Katharina Buczek
In 1990, Norine Higuchi Brown was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, and friend. After being born on December 13, 1958, she grew up on Long Island– a region that was experiencing a rapid population boom at the time.
Norine then went on to attend Uniondale High School as a teen and, upon graduation, secured a stable office job.
It was during her early career days that she also met and fell in love with her husband, John.
Norine and John went on to welcome two children into the world together and dwelled in the suburbs of New Hyde Park.
Come December of 1990, though, the Brown family’s excitement for the holiday season was quickly curtailed following a grave tragedy.
It all began on December 12, which otherwise started off as a normal winter day for Norine. In the afternoon, she and her sister, Susan, took her children shopping for Christmas presents.
Afterward, the group even made a pit stop to snap a photo with Santa Claus before leaving the mall.
Then, Norine dropped Susan off in Franklin Square– where her sister lived– before heading home with the kids to eat dinner and do their bedtime routine.
By 11:00 p.m., though, the mother decided to run to the store to pick up some Christmas cookie ingredients. Strangely, though, Norine never returned home that night.
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