In the early afternoon of a summer day in Atlanta, Georgia, three-year-old Alisha Smiley vanished, leaving behind a mystery that has endured for decades. On June 6, 1985, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Alisha was last seen on a bench inside the Omni International Hotel on Techwood Drive. She was in the care of her aunt, Estella Evans, along with her four-year-old cousin.
Evans left the two children unattended inside the hotel to shield them from the heat while she stepped away to purchase wrestling tickets. When she returned just a short time later, her nephew was still on the bench, but Alisha was gone. At the time of her disappearance, Alisha had been living with her aunt and her family for about eight months, as her parents were students and not financially able to support her. Described as an exceptionally friendly and trusting toddler, her family believes she would have willingly gone with a stranger who approached her.
The immediate aftermath of Alisha's disappearance sparked an extensive search of the area, but no definitive clues as to her whereabouts were ever found. Hotel employees recalled seeing the little girl, stating that she had asked for a cookie and directions to the bathroom. There was speculation that Alisha, who was fond of hamburgers, may have wandered off towards a nearby McDonald's. She was a small child for her age, standing at three feet tall and weighing 30 pounds. On the day she went missing, she was wearing a red and white checkered sundress, white sandals with silver buckles, and possibly gold earrings. Her black hair was braided and tied with lilac-colored ribbons. Distinctive features included a gap between her lower front teeth, pierced ears, and a slight discoloration in the corner of her right eye.
Over the years, the investigation into Alisha Smiley's disappearance has remained open but has yielded few answers. Authorities received a tip that she might have been taken to the Lakewood Fairgrounds shortly after she went missing, but a search of the area produced no evidence to support this claim. The prevailing belief among investigators is that Alisha was abducted by a non-family member. Her case is a somber reminder of a family's enduring search for a beloved little girl who seemingly vanished without a trace from a busy city hotel. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unknown, and her whereabouts are still a painful mystery.Last Seen: Jun 6, 1985
