Account
Jul 08, 2009
Aug 21, 2023
Diamond
Bradley
26
3
39 inches
40 lbs
50 lbs
Black / African American
Female
In the summer of 2001, on the Southside of Chicago, three-year-old Diamond Bradley and her ten-year-old sister, Tionda, vanished from their mother's apartment. On the morning of July 6th, their mother, Tracey Bradley, left for work, leaving the two girls at home. Her other two daughters were staying with their grandmother. When Tracey returned from her shift around noon, she was met with an unsettling silence; the apartment was empty, and her daughters were gone. A note, purportedly written by Tionda, was found on the back of the sofa, stating that the girls were going to a nearby store and school playground. This discovery marked the beginning of what would become one of the largest missing persons investigations in Chicago's history. The initial hours after the girls' disappearance were filled with confusion and a delayed police response. Tracey Bradley, along with family and community members, began their own search for Diamond and Tionda. It wasn't until about six hours after discovering them missing that police were finally contacted. The subsequent investigation was extensive, involving the FBI and numerous volunteers who scoured open fields, railroad cars, and thousands of abandoned buildings. Despite these exhaustive efforts, no substantial clues or signs of the sisters were found. Neighborhood children reported seeing the girls at the school playground that morning, and some claimed to have seen them playing as late as 3 p.m., but these sightings led to no definitive answers. Tionda, who had perfect attendance in her summer school program, was absent that day, and a call from the school to the family's home went unanswered. Over the two decades since Diamond and Tionda Bradley disappeared, their family has been tormented by a lack of answers and a series of painful false leads. There have been numerous claims from individuals professing to be one of the missing sisters, but DNA testing has disproven each one. The case has been further complicated by inconsistencies in the accounts of what transpired that day. The note found in the apartment and a mysterious voicemail that was allegedly erased have been points of contention and speculation. The girls' family, particularly their great-aunt, has remained a vocal advocate, ensuring that Diamond and Tionda's story is not forgotten and holding onto hope for their return. The disappearance of the Bradley sisters is a haunting case that has left a permanent scar on their family and the city of Chicago, a story of two young girls who seemingly vanished without a trace, leaving behind a legacy of unanswered questions and enduring grief.
Jul 06, 2001
Chicago
Illinois
Cook County
60636
2612
Federal Bureau Of Investigation - Chicago Field Office
Chicago
Illinois
Cook County
60608
2111 W Roosevelt Road, Illinois
3124216700
Federal
Law Enforcement
7CCG116259
Chicago Police Department - Area Central
Black
Brown
Brown
No
05/29/2026
