Vanishing Act: Scenes from a Kidnapping
Christian Ferguson disappeared in 2003. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- there's just nothing they can do about it.
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Courtesy of Theda Thomas
Christian Ferguson.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
Theda Thomas regained custody of Connor Ferguson in 2007, after an eight-year court battle.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
Dawan Ferguson's SUV -- which he told police had been stolen with his son Christian in it -- was found in the 300 block of Ronbar Lane in Ferguson.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
Ferguson's girlfriend's home in the 900 block of Disco Drive was a half-mile from where his SUV was found.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
![Police found Lakisha Mayes' gold Chevrolet Malibu the day of Christian Ferguson's kidnapping, parked near Page and Hodiamont avenues. "Please note where Mayes [sic] vehicle was recovered is a distance of less than 100 yards from the public telephone Dawan F. used to call police that morning," the report reads.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).](https://media2.riverfronttimes.com/riverfronttimes/imager/vanishing-act-scenes-from-a-kidnapping/u/zoom/2367029/3190353.0.jpg?cb=1648299939)
Police found Lakisha Mayes' gold Chevrolet Malibu the day of Christian Ferguson's kidnapping, parked near Page and Hodiamont avenues. "Please note where Mayes [sic] vehicle was recovered is a distance of less than 100 yards from the public telephone Dawan F. used to call police that morning," the report reads.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
The Fergusons lived in this Pine Lawn home in the 3700 block of Sylvan Place for a year before Christian went missing. St. Louis police investigators later combed the house for evidence.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
From across Page Boulevard, you can see the pay phone Ferguson called from (to the right of the telephone pole) and, around the corner, the stretch of Hodiamont Avenue where his girlfriend's car was receovered.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
The payphone from which Dawan Ferguson called the ER to say his son, Christian Ferguson, was violently ill. During this phone call, Ferguson said his SUV was stolen with his son Christian in it.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
Connor Ferguson and his mother, Theda Thomas, leaf through photos of Christian Ferguson, Connor's older brother, who at the age of nine went missing in an apparent kidnapping.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
The home in which Theda Thomas and her son Connor Ferguson now live. Connor, now 14, came back into his mother's custody in 2007 after a lengthy court battle.
Vanishing Act: Six years after the fact, the disappearance of nine-year-old Christian Ferguson remains a mystery. (March 18, 2009).
Vanishing Act, Part 2: Missing since 2003, little Christian Ferguson is almost surely dead. Police think they've fingered the culprit -- and there's nothing they can do about it. (March 26, 2009).
