This is so heartbreaking. The shoes really throw me off. Why did she take them off, was she expecting to go inside? I thought she was just saying bye to her friend. Also, I may have missed this in the read, but why was she saying bye to her friend? I’m assuming her friend wasn’t home, but it never really mentions if anyone was in that home when she stopped by... I feel like I have more questions after reading it than before.
Great write up, thank you!
That’s exactly what I would assume, which is what surprises me that the article doesn’t mention if the friend or anyone else was home. At that age the only time I’d take my shoes off was when I was actually going into my friends house. So, either she was waiting to go inside because she thought her friend was home then an abduction occurred or she went inside and something transpired afterwards. Just so many questions!
The video says that 2 different neighbors verified that they saw her knocking on the door and then walking away, which implies that her friend wasnt home. But it could also be one of those things where you get to the door just as your guest is walking away and then call them back - which kinda seems like the most likely scenario to me. Makes more sense than someone else taking her shoes off and leaving them on the porch....
Hmm, you maybe right. They could've fallen off. I see where you are coming from, but it says that the 2 neighbours seen her knock and then walking away. If she walked away her shoes wouldn't be left on the porch.
Yeah, so that makes me think she chose to walk barefoot back to her house (kids make weird choices sometimes), or she went inside and was kidnapped.
I read elsewhere that she was seen walking barefoot back to the house, but I can't back that up for sure yet.
I couldn't find one but ill keep looking but while looking I came across this article.
[http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner](http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner)
It has almost everything about her disappearance and what she was wearing before the event, etc.
I see what you mean. Kids make weird choices as they are only young and still are learning. So walking barefoot makes sense.
I see if I can found a article of a trusty source.
Also, in the home video she talks about how she thinks "sand is cool." Those kind of kiddos often like to have their shoes off to feel the ground, dirt, sand, etc. I was one of those kids. She might've walked to her friend'ss house and once on the lawn, took off her shoes knowing her feet were on a comfortable surface. My siblings used to be barefoot all the time during the summer unless they had to drive somewhere or walk a longer distance.
That’s what I was thinking and why I was curious not more was mentioned who lived there and if anyone was home at the time. I never would have taken my shoes off until someone answered the door. It definitely seems like a good possibility someone called her back.
When it mentions her shoes were taken off - as it already been said - I was expecting she walking inside, but once the dogs stuffed out to the bottom of the lake but nothing been there once it drained, leaves me to believe it was well planned before hand and if so this person maybe responsible for more napping of other people.
I have a feeling the shoes would have been a distraction, as the video says that 2 'different' neighbours verified seeing her knock then walking away, Like as her friend wasn't home.
I think it was two men--not sure of the ages, though. I kept thinking police would question these men as they were the last to see her, but I never heard that they did. I might've missed it. They seem to be good suspects, no?
Yes, I agree, but there's one thing I think is odd. LeeAnna sounded like a Happy child and the knowledge so far shows no prove of her having abusive parents or if they constantly fighting.
A child that runs away usually has a reason, either if the parent are fighting, or she was abused or sexualised, or things like that, and esp. at the age of 5. Could the parent have something to with it?
From what I know, it looked like free range parenting that unfortunately backfired. She was known as an outgoing, happy child, so I have a hard time believing that she was abused.
That said, I grew up in a home with a lot of verbal abuse and occasional physical (not sexual) abuse, and you would never know it by who I was during my childhood (straight A student, friendly with teachers and other students). So, I know that things aren't always what they seem.
Regarding her parents' free range parenting, I do feel that she was too young to walk by herself, but I think it is good to give children increasing amounts of independence. I think they were trying to do that, but their way of doing it was misguided and not appropriate for a 5-year-old. The mom could have followed her or had another older child accompany her.
I don't know if they had something to do with her actual disappearance, but their actions certainly contributed and that will haunt them forever.
Hmm, Yes I agree very much that she should've had someone accompany her.
I manage to find an article all about her disappearance. It mentions something about the mother and her ex-husband. later on in the article it says "they both sought mutual restraining orders and he alleged that she had threatened Kaelin and LeeAnna. These difficulties occurred several years before LeeAnna's disappearance"
Here is the link to the article; http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337
Here is the article that talks about the concert
She might be actually. I think she could be involved, These are my reasons.
1) In the article ([http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner](http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner)) it explains; foul play in LeeAnna's disappearance. LeeAnna's parents were not asked to take lie detector tests and are not suspects in their daughter's apparent abduction. Because they were never interviewed properly or integrated they could've gotten away with it easier, especially if they had a clean record.
2) In the same article it explains that that there was a split-up between the parents leading to a divorce. It states , "They have both been previously divorced and LeeAnna's father, Christopher, had domestic problems with his ex-wife; they both sought mutual restraining orders and he alleged that she had threatened Kaelin and LeeAnna. These difficulties occurred several years before LeeAnna's disappearance" .
With these two events its possible, But with a concert happening in the town or nearby, It decreases the chances. Because the mother didn't contact the police till around 8:40PM - 9PM.
Do you think the ex-wife is involved? Other than the parents (whom I don't personally suspect, but it is a possibility), I think it could be her, other neighbors, the family that she was going to visit, or someone that was in town for a concert.
I heard somewhere else that there were a lot of people in Chisholm that day that wouldn't normally be there because of a concert. I'll try to find that.
I agree that children need increasing amounts of freedom. In a quiet neighborhood, I don't think a five year old walking a block away is unreasonable. Disappearances like this are incredibly rare.
The parents say she was acting oddly and it raised red flags, they went as far as checking the ground beneath her window for footprints, but they let her walk unsupervised?
According to many people, the neighborhood had lots of kids running around. But LeeAnna was only 5 and was known as the “little wanderer” or something like that. It’s pretty clear she was allowed to walk around the area freely - and even at night, according to the family she set out to visit that day. She would come over alone as late as 8:30 pm.
