In 1993, Bonnie Lee Dages was an 18-year-old single mother living in Lithia, Florida.
As a teen, she loved riding horses and was regarded by her family as a joyful young woman. She was also a loving mother to her young son, Jeremy, who was born in December 1992.
Prior to her disappearance, Bonnie was living with a family whom she nannied for. After inheriting a small sum of money, she also discussed some plans to move to Missouri with her son.
But, she and 4-month-old Jeremy tragically vanished on April 28, 1993, and their strange disappearance has continued to puzzle loved ones and investigators for decades.
That evening, Bonnie was last seen leaving home with her son, Jeremy, at about 9:00 p.m. They were traveling to the Kash n’ Karry, a grocery store in Brandon, Florida, to go shopping and meet up with a man she was reportedly seeing, according to her family.
Then, two days later, authorities found Bonnie’s silver Dodge Caravan abandoned in the parking lot. The vehicle was locked, and inside, Bonnie’s purse – which contained $75 – and her son’s diaper bag were left behind.
However, her son’s car seat was gone. There was also no sign of Bonnie or Jeremy, and they have remained missing since 1993.
Despite there being no concrete evidence of foul play, Corporal Greg Thomas of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office claimed that investigators have always found this case to be suspicious.
Perhaps most puzzling was Bonnie’s alleged relationship with the man she was supposed to meet that night – who has not been publicly identified. According to her family, he was a family friend who was 20 years older than her.
“She thought she was in love and that he loved her, but he told her their relationship had to be kept a secret. The reality was, he was using her as he had used other women,” said Bonnie’s mother, Linda Hershberger.
The day that Bonnie vanished, she even reportedly withdrew $15,000 from her inheritance in order to give it to the man. She’d allegedly told friends that she was investing in a business with the man.
“She said her life was about to change; he was going to marry her soon, and she would have a new, happy life, but she had to keep it a secret. Then Bonnie and Jeremy were gone. Vanished,” Linda detailed.
However, once investigators questioned the man, he claimed to have barely known Bonnie. He denied ever planning to marry her or start a joint business. He also claimed that he never had plans to meet up with Bonnie at the grocery store that evening.
According to Corporal Thomas, this male family friend – along with multiple other people – was comprehensively questioned as a person of interest.
“Until further leads come about, we really have no other information to cover with him at this time,” he stated.
Due to Bonnie disappearing in 1993, her case lacks technological evidence – like surveillance camera footage and cell phone data – that would typically be available today. This has made the investigation of her case that much harder.
Since Bonnie went missing, one man reportedly came forward and claimed to be Jeremy – her son. However, DNA testing proved this claim to be false.
Now, her loved ones believe that Bonnie was murdered, and perhaps her Jeremy as well.
“We envision every possible scenario constantly. You can’t drive down the road and see a piece of woods that you don’t wonder if their bodies could be there,” Linda said.
However, without any solid evidence, the lack of answers continues to haunt Bonnie’s family.
“We’ve accepted a long time that something really bad probably happened to her, but we still don’t know. She might still be out there, and how do you quit until you know?” asked Nancy Richardson, Bonnie’s sister.
So, Bonnie’s family has continued searching for answers. They’ve also created a Facebook page entitled “In Memory Of Bonnie Lee Dages” to raise awareness about her case.
“I don’t think I can explain. It’s always a part of your existence. You’re always looking and always waiting to hear something; you’re always hoping someone will turn up with an answer, even if it’s a deathbed confession. We just want to know what happened,” Linda said.
At the time of her disappearance, Bonnie was five foot six, weighed approximately 150 pounds, and had blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing pink denim shorts, a blue T-shirt, and white leather sandals.
Her son, Jeremy, was 4 months old when he disappeared. The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children has previously released age-progressed photos of what Jeremy might look like at 20 years old.
If you have any information regarding Bonnie’s disappearance, you are urged to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200.
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By Katharina Buczek
Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing in... More about Katharina Buczek
