31 Years Ago Sara Anne Wood Disappeared, Search Continues Today

August 18th marks a solemn anniversary in Central New York. It's the tragic day 12-year-old Sara Anne Wood disappeared from a rural road near her Frankfort home.

31 years ago, on August 18, 1993, Sara vanished while riding her bike home from bible school at Norwich Corners Church on Roberts Road. Her abductor, Lewis S. Lent Jr. eventually confessed to kidnapping and murdering Sara while in custody for another child crime. He's currently serving a life sentence without parole.

Search Continues for Sara

Lent claimed he buried Sara's body in the Adirondacks but when he drew a map of the burial site, extensive searches turned up nothing. Sara’s body still hasn't been recovered 31 years later but the search continues.

She was last seen wearing a pink t-shirt with the words "Guess Who" on the front, turquoise blue shorts, and brown sandals.

Ride for Missing Children

Sara's heartbreaking story started a movement. A small group of bicyclists wanting to raise awareness about the Sara Anne Wood Rescue Center rode from Utica, New York to the U.S. Capitol in teal and pink jerseys on May 25, 1995, National Missing Children’s Day,

What began as a small group of bicyclists raising awareness has grown each year as thousands join “The Ride for Missing Children,” raising money for The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Two colors have been added to the Ride for Missing Children jersey – white to represent all missing children and purple to salute law enforcement, who continue searching for Sara.

Never Forgotten

Most of the cyclists in the Ride For Missing Children never knew Sara Anne Wood but she will never be forgotten.

If you have any information, please call 1-800-THE-LOST, the New York State Police, or e-mail missingpersons@dcjs.ny.gov.