Katharina Buczek
Samantha Leighann Tapp and her older sister, Kendale, navigated a tumultuous childhood together.
As kids, they lived in foster care before their foster mother was no longer able to care for them.
Afterward, Samantha and Kendale were forced to split up and live with different relatives. While Samantha lived with an aunt, Kendale stayed with their grandparents.
Eventually, though, Samantha was able to join her sister– living with her grandparents in Burleson, Texas. And together, the pair had a very close sister relationship.
According to Kendale, she and Samantha were always there for each other. And by the time Samantha was 16-years-old, she had grown into a fun-loving teen who loved being outside, auto racing, and making other people laugh.
On October 12, 2004, though, everything changed for the sisters.
After Kendale moved out of her grandparent’s house and into her boyfriend’s house, Samantha went to go visit her. Upon arriving, though, Kendale recalled how her sister was quite upset over something– although it remains unclear what.
Regardless, Samantha ultimately asked to stay with Kendale at her boyfriend’s house. Kendale wound up refusing, though, and told her sister to go back to their grandparent’s home.
Samantha then left quite angry, and Kendale assumed her sister had just gone somewhere to calm down. She never realized that would be the last time she ever saw or heard from Samantha again.
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