Missing
Taj Narbonne
Taj, approximately 1981; Age when reported missing: 40 (approximately 2011)
Date and time person was reported missing : 03/31/1981
Missing location (approx) :
Leominster, Massachusetts
Missing classification : Non-Family Abduction
Gender : Male
Ethnicity :
White
DOB : 06/18/1971 (50)
Age at the time of disappearance: 9 years old
Height / Weight : 4'0, 65 pounds
Description, clothing, jewerly and more : A faded blue denim jacket with faded yellow sleeves, a light blue and orange long-sleeved sweatshirt or a yellow sweatshirt with a picture of the cartoon character Donald Duck on it, blue dungarees, and either moccasins or no shoes and socks.
Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos
: Caucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Taj's teeth are decayed.
Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Taj resided with his mother, Annette Dean, and his stepfather, Clarence Dean, at an apartment in the 10 block of Naples Street in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1981. He disappeared from bed in the middle of the night, taking his slippers with him but no other clothes. He has never been heard from again.
Annette called her mother, Eunice Narbonne, at approximately 8:00 a.m. to report that Taj was not in the family's yard and could not be located. She stated his slippers were also missing. A search of the area produced no clues as to his whereabouts. Eunice says Taj was afraid of the dark at the time he vanished. The temperature that morning hovered around freezing.
Annette initially believed that her son left of his own accord to get away from his stepfather, but Taj was never located and at nine, it is unlikely that he had the capabilities to disappear without a tEthnicity : . Eunice said that he called her the evening of his disappearance and asked her to come and get him, saying he was afraid. She told him to go to sleep.
Annette, who was nine months pregnant at the time, told authorities that Taj was terrified of Clarence and did not want to live with him, and he often lived apart from his family as a result. Taj's grandparents stated Clarence detested Taj, and suggested racial issues were to blame; Clarence is African-American.
Taj himself had told his teacher and his best friend that he was being abused at home. Annette was frightened of Clarence's temper and planned to leave him and take Taj and her other child, Age at the time of disappearance: one, with her. She delayed her departure, however, due to her pregnancy.
Annette stated that the day Taj came back home, Clarence arrived at 11:30 p.m. He and Annette had a beer together and went to bed at about midnight. She woke up at 1:30 a.m. and realized she was alone in the bed, and got up to look for Clarence.
She accidentally knocked over some bottles and then told Clarence he'd better go to Taj's room in case he was frightened by the noise. Annette then returned to bed. When she woke up in the morning, Taj was gone.
The clothes she'd laid out for him to wear were still there, and she found a note reading "I'm going away because I don't want to live here anymore. I don't have to listen to anybody anymore."
Police procedures involving missing children were much different in 1981 than they are today. It was about a week before Taj's disappearance was publicized. His family placed advertisements in several newspapers and hired a private investigator to assist with the search, but none of the leads went anywhere.
In 1982, Clarence was sentenced to six years in prison for kidnapping and stabbing his estranged wife. He and Annette divorced in 1983. She went into hiding with her children for a time after Clarence was released from prison.
Clarence suffers from mental illness and is now a resident in Bridgewater State Hospital. Annette has since remarried and moved to New York; she now goes by the name Annette Long.
Authorities searched a barn on Pleasant Street in Leominster in June 1989, over eight years after Taj disappeared. The barn was less than one mile from his family's residence. Investigators stated that they searched for his remains, but no evidence was located. Wal-Mart sponsored a billboard profiling Taj's case in October 1996, 15 years after he was last seen in Leominster.
Taj was a fourth-grade student at Fall Brook School at the time of his disappearance, and is described as an intelligent, well-mannered and soft-spoken child who was mature for his Age at the time of disappearance: . He saw the school guidance counselor on a regular basis to talk about his problems.
Taj never had any contact with his biological father, who died in 2009. His mother and grandparents are still alive and still live in Leominster. His case remains unsolved and continues to be classified as a non-family abduction.
Other information and links : ncy
Leominster Police Department
617-537-0741
September 2021 updates and sources
Missing Children�s Statistics
One Missing Child Is One Too Many
The lack of a common definition of �missing child,� and a common response to the issue, results in few reliable statistics on the scope of the problem around the world.
