In 2010, This Teen Vanished From Her Delaware Home While Five Months Pregnant, And She Received A Call From A Burner Phone Before She Disappeared
In 2010, 15-year-old Janteyl Johnson of Newark, Delaware, was preparing for her future. She had plans to attend a Philadelphia-based beauty school in hopes of becoming a hairstylist.
Then, Janteyl wanted to attend business school in order to eventually open her own salon.
“She loved doing hair. She was always changing hers up. She always did mine. And her sister’s. It was great having a personal hairstylist,” recalled her mother, Kyma Johnson.
“She knew that’s what she wanted to do. It was her goal. But that didn’t happen. Well, we don’t think it did anyway. We just don’t know.”
That’s because, on February 3, 2010, Janteyl vanished from her home while five months pregnant.
When Janteyl’s family first found out she was expecting, the news was shocking. However, Janteyl did not want to give up her career aspirations and continued attending school.
Just before she vanished, Janteyl was also looking forward to a doctor’s appointment where she would find out her baby’s gender. Unfortunately, she disappeared beforehand.
February 3, 2010, started off like a normal Wednesday for Janteyl and her family. Her brother brought their mom, Kyma, to the train station so she could commute to work. Afterward, Janteyl was driven to school.
However, at about 12:00 p.m., Janteyl called her mom and claimed she was going to head home early since she wasn’t feeling well. According to Kyma, her daughter still intended to go back to school later that afternoon so she could attend her after-school activities.
Facebook – pictured above is Janteyl
Plus, Janteyl’s brother was supposed to pick her up afterward so they could head to Philadelphia and meet up with their mom for church.
During their discussion at noon, Janteyl asked if her mom could give her a call later on to make sure she was awake and getting ready.
Kyma agreed, yet when she attempted to call her daughter that afternoon, Janteyl didn’t answer.
“I figured she was asleep or went back to school. I was not alarmed at that point,” Kyma said.
It wasn’t until later that Janteyl’s brother realized something was wrong. After arriving at their apartment located on Winterhaven Drive, it was clear that Janteyl had been home. There were signs that she’d made a snack and taken a nap. Plus, her purse, clothing, and glasses were left behind, and the door was unlocked.
However, Janteyl was nowhere to be found.
This prompted Janteyl’s mother and brother to begin calling both her school and her friends. Tragically, no one had any idea where she was.
“Now, I’m panicking. I felt it in my gut. Something had happened,” Kyma stated.
Kyma ultimately contacted the New Castle County Police Department at 10:00 p.m. that night to file a missing person report. At the time, authorities classified her case as an endangered runaway.
According to Kyma, it was possible that her daughter had run away, but she did not believe Janteyl had no intention of returning home.
“She just got this new bag – a Betty Boop bag – and it was still there. She didn’t just leave,” Kyma stated.
“She left everything behind. It just didn’t make any sense.”
Once an investigation was launched, analysis of Janteyl’s phone records showed that someone had called her the afternoon she went missing. The call lasted a few minutes, but the phone number of the caller was linked to a burner phone. So, who placed the call was never determined.
Kyma believes Janteyl was possibly called by someone she knew who asked her to go for a drive, which is why their home appeared as though Janteyl had left quickly. Then, Janteyl may have been met with foul play and prevented from returning home.
One theory is that this person may have been the father of Janteyl’s unborn baby. His identity has never been publicly revealed.
A couple of days after she went missing, her cell phone reportedly pinged close to the home of the man’s mother.
He was reportedly questioned by authorities but never named a suspect in Janteyl’s case. Moreover, there are no other new leads or suspects in Janteyl’s disappearance.
According to Janteyl’s loved ones, they were supportive of her pregnancy. Kyma is especially heartbroken as she wonders about her grandchild.
“I never even got to find out if my grandchild was a girl or a boy. It’s heartbreaking,” she said.
It is possible that Janteyl may have remained local or could be in the areas of Wilmington, Delaware; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Maryland; or New York.
Still, Janteyl’s case – which is now classified as endangered missing – remains unsolved, and her family is still hoping for closure.
“I don’t know what happened that day, but I don’t believe she ran away from us. It’s been so many years, but it still feels fresh. We’d like answers,” Kyma said.
Janteyl was last seen wearing a black ski jacket with a fur hood, and her hair was braided. She also had a scar under her lip on her chin.
Janteyl would be 29 years old today. If you have any information regarding her case, you are urged to contact the New Castle County Police Department at (302) 395-8171.
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