On December 13, 1985, a then 16-year-old Male Allen Briscoe, also known as Allen Briscoe Jr., vanished from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That particular Friday, his school, Bartram High School, had an early dismissal. The day began unusually when his mother, who routinely called home at 7:30 a.m. to wake Allen and his sister for school, received no answer. She tried calling again at 3:30 p.m., an hour after school would typically end, but again, there was no response.
When she returned home late that evening from one of her two jobs, she discovered her daughter had been locked out because Allen, who had the house keys, was not there. Allen was reportedly last seen by a friend getting off a bus on Woodland Avenue. He had told his friend he was going to visit a female friend who lived nearby before they parted ways. He was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans at the time of his disappearance.
There are some conflicting accounts regarding Allen's activities on the day he went missing. While his mother does not believe he attended school at all that day, police records indicate he was present at some point. It is believed that after school, he and a friend spent time riding the subway around Philadelphia before taking a bus back to their neighborhood. It was upon exiting this bus that the last confirmed sighting of Allen occurred. Authorities have stated that they do not believe Allen ran away from home, as he left behind all of his personal belongings, including $50 he had recently received as a birthday gift. He was described as being close to his family, and had not expressed any intention of leaving. Allen had several distinguishing physical characteristics, including being bowlegged, having a lump on his left shoulder, a scar on his forehead, and a chipped front tooth.
The investigation into Allen Briscoe Jr.'s disappearance has been met with many challenges over the years, largely due to the significant amount of time that has passed. Authorities have attempted to re-interview friends and acquaintances from that period, but many have become difficult to locate. A possible connection has been considered between Allen's case and the disappearance of another 16-year-old Bartram High School student, Christine Green, who also went missing in 1985. Both teenagers were last seen on Woodland Avenue, just nine months apart, though a definitive link between their cases has never been established. Despite the passage of decades, law enforcement continues to hope that someone with information will come forward. The case of Allen Briscoe Jr. remains an unsolved and heart-wrenching mystery, leaving his family with unanswered questions about the fate of their loved one.Last Seen: Dec 13, 1985
