Missing Since: 1999-10-19 Location: Christiana, Tennessee
China was last seen at the Just Image beauty salon at Jackson Heights Plaza in her hometown of Christiana, Tennessee on October 19, 1999. She planned to buy groceries and get gas for her black four-door 1999 Mazda Protege with tinted windows and the Tennessee license plate number 784PGX, and then go home. When China’s mother arrived home later that day, her daughter was not there. She has never been heard from again. Authorities initially believed China left of her own accord with an adult male, but now foul play is suspected in her case. In June 2000, her car was found abandoned at an apartment complex in south Nashville, Tennessee. Investigators stated that it looked as if the vehicle had been there for a long time. The groceries China had purchased on the day of her disappearance were still inside the car, but there were no fingerprints, no DNA and no evidence of a struggle. China was a junior at Riverdale High School at the time of her disappearance. She was a good student, and had a job at the Bi-Lo grocery store in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She had just bought her car prior to her disappearance, and had also ordered a class ring. She didn’t own a cellular phone, but did have a pager, and would always call her mother back as soon as possible when she was paged. There was a renewal in the investigation in 2015 and authorities stated they believed China was murdered. They have persons of interest in her case, two people identified only as “Chris” and “TJ.” TJ lived in Goose Creek, South Carolina and worked at a big box store on James Island. In 2016, the sheriff said he believed an arrest was imminent, but no arrests followed. China’s case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office 615-898-7770 Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, D.C. Office 202-324-3000 Source Information The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office The Daily News Channel NamUs The Murfreesboro Post WKRN-TV Whereabouts Still Unknown Something’s Not Right Podcast News Channel 9 Updated 9 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated February 25, 2021; picture added, details of disappearance updated.