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Missing Maria Florence Anjiras 
Maria, approximately 1976; Age at the time of disappearance: progression to Age at the time of disappearance: 53 (approximately 2014) Date reported missing : 02/12/1976 Missing location (approx) : Norwalk, Connecticut Missing classification : Endangered Missing Gender : Female Ethnicity : White DOB : 08/10/1961 (59) Age at the time of disappearance: 14 years old Height / Weight : 5'6, 120 pounds Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A green Norwalk High School jacket with "Mia" and the number 79 written on it, a peach-colored sweater, white canvas pants and brown shoes. Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Maria's nickname is Mia. Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Maria was last seen at her home on Milwood Road in Norwalk, Connecticut on February 12, 1976. She was supposed to go to a vocal lesson in the afternoon, then babysit a neighbor's child that evening. Her father saw her at 2:15 p.m., while he was leaving for work. Maria did not go to her lesson or her 5:00 p.m. babysitting job. After her disappearance, her blue English Ethnicity : r bicycle was found abandoned near St. Mary's Lane, approximately one mile from her residence. The bike was found at the home of one of Maria's friends, but the girl said she hadn't seen or heard from her. There was no sign of her at the scene and she never returned home. Maria's parents stated she was behaving normally on the day of her disappearance. She had threatened to run away two weeks before, but her father talked her out of it. She reportedly took some money, pajamas, a pair of jeans and several sweaters from her home when she went missing, indicating she left of her own accord. There were several reported sightings of her around Norwalk in the days and weeks after her disappearance; many of the witnesses were people who knew her. She was reportedly seen at the Duchess Restaurant on Main Street and possibly in an orange car and a black car in the same vicinity. In August 1976, a fifteen-year-old classmate saw Maria at a bar on Westport Avenue and told her she should go home. Maria started crying and said, "I know." She was accompanied by a man who was a member of the Charter Oaks Motorcycle Club. Police identified the biker and tEthnicity : d him to the town of Bethel, Connecticut. It was thought that Maria was sighted at the Charter Oaks clubhouse on August 13, but in 2015 authorities identified the girl they'd thought was Maria, and it was a different person, a 17-year-old girl from Danbury, Connecticut. Maria apparently ran away when she left her home in 1976, but it would be highly unusual for her to not contact her family for so long, and there is suspicion that she was a crime victim. There is no hard evidence that foul play was involved in her disappearance, however. Maria was a freshman at Norwalk High School in 1976. Her friends described her as an artistically talented teenAge at the time of disappearance: r who took ballet lessons and drama classes was was involved in her school theater group. Both of Maria's parents died in the early 1980s, but her brother and sister are still alive and hope she may be found. Her case remains unsolved. Other information and links : ncy Norwalk Police Department 203-854-3000 September 2021 updates and sources The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children NewsLibrary The Hour A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece. |