Left and Center: Rasheeyda circa, 1991
Right: Age Progressed to age 37
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: July 15, 1991
Missing From: San Diego, San Diego County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: September 29, 1981
Age: 9 years old
Height and Weight: 5’2″ and 99 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African American Female, Black hair, Brown eyes, Rasheeyda has 3 scars on the front of her right calf and her ears are pierced, her upper front teeth protrude, she was known to wear her hair in cornrow braids at the time of her disappearance, her first name might be spelled as “Rasheedya” and she might be using the last name “Robinson”
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A white shirt with pink/green shoulder pads, blue jeans, white saddle shoes, Rasheeyda was last known to be wearing a gold chained cross necklace when she went missing
NCMEC Number: 846044
Details of Disappearance
Rasheeyda disappeared from San Diego, California on July 15th 1991. She and a friend spent the morning playing on the fire escape of a neighboring building to the hotel that they lived in. The landlord was concerned for their safety as they played and sent them both back to their homes. Rasheeyda stayed at home for a little while until 2:30 pm when she went back outside to play. She said she was going to the downtown area of San Diego.
She never returned and was never seen or heard from again afterwards. She was reported missing at 8:00 pm when she didn’t return home by then and missed dinner. Authorities searched for her extensively and even set up a command post outside her hotel. A helicopter flew over the area and Rasheeyda’s name was yelled through a loudspeaker and multiple missing child fliers with her picture and information.
Despite the efforts of police, Rasheeyda was never found. She had gone missing once before but she was later found playing by a school. Her mother believes she was probably abducted since she was extremely friendly at the time. Two other abductions and murders occurred during the same time period as Rasheeyda’s disappearance.
On June 19th 1991, a 9 year old girl named Laura Arroyo was abducted from her home in Chula Vista after she answered the door of her home to knocking. Her body was discovered the next morning at 6:30 am in an industrial park 3 miles away from her home. She was brutally beaten and stabbed to death. Investigators believe she might have also been sexually assaulted as well. In 2005, a man named Manuel Bracamontes was charged with her abduction, molestation, and murder. He was sentenced to death for the crime.
On October 3rd 1991, another 9 year old girl named, Amanda Gaeke, was allegedly abducted as she rode her bike in her neighborhood of North Park. She never returned home. On October 8th, her body was discovered in a canyon near her home. In May of 1996, a teenaged big named David Webb-Kim was arrested and charged with her killing. He lured her to his home where he drugged, raped, and murdered her. He even hid her body under his bed while he went to school before dumping it in the canyon.
There’s no evidence that the crimes are related. There are very striking similarities in that all the girls were 9 when they were abducted and all disappeared in San Diego. Rasheeyda is the only missing girl who has yet to be found and neither suspect in the other cases have been linked to her case. No hard suspects have been named in her disappearance.
There were rumors that Rasheeyda’s case was drug related and asked her mother to submit to a polygraph test. She is not considered a suspect in her daughters case and the rumor has not been confirmed to be true.
At the time of her disappearance, Rasheeyda lived with her mother and younger sister in a single hotel room at the Yale Hotel located on F Street. This was across the building she was seen playing with her friend on earlier on the day she disappeared. The area was full of crime and police later forced the hotel to close down. She was described as streetwise and quite friendly as well.
Rasheeyda’s disappearance remains unsolved and foul play is suspected. No arrests have been made in her case.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
San Diego Police Department 619-531-2000
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
California Department of Justice