Melissa Brannen Case

The disappearance of 5-year-old Melissa Brannen from a Christmas party in 1989 horrified the Washington, D.C., area and set off a search for her that came up empty. A groundskeeper at her Fairfax County, Virginia, apartment complex was later convicted of abducting Melissa and served nearly 30 years in prison. For many, that was the end of the case.

The disappearance of 5-year-old Melissa Brannen from a Christmas party in 1989 horrified the Washington, D.C., area and set off a search for her that came up empty. A groundskeeper at her Fairfax County, Virginia, apartment complex was later convicted of abducting Melissa and served nearly 30 years in prison. For many, that was the end of the case.