Missing
Barbara Ann Hilton
Hilton, approximately 1972
Date and time person was reported missing : 08/04/1972
Missing location (approx) :
Montrose, Illinois
Missing classification : Missing
Gender : Female
Ethnicity :
White
Age at the time of disappearance: 23 years old
Height / Weight : 5'2 - 5'3, 120 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A purple floor-length "grannie" or "hippie" type sundress and sandals. Carrying an oversized purse.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Hilton has a three-inch scar on the right side of her neck.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Hilton was last seen in Montrose, Illinois on August 4, 1972. She left home at 7:00 p.m. and told her parents she was going out to a movie with friends, never returned. Hilton's boyfriend said she arrived at his home at 8:00 p.m., and left at 1:00 a.m. the next day. She has never been heard from again.
After her disappearance, the green 1968 Chevrolet Nova she was driving was found abandoned along Illinois 121 west of Toledo, about seven miles from her home, parked on the edge of the northbound lane, partially in the road. There were flies buzzing around the trunk, but no indications of foul play, and although the keys were missing the car was not disabled. A recent rainstorm had washed all the fingerprints from the exterior. The Chevrolet did not belong to her; it was her sister's.
Hilton left behind a baby daughter, who was raised by her parents. She never revealed the identity of the child's father, but her parents learned she had dated inter-racially, which was controversial at the time. She was pregnant at least one more time and allegedly gave birth to a stillborn baby.
At the time of her disappearance, Hilton was working as a nursing aide at St. Anthony's Hospital and studying nursing at Lake Land College. She was a reliable employee but a poor student, and had planned to transfer to another school. Her friends stated she carried a knife for protection.
The police believe Hilton may have left of her own accord to escape her unhappy family situation. There was a possible sighting of her in the area a week after her car was found. Her parents are uncertain as to whether she ran away or met with foul play. There's been no indication of her whereabouts since 1972; her case remains unsolved.
Hilton was mistakenly reported as recovered in February 2013. The report turned out to be false; she is still missing.
Other information and links : ncy
Effingham County Sheriff's Office
217-342-2101
September 2021 updates and sources
A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe.
By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends.
Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece.
The Decatur Herald and Review
The Mattoon Journal Gazette
October 12, 2004. March 9, 2016; picture added, Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: , Description, clothing, jewerly and more : and Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : updated.
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