It's been more than two decades since Diamond and Tionda Bradley went missing in Chicago. The case became highly mysterious as no traces hinted at where they went.
On July 6, 2001, the day they went missing, Tionda was 11 years old while her younger sister Diamond was just a 3-year-old. As shared by Tracey Bradley, their mother, she instructed her daughters not to open their apartment door as she was leaving for work.
Tracey's boyfriend and Diamond's father, George, dropped her off at work around 6:15 AM. As seen in an episode of Investigation Discovery titled Disappeared: The Bradley Sisters, Tracey called her daughters around 7-8 AM but didn't receive an answer.
Despite making multiple calls and sending voicemails that George was waiting outside, the girls didn't respond. Tracey and George got worried and returned home around 11-11:30 AM.
The couple was shocked to learn that Diamond and Tionda Bradley were missing from the apartment. Instead, a note stated that the girls had gone to a grocery store and playground.
Conversely, the note seemed suspicious, as it was written with advanced grammar and correct spelling, not what you would expect from a 10-year-old. The Bradleys involved the police, and despite an extensive search, Diamond and Tionda remained unknown.
5 chilling Diamond and Tionda Bradley theories
To date, Tracey Bradley has not found her missing daughters, despite the numerous claims from girls claiming to be the Bradley sisters. These are some theories about what reportedly happened to Diamond and Tionda Bradley.
1) Abduction by Tracey Bradley's boyfriend George W.
The first theory about Diamond and Tionda Bradley's disappearance suggests that Tracey's boyfriend, George W. abducted the girls He was the father of Diamond and, as shared by the mother in Disappeared: The Bradley Sisters, Tracey sent voicemails saying, "George is at the door."
The theory suggests that George W. went back to the apartment and took the girls with him. Chicago detective Pamela Childs alluded to believing that someone known to the girls was involved in their disappearance. Since there was no sign of forced entry into their Chicago apartment, the girls might have left with someone they knew.
Additionally, a receipt for gloves, bleach, contractor bags, and Tionda's hair was found inside George's truck, and someone even claimed that he was burning something in a drum. There are claims that Tracey and George W. might know more about the incident, which they didn't share with the investigators.
2) Involvement of their neighbor
When the girls went missing, Tracey thought they might have gone somewhere in the neighborhood, but no one confirmed. However, this theory suggests the involvement of a neighbor named George, not Diamond's father, who often babysat Tracey's daughters.
Though George helped during the investigation, this theory suggests that he was involved in the girls' disappearance.
3) Tionda's Father from Morocco could have been involved
Though not much was disclosed about Tionda's biological father, it was revealed that he is from Morocco and could have had something to do with the girls' disappearance. During the investigation, some children from the neighborhood claimed to have seen a white man in a coat talking to Tionda and Diamond at the playground.
Following the claims, an investigator was sent to Morocco but couldn't find any evidence that could prove he kidnapped Diamond and Tionda Bradley.
4) Diamond and Tionda Bradley might have voluntarily left home
There was a note found on the couch, claiming to have been written by Tionda that they went to a nearby store and playground. Though it looked suspicious, there's a slight chance that the Bradley sisters willingly left the house and were reportedly kidnapped by a third party.
Additionally, the Bradleys lived in the Oakland area, which had a high crime record. The apartment cameras were placed upward, making it impossible to catch any illegal activity.
5) Child traf*icking could be a possible theory
Since the area they lived in was known for illegal activities, child traf*icking could be a possible theory to explore. Tionda and Diamond were young and innocent which could have made their abduction easier.
In most of the missing cases, children are kidnapped and taken to places where their families can never reach. The same could have happened to Diamond and Tionda Bradley.
However, neither the Bradleys nor the investigators could figure out what happened to the little girls and how they disappeared without leaving any trace behind.
A woman claimed to be Diamond Bradley in 2023
Throughout the years, several women have claimed to be Diamond and Tionda Bradley, but DNA tests proved they weren't the Bradley sisters. However, in 2023 a TikTok video went viral about a woman claiming that she is Diamond and remembers being taken away in a car with another girl, possibly Tionda.
According to ABC7, the DNA results of the lady have not been made public. Moreover, the Department of Justice policy has not commented on the case since the results are still pending as of August 25, 2024.
Stay tuned to Soap Central to explore more chilling cases around the world.