Karen Young, 52: Woman & Boyfriend Went Missing In 2011
The couple left a residence together and were never seen or heard from again.
The disappearance of a Detroit couple has stumped authorities for years. Two families have been searching for answers after Karen Young, 52, and her boyfriend, 50-year-old Randall Childs, disappeared from Detroit, Michigan, on June 7, 2011. This mystery has prompted several theories and speculations about what could have happened to the pair.
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The Couple’s Last Known Movements
Although the circumstances regarding this case are unclear, it has been shared that Karen and Randall were at his apartment with his roommate. They reportedly argued, and Karen decided to leave, so she called her daughter to pick her up at around 11:30 p.m.
She left the apartment to go downstairs to wait for her ride, but because they were on the sixth floor and it was dark outside, Randall decided to walk her out. They haven’t been seen or heard from since that time.
Randall’s Sister Speaks Out
What happened to the couple after that is unknown, and if the streets of Detroit have any idea of what occurred, they aren’t telling—at least, not publicly.
“Somebody has to know something,” Randall’s sister Sharon Murray told Fox 2 Detroit in 2018. “We’re not looking to punish you, persecute you. We just want to know where Randall is. We deserve some answers... But they told us there haven’t been any tips yet. It doesn’t make sense: [Karen] left her purse and all her belongings behind. My brother left all his toiletries in his apartment. There’s nothing to indicate they were planning to leave. It’s going on four months now, and there hasn’t been a trace.”
Randall reportedly worked at Pasquale’s restaurant in Royal Oak and was said to love singing and writing poetry. He also acted as a neighborhood handyman for those who needed help. Although little has been shared about Karen’s personal life, it was reported that she worked for Detroit’s Parks and Recreation Department before being laid off.
Karen’s Daughter Makes Pleas For Help
Leesha Young, Karen Young’s only daughter, told CBS News back in 2011, “As the other family said, how hard it is to lose a loved one. But just to be in limbo and not knowing one way or the other … at this point, it’s been over three months, and I just need closure.”
Reports have stated that members of both families have searched as widely as possible, calling hospitals, morgues, and shelters, hoping to find answers. Their efforts have not brought any helpful results, and years ago, police stated that they were only receiving false leads.
Both families insist that neither Randall nor Karen would leave without contacting someone.
Karen Young: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Karen Young stood 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds. She had brown hair and brown eyes. She wore prescription glasses, had a dark birthmark on the front of her neck, and had a scar on her arm near her elbow.
Karen was last seen wearing a cream top, black pin-striped pants, and a black necktie. Her middle name is “Vanessa.”
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Detroit Police Department at (313) 596-2221, Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, or text tips to CRIMES (274637). A $1,000 reward is offered for information that helps police locate Karen Young or Randall Childs.
Please share this story about Karen Young to help reignite the investigation into her and Randall Childs’s disappearances. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number: 1106300274
Agency: Detroit Police Department
Phone: (313) 596-2221
Email:
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