Left: Curtis circa, 1989
Right: Age Progressed to age 22
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: November 18, 1989
Missing From: Newark, Essex County, New Jersey
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: October 6, 1987
Age: 2 years old
Height and Weight: 1’8″ and 25 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African American Male, Black hair, Brown eyes, Curtis has two marks on his back
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A blue Yankees baseball cap, a green jacket, and blue jeans
NCMEC Number: 776157
Details of Disappearance
Curtis was last seen in Newark, New Jersey on November 18th 1989. The child was visiting his father, Curtis Williams, and his extended relatives in New Jersey at the time of his disappearance for the thanksgiving holiday. He lived with his mother, Lashawn McCoy, in South Carolina and she had full custody of him in 1989.
According to his father, Curtis disappeared while walking with him and his girlfriend, Sabeth Moore, and his two half sisters in downtown Newark. He claimed they were shopping for windows at the time and that when they reached an intersection in the street, he grabbed for McCoy’s hand and discovered the child was nowhere behind them.
Investigators conducted extensive searches for the child in the area but McCoy was never located. They initially thought Curtis may have been abducted by a stranger. His case continues to be listed as a non-family abduction with most missing children agencies.
Williams was questioned very extensively regarding his son’s disappearance after it occurred. Lashawn told investigators that her son did not want to travel to New Jersey for the trip and that she had to reassure him that the trip would be alright. Investigators originally believed that Williams possibly hid Curtis in the local area and that he was living under a different name. Their searches did not recover any evidence that the child was alive or heard from since his disappearance.
In January of 2006, Williams was charged with the murder of his son. Sabetha apparently told authorities that Curtis did not disappear during a shopping trip and admitted the child’s father had killed him . Evidence as also found to indicate that he was responsible for Curtis’s death. Investigators stated that they had opened a grand jury investigation into the child’s disappearance and Moore testified that after Williams had killed Curtis, he reported him as a missing child to cover up his death.
Moore’s statements could not be proven because no physical or strong evidence was found to indicate the truth of her words. Sabetha also could not remember the location of Curtis’s remains. In May of 2007, Williams was charged and plead guilty to hindering apprehension in connection to Curtis’s disappearance. He was sentenced to time served and 5 years of probation. The fraud charges were dropped as a result of the plea deal.
Williams was immediately released from police custody following this. Investigators stated they did not have enough evidence to prove intentional murder in relation to Curtis’s death. This is why a plea agreement took place.
Lashawn has criticized the decision. She’s fought to have answers in Curtis’s disappearance since the day he was reported missing and moved her entire family to New Jersey after her son went missing to be closer to the search. She herself never stopped looking for him.
Before his release, Williams confessed to killing Curtis by beating him to death and stated that he has buried the child’s body in a shallow 3 feet deep grave located under the New Jersey Turnpike in Jersey City, New Jersey. He described the graves location as being on a hilly, brush filled spot beneath an elevated portion of the turnpike.
Investigators believe that he was truthful about the location of the burial because he passed a polygraph about it. Searches were conducted in the area for his body but authorities were unable to find it and it’s possible nothing remains after so many years of him being buried in that area.
Curtis’s whereabouts remain unknown and he has never been located. Foul play is strongly suspected in his case and his family hopes his remains can be recovered.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Newark Police Department 201-733-6123
Federal Bureau of Investigation 202-324-3000
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
International Missing Persons Wiki