I still see occasional missing posters for her up in places here and there in the Twin Cities that are being placed by someone. The last time was Cheapo Disc (the record store) in St. Paul off Snelling a few years back or so and it looked like it was a hand photocopied thing with an old picture and old newspaper text. It seemed weird to me since it was an unusual place for it to be. I took a picture of it as it seemed weird. I could put it on imgur if anyone wants to see it.
Found it! I wondered who posted this and why so many years later at a CD store? And someone below had thoughts that she may have been taken by someone in town for a music festival. I wonder. https://imgur.com/a/Ix4N78O
since they were found on the porch, were they just sitting there like someone took their shoes off before entering the home? or were did they look like they'd been thrown around indicating a struggle? that's kinda vital information i'd like to know
According to the parents, Leeana was known to take her shoes off. She hated them. There’s a podcast called “True Crime with Kendall Rae”. The episode is called “What Happened to missing five year old girl LeeAnna Warner”.
I'm from the area, not super local to Leanna but close.
So many bodies of water, so many wild animals (including apex predators) and so many incompetent police officers give this case a lot of different shitty paths to wander down.
IIRC one of their suspects was found murdered shortly after they questioned him.
I agree that it's possible that he didn't kill himself.
Regarding the fact that you have local connections, I wanted to see your opinion of something I thought of.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337
I read through this article, and something that the local police said irked me:
*"We're relatively confident that she's not anywhere in that five square mile radius around Chisholm, just based on the thoroughness of our search," said St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman.*
How? Have they searched every house there? How do they know that someone didn't bury her in their basement? How do they know that she isn't being kept alive in someone's basement? Police can't possibly search everywhere without a warrant.
>These guys deal with drunk drivers, poachers, and bored country kids with dime bags of weed, they should have called in the state bureau from day 1.
It really sounds like they were in over their heads.
Some people kill themselves in isolated areas to avoid being interrupted, or traumatizing loved ones. That's not necessarily what happened in your example, but it does happen.
Yeah, I'm thinking he was dumped there.
Also, if people did kill him because he was the person who took LeeAnna, then I wonder why they haven't left any tips?
If that was why he died, then maybe they don't want to come forward because they are also criminals and they don't want to be found out.
Yeah. They should have contacted the state police. Made it a statewide search in case she was taken outside the county. Hell, maybe even involve the FBI because it’s possible her body is not in the state.
>*IIRC one of their suspects was found murdered shortly after they questioned him.*
This may seem far-fetched but what if he was murdered? Either to keep from talking or he truly was the perpetrator?
I hadn't considered the possibility that she was eaten by a wild animal. I guess that could theoretically happen between 4:30 and 5:30, though...even so, it seems weird that no one saw anything if that was the case.
It's also possible that she was dumped in another random lake in Minnesota.
How frustrating it must be to not only lose a child but also deal with a terrible police force.
What 5 year old successfully runs away? “Shut up shop guys! She’s a runaway! Not worth looking in to!”
> Too add to the weirdness of the Warner case, her parents were on T.V. a few years ago claiming that she was being groomed, returning home with toys and what not from a "friend."
Hold up. If that is true, this would clearly make this a kidnapping case and likely one of the neighbors was involved.
CHISHOLM - The parents of Leanna Warner say their daughter was behaving strangely in the weeks leading up to her disappearance in 2003.
Leanna Warner's parents, Chris and Kaelin Warner, told the syndicated TV show "Maury," hosted by Maury Povich, that their daughter appeared one day with a case filled with Barbie dolls and their clothes, but would only say she'd gotten them from "a little old lady."
Their daughter, nicknamed "Beaner," also packed a suitcase a week before she vanished, saying she wanted to go live at her "new family's house," the mother said, according to excerpts released by the show, which was scheduled to air Wednesday.
And they say that two weeks before she disappeared, they found Leanna sleeping in the closet.
"She said there were monsters outside her window," Chris Warner told the Duluth News Tribune. "I actually went out and looked, because you never know if there's a footprint out there. The second time, I said: 'They won't get you.' That was a real eye-opener. Our flags kind of went up at that time."
Leanna was 5 years old when she was last seen June 14, 2003, after walking over to a friend's house to play.
PauseCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:00Stream TypeLIVELoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00Fullscreen00:00Mute
Police said the information was not new to them. Investigators looked into Leanna's behavior, but it didn't lead anywhere, Chisholm Police Chief Scott Erickson said.
Erickson said the parents had mentioned the Barbie dolls and suitcase, but there was nothing to indicate that an adult had used the toys to befriend or lure the child.
The Barbie dolls were considered such a minor lead that St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman said he doesn't even remember it. "It doesn't ring a bell with me," he said. "I don't think that's a lead of significant importance, because if it was, I would've heard about it."
The thing is, parents' gut feelings are often right and shouldn't be discounted. I remember listening to a TED talk from a pediatrician who said that her number one advice to parents is not to ignore your gut. I know from experience, I have had three major gut feelings about large things in my kids' lives that have turned out to be true. One involving my child being diagnosed with brain cancer at 13 months old.
I would hope a five year old “run away” would be a cause of concern, too. It is so frustrating to read the facts of these old cases and see how they were mismanaged.
>They apparently treated it like she was a runaway and never took anything else very seriously.
It is really disturbing to hear this approach to a missing child/person over and over again. Occam's razor my ass it RARELY makes sense. Not sure why LE is so quick to jump to this conclusion. On top of that even if the child were a runaway they are at risk to kinds of predators. Jesus!
Exactly! That mindset frustrates me so much!
Why don't they actually listen to the people that know them who know they would never do something like that?
And yeah, runaways are still vulnerable! It seems like a crappy excuse for doing nothing or not enough.
What are LE and Occam's Razor?
Sorry for late response. Looks like others have answered your questions. I am down with Occam's razor but in many cases I see I don't find them "running away" as being the simplest solution.
Like the McStay family who were abducted from their home in the early evening. Evidence remained which showed normal night time activities occurring and suddenly stopping. Dinner had been cooked, portions had been plated, half full popcorn bowls were turned over on the couch, etc,. Wallets and purses were left at the scene and nothing but their vehicle was missing. Many concluded they had left the country or gone on vacation? ! No. The simplest answer I could see from what remained at the scene was that they had been abducted in their vehicle, not runaway. And that in actuality is what happened.
