Vanished in the Heartland: The Enduring Mystery of Sara Bushland’s Disappearance

The Day Sara Disappeared

On April 3, 1996, 15-year-old Sara Bushland stepped off her school bus at approximately 4:00 p.m. near her home on County Highway E in rural Spooner, Wisconsin. Witnesses reported seeing a dark-colored pickup truck trailing the bus, which pulled up beside Sara as she exited. Some students believed the vehicle belonged to Sara's 21-year-old boyfriend, noting that she appeared familiar with the driver. While some accounts suggest she merely spoke with the driver, others claim she entered the truck, which then backed out of the driveway and drove toward the nearby town of Trego .

A Troubled Home Life

Sara's family life was complex. After her parents divorced, she initially lived with her father and sister in Chippewa Falls before moving in with her mother, stepfather, and stepbrothers in Spooner. Reports indicate that Sara experienced sexual abuse within her home, leading to a pregnancy and subsequent abortion in February 1996. She had been grounded for several weeks prior to her disappearance, with April 3 marking the first day she was allowed to go out freely .

The Initial Investigation

When Sara failed to return home, her stepbrother contacted their father at 4:37 p.m. Initially, there was little concern, as it was assumed she was visiting friends. However, by 6:20 p.m., her mother began calling Sara's friends, none of whom had seen her since school. She reported Sara missing the following day. At the time, law enforcement practices for missing children were less rigorous, and Sara was initially classified as a runaway. This designation persisted for three years, delaying more intensive investigative efforts .

Renewed Investigative Efforts

In 1999, authorities conducted the first of several searches at the Lambert property, where Sara had lived. Investigators combed through a trash dump on the property and later dredged nearby Spring Lake in 2000. Despite these efforts, no significant evidence was found. A more extensive search occurred in May 2013, involving over 70 officials and cadaver dogs, but again yielded no new information ....Read More

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