Tejin Rafael Thomas, a 17‑year‑old Asian female from Bethesda, Maryland, was reported missing after last being seen on **January 3, 2016**, departing from her home in the 5200 block of Belvoir Drive in Bethesda. At approximately 9:30 p.m., authorities believe Tejin hailed an Uber ride from her residence, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, blue workout pants, and carrying a duffel bag.
She stands approximately 5 ft 8 in tall, weighing around 125 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.
Within her home, Tejin left messages containing suicidal content, specifically indicating intentions to drown herself in the Potomac River. In the days following her disappearance, authorities recovered some of her personal belongings in and near the Potomac, consistent with these statements, though her body has never been located. Law enforcement and family members expressed acute concern for both her emotional and physical welfare from early on in the investigation.
The Montgomery County Police Department’s Special Victims Investigations Division led the search, issuing public appeals for information and specifically seeking contact with the Uber driver who had transported Tejin that night. Media coverage—including NBC4 Washington and Bethesda Magazine—highlighted the seriousness of the case and the urgency in locating someone who might know her whereabouts or saw her after she left home.
Official records from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System under case number MP‑39005, confirm Tejin Rafael Thomas was last in contact on January 3 2016 from Bethesda, Maryland. The NamUs profile also records that the case is linked with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children case number 1302338.
According to The Charley Project, Tejin was believed to have taken an Uber to the Sangamore Road area of western Bethesda around 10:30 p.m., but after this she disappeared entirely. She had been a student at The Maret School in Washington, D.C., at the time of her disappearance, described as bright and engaged by those who knew her. The charley project profile notes that while she remains classified as a missing person, she is presumed dead given the circumstances.
Despite thorough investigations in the days immediately following her disappearance, no confirmed sightings or credible leads emerged. The Uber driver involved has not been publicly identified or located, and to date no further significant developments have been published. Tejin’s case remains open, with the Montgomery County Police still seeking any information that might shed light on her whereabouts or what happened after she was dropped off.
In summary, Tejin Thomas vanished on the evening of January 3, 2016, under troubling circumstances marked by suicidal messaging and a last known transit via Uber. Key items of her belongings were recovered near the Potomac River, but her physical remains have never been found. Her story continues to be a solemn unresolved case handled by local authorities and remains in active status within the national missing persons databases.Last Seen: Jan 3, 2016