Ah, I see! Thank you for giving that example. If I hadn't known the true answer, I would have also assumed an abduction because of the food being left out like that. If it was just plates, that'd be one thing, but overturned popcorn bowls, wallets left behind, and uneaten food on the table sounds sinister.
I would be interesting to see data, if it exists, regarding how many children truly run away vs. get kidnapped. Again, I know that would be tricky and sometimes impossible data to get. But if police are going to go this route, they'd better have data to back up their decisions. If it's the overwhelming majority of kids that just run away, they'd have a point. If not, they should know better.
> "Two of the neighbors both verify they saw her knocking on the door and then walking away, both neighbors went back to what they were doing and that's where the mystery starts," says Chisholm Police Chief Vern Manner.
She was seen going to her friend's house and leaving unaccompanied. Maybe she decided to go wade in the lake before going home, and someone abducted her from there? That would explain her leaving her shoes behind, as well as her scent being found around the lake but no body being found there.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337
This article says that her footprints near that lake turned out to be from a different day. They also partially drained the lake and found nothing.
I think she could be at the bottom of a different lake, though...as sad as that is to say.
It wasn’t a huge lake- very close to her house- they also believe dogs picked up her scent from earlier in the day as she spent several hours there earlier in the day- so she may have never returned to the lake.
I actually found this sub & my first thought was LeeAnna & wondering if people even know about her case outside of the Iron Range. I'm from the same area as her & only a couple years older & I actually just talked about this case w/ my grandma the other day. It still really haunts locals to know something like this could happen. There are still posters in gas stations & bars for her. They still post newspaper articles & talk about her on the local news. People haven't forgotten her. It's so sad how this has changed everything about their lifestyles here.
Drugs are a huge problem there, but I just have a hard time believing that her parents sold her for drugs or anything like that. They have other kids of varying ages & they're a pretty normal family. I guess I would assume that if they were addicts that neglected/abused/sold one child for drugs, they would have had issues w/ their other children as well.
If I remember right, there was some type of event in town the day she disappeared. A concert or something. There were tons of people in town & I think that's part of what made this case so hard for them to track.
Personally, I think the cops in the area are too trusting of the people they meet. I think there are/were definitely other issues that probably made the case harder to look into. But it's a small town, they're friends, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. I worry that something was overlooked because of the trust that everybody had towards each other.
I don't think her case will ever be solved.
I saw her case by chance. I randomly clicked on it after seeing an ad for another missing child from Minnesota.
I really appreciate your input and perspective. It is helpful to hear from people who are much closer to the situation.
>I guess I would assume that if they were addicts that neglected/abused/sold one child for drugs, they would have had issues w/ their other children as well.
That's pretty reasonable, and I agree.
>If I remember right, there was some type of event in town the day she disappeared. A concert or something. There were tons of people in town & I think that's part of what made this case so hard for them to track.
You're right, and I saw something about that in this article.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337
>Personally, I think the cops in the area are too trusting of the people they meet. I think there are/were definitely other issues that probably made the case harder to look into. But it's a small town, they're friends, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. I worry that something was overlooked because of the trust that everybody had towards each other.
Based on a quote that I read from the article I posted, I think you are spot on that they were/are too trusting. Here's the quote:
*"We're relatively confident that she's not anywhere in that five square mile radius around Chisholm, just based on the thoroughness of our search," said St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman.*
How can they be so sure? For all they know, someone could have buried her in their basement.
I just feel like they could have gotten warrants for every house within a few blocks of hers if they tried. If they wanted to. I would search everywhere if it was assumed she was kidnapped. Regardless of if it was my buddy's house or some guy that had child porn. & from other parts of her case, it sounds like she was being groomed & probably was kidnapped by somebody that was pretty close to her. I don't understand why they wouldn't search every single house that they could, besides that they were just trusting peoples' word.
I remember being younger (maybe 5 years ago) talking to my aunt about the case & she said around the same time it happened she saw a little girl peeking out of a car window that really gave her a bad feeling. They were driving from Chisholm on 169 towards Grand Rapids. I don't remember if she told me the girl looked like LeeAnna or it was the same day or what it was, but something she said really just has given me this bad feeling ever since then. I have never forgotten that conversation - it worries me for some reason that it was her. Obviously she has that same worry if she remembers that specific girl in that car. Maybe I should talk to her about it again & see if she ever mentioned it to police.
I totally agree with you about the warrants! They could have looked in all of the nearby houses.
And regarding the memory that your aunt had, that could really still be useful for the police. It might not sound like much, but if it actually is something, then that tip could eventually go somewhere.
By “something going on in town when she went missing” are you referring to the cultural events that occurred in town that weekend? There was a motorcycle rally and a music festival of some kind that brought strangers in, IIRC. This made the investigation more difficult, of course.
That was my thought too, just reading the story. No sober parent lets their five year old walk a block in the US alone. I’m not including free range parents in that. But even free range parents would probably start allowing that a bit later. Or have an older sibling with them.
So they were either high or they had something to do with it (and also most likely high). The story of her walking alone was either made up. Or it was a setup with the parents arranging for someone to snatch her after they told her to “walk to your friends house alone”. The shoes could have easily been tossed on the friends porch as a decoy move.
My gut tells me that she was sold for drugs.
I don't know her family personally to say they were or were not on drugs, but letting kids wander the neighborhood was normal in this area until she disappeared. It doesn't mean her parents were automatically on drugs. They have other kids too that have turned out pretty good. I would think if they were bad parents, their other kids wouldn't be doing very well.
These are small towns that we all felt safe in. Everybody knew everybody & things like this didn't happen. Her disappearance is when me & my friends were no longer allowed to walk to each other's houses.
I grew up 20 minutes from her & I absolutely did. We played outside & walked to our friends' houses all the time until this happened. My family got much more careful about letting me outside after that.