Even with this challenge, we know that:
In Australia, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Australian Federal Police, National Coordination Centre.
In Canada, an estimated 45,288 children are reported missing each year.
Government of Canada, Canada�s Missing � 2015 Fast Fact Sheet.
In Germany, an estimated 100,000 children are reported missing each year.
Initiative Vermisste Kinder.
In India, an estimated 96,000 children go missing each year.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Missing Children of India.
In Jamaica, an estimated 1,984 children were reporting missing in 2015.
Jamaica�s Office of Children�s Registry
In Russia, an estimated 45,000 children were reported missing in 2015.
Interview with Pavel Astakhov MIA �Russia Today�, Apr. 4, 2016.
In Spain, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Spain Joins EU Hotline for Missing Children, Sep. 22, 2010.
In the United Kingdom, an estimated 112,853 children are reported missing every year.
National Crime Agency, UK Missing Persons Bureau.
In the United States, an estimated 460,000 children are reported missing every year.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Missing Children�s Statistics
One Missing Child Is One Too Many
The lack of a common definition of �missing child,� and a common response to the issue, results in few reliable statistics on the scope of the problem around the world.
Even with this challenge, we know that:
In Australia, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Australian Federal Police, National Coordination Centre.
In Canada, an estimated 45,288 children are reported missing each year.
Government of Canada, Canada�s Missing � 2015 Fast Fact Sheet.
In Germany, an estimated 100,000 children are reported missing each year.
Initiative Vermisste Kinder.
In India, an estimated 96,000 children go missing each year.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Missing Children of India.
In Jamaica, an estimated 1,984 children were reporting missing in 2015.
Jamaica�s Office of Children�s Registry
In Russia, an estimated 45,000 children were reported missing in 2015.
Interview with Pavel Astakhov MIA �Russia Today�, Apr. 4, 2016.
In Spain, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Spain Joins EU Hotline for Missing Children, Sep. 22, 2010.
In the United Kingdom, an estimated 112,853 children are reported missing every year.
National Crime Agency, UK Missing Persons Bureau.
In the United States, an estimated 460,000 children are reported missing every year.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, NCIC.
This, however, is only a snapshot of the problem. In many countries, statistics on missing children are not even available; and, unfortunately, even available statistics may be inaccurate due to: under-reporting/under-recognition; inflation; incorrect database entry of case information; and deletion of records once a case is closed.
The lack of numbers, and the discrepancy in the numbers that do exist, is one of the key reasons why ICMEC developed and advocates for the Model Missing Child Framework, which assists countries with building strong, well-rounded national responses, and facilitates more efficient investigations, management, and resolution of missing children cases.
We firmly believe that one missing child is one too many, and we are committed to improving the global understanding of and response to missing and abducted children.
Here is a look at missing children in the United States. There are several different types of missing children: runaways, family abductions, lost or �thrown away� and non-family abductions. Advances in technology, communications through public alerts and greater cooperation from law enforcement have facilitated the recovery process.
Statistics
According to the FBI�s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File, there are 89,637 active missing person records, of which juveniles under the age of 18 account for 30,396 (34%) of the records. (as of December 31, 2020)
AMBER Alert
�AMBER (America�s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alerts are emergency messages broadcast when a law enforcement agency determines that a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. The broadcasts include information about the child and the abductor, including physical descriptions as well as information about the abductor�s vehicle - which could lead to the child�s recovery.�
The AMBER Alert system began in 1996 and was named in honor of Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old who was abducted in Arlington, Texas, and murdered.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have AMBER Alert plans in place to help find missing children in danger.
As of December 2020, the AMBER Alert program has been credited with the safe recovery of 1029 children..
This, however, is only a snapshot of the problem. In many countries, statistics on missing children are not even available; and, unfortunately, even available statistics may be inaccurate due to: under-reporting/under-recognition; inflation; incorrect database entry of case information; and deletion of records once a case is closed.
