In the late summer of 1992, a seven-year-old boy named Timothy Antonio Washington Jr., affectionately known as "Timmy," vanished from his aunt's home in a Baltimore, Maryland housing project. On September 11, while playing with friends on the third floor of the Lafayette High Rise Apartment Complex on Orleans Street, Timothy went downstairs to get a frozen cup and was never seen again.
At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black sweat jacket with pink and red prints, light blue sweatpants or shorts with yellow and white stripes, and black Nike sneakers. Timothy was a young African American boy with black hair, brown eyes, and a speech impediment. His sudden absence created a void that would be filled with years of uncertainty and a painful search for answers.
The investigation into Timothy's disappearance soon focused on his mother's ex-boyfriend, Keith M. Garrett. On October 1, 1992, Garrett contacted Timothy's mother, claiming to have the boy and demanding custody of his own daughter, who was Timothy's half-sister, in exchange for Timothy's safe return. This threatening phone call led to Garrett's arrest on charges of kidnapping and extortion. While the kidnapping charge was initially dropped, he pleaded guilty to extortion in 1993. Witnesses reported seeing Garrett with Timothy, walking towards Leakin Park after taking him from the aunt's apartment. This was the last confirmed sighting of the young boy. Another witness later saw Garrett emerging from the park alone, carrying a duffel bag.
For years, the case remained a painful mystery for Timothy's family. A significant break came in December 2003 when Garrett was charged with Timothy's kidnapping and murder. This new charge was partly based on the testimony of an inmate who had been incarcerated with Garrett and claimed Garrett had confessed to the crime. According to the informant, Garrett admitted to abducting Timothy, taping his mouth shut, and leaving him in a shed in Leakin Park, only to find him deceased upon his return. In May 2006, Garrett entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder, acknowledging that the state had enough evidence for a conviction without admitting guilt. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison but did not reveal the location of Timothy's body. This left Timothy's family with a hollow victory and no gravesite to visit. The investigation into his disappearance was officially closed in 2010. The case of Timothy Antonio Washington Jr. is a heartbreaking story of a young life cut short and a family left to grapple with an immeasurable loss, forever haunted by the absence of their beloved "Timmy" and the lack of a final resting place.Last Seen: Sep 11, 1992