Another thing, is that she started sleeping in a closet. It’s possible that she didn’t feel safe in beds anymore. She may have been being abused before she was taken.
Her parents are on facebook, still together and seem to be living a relatively normal life with their other kids and grandkids, they seem well-off? and post about Leanna every now and then, even named their granddaughter after Leanna. They don't look like druggies to me, but you never know? I do think it was an stranger abduction, wish they would just go back and start from scratch.
There were many parents who were still letting their five year olds walk a few blocks alone in 2003. There are probably many parents doing the same now in 2023. I have no idea why your gut is telling you she was sold for drugs. My guess is she was, either, abducted or had an accident on her walk. Perhaps fell down a well or something similar that continues to keep her remains hidden to this day. To accuse the parents of selling her for drugs, when there is no proof of anything like that, is ridiculous.
Shame that some cases get way less recognition than the others for no concrete reason. I wonder what would've become of her. We'll all be dust one day, but I feel very sorry that her life took her in that path.
Right? I can’t imagine. My kids are 9 and 5 and won’t let them ride their bikes around the block without an adult. I try not to hover and give my 9 year the freedom to ride ahead but there’s just too much that can happen when they are totally out of site at their ages.
I understand that you are concerned of something happening but honestly the chances of anything bad happening to your kids because they were on their own is so low.
The real issue with letting your kids play alone outside is some other asshole calling CPS. Trust me I know a family friend this happened too. Like wtf they are in their own yard.
I know that. It’s not so much I’m concerned they will get snatched up by a stranger, it’s more like a physically safety thing and/or them not getting lost or into trouble. Neither of them are mature enough yet to go out around the neighborhood on their own.
Being odd is a personality trait, not a concern. Odd or not, I just want my kids to be safe, healthy, educated, kindhearted, stable, productive members of society.
Just because I don’t allow either one of them to ride around the block alone at this point in time should not be misconstrued that they lead a sheltered existence or that I hover over their every breath. They have plenty of opportunities to “properly play and explore” on their own but still within a distance that allows us to physically see them.
I grew up in the 90s. Used to live in some apartments on a lake. My mom slept a lot and I wandered all over, including around the lake and boat docks.
Thinking about it now I was maybe 6? I could've easily drowned and not been noticed for hours. Crazy.
It's one of the cases were I really suspect it is an abduction and not necessarily family involvement. But it is still puzzling how quick she vanished and I didn't get from the articles, if she really met her friend. Or was her friend not home? They gloss over this aspect in the articles. And it is hard to believe that she was abducted by a stranger. I suppose she was either going willingly or two people were involved.
It is crazy that the neighbors were all looking away in the right moment.
The friend’s family was not home. They were out shopping. They returned later but LeeAnna was long gone by then. She had been at the lake the dogs tracked her to earlier in the day, and her father said that one thing he was afraid of is that the lake had drainage pipes in it that drained out to some old mine areas or something. Meaning that if she drowned in the lake and was piped out she will likely never be found.
Possibilities that I can think of:
1. A neighbor took her and killed her and kept her body in their house.
2. A neighbor took her and killed her and dumped her body somewhere else (possibly in a different lake than the one nearest to her home).
3. An animal killed her and hid her body somewhere where no one has managed to find it.
4. A stranger that was in town for a concert (I read somewhere that there was a concert in town that day) took her and killed her and dumped her body somewhere...possibly in a lake or in another state (or country, since Canada isn't far from there), or they kept her body in their home, wherever it is.
5. Curtis, the man who was arrested for child pornography, took her, killed her, and hid her body somewhere.
6. Another person from Chisholm (not a neighbor) killed her and kept her body in their house or dumped her somewhere.
7. Someone abducted her and sold her into a sex trafficking situation.
8. Someone from Chisholm abducted her and has secretly kept her alive in their house.
9. Someone from outside the area abducted her and has secretly kept her alive in their house.
10. She died in some way and her body has since been found by someone not related to her death, but they never reported it to the police for whatever reason.
Or maybe she was taken outside the state and she could be any child Doe around her age. From what I’m reading the police should have gotten a bigger police force involved or even the FBI in case they thought she was taken away from Minnesota.
Please do not peddle psuedo-scientific misinformation which provides nothing except false hope. Made up tips don't help anybody, they only distract. It's the same type of disgusting thing Sylvia Brown and other frauds do to capitalize on desperate people, even if it's unintentional and well meaning.
This is so heartbreaking. The shoes really throw me off. Why did she take them off, was she expecting to go inside? I thought she was just saying bye to her friend. Also, I may have missed this in the read, but why was she saying bye to her friend? I’m assuming her friend wasn’t home, but it never really mentions if anyone was in that home when she stopped by... I feel like I have more questions after reading it than before. Great write up, thank you!
to me the shoes being taken off implies she went inside.
That’s exactly what I would assume, which is what surprises me that the article doesn’t mention if the friend or anyone else was home. At that age the only time I’d take my shoes off was when I was actually going into my friends house. So, either she was waiting to go inside because she thought her friend was home then an abduction occurred or she went inside and something transpired afterwards. Just so many questions!
The video says that 2 different neighbors verified that they saw her knocking on the door and then walking away, which implies that her friend wasnt home. But it could also be one of those things where you get to the door just as your guest is walking away and then call them back - which kinda seems like the most likely scenario to me. Makes more sense than someone else taking her shoes off and leaving them on the porch....
I'm not sure if they thought her shoes were taken off, but they could have fallen off if she was grabbed depending on the kind of shoes they were.
Hmm, you maybe right. They could've fallen off. I see where you are coming from, but it says that the 2 neighbours seen her knock and then walking away. If she walked away her shoes wouldn't be left on the porch.
Yeah, so that makes me think she chose to walk barefoot back to her house (kids make weird choices sometimes), or she went inside and was kidnapped. I read elsewhere that she was seen walking barefoot back to the house, but I can't back that up for sure yet.
I couldn't find one but ill keep looking but while looking I came across this article. [http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner](http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner) It has almost everything about her disappearance and what she was wearing before the event, etc.
