charged in connection with Lenoria’s disappearance, and unless that happens, she’s innocent in the eyes of the law.

How You Can Bring Justice for Lenoria

Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones disappeared on July 20, 1995. For nearly 30 years, her case has stalled, and investigators have been unable to find additional evidence. She was a three-year-old girl who had a rough start in life. Things were finally looking up after she was placed with Berlean. Unfortunately, all of that came to an end following her disappearance.

Lenoria deserved better. Every child deserves a safe, happy childhood, and it’s tragic when that doesn’t happen. At this point, the biggest hope for a breakthrough is if someone comes forward and confesses.

If you know something, no matter how small, please come forward. Lenoria deserves answers. She deserves care. She deserves justice. Let’s help her get the future she deserves.

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If you’re looking for more information about the disappearance of Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones, there’s unfortunately not a lot of information. The Unresolved podcast did an extensive episode on this case, and this blog post would not have been possible without them. The following sources helped me as I wrote this post:

• The Charley Project
• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Unresolved

If you have any information about the disappearance of Lenoria Eleise Anne Jones, please contact the Tacoma Police Department at 1-253-798-4721. 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.