298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Christopher Dansby Missing Person Case

Last seen in Manhattan, New York on May 18, 1989

Victim Details

Created

May 6, 2010

Case Added

Oct 5, 2023

First Name

Christopher

Last Name

Dansby

Current Age

Age At Disappearance

Height

24 inches

Height To

36 inches

Weight

30 lbs

Ethnicity

Black / African American

Gender

Male

Last Seen

May 18, 1989

City

Manhattan

State

New York

County

New York County

Tribal Land

Agency ID

30439

Agency Name

New York City Police Department - Missing Persons Squad

Agency City

New York

Agency State

New York

Agency County

New York County

Agency Zip Code

10039

Agency Address

2770 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New York

Agency Phone

2126947781

Agency Jurisdiction

Local

Agency Type

Law Enforcement

Agency Case #

KNMP05794

Primary Agency

New York City Police Department - Missing Persons Squad

Hair Color

Black

Left Eye Color

Brown

Right Eye Color

Brown

Last Updated

Oct 12, 2026

Area Last Seen:

View Videos (1)

The Disappearance of Christopher Dansby

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!

Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP7061) and 8 other sources

Christopher Dansby was two years old when he was last seen on May 18, 1989, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Towers playground in Manhattan, New York. His mother, Allison Dansby, had taken him to the playground that day but briefly left him in the care of family members while she went to a nearby store. When she returned about 30 minutes later, Christopher had vanished without a trace.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing Christopher playing in the sand with other children just before he disappeared. Some accounts suggest that he may have been led away from the park by an unknown individual, though there were no concrete details about who the person might have been. Despite extensive searches and media attention, no significant leads emerged in the immediate aftermath of his disappearance.

The mystery of Christopher's disappearance became even more perplexing when, just a few months later, another toddler, Shane Walker, also vanished from the same playground under similar circumstances. Both cases share eerie similarities, including the ages of the children and the proximity of their disappearances in time and location. Investigators have speculated about the possibility of a connection between the two cases, raising concerns about potential child abduction rings, though no definitive links have been established.

Over the years, both the NYPD and federal authorities have investigated numerous leads, but no breakthroughs have been made. Despite the passage of time, Christopher's family remains hopeful that answers will eventually be found. His case, along with Shane Walker's, is still classified as unsolved, and both children remain listed as missing.
Last Seen: May 18, 1989

Links to Additional Sources (8)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

Chilling cold case: Mom faces park where son disappeared for first ...">Chilling cold case: Mom faces park where son disappeared for first ...

New Images Show What Toddlers Who Went Missing ... - CBS News

In 1989, Two Toddlers Vanished From The Same NYC Park Three ...

Christopher Dansby | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki - Fandom

Cold case: Toddlers vanish from park - CNN.com

Christopher Dansby and Shane Walker - Voices for Justice

Disappearance of Dansby and Shane Walker: do you think it's worth ...

Christopher Milton Dansby - The Charley Project

Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

78%Possible

John Doe — Jersey City, New Jersey

UP1784 • Found Mar 8, 1992

View case

Sex ✓Male

Age 100%Est. 0–2 vs 2 when missing

Race 100%Black

Location 100%6 mi away

TimingFound 3 years after last seen

Height 52%1'8" vs 2'0"–3'0"

Weight 0%5 lb vs 30 lb

Hair 100%Black vs Black

Eyes 90%Black vs Brown

75%Possible

John Doe — Bronx, New York

UP98144 • Found Jun 11, 1990

View case

Sex ✓Male

Age 100%Est. 0–2 vs 2 when missing

Location 100%7 mi away, same state

TimingFound 13 months after last seen

Hair 100%Black vs Black

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

Christopher Dansby Missing Person Case

Last seen in Manhattan, New York on May 18, 1989

Victim Details

View Videos (1)

Case Description

Links to Additional Sources (8)

Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

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Forum Posts (3)

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