Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
John
Thai Nguyen
3
3
3'0 inches
40 lbs
Asian
Male
In the spring of 2002, a heart-wrenching story began to unfold in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the disappearance of three-year-old John Thai Nguyen, his four-year-old sister Kristina, and their mother, Van "Stephanie" Nguyen. The family was last seen on April 18, 2002. Stephanie had left behind troubling notes for her husband and parents, indicating that a failing marriage had led her to a state of despair. In these notes, she expressed her intent to drive into the Ohio River near the Grand Victoria Casino, taking her own life and those of her children. This set off a desperate search and a case that would remain shrouded in mystery for nearly two decades. The day after their initial disappearance, on April 19, 2002, Stephanie's green 1997 Nissan Pathfinder was stopped by a police officer in Rising Sun, Indiana, near a boat ramp leading to the Ohio River. The officer had pulled her over for failing to dim her headlights and noted seeing two children, believed to be John and Kristina, sleeping in the back seat. This would be the last known sighting of the family. For years, their loved ones and law enforcement were left with unanswered questions, clinging to the hope of their safe return. The case was actively investigated by the Delhi Township Police Department, who followed every lead in the search for the missing mother and her two young children. A significant breakthrough in the case came in October 2021, when Stephanie's Nissan Pathfinder was discovered in the Ohio River near Aurora, Indiana, submerged in over 50 feet of water. The recovery of the vehicle was made possible by advancements in side-scan sonar technology. Inside the vehicle, investigators found human remains which were later identified as belonging to Stephanie Nguyen in January 2022. Despite this discovery, there was no sign of John or Kristina inside the submerged vehicle. The absence of the children has left the case partially unresolved. The Delhi Township authorities continue to investigate the disappearances of John and Kristina Nguyen, who remain listed as missing persons. The overview of this case is a tragic story of a mother's distress leading to a long and painful search for her missing children, a search that continues to this day for any information regarding the whereabouts of John and Kristina.
Apr 18, 2002
Cincinnati
Ohio
Cincinnati
Delhi Township Police Departmen
513-922-0060
05/19/2026
