Twelve-year-old Mayra Erisuria Sandoval was last seen on January 10, 2006, in Sarasota, Florida, after getting off her school bus in front of Booker Middle School on Myrtle Street. When she did not return to her home in the 3800 block of Pelau Circle that afternoon, she was reported missing. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as a good student with no history of running away.
Six days after she was last seen, on January 16, 2006, Mayra contacted her parents by phone.
Accounts of this phone call differ, with some sources stating she claimed to still be in the United States, while the Sarasota Sheriff's Office reported she called her parents from Mexico. During the call, she assured her parents she was safe but did not disclose her exact location or if she intended to return home. Her family has not heard from her since this phone call.
Authorities believe Mayra left of her own accord and is likely in Mexico with a Hispanic male acquaintance who was in his twenties at the time. While some initial reports indicated that investigators were considering criminal charges against this individual, he has not been publicly identified or charged in connection with her disappearance. The investigation into Mayra's case remains unsolved.
A significant and controversial aspect of the investigation arose when police, upon learning of Mayra's family's undocumented immigration status, reported them to immigration authorities. The family was subsequently instructed to leave the United States and return to Mexico or they would face deportation proceedings. It is not publicly known if Mayra's family remains in the United States or if they returned to Mexico.Last Seen: Jan 10, 2006
