On December 26, 1983, two-year-old Amber Nichole Crum disappeared in Dallas, Texas, a case that has remained unsolved for decades. The last known sighting of Amber was at approximately 9:45 a.m. in the pickup truck of her mother's live-in boyfriend, James Britt Monroe. Monroe stated that he left Amber unattended in the vehicle for a few minutes while he went inside McDonald's Grocery on Murdock Road to make a quick purchase. When he returned to the truck, Amber was gone.
At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a light blue long-sleeve shirt, a Dallas Cowboys windbreaker, a purple or lavender coat, blue jeans, and brown shoes.
The investigation into Amber's disappearance quickly focused on her mother's boyfriend, James Britt Monroe. Weeks after she went missing, authorities arrested Monroe and charged him with murder. This charge was largely based on a statement from Amber's mother, Stephanie Hughes, who told police she believed her daughter had died the night before she was reported missing. However, the case against Monroe crumbled when Hughes recanted her statement during a preliminary hearing, testifying that she believed Amber was still alive and that police had coerced her initial statement. Consequently, a judge dismissed the murder charge against Monroe, and a grand jury later declined to indict him due to insufficient evidence. Monroe has consistently maintained his innocence.
Over the years, the search for Amber has continued with few substantial leads. The investigation explored various possibilities, including checking the fingerprints of a young girl who was abandoned in California in 1986, but it was not a match. In 2007, a new person of interest emerged: David Elliott Penton, a convicted child murderer. Penton was already incarcerated for murders in Ohio and had admitted to killing three young girls in the Dallas area. Despite this, no concrete evidence has surfaced to definitively link him to Amber's disappearance. Her father, Larry Crum, has continued to actively seek answers and justice for his daughter. The case remains open, and age-progressed photos of Amber have been circulated to aid in the ongoing search.Last Seen: Dec 26, 1983