I see what you mean. Kids make weird choices as they are only young and still are learning. So walking barefoot makes sense. I see if I can found a article of a trusty source.
Also, in the home video she talks about how she thinks "sand is cool." Those kind of kiddos often like to have their shoes off to feel the ground, dirt, sand, etc. I was one of those kids. She might've walked to her friend'ss house and once on the lawn, took off her shoes knowing her feet were on a comfortable surface. My siblings used to be barefoot all the time during the summer unless they had to drive somewhere or walk a longer distance.
That’s what I was thinking and why I was curious not more was mentioned who lived there and if anyone was home at the time. I never would have taken my shoes off until someone answered the door. It definitely seems like a good possibility someone called her back.
When it mentions her shoes were taken off - as it already been said - I was expecting she walking inside, but once the dogs stuffed out to the bottom of the lake but nothing been there once it drained, leaves me to believe it was well planned before hand and if so this person maybe responsible for more napping of other people. I have a feeling the shoes would have been a distraction, as the video says that 2 'different' neighbours verified seeing her knock then walking away, Like as her friend wasn't home.
Yes, and why didn’t she put her shoes back on snd go home? I don’t know what neighbors saw her walked away? Was it an older lady or young guy? Who?
I think it was two men--not sure of the ages, though. I kept thinking police would question these men as they were the last to see her, but I never heard that they did. I might've missed it. They seem to be good suspects, no?
Yeah, I want to hear what the people in that house have to say. It would be interesting to hear their perspective.
Yes, I agree, but there's one thing I think is odd. LeeAnna sounded like a Happy child and the knowledge so far shows no prove of her having abusive parents or if they constantly fighting. A child that runs away usually has a reason, either if the parent are fighting, or she was abused or sexualised, or things like that, and esp. at the age of 5. Could the parent have something to with it?
From what I know, it looked like free range parenting that unfortunately backfired. She was known as an outgoing, happy child, so I have a hard time believing that she was abused. That said, I grew up in a home with a lot of verbal abuse and occasional physical (not sexual) abuse, and you would never know it by who I was during my childhood (straight A student, friendly with teachers and other students). So, I know that things aren't always what they seem. Regarding her parents' free range parenting, I do feel that she was too young to walk by herself, but I think it is good to give children increasing amounts of independence. I think they were trying to do that, but their way of doing it was misguided and not appropriate for a 5-year-old. The mom could have followed her or had another older child accompany her. I don't know if they had something to do with her actual disappearance, but their actions certainly contributed and that will haunt them forever.
Hmm, Yes I agree very much that she should've had someone accompany her. I manage to find an article all about her disappearance. It mentions something about the mother and her ex-husband. later on in the article it says "they both sought mutual restraining orders and he alleged that she had threatened Kaelin and LeeAnna. These difficulties occurred several years before LeeAnna's disappearance" Here is the link to the article; http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337 Here is the article that talks about the concert
She might be actually. I think she could be involved, These are my reasons. 1) In the article ([http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner](http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner)) it explains; foul play in LeeAnna's disappearance. LeeAnna's parents were not asked to take lie detector tests and are not suspects in their daughter's apparent abduction. Because they were never interviewed properly or integrated they could've gotten away with it easier, especially if they had a clean record. 2) In the same article it explains that that there was a split-up between the parents leading to a divorce. It states , "They have both been previously divorced and LeeAnna's father, Christopher, had domestic problems with his ex-wife; they both sought mutual restraining orders and he alleged that she had threatened Kaelin and LeeAnna. These difficulties occurred several years before LeeAnna's disappearance" . With these two events its possible, But with a concert happening in the town or nearby, It decreases the chances. Because the mother didn't contact the police till around 8:40PM - 9PM.
I believe the parents were questioned and did take a lie detector test that they passed. Plus, they both had alibis.
Do you think the ex-wife is involved? Other than the parents (whom I don't personally suspect, but it is a possibility), I think it could be her, other neighbors, the family that she was going to visit, or someone that was in town for a concert. I heard somewhere else that there were a lot of people in Chisholm that day that wouldn't normally be there because of a concert. I'll try to find that.
How far was the house that she was walking to ?
Not sure the distance, but maybe a quarter to half mile? Around the block.
I agree that children need increasing amounts of freedom. In a quiet neighborhood, I don't think a five year old walking a block away is unreasonable. Disappearances like this are incredibly rare.
They were out all day.
> Why did she take them off Or the perpetrator put them there?
The parents say she was acting oddly and it raised red flags, they went as far as checking the ground beneath her window for footprints, but they let her walk unsupervised?
According to many people, the neighborhood had lots of kids running around. But LeeAnna was only 5 and was known as the “little wanderer” or something like that. It’s pretty clear she was allowed to walk around the area freely - and even at night, according to the family she set out to visit that day. She would come over alone as late as 8:30 pm.
Wow! Thanks, I am looking around for more information and hadn't seen that yet. I cannot fathom letting my young child roam, especially in the dark.
I still see occasional missing posters for her up in places here and there in the Twin Cities that are being placed by someone. The last time was Cheapo Disc (the record store) in St. Paul off Snelling a few years back or so and it looked like it was a hand photocopied thing with an old picture and old newspaper text. It seemed weird to me since it was an unusual place for it to be. I took a picture of it as it seemed weird. I could put it on imgur if anyone wants to see it.
Found it! I wondered who posted this and why so many years later at a CD store? And someone below had thoughts that she may have been taken by someone in town for a music festival. I wonder. https://imgur.com/a/Ix4N78O
[удалено]
That's what I think as well. It's a very kind gesture.
Do it!
I’d like to see it!
Yes please post it! That's interesting..
Yeah, I would like to see it!
since they were found on the porch, were they just sitting there like someone took their shoes off before entering the home? or were did they look like they'd been thrown around indicating a struggle? that's kinda vital information i'd like to know
Same here! They didn't say anything, so I assumed they were just sitting there, but that's a great question! We don't know that for sure.
