Genevieve Serra|Published
The family of a woman who disappeared when she was 20 years old, 26 years ago, is clinging to hope as the possibility of age progression and DNA testing is being pursued.
In January 2000, Desiree Reid had just completed a course at a drug rehabilitation centre.
She soon befriended a young man who owned a business and, according to the family, the two began using drugs together.
Soon afterwards, Reid, from Boksburg, mysteriously disappeared. Three years later, the family received a phone call from her stating that she was in Sea Point. They never heard from her again.
Age-progressed images renew the search
Now, with the assistance of an age-progression expert who once worked closely with the police and cold-case-oriented missing-persons organisation Track 'n Trace, Reid’s family from Parkdene, Boksburg, Gauteng, is renewing the search.
An updated flyer of Reid has since been created and is being distributed nationally, especially in the Western Cape, where she is believed to be living.
The expert created two images of how Reid may look today, taking into account factors such as drug use, whether she had fallen on hard times and whether she may have lived on the streets.
The images were also created using photographs of her sister, Jeanette Joao, and her mother and father.
“It's essential to find out more about the missing person's background, their personality, how they looked after themselves, their dietary habits, and their lifestyles,” said the expert.
What the age-progressed images show
“For example smokers, drug users, alcoholics, binge-eaters, and the homeless, will age differently to those living a more wholesome lifestyle. It also goes without saying that facial expressions influence the physical appearance over time.
“The artist will often speak to close family members of the missing persons to find out more about their family traits like hair loss, or whether the missing person had specific distinguishing features (such as) beaky nose, squint, deformities, and tattoos. Sharing details about family traits, hair patterns, facial features, and personality that shape how the final image is created.
“Done well, age progression gives communities hope — and helps missing people being recognised and found.”
According to Joao, who spoke on behalf of the family, they were willing to explore any avenue to finally have closure.
The family previously used the services of various organisations, including private investigators, and also created Facebook pages.
“Desiree was living with my mom in the Spartacus Complex in Boksburg flats in Ravenswood and I was living on my own,” she said.
The last reported contact was in Sea Point
“In January 2000, she came out of rehab and met a man who owned a butchery and started using drugs with him and when we found out, we put her in a rehab and shortly after that she went missing.
“She disappeared on January 28 2000.
“In 2003, she phoned my moms work but my mother was not at work, and she told the lady there that she was in Sea Point. My dad went to Sea Point but could not find her and that was the last that we heard from her.
“We do believe that it was her and we have not heard anything since and we have searched her ID, for example she has not applied for tax directive or a driver’s licence.
“The family reopened the case in 2017 at Benoni Police Station.”
Joao said private investigators had spoken with the former boyfriend, who said he knew nothing about her whereabouts.
Chaz Thomas of the Track n Trace missing-persons organisation said they had checked the government portals and found that Reid’s marital status and details remained the same.
They also searched local mortuaries and are currently searching hospitals and prisons.
Thomas said they had managed to reunite families who had not seen their loved ones for between 11 and 42 years. Although there was no guarantee of finding Desiree, they remained hopeful.
“It is all in God's hands.”
Family reopens case and pursues DNA testing
Thomas advised the family to pursue DNA testing to determine whether Reid may have died and been buried as an unidentified person years ago. She said that, in doing so, the best sample of DNA would have to come from her parents or an old item belonging to Reid could be used along with DNA from her sister.
“I am busy with hospital checks nationwide. We do a prison check including whether there were any arrests.
“We are circulating the flyers in the Western Cape and we will follow up on all possible leads, no matter where it takes us.”
Joao has since contacted Benoni Police Station, which said it would inform the investigating officer about the possibility of DNA testing.
“Her former boyfriend said he last saw her when they broke up and he moved to PE. He said he did not know anything,” she said.
“Desiree was a trusting person who makes friends easily.
“The last time we heard from the police was in 2017, when we re-opened the case.”
She said the disappearance of her sister had had an emotional impact on her family.
“My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and bipolar disorder a few years ago,” Joao explained.
“The doctor said it was due to the years of mourning.
“At this stage, I am extremely scared of getting my hopes up, it has been a rollercoaster ride.
“One day you are full of hope and the next you feel like you will never see her again.
“Not knowing is the worst feeling, as we have heard of people being buried without their families knowing. If something like this happened, I would prefer to know what happened, to get closure.”
Another Trackn Trace member, Marian Roseleur, checked the SA National System and found that there were no changes to her identity document or marital status.
“TnT placed the old flyer on our Cold Cases Trackn Trace reposts group and it was circulated throughout Gauteng," she said.
Queries to national police went unanswered by the time of publication.