Her stepfather watched her cross the street and walk onto the playground. She never made it to her classroom.
Alexis Patterson, 7, disappeared from outside Hi-Mount Community School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 3, 2002. More than two decades later, she has never been found, and her case remains unsolved.
The Morning She Vanished
Alexis lived with her mother, Ayanna, and stepfather, LeRon Bourgeois, just a block from her school. On the morning she disappeared, LeRon walked her partway there and watched her cross the street onto the school playground. She never made it to her first-grade classroom and was marked absent that day. Classmates later told investigators they'd seen her crying on the playground both before and after the time she was reported missing.
A Difficult Night Before
Alexis's mother later recalled the two had argued the previous evening over unfinished homework, which meant Alexis couldn't bring cupcakes to share with her class as planned. Despite the disagreement, she left for school on time that morning.
Warning Signs Beforehand
Two weeks before Alexis disappeared, parents at Hi-Mount had received a letter warning of a man who'd attempted to abduct a boy in the area. Separately, school staff reported that a woman unfamiliar to them had approached Alexis outside the school about a week before her disappearance and returned to try again two days later, despite Alexis having been told not to speak with strangers. Witnesses also reported suspicious vehicles, including a van and an SUV, seen leaving the area around the time she vanished.
An Investigation With No Resolution
Investigators initially considered whether Alexis might have run away, but her age and strong attendance record made this seem unlikely. Both her mother and stepfather took polygraph tests; Ayanna's results came back clear, while LeRon's were inconclusive. His prior criminal history and the fact that he hadn't followed through on bringing cupcakes to Alexis's class as he'd told her he would drew additional scrutiny at the time, though he was never charged in connection with her disappearance. LeRon died of a drug overdose in 2021, leaving unanswered questions about whatever he may have known.
Still Missing
At the time of her disappearance, Alexis was 44 inches tall and 42 pounds, with a scar under her right eye and a small bump on her left pinky finger. She was last seen wearing a red hooded jacket with gray stripes, a purple shirt, blue jeans, and white Nike sneakers, carrying a pink Barbie backpack. Her family has continued advocating publicly for her case and for greater resources and attention for missing children generally.
A $10,000 reward remains available through the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office for information leading to her recovery. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office tip line at 414-278-4921.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Alexis Patterson ever been found?
No. She remains missing, and her case has never been solved.
Was her stepfather ever charged in her disappearance?
No. Despite an inconclusive polygraph result and scrutiny of his account, LeRon Bourgeois was never charged. He died in 2021.
Is there still a reward for information?
Yes, $10,000, offered through the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.