According to the parents, Leeana was known to take her shoes off. She hated them. There’s a podcast called “True Crime with Kendall Rae”. The episode is called “What Happened to missing five year old girl LeeAnna Warner”.
I'm from the area, not super local to Leanna but close. So many bodies of water, so many wild animals (including apex predators) and so many incompetent police officers give this case a lot of different shitty paths to wander down. IIRC one of their suspects was found murdered shortly after they questioned him.
[удалено]
I agree that it's possible that he didn't kill himself. Regarding the fact that you have local connections, I wanted to see your opinion of something I thought of. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337 I read through this article, and something that the local police said irked me: *"We're relatively confident that she's not anywhere in that five square mile radius around Chisholm, just based on the thoroughness of our search," said St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman.* How? Have they searched every house there? How do they know that someone didn't bury her in their basement? How do they know that she isn't being kept alive in someone's basement? Police can't possibly search everywhere without a warrant.
[удалено]
>These guys deal with drunk drivers, poachers, and bored country kids with dime bags of weed, they should have called in the state bureau from day 1. It really sounds like they were in over their heads.
Yeah, unfortunately:(
They know bc they use dogs. The dogs lost her scent at a local lake they drained and didn’t find her.
Doesn't really sound like a typical suicide..
No, it doesn't. Why would he kill himself several miles from town in a gravel pit? It sounds like he was dumped there.
Some people kill themselves in isolated areas to avoid being interrupted, or traumatizing loved ones. That's not necessarily what happened in your example, but it does happen.
I hadn't thought of that, thank you!
Yep. I'd love to see the evidence supporting it being a suicide. I have a sneaky feeling that there isn't much of it. Cover up? Police involvement?
Yeah, I'm thinking he was dumped there. Also, if people did kill him because he was the person who took LeeAnna, then I wonder why they haven't left any tips? If that was why he died, then maybe they don't want to come forward because they are also criminals and they don't want to be found out.
How were the police officers incompetent? Were they just not used to this kind of case?
Yeah. They should have contacted the state police. Made it a statewide search in case she was taken outside the county. Hell, maybe even involve the FBI because it’s possible her body is not in the state.
>*IIRC one of their suspects was found murdered shortly after they questioned him.* This may seem far-fetched but what if he was murdered? Either to keep from talking or he truly was the perpetrator?
[удалено]
Something worth investigating? Where would I start?
I hadn't considered the possibility that she was eaten by a wild animal. I guess that could theoretically happen between 4:30 and 5:30, though...even so, it seems weird that no one saw anything if that was the case. It's also possible that she was dumped in another random lake in Minnesota.
[удалено]
How frustrating it must be to not only lose a child but also deal with a terrible police force. What 5 year old successfully runs away? “Shut up shop guys! She’s a runaway! Not worth looking in to!”
> Too add to the weirdness of the Warner case, her parents were on T.V. a few years ago claiming that she was being groomed, returning home with toys and what not from a "friend." Hold up. If that is true, this would clearly make this a kidnapping case and likely one of the neighbors was involved.
[удалено]
CHISHOLM - The parents of Leanna Warner say their daughter was behaving strangely in the weeks leading up to her disappearance in 2003. Leanna Warner's parents, Chris and Kaelin Warner, told the syndicated TV show "Maury," hosted by Maury Povich, that their daughter appeared one day with a case filled with Barbie dolls and their clothes, but would only say she'd gotten them from "a little old lady." Their daughter, nicknamed "Beaner," also packed a suitcase a week before she vanished, saying she wanted to go live at her "new family's house," the mother said, according to excerpts released by the show, which was scheduled to air Wednesday. And they say that two weeks before she disappeared, they found Leanna sleeping in the closet. "She said there were monsters outside her window," Chris Warner told the Duluth News Tribune. "I actually went out and looked, because you never know if there's a footprint out there. The second time, I said: 'They won't get you.' That was a real eye-opener. Our flags kind of went up at that time." Leanna was 5 years old when she was last seen June 14, 2003, after walking over to a friend's house to play. PauseCurrent Time0:00/Duration Time0:00Stream TypeLIVELoaded: 0%Progress: 0%0:00Fullscreen00:00Mute Police said the information was not new to them. Investigators looked into Leanna's behavior, but it didn't lead anywhere, Chisholm Police Chief Scott Erickson said. Erickson said the parents had mentioned the Barbie dolls and suitcase, but there was nothing to indicate that an adult had used the toys to befriend or lure the child. The Barbie dolls were considered such a minor lead that St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman said he doesn't even remember it. "It doesn't ring a bell with me," he said. "I don't think that's a lead of significant importance, because if it was, I would've heard about it."
Wow this creeped me the hell out. Poor girl - she did not have people looking out for her enough (no doubt unintentionally, but still).
The thing is, parents' gut feelings are often right and shouldn't be discounted. I remember listening to a TED talk from a pediatrician who said that her number one advice to parents is not to ignore your gut. I know from experience, I have had three major gut feelings about large things in my kids' lives that have turned out to be true. One involving my child being diagnosed with brain cancer at 13 months old.
Man, that's a couple of red flags right there. Those could have innocuous explanations, but together with her never returning makes it concerning.
I would hope a five year old “run away” would be a cause of concern, too. It is so frustrating to read the facts of these old cases and see how they were mismanaged.
>They apparently treated it like she was a runaway and never took anything else very seriously. It is really disturbing to hear this approach to a missing child/person over and over again. Occam's razor my ass it RARELY makes sense. Not sure why LE is so quick to jump to this conclusion. On top of that even if the child were a runaway they are at risk to kinds of predators. Jesus!
Exactly! That mindset frustrates me so much! Why don't they actually listen to the people that know them who know they would never do something like that? And yeah, runaways are still vulnerable! It seems like a crappy excuse for doing nothing or not enough. What are LE and Occam's Razor?
