Sisters of LeeAnna Warner, Chisholm girl who vanished 21 years ago, hope new photo will yield answers
CHISHOLM, Minn. — Two Minnesota sisters are hoping an age progression photo of their 5-year-old sister who went missing 21 years ago can help solve the mystery of her disappearance.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) says LeeAnna Warner, nicknamed "Beaner," was last seen on June 14, 2003, leaving her Chisholm residence.
Sisters Whitney Schupp, 31, and Karlee Vanloo, 30, who were 9 and 10 at the time, say LeeAnna left to go to a friend's house, never to be seen again.
"Five o'clock comes around, my mom is saying that she doesn't know where LeeAnna is, can I go look for her," Vanloo said. "I'm crying, driving my little bike all around screaming her name. It was a lot, but I remember all of it."
Schupp and Vanloo say it was their mother's dying wish to find LeeAnna. Kaelin Warner died from lung cancer in 2022.
"I remember she was crying hysterically, 'I'm not dying. I'm not dying. But if I do die, I need you and Karlee to find your sister,'" Whitney said. "'Give us the answers that we need. Don't stop searching. Bring her home. That's all I want from you. That's all I need from you.'"
NCMEC has released an age progression photo created by forensic artists showing what LeeAnna may look like now at age 26. The photo is now up on billboards across Chisholm in the effort to jumpstart the renewed search for answers.
"We're sisters. There's something so different about a sister bond. We need the closure as a family," Vanloo said. "I think even the state of Minnesota, the Iron Range, everybody that's ever followed her story needs the closure."
Anyone with information on LeeAnna's case is asked to call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
MORE NEWS: Nicolae Miu found guilty of 6 charges in Apple River stabbing trial