After Her Father Stopped At A Gas Station In 1989, She Disappeared Right Out Of Their Car
August 5, 1989, began like any other day for 13-year-old Amy Sue Pagnac and her father, Marshall Midden, of Maple Grove, Minnesota.
The pair went up to their family farm, located in Isanti County, Minnesota, to spend the Saturday afternoon. Then, on their way back to Maple Grove, Marshall stopped at a Holiday Inn gas station in Osseo, which was located just two miles from their home, at about 4:30 p.m.
At that point, he went inside to use the restroom. Then, upon returning, he realized that his car was still parked in the same spot, but Amy was nowhere to be found.
Marshall subsequently searched for his daughter, yet she wasn’t in the women’s restroom, the nearby bakery, or clothing shop and hadn’t gone to the local school playground. He ultimately called his wife and Amy’s mother, Susan Pagnac, in a panic.
“He said, ‘I should have never gone in the bathroom. I should have never used the bathroom,'” Susan recalled.
Following her disappearance, authorities initially thought she might have just run away from home. Apparently, Amy reportedly ran away multiple times that summer after dealing with some undisclosed problems.
However, she always returned home within a short time and had been “acting normal” during the month leading up to her disappearance. So, Amy’s mother knew something was wrong.
“She would not have stayed gone. She was quite happy; she was looking forward to starting eighth grade,” Susan told Fox 9 in 2019.
Amy’s disappearance is no longer classified as a runaway case. But she’s been missing for over 34 years, and there are still few answers as to why.
Facebook – pictured above is Amy
Amy reportedly suffered from headaches and occasional seizures due to a medical condition. So, one theory is that she may have had a seizure while her father was inside the gas station, causing her to become disoriented and possibly walk away from the car. However, this remains unsubstantiated.
Investigators also believed this theory was less and less likely as the time Amy remained missing went on. Authorities reportedly went to Susan and Marshall’s home in 2007 with a search warrant, spending less than a day combing through their residence. Additionally, authorities visited their farm in Isanti County.
Still, no one has ever been arrested in connection with Amy’s case, and there have been few leads since her disappearance. Her family believes that Amy was taken against her will.
“You don’t expect them to vanish, and the last thing you ever expect is not only did they vanish, but you don’t see or hear from them again for 30 years,” Susan said.
“It’s kind of life-altering. I still have trouble coming up with the right words.”
Despite that, Amy’s family has continued to hold onto hope and search for answers. They’ve created a Facebook page entitled “Help Find Amy Sue Pagnac.” There, her loved ones have shared age-progressed photos showing what Amy may look like as an adult, as well as personal messages and sentiments in hopes of raising awareness about her disappearance.
On the thirty-fourth anniversary of Amy’s disappearance last year, a message to Amy was shared, signed by her mom, dad, and little sister.
“This day is always difficult. However, this year is more intense as August 5th is on a Saturday, once again,” the post began.
“There are life-changing events that occur during one’s life. The last thing that parents expect is for their child to be abducted and for it to be unsolved for the long term. It has now been 34 years since we have seen you, heard you laugh, talked with you, watched you and your sister play, or had time together as a family,” the post continued.
“Amy, we love you and miss you. We will never give up or stop searching.”
Additionally, Amy’s loved ones issued a renewed plea for anyone with information to come forward.
“We’re asking for help. Please come forward with any information you may have. Even if you are not sure something is relevant, you should contact the police. It may be a key piece of information that is needed,” they said.
At the time of her disappearance, Amy was five feet tall, weighed 100 pounds, and had brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing sweatpants, a light-colored shirt, and sneakers. Amy would be 47 years old today.
If you have any information regarding her case, you are urged to contact the Maple Grove Police Department at (763) 494-6100.
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