The lack of numbers, and the discrepancy in the numbers that do exist, is one of the key reasons why ICMEC developed and advocates for the Model Missing Child Framework, which assists countries with building strong, well-rounded national responses, and facilitates more efficient investigations, management, and resolution of missing children cases.
We firmly believe that one missing child is one too many, and we are committed to improving the global understanding of and response to missing and abducted children.
Here is a look at missing children in the United States. There are several different types of missing children: runaways, family abductions, lost or �thrown away� and non-family abductions. Advances in technology, communications through public alerts and greater cooperation from law enforcement have facilitated the recovery process.
Statistics
According to the FBI�s National Crime Information Center (Missing Children�s Statistics
One Missing Child Is One Too Many
The lack of a common definition of �missing child,� and a common response to the issue, results in few reliable statistics on the scope of the problem around the world.
Even with this challenge, we know that:
In Australia, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Australian Federal Police, National Coordination Centre.
In Canada, an estimated 45,288 children are reported missing each year.
Government of Canada, Canada�s Missing � 2015 Fast Fact Sheet.
In Germany, an estimated 100,000 children are reported missing each year.
Initiative Vermisste Kinder.
In India, an estimated 96,000 children go missing each year.
Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Missing Children of India.
In Jamaica, an estimated 1,984 children were reporting missing in 2015.
Jamaica�s Office of Children�s Registry
In Russia, an estimated 45,000 children were reported missing in 2015.
Interview with Pavel Astakhov MIA �Russia Today�, Apr. 4, 2016.
In Spain, an estimated 20,000 children are reported missing every year.
Spain Joins EU Hotline for Missing Children, Sep. 22, 2010.
In the United Kingdom, an estimated 112,853 children are reported missing every year.
National Crime Agency, UK Missing Persons Bureau.
In the United States, an estimated 460,000 children are reported missing every year.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, NCIC.
This, however, is only a snapshot of the problem. In many countries, statistics on missing children are not even available; and, unfortunately, even available statistics may be inaccurate due to: under-reporting/under-recognition; inflation; incorrect database entry of case information; and deletion of records once a case is closed.
The lack of numbers, and the discrepancy in the numbers that do exist, is one of the key reasons why ICMEC developed and advocates for the Model Missing Child Framework, which assists countries with building strong, well-rounded national responses, and facilitates more efficient investigations, management, and resolution of missing children cases.
We firmly believe that one missing child is one too many, and we are committed to improving the global understanding of and response to missing and abducted children.
Here is a look at missing children in the United States. There are several different types of missing children: runaways, family abductions, lost or �thrown away� and non-family abductions. Advances in technology, communications through public alerts and greater cooperation from law enforcement have facilitated the recovery process.
Statistics
According to the FBI�s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Person File, there are 89,637 active missing person records, of which juveniles under the age of 18 account for 30,396 (34%) of the records. (as of December 31, 2020)
AMBER Alert
�AMBER (America�s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alerts are emergency messages broadcast when a law enforcement agency determines that a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. The broadcasts include information about the child and the abductor, including physical descriptions as well as information about the abductor�s vehicle - which could lead to the child�s recovery.�
The AMBER Alert system began in 1996 and was named in honor of Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old who was abducted in Arlington, Texas, and murdered.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have AMBER Alert plans in place to help find missing children in danger.
As of December 2020, the AMBER Alert program has been credited with the safe recovery of 1029 children.) Missing Person File, there are 89,637 active missing person records, of which juveniles under the age of 18 account for 30,396 (34%) of the records. (as of December 31, 2020)
AMBER Alert
�AMBER (America�s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alerts are emergency messages broadcast when a law enforcement agency determines that a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. The broadcasts include information about the child and the abductor, including physical descriptions as well as information about the abductor�s vehicle - which could lead to the child�s recovery.�
The AMBER Alert system began in 1996 and was named in honor of Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old who was abducted in Arlington, Texas, and murdered.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have AMBER Alert plans in place to help find missing children in danger.
As of December 2020, the AMBER Alert program has been credited with the safe recovery of 1029 children.
The Boston Globe
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette
Interactive Missing Person Search Map
