On Friday, June 5, 1981, 21-month-old Jovonna Crawford was being babysat by her mom’s boyfriend, Ronald Garrett. Jovonna was wearing a blue and white jumpsuit, and earrings in her pierced ears.
He was supposed to drop her off with her maternal grandmother, Mary Moales, after a short while. Mary Corbin, Jovonna’s mother, came home to find Garrett alone. He claimed that a 10-year-old boy, wearing his hair braided, said he was sent by Moales to bring Jovonna over. Garrett said he thought he recognized him as a neighborhood kid, and let him take her. Moales never sent anyone to the apartment to pick up Jovonna, and this boy has never been identified.
Later, Garrett served 10 months in prison for risk to a minor. He claims that he had nothing to do with Jovonna’s disappearance. Corbin believes to this day that Garrett had something to do with the disappearance of her daughter, as she claims he has never shown remorse or concern for Jovonna. She believes Jovonna is living her life somewhere without knowledge of her own abduction and who her biological family is.
Police believe Garrett knows more than he has shared, but has since moved to Georgia and is not in contact with any investigators. The case is sitting at a standstill.
This case is an example of a situation where familial matches of consumer DNA testing may help solve this case. If Jovonna is alive, she would be turning 46 in 2025. If she did a DNA test and matched with relatives, this case may be solved.
Sources:
https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/White-case-gives-hope-1008309.php
https://charleyproject.org/case/jovanna-stacey-crawford
NamUs Case MP3351
https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/600865/1