Diamond and Tionda Bradley’s family continues to keep their case in the spotlight by holding prayer vigils and marches every July 6, the day they disappeared nine years ago.
Diamond and Tionda Bradley’s family continues to keep their case in the spotlight by holding prayer vigils and marches every July 6, the day they disappeared nine years ago. The Bradley sisters went missing from their South Side home in 2001. They were ages 3 and 10 respectively. They would now be 12 and 19 years old. Tracey Bradley, the girls’ mother went to work as usual the morning of July 6, 2001. She returned home a few hours later to an empty apartment on East 35th Street and Lake Park Avenue. An unsuccessful private search was conducted by family and friends before the Chicago Police Department was called that evening. Searches in the neighborhood, at the Dan Ryan Woods, Washington Park and in more than 5,000 abandoned buildings across the city yielded no results. Their sisters case initially garnered national attention and sparked the largest hunt in Chicago Police Department history. The Nancy Grace Show often features the sisters’ case and also did a one-hour special about their disappearance. Their case was also featured on America’s Most Wanted. “It’s important for my nieces to know the family has never given up on trying to find them. We remain optimistic that we will all be reunited,” the girls’ aunt Shelia Bradley-Smith told the Defender. Bradley-Smith said keeping their case in the national spotlight helps tremendously in keeping the girls’ disappearance case from going stale. The candlelight vigil for the girls will be held today at 6 p.m. in the 3500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender. Photo Caption: Diamond Bradley age-progression at 10 years old (inset, Diamond at 3 years old). Tionda Bradley age-progression at 17 years old (inset, Tionda at 10 years old). Courtesy: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.