More than three decades have passed since 9-year-old Rasheeyda Robinson Wilson vanished from her San Diego neighborhood, and yet the question remains heartbreakingly unanswered: Where is Rasheeyda?
On July 15, 1991, Rasheeyda, described as a streetwise, friendly child with a bright smile and cornrow braids, disappeared without a trace after telling her family she was going to play outside.
That afternoon, she had been seen with a friend on the fire escape of a nearby apartment building. A concerned landlord told the girls to leave for safety reasons. Rasheeyda returned home briefly, but by 2:30 p.m., she was out again, reportedly planning to walk toward downtown San Diego.
She never made it home for dinner.
Her mother, Vicki Wilson, reported her missing at 8:00 p.m. when the 9-year-old failed to return. While Rasheeyda had gone missing once before and been found playing later that day, her mother immediately sensed something was different this time.
A command post was set up near their residence at the Yale Hotel on F Street, and police helicopters combed the area. Despite efforts from law enforcement and national media exposure, including a segment on America’s Most Wanted, Rasheeyda was never found.
The Yale Hotel—where Rasheeyda lived in a single room with her mother and younger sister—was across the street from where she was last seen. The building, located in a high-crime area, has since been shut down by law enforcement amid concerns about drug activity. Rasheeyda’s disappearance has long stirred speculation about potential ties to that environment, but no definitive evidence has ever emerged.
Notably, Rasheeyda’s disappearance occurred during a harrowing stretch in San Diego when two other young girls—both 9 years old—were murdered: Laura Arroyo, found dead just weeks before Rasheeyda vanished, and Amanda Gaeke, whose body was discovered a few weeks after. Though suspects were ultimately convicted in both those unrelated murders, no connection to Rasheeyda’s case was ever established.
Investigators considered foul play from the outset. Rasheeyda’s physical description was widely circulated: 5’2″, 99 pounds, with three scars on her right calf, protruding front teeth, and wearing a white shirt with pink and green shoulder pads, blue jeans, white saddle shoes, and a gold chain with a cross. Despite leads, interviews, and even a polygraph request for her mother, no suspects were ever publicly identified.
Today, Rasheeyda Robinson Wilson would be 43 years old. The Charley Project, which tracks missing persons cases across the U.S., still lists her as endangered missing. Her story remains a haunting chapter in San Diego’s history and a sobering reminder of how quickly a child can vanish—and how long the pain of not knowing lasts.
As the community marks 33 years since her disappearance, one message remains constant: We will never forget!
Anyone with information about Rasheeyda’s disappearance is urged to contact the San Diego Police Department or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
