In hopes of solving the mysterious disappearance of Teekah Lewis, detectives are releasing new photos and home video of the Tacoma youngster, who went missing from a bowling alley nine years ago today.
“It’s time to bring her home,” Tacoma police detective Brad Graham said recently. “Nine years … hopefully, that’s loosened up someone’s vocal cords.”
The Christmas photos show the 21/2-year-old with bangs and smiling, giving her a different look than the picture of the serious-faced girl that was released at the time Teekah went missing. On the video, she is playing and making noises for the camera at a family Christmas celebration 28 days before her disappearance.
“Look into that picture,” Teekah’s mother, Theresa Lewis, pleaded in a recent interview. “There is somebody out there that remembers something that night and they need to come forward.”
Teekah was last seen about 10:15 p.m. Jan. 23, 1999, on a busy night at the New Frontier Lanes bowling alley, 4702 S. Center St., in Tacoma. As her family bowled nearby, the youngster played near a coin-operated racing game.
Then, she vanished.
Teekah’s family searched for her and after 10 to 15 minutes reported her missing to the off-duty police officer working at the bowling alley that night, Graham said. No trace of Teekah has been found.
“We believe somebody kidnapped her, a stranger,” detective Lindsey Wade said.
In the years since Teekah’s disappearance, investigators have again interviewed everyone at the bowling alley that night. The bowling alley has been replaced by a fast-food restaurant, but detectives have tracked down hundreds of other leads.
“Things have come up and tips have come in, but nothing has panned out,” Wade said.
They have yet to identify the driver of a late-1980s or early 1990s Grand Am with tinted windows reportedly seen speeding out of the parking lot minutes after Teekah went missing. A witness who saw the car didn’t get its license plate number.
“We have never concretely identified that person,” Wade said.
Meanwhile, Lewis has hired private investigators, consulted psychics and held candlelight vigils.
“These nine years have been the roughest of my life,” said Lewis, who has five other daughters. “There is just one thing missing from my life and that’s her.”
Wade and Graham picked up Teekah’s case over the summer, giving the file fresh eyes to review work already done. They approached Lewis and got the new pictures and home video late last year.
The detectives hope that, despite the time that has passed, someone will come forward with new information.
“It’s hard to believe somebody could walk out with this child and nobody saw anything,” Wade said.
“We want to reach out to people here who knew somebody who changed their demeanor or attitude level or suspicion level that night or the days following,” Graham said. “We want people to re-examine their conscience and revisit that night.”
Lewis, who still holds onto the hope that her daughter is still alive somewhere, also wants closure.
“I hope and pray with the detectives,” Lewis said, “that at least one person comes forward and says, I know what happened that night, and solves everything so I don’t have to go through another year wondering where my baby is.”
