Missing: Lashaya Stine

Sixteen‑year‑old Lashaya Stine was born on February 8, 2000, to her mother, Sabrina Jones, who remembers her daughter as responsible, mature beyond her years, and deeply rooted in her family. She was the kind of teenager who cooked dinner for her younger siblings, who kept her grades high without being asked, who talked about her future with a quiet, steady confidence.

She was an honor student at George Washington High School, preparing for her senior year. She had dreams of working in the medical field — dreams she was already turning into reality. She’d earned an internship at the University of Colorado Hospital and had a job interview scheduled for July 16, 2016. Her clothes for the interview were already laid out.

But she never made it to that interview.

The Last Night at Home

In the early hours of July 15, 2016, the house was still. The kind of stillness that only exists at 2 A.M., when the world is dark and the air feels suspended. At some point during that hour, Lashaya quietly slipped out the front door.

She didn’t take her phone.

She didn’t take her charger.

She didn’t take her wallet, which still held money.

She didn’t take any clothes.

Everything she would have needed for a planned departure remained neatly in her room. It looked as though she intended to return — as though she expected the night to be brief.

Her mother believes she left to meet someone she trusted.

The Last Known Footage

Surveillance cameras later captured her walking near East Montview Boulevard and North Peoria Street — a corridor of flickering streetlights, aging motels, and late‑night foot traffic. The footage shows her moving with purpose, not wandering. She glances over her shoulder once, as if expecting someone.

She was wearing a white tank top and gray sweatpants, her long black hair pulled into the bun she wore almost every day. Her walk is steady. Her posture is calm.

These are the last confirmed images of her.

A Mother’s Desperation

When morning came and her daughter’s bed was still empty, Sabrina’s fear ignited instantly. She reported her missing within hours. She and family members canvassed the neighborhood, knocking on doors, handing out flyers, begging businesses to review their surveillance footage.

“It has been pure devastation,” Sabrina said. “The fact that I haven’t seen her face, or heard her voice for months is the most horrible thing.”

She keeps her daughter’s room the same.

She still wakes at night thinking she hears footsteps in the hallway.

Sightings on East Colfax

In the weeks and months that followed, multiple witnesses reported seeing a girl who looked like Lashaya along East Colfax — a desolate stretch lined with cheap motels, neon vacancy signs, and the constant churn of drugs and exploitation. Some said she appeared disoriented, as if drugged. Others said she was being watched or controlled.

These sightings were consistent with patterns seen in trafficking cases:

movement between motels,

being accompanied by older adults,

appearing dazed or monitored.

When Sabrina shared these reports with police, she was told her daughter may have been moved to Kansas City, Kansas. But no new tips have surfaced from that area.

Leads That Fade Into Silence

One of the most haunting aspects of the case is the silence from people who may know more.

Sabrina once received a message on Facebook from a young woman whose sister’s boyfriend allegedly had information about what happened to Lashaya. But he refused to speak with detectives.

“People in the Denver area who know about my daughter are afraid to come forward,” Sabrina said.

Rumors.

Half‑truths.

Whispers that never become statements.

The fog around the case thickens with every year that passes.

The Search That Never Stops

Despite the time, the family has never stopped searching. They’ve held vigils, organized community walks, worked with nonprofits, and kept her story alive. They believe someone, somewhere, knows something — and that even the smallest detail could bring her home.

You can read my original article on Lashaya’s disappearance here:  

Darkmatter: Missing Lashaya Stine

There is a $15,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.

If you have any information, please contact:

911

Aurora Police Sgt. Chris Poppe: 303‑739‑6130

Aurora Police: 303‑627‑3100

Crime Stoppers: 720‑913‑7867

Bring Our Missing Home Tip Line: 810‑294‑4858

A Message to Lashaya

If she is still out there, her mother wants her to hear this:

“I wish there was some way I could talk to her and let her know that it’s not too late. Don’t give up on your life. She needs to hear my voice.”

Description at the Time of Disappearance

Age: 16

Height: 5'6"

Weight: Approximately 150 lbs

Hair: Long black hair, usually worn in a bun

Eyes: Brown

Build: Slender, athletic

Identifying Mark: Quarter‑sized round scar on her chest

Other: Pierced ears, often wore simple stud earrings