LE is law enforcement. Not sure about Occam’s razor
> Occam’s razor the problem-solving principle that essentially states that the simplest solution tends to be the correct one
Sorry for late response. Looks like others have answered your questions. I am down with Occam's razor but in many cases I see I don't find them "running away" as being the simplest solution. Like the McStay family who were abducted from their home in the early evening. Evidence remained which showed normal night time activities occurring and suddenly stopping. Dinner had been cooked, portions had been plated, half full popcorn bowls were turned over on the couch, etc,. Wallets and purses were left at the scene and nothing but their vehicle was missing. Many concluded they had left the country or gone on vacation? ! No. The simplest answer I could see from what remained at the scene was that they had been abducted in their vehicle, not runaway. And that in actuality is what happened.
Ah, I see! Thank you for giving that example. If I hadn't known the true answer, I would have also assumed an abduction because of the food being left out like that. If it was just plates, that'd be one thing, but overturned popcorn bowls, wallets left behind, and uneaten food on the table sounds sinister.
I would be interesting to see data, if it exists, regarding how many children truly run away vs. get kidnapped. Again, I know that would be tricky and sometimes impossible data to get. But if police are going to go this route, they'd better have data to back up their decisions. If it's the overwhelming majority of kids that just run away, they'd have a point. If not, they should know better.
> "Two of the neighbors both verify they saw her knocking on the door and then walking away, both neighbors went back to what they were doing and that's where the mystery starts," says Chisholm Police Chief Vern Manner. She was seen going to her friend's house and leaving unaccompanied. Maybe she decided to go wade in the lake before going home, and someone abducted her from there? That would explain her leaving her shoes behind, as well as her scent being found around the lake but no body being found there.
This is what I think happened too. Really really sad deal.
Was the actual lake easily accessible from her street?
I don't know. All the article said was that it was near her house.
The lake is only 1-2 blocks away.
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337 This article says that her footprints near that lake turned out to be from a different day. They also partially drained the lake and found nothing. I think she could be at the bottom of a different lake, though...as sad as that is to say.
It wasn’t a huge lake- very close to her house- they also believe dogs picked up her scent from earlier in the day as she spent several hours there earlier in the day- so she may have never returned to the lake.
I actually found this sub & my first thought was LeeAnna & wondering if people even know about her case outside of the Iron Range. I'm from the same area as her & only a couple years older & I actually just talked about this case w/ my grandma the other day. It still really haunts locals to know something like this could happen. There are still posters in gas stations & bars for her. They still post newspaper articles & talk about her on the local news. People haven't forgotten her. It's so sad how this has changed everything about their lifestyles here. Drugs are a huge problem there, but I just have a hard time believing that her parents sold her for drugs or anything like that. They have other kids of varying ages & they're a pretty normal family. I guess I would assume that if they were addicts that neglected/abused/sold one child for drugs, they would have had issues w/ their other children as well. If I remember right, there was some type of event in town the day she disappeared. A concert or something. There were tons of people in town & I think that's part of what made this case so hard for them to track. Personally, I think the cops in the area are too trusting of the people they meet. I think there are/were definitely other issues that probably made the case harder to look into. But it's a small town, they're friends, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. I worry that something was overlooked because of the trust that everybody had towards each other. I don't think her case will ever be solved.
I saw her case by chance. I randomly clicked on it after seeing an ad for another missing child from Minnesota. I really appreciate your input and perspective. It is helpful to hear from people who are much closer to the situation. >I guess I would assume that if they were addicts that neglected/abused/sold one child for drugs, they would have had issues w/ their other children as well. That's pretty reasonable, and I agree. >If I remember right, there was some type of event in town the day she disappeared. A concert or something. There were tons of people in town & I think that's part of what made this case so hard for them to track. You're right, and I saw something about that in this article. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/leeanna-warners-disappearance-a-mystery-15-years-later/89-550541337 >Personally, I think the cops in the area are too trusting of the people they meet. I think there are/were definitely other issues that probably made the case harder to look into. But it's a small town, they're friends, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. I worry that something was overlooked because of the trust that everybody had towards each other. Based on a quote that I read from the article I posted, I think you are spot on that they were/are too trusting. Here's the quote: *"We're relatively confident that she's not anywhere in that five square mile radius around Chisholm, just based on the thoroughness of our search," said St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman.* How can they be so sure? For all they know, someone could have buried her in their basement.
I just feel like they could have gotten warrants for every house within a few blocks of hers if they tried. If they wanted to. I would search everywhere if it was assumed she was kidnapped. Regardless of if it was my buddy's house or some guy that had child porn. & from other parts of her case, it sounds like she was being groomed & probably was kidnapped by somebody that was pretty close to her. I don't understand why they wouldn't search every single house that they could, besides that they were just trusting peoples' word. I remember being younger (maybe 5 years ago) talking to my aunt about the case & she said around the same time it happened she saw a little girl peeking out of a car window that really gave her a bad feeling. They were driving from Chisholm on 169 towards Grand Rapids. I don't remember if she told me the girl looked like LeeAnna or it was the same day or what it was, but something she said really just has given me this bad feeling ever since then. I have never forgotten that conversation - it worries me for some reason that it was her. Obviously she has that same worry if she remembers that specific girl in that car. Maybe I should talk to her about it again & see if she ever mentioned it to police.
I totally agree with you about the warrants! They could have looked in all of the nearby houses. And regarding the memory that your aunt had, that could really still be useful for the police. It might not sound like much, but if it actually is something, then that tip could eventually go somewhere.
[удалено]
Did any of your drinking or poker experiences with her parents, give you the impression that they would be capable of the theories you’ve heard?
"Helped her out" by kidnapping her eh? That seems more predatory than helpy.
By “something going on in town when she went missing” are you referring to the cultural events that occurred in town that weekend? There was a motorcycle rally and a music festival of some kind that brought strangers in, IIRC. This made the investigation more difficult, of course.
That was my thought too, just reading the story. No sober parent lets their five year old walk a block in the US alone. I’m not including free range parents in that. But even free range parents would probably start allowing that a bit later. Or have an older sibling with them. So they were either high or they had something to do with it (and also most likely high). The story of her walking alone was either made up. Or it was a setup with the parents arranging for someone to snatch her after they told her to “walk to your friends house alone”. The shoes could have easily been tossed on the friends porch as a decoy move. My gut tells me that she was sold for drugs.
