Christopher Louis Zaharias was last seen on November 20, 1987, in Santa Ana, California, at the age of three. He and his younger sister, Lisa Mae Zaharias, were abducted by their non-custodial mother, Susan Elizabeth Zaharias, following a heated argument between Susan and her husband, Louis Zaharias. That day, while Louis was at work, Susan took the children and fled. She has been wanted for felony charges related to child abduction since February 1988.
At the time of his disappearance, Christopher had blonde hair and blue eyes, standing about 3 feet tall and weighing 40 pounds. He had a slight speech impediment. His mother, Susan, was reportedly struggling with substance abuse, including cocaine and methamphetamine. It is believed that Susan may have been assisted by family members in her flight. The three were last known to have stayed with a family in Pennsylvania shortly after the abduction and were later spotted in Detroit, Michigan, in 1988.
Authorities have pursued leads suggesting that Susan and the children could be in various locations, including Michigan, Oklahoma, or California, and possibly even as far as Canada. They may have been traveling in a black 1986 Toyota 4-Runner with California license plate 2X85442. Despite multiple reported sightings over the years, their current whereabouts remain unknown.
Age-progressed images of Christopher, Lisa, and Susan have been created in hopes of aiding the search. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the case and urges anyone with information to come forward.Last Seen: Nov 20, 1987
