Chicago Teen Found in Virginia After Four-Year Kidnapping Ordeal

CHICAGO — A shocking update has ended the mystery of a missing child and kidnapping case, as a teenager who disappeared from Chicago has been found four years later in Virginia, having been held captive all this time, according to NBC 5 Investigates.

The alleged kidnapping happened outside a Chicago movie theater on June 23, 2022. The 15-year-old girl had taken an Uber from Milwaukee to Chicago to meet a man who had arranged the ride for her, according to law enforcement. She had been communicating with the man online for several years prior to their meeting.

Investigators reported that the man convinced the teen to meet up, and he held her captive ever since that day. “Her dad called me and was like, ‘Her phone’s going to voicemail.’ I knew immediately it was just off,” said a family member.

The parents of Joniah Walker, now 19, expressed their growing concern when her phone went silent, believing it was an indicator of danger. Walker became a high-profile missing person case, with her family and friends pleading for help and criticizing Milwaukee police for a perceived lack of urgency. They publicly questioned the investigation methods, highlighting that they had access to doorbell camera footage from the last sighting of Walker while the police did not actively pursue leads.

“Why didn’t the police go knock on people’s doors? Like everybody on that block has a Ring camera. We got the videos, not the police,” stated one relative. “No one interviewed me; no one sat me down. It was us versus the police stations with a glass between us,” voiced another.

Four years later, Walker was located 730 miles away in a small frame home in Blacksburg, Virginia. Authorities reported that she had been sexually and physically abused while being held captive by 37-year-old Owen Anderson. Police stated that Anderson had disposed of her cellphone and a burner phone he had provided her in a trash can on the sidewalk.

Recently, Milwaukee County authorities filed kidnapping and child abduction charges against Anderson, who has not yet appeared in Wisconsin court and remains in custody in Virginia. Milwaukee police declined NBC 5 Investigates’ request for comments regarding the alleged kidnapping or the ongoing investigation. Previously, an officer noted there was no indication that Walker was targeted by an organized abduction ring.

“I can assure you we have no reason to believe that she was involved in human trafficking,” Milwaukee Police Officer Jamie Sromalla told NBC affiliate WTMJ of Milwaukee earlier in the case. However, Milwaukee police reiterated their position in an email, indicating it would be misleading to classify the teenager's situation as human trafficking despite the serious charges detailing her victimization.

If you are a child being abused or know a child who may be facing abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453 or visit childhelphotline.org.