Disappearance of Lisa Irwin

The disappearance of Lisa Renée Irwin was reported after it was discovered that she was missing from her home in Kansas City, Missouri, in the early morning hours of October 4, 2011.[1][2][3]

Lisa Irwin
Born
Lisa Renée Irwin

(2010-11-11)November 11, 2010
DisappearedOctober 4, 2011 (aged 10 months 23 days)
Kansas City, Missouri
StatusMissing for 13 years, 1 month and 19 days
NationalityAmerican
Parent(s)Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin

Events

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External images
  Irwin to three-years-old
  Age progression of Irwin to five-years-old
  Age progression of Irwin to seven-years-old

Deborah Bradley, Lisa's mother, said that Lisa's father, Jeremy Irwin, discovered her missing around 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. According to Deborah, Lisa had been in her bed when she checked on her at 6:40 p.m. or at 10:40 p.m. Monday night, but when Jeremy came home from his late night job on Tuesday, he discovered "many of the home's lights were on, a window was open and the front door was unlocked". Later, the family told police that several cellphones were also missing.[3]

During the subsequent investigation, two witnesses were discovered who claimed to have seen a man walking down the street with a baby.[4] Police were able to find and question a man matching the description of one witness, but the other witness claimed that his photo did not match the man they saw.[5][6]

On October 19, 2011, a search was performed of the Irwin home, and court documents showed that a cadaver dog turned up a scent of a dead body that might have been Lisa, near the mother's bed.[4] Items removed from the home at the time the warrant was executed include a multicolor comforter, purple shorts, a multicolor Disney character shirt, a Glo Worm toy, a "Cars"-themed blanket, rolls of tape, and a tape dispenser.[7]

During an interview with the Associated Press, Deborah said the police had accused her of being involved in Lisa's disappearance, telling her "You did it. You did it. And we have nothing", and claimed that she had failed a lie detector test.[8][9] Deborah and Jeremy announced the following week that they were organizing a reward in hopes that it would result in new information.

Jeremy Irwin appeared on the Today Show for an interview regarding the events, saying "We just want to make sure that we tell everybody that we're still cooperating. We're still talking to the police. We're doing everything we can to try to find Lisa and bring her home."[10] Bradley was also on the broadcast.

In October, the Irwin family reported that an anonymous benefactor had hired a private investigator, and issued a $100,000 reward for Lisa's return.[11]

In October 2011, Cyndy Short stopped representing the Irwin family, saying that she was unable to work with the family's other attorney, Joe Tacopina.[12][13] Lisa's brothers had been scheduled for interviews and to collect DNA samples regarding the case, but their parents cancelled the night before, according to Tacopina,[14] the family's attorney, and have allegedly denied investigators access to the boys.[13] The boys had a second interview on November 10, 2011.[15] A police request for a warrant claims that inconsistent stories from people involved may have hampered early stages of the investigation.[6]

In May 2012, Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin reported that their debit card had been fraudulently used on a website that provides false birth certificates. The Today Show and America Live both confirmed that the website existed. Their attorney also confirmed that he visited the website.[16] Police have said they are continuing their investigation and they believe Irwin may still be alive.[17]

In October 2013, a girl thought to be Lisa was discovered in a Romani camp in Greece. Authorities determined the girl was not Lisa Irwin.[18]

In 2016, her case was profiled on the podcast The Vanished.[19]

On November 24, 2020, the case was featured on the HLN series Real Life Nightmare in an episode called "Vanished from the Crib."

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Search intensifies for missing Mo. baby Lisa Irwin". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  2. ^ "Second day of search for Lisa Irwin begins". Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Hoffer, Steven. "Lisa Irwin Missing: Missouri Baby Unlikely Taken By Stranger". HuffPost. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Lisa Irwin Search Warrant Reveals Cadaver Dog 'Hit'". October 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  5. ^ "Baby Lisa: Police Re-Interview Key Witness | Video - ABC News". ABC News. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Baby Lisa Irwin: New Surveillance Footage of Mystery Man". ABC News. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  7. ^ Loiaconi, Stephen (March 14, 2012). "Baby Lisa's Parents Attend Vigil". HLNtv.com. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  8. ^ "Statistics: Mo. baby unlikely taken by stranger". CBS News. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  9. ^ "Missing baby's mom: Cops said I did it". CBS News. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  10. ^ "Baby Lisa Irwin Missing: Police Stage 'Break- In' for More Clues". Archived from the original on October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  11. ^ "Baby Lisa's Brothers: Interviews and DNA Sampling Scheduled". ABC News. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  12. ^ "Kansas City Attorney Leaves Case of Missing Baby Lisa Irwin". Fox News. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Missing Baby Lisa: Interviews with Brothers Canceled, Attorney Dismissed". ABC News. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  14. ^ NYC Criminal Defense Attorneys
  15. ^ "Missing Kansas City baby Lisa Irwin's brothers interviewed again - Crimesider". CBS News. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  16. ^ "Missing baby Lisa: Is debit card fraud a clue?". Today.com. May 21, 2012. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  17. ^ "Family, friends release balloons for Baby Lisa". Kshb.com. June 23, 2012. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2013.
  18. ^ DeAnn Smith (November 21, 2013). "FBI investigates whether abducted girl found in Greece is Lisa Irwin". KCTV5. Archived from the original on February 14, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  19. ^ "EPISODE 32: LISA IRWIN". The Vanished Podcast. July 3, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
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