Nationwide — Celina Mays disappeared at 12 years old, nine months pregnant, from her family home in Willingboro, New Jersey, and has never been found. Her case remains unsolved decades later, with authorities still seeking answers about her whereabouts.
Her stepsister, Nori Mays, was just 4 when Celina disappeared on the night of December 16, 1996. “I pulled the covers back, and all I saw were pillows,” she recalled, according to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. That morning, the family’s life changed forever.
The night Celina disappeared, she attended church with her family and went to bed around 11 p.m. Her father, C.J. Mays, reported her missing when she didn’t return. From the start, both police and family focused on the church, wondering if it played any role in her disappearance or her pregnancy.
In the early 1990s, the Mays family ran the Gospel of Christ Ministries in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Nori described the church as strict and controlling under her aunt, Cerita Smith, who was the pastor. Family members followed strict rules, and her parents feared defying the church while trying to protect Celina.
The father of Celina’s child has never been identified. Family members say Celina mentioned he was 16, but never named him. Over the years, some theories suggest she may have been secretly helped to escape, though nothing has been confirmed. Her family hopes renewed attention will help investigators uncover the truth.
Detective Monica Pogorzelski of the Willingboro Police Department continues to work on the case. “We remain hopeful that Celina and her child may be alive,” she said. The church is now abandoned, and authorities continue to reach out to anyone who might have information. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has also released an age-progressed image showing what Celina might look like today.
Celina would be 40 years old now, and her child would be 27. Her family continues to wait for answers, hoping that anyone with information will come forward to help solve the case.