In June of 1998 a 13-year-old girl, Christina Williams, disappeared while walking her dog in the Monterey area town of Seaside. The story still haunts me. Of course, we all hoped Christina would be found, preferably alive and well.
Her parents made regular appearances on the local news channels, the father holding the hand of the mother too distraught to speak. Another young girl, Polly Klaas, had been abducted several years before, but a remarkably true sketch by a reknowned forensic artist brought about the quick capture of her killer. The same artist created a sketch of two men who might have been with Christina at the time of her appearance, but no one recognized them then…or now. The story moved onto the crime show America’s Most Wanted, and national news channels. Someone thought they might have seen her in a mall several states away. But, still, the weeks passed, and Christina remained missing.
Several months later, in January 1999, Christina’s remains were found near a walking path in Marina, a town next to Seaside. My friend, who also happens to have almost the same name as Christina, was at the time living in an apartment building nearby. She pointed out the site to me, and it was eerie, in an unpleasant way. It was the knowledge that a murderer had been here, and we had no idea what he looked like, or why he’d committed the crime.
Christina’s story was surpassed by new stories of young girls gone missing, but their disappearances were explained within a year or two, either tragically or (very rarely) happily.
But the years have passed, and we still don’t know what happened to Christina. Her family is still wondering, and still looking:
I hope someday the mystery will be solved.
I was watching the news about the John Cooley trail in Florida and the kidnapping of the youngster in Georgia where the authorities have arrested a known child abuser. I do not know why my thoughts turned to Christina Williams but they did. I worked in Northern California for a year and the abduction of Christina Williams was big news. I did not remember during the time I was there that her remains were found, maybe I forgot that fact. It saddens me that with all the advancements in technology related to law enforcement the people who committed this heinous crime have still not be identified nor brought to justice. The family of Christine Williams have probably moved on with their lives but still feel the loss of their daughter in such a terrible manner.
Looking at the crimes that are still committed today against children and reflecting back on the unsolved crimes of the past, I just wish the American justice system had no mercy on child molestors/abusers. Send the strongest message possible. Crimes involving children, go to jail forever and possibly face the loss of one’s life by hanging.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Christina’s family. Hopefully someday those that committed this crime will pay, and pay a horrible death for what they did.