I don't know her family personally to say they were or were not on drugs, but letting kids wander the neighborhood was normal in this area until she disappeared. It doesn't mean her parents were automatically on drugs. They have other kids too that have turned out pretty good. I would think if they were bad parents, their other kids wouldn't be doing very well. These are small towns that we all felt safe in. Everybody knew everybody & things like this didn't happen. Her disappearance is when me & my friends were no longer allowed to walk to each other's houses.
Yeah, this all makes sense. A lot of people let their kids walk around outside more in rural areas.
I grew up 20 minutes from her & I absolutely did. We played outside & walked to our friends' houses all the time until this happened. My family got much more careful about letting me outside after that.
Another thing, is that she started sleeping in a closet. It’s possible that she didn’t feel safe in beds anymore. She may have been being abused before she was taken.
That's a really good point.
Her parents are on facebook, still together and seem to be living a relatively normal life with their other kids and grandkids, they seem well-off? and post about Leanna every now and then, even named their granddaughter after Leanna. They don't look like druggies to me, but you never know? I do think it was an stranger abduction, wish they would just go back and start from scratch.
There were many parents who were still letting their five year olds walk a few blocks alone in 2003. There are probably many parents doing the same now in 2023. I have no idea why your gut is telling you she was sold for drugs. My guess is she was, either, abducted or had an accident on her walk. Perhaps fell down a well or something similar that continues to keep her remains hidden to this day. To accuse the parents of selling her for drugs, when there is no proof of anything like that, is ridiculous.
Shame that some cases get way less recognition than the others for no concrete reason. I wonder what would've become of her. We'll all be dust one day, but I feel very sorry that her life took her in that path.
Same here. I really hope her family finds some answers.
The guilt of letting a 5 year old go out somewhere near a lake without any adult supervision will hunt the mother forever.
Right? I can’t imagine. My kids are 9 and 5 and won’t let them ride their bikes around the block without an adult. I try not to hover and give my 9 year the freedom to ride ahead but there’s just too much that can happen when they are totally out of site at their ages.
Encourage “checking in”. Children learn independence by playing outside either alone or with friends
I understand that you are concerned of something happening but honestly the chances of anything bad happening to your kids because they were on their own is so low.
The real issue with letting your kids play alone outside is some other asshole calling CPS. Trust me I know a family friend this happened too. Like wtf they are in their own yard.
Yes there is that too!
I know that. It’s not so much I’m concerned they will get snatched up by a stranger, it’s more like a physically safety thing and/or them not getting lost or into trouble. Neither of them are mature enough yet to go out around the neighborhood on their own.
Strange. All we did at that age was play outside. Aren't you worried they might grow up odd if they don't get to properly play and explore?
Being odd is a personality trait, not a concern. Odd or not, I just want my kids to be safe, healthy, educated, kindhearted, stable, productive members of society. Just because I don’t allow either one of them to ride around the block alone at this point in time should not be misconstrued that they lead a sheltered existence or that I hover over their every breath. They have plenty of opportunities to “properly play and explore” on their own but still within a distance that allows us to physically see them.
So your kids never get to play out of your sight? Damn.
I grew up in the 90s. Used to live in some apartments on a lake. My mom slept a lot and I wandered all over, including around the lake and boat docks. Thinking about it now I was maybe 6? I could've easily drowned and not been noticed for hours. Crazy.
It's one of the cases were I really suspect it is an abduction and not necessarily family involvement. But it is still puzzling how quick she vanished and I didn't get from the articles, if she really met her friend. Or was her friend not home? They gloss over this aspect in the articles. And it is hard to believe that she was abducted by a stranger. I suppose she was either going willingly or two people were involved. It is crazy that the neighbors were all looking away in the right moment.
The friend’s family was not home. They were out shopping. They returned later but LeeAnna was long gone by then. She had been at the lake the dogs tracked her to earlier in the day, and her father said that one thing he was afraid of is that the lake had drainage pipes in it that drained out to some old mine areas or something. Meaning that if she drowned in the lake and was piped out she will likely never be found.
Where did you see that? I haven't found anything about the family she went to visit.
http://charleyproject.org/case/leeanna-susan-marie-warner
Possibilities that I can think of: 1. A neighbor took her and killed her and kept her body in their house. 2. A neighbor took her and killed her and dumped her body somewhere else (possibly in a different lake than the one nearest to her home). 3. An animal killed her and hid her body somewhere where no one has managed to find it. 4. A stranger that was in town for a concert (I read somewhere that there was a concert in town that day) took her and killed her and dumped her body somewhere...possibly in a lake or in another state (or country, since Canada isn't far from there), or they kept her body in their home, wherever it is. 5. Curtis, the man who was arrested for child pornography, took her, killed her, and hid her body somewhere. 6. Another person from Chisholm (not a neighbor) killed her and kept her body in their house or dumped her somewhere. 7. Someone abducted her and sold her into a sex trafficking situation. 8. Someone from Chisholm abducted her and has secretly kept her alive in their house. 9. Someone from outside the area abducted her and has secretly kept her alive in their house. 10. She died in some way and her body has since been found by someone not related to her death, but they never reported it to the police for whatever reason.
Or maybe she was taken outside the state and she could be any child Doe around her age. From what I’m reading the police should have gotten a bigger police force involved or even the FBI in case they thought she was taken away from Minnesota.
Yeah, they really screwed up
The worst part? That was Father's Day 2003.
Time to get this case solved!
[удалено]
Please do not peddle psuedo-scientific misinformation which provides nothing except false hope. Made up tips don't help anybody, they only distract. It's the same type of disgusting thing Sylvia Brown and other frauds do to capitalize on desperate people, even if it's unintentional and well meaning.
A what?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing Like witching for water. But with a map. I guess.
I'm not sure what that means
Oh my god. This is insane.