KETTERING, Ohio ( WDTN ) — The little girl who became a household name went missing 25 years ago in Kettering.
2 NEWS Anchor Kelley King talked with Erica Baker’s father, Greg Baker.
“The only memory I have of her is being 9 years old,” says Greg. “Not knowing is probably the worst thing there is.”
After 25 years, he still holds onto hope, promising to find out what happened to his daughter.
“I made a promise to her 25 years ago that I would not stop, and I’m not going to,” vows Baker.
Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999
Erica Baker, 9, of Kettering, left her home on Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999 with her dog. She was last seen walking her dog around the Kettering Recreation Center around 3 p.m. When Erica left home, she was wearing a pink rain jacket, a pink Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt, blue jeans and white tennis shoes, according to officials.
Nearly two hours later, Baker’s dog was discovered with the leash still attached, but Erica seemed to have vanished out of thin air.
On the night of Feb. 7, 1999, a group began a search at the pond at Kettering Recreation Center to locate the missing girl. Nothing was found during the initial search, so search crews, police canines and three-dozen of Baker’s friends went looking or her.