Lost Girls

Lost Girls

Lost Girls, hosted by Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey -- Every Girl Deserves Justice!

  1. 3d ago

    The Disappearance of Trudy Leann Appleby

    The Lost Girls Podcast | The Disappearance of Trudy Leann Appleby | The 1996 Illinois Cold Case That May Finally See Justice In this episode of The Lost Girls Podcast, hosts LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith examine the heartbreaking disappearance of Trudy Leann Appleby, an 11-year-old girl who vanished from Moline, Illinois, on August 21, 1996. For nearly three decades, Trudy's family searched for answers while investigators pursued countless leads in one of Illinois' most haunting missing child cases. Although her remains have never been found, the investigation never stopped. Today, prosecutors have brought murder charges in a case that many believed might never reach a courtroom. This episode carefully explores the known facts surrounding Trudy's disappearance, the early investigation, the witnesses who eventually came forward, the years-long focus on Campbells Island and the Mississippi River, and the recent criminal charges that have renewed hope for justice. Because this remains an active criminal case, we also discuss the legal process and emphasize the importance of the presumption of innocence. The individual charged has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations will ultimately be decided in court. Throughout this episode, we distinguish between documented investigative findings, witness statements, and allegations presented by prosecutors so listeners can better understand where the evidence stands today. In this episode, we discuss: • The disappearance of 11-year-old Trudy Leann Appleby from Moline, Illinois • The last confirmed sighting on August 21, 1996 • Why investigators abandoned the runaway theory • The significance of the silver or gray four-door vehicle • The role of Campbells Island and the Mississippi River searches • William "Ed" Smith and the investigation that unfolded over decades • Witness statements that reshaped the case • The forensic work that continued long after Trudy disappeared • The 2025 indictment and murder charges • The ongoing search for Trudy's remains • Why families never stop searching for answers Cases like Trudy's remind us that time does not erase the need for justice. Behind every missing child is a family waiting for answers, investigators refusing to give up, and a community that can still make a difference by remembering. If you have information about the disappearance of Trudy Leann Appleby, please contact the Moline Police Department at 309-797-0401. Investigators continue to believe there are people who know more than they have shared. If you believe in giving a voice to missing women and children, please help us by subscribing, sharing this episode, and leaving a review. Every share increases the chances that someone who knows something will hear Trudy's story. The Lost Girls Podcast is hosted by investigative journalist and author LaDonna Humphrey and researcher Amy Smith. Together, they shine a light on missing persons, unsolved murders, cold cases, and the families who continue searching for answers because every victim deserves to be remembered. Keywords: Trudy Leann Appleby, Trudy Appleby, Moline Illinois, missing child, missing girl, cold case, Illinois cold case, unsolved disappearance, true crime podcast, missing persons, LaDonna Humphrey, Amy Smith, Campbells Island, Mississippi River, Rock Island County, murder indictment, child abduction, unsolved mystery, The Lost Girls Podcast.

    9 min

  2. Jun 29

    The Vanishing of Audrey Chin

    In July 1981, 20-year-old Audrey Chin left her family's home in East Norwich, New York, for what should have been a quick trip to the grocery store. She never returned. More than four decades later, her disappearance remains one of Long Island's enduring unsolved mysteries. In this episode of The Lost Girls Podcast, Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey examine the life of a young woman whose future seemed full of promise. Audrey was working as a typist while attending night classes at the State University of New York's Agricultural and Technical College at Farmingdale. She hoped to transfer to Stony Brook University that fall to continue her education and pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Friends and family described her as responsible, hardworking, and happy. Nothing suggested she intended to disappear. After Audrey vanished, investigators located her tan 1976 Chevrolet Nova abandoned in the parking lot of a diner at Old Country Road and South Oyster Bay Road in Plainview. Several of the tires were flat, and investigators found cigarette ash inside the vehicle, despite Audrey being a non-smoker. The discovery only deepened the mystery. Amy and LaDonna also explore one of the more unusual aspects of the case. The night before Audrey disappeared, she fainted in her family's bathroom, striking the back of her head. Although she was evaluated at a hospital and doctors found no serious injury, Audrey's mother later wondered whether the fall or a delayed medical complication could somehow have played a role in her disappearance. Investigators have never found evidence to support that theory, but it remains one of several unanswered questions surrounding the case. The hosts discuss why Audrey's family never believed she left voluntarily. On the morning she disappeared, she scheduled a veterinary appointment for her kitten later that afternoon and left several hundred dollars in cash untouched in her room. She also left behind the life she had been carefully building, including her job, her education, her boyfriend, and her future plans. More than 40 years later, Audrey Chin has never been found, and no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance. Amy and LaDonna examine the timeline, the evidence, and the lingering questions that continue to haunt investigators and Audrey's loved ones. If you have any information about the disappearance of Audrey Chin, please contact the Nassau County Police Department at 516-573-8800. Join Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey as they continue telling the stories of missing women and girls whose cases deserve renewed attention—because every girl deserves to be found, and every family deserves answers.

    9 min

  3. Jun 8

    Angel Carlick: A Life Interrupted

    In this episode of The Lost Girls Podcast, hosts LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith examine the heartbreaking case of Angel Carlick, a 19-year-old Indigenous woman whose disappearance and death continue to haunt her family, community, and investigators nearly two decades later. Angel was just weeks away from graduating high school when she vanished from downtown Whitehorse, Yukon, on May 26, 2007. Known for her compassion, creativity, and dedication to helping others, Angel worked with a community dinner program for children, advocated for youth, and remained deeply connected to her family and friends. By all accounts, she was building a promising future. After leaving a friend's house and traveling into downtown Whitehorse on her bicycle, Angel called her best friend from a payphone to make plans. Later that night, she was reportedly seen walking away from Main Street with one or more individuals. It would be the last confirmed sighting of her alive. For nearly six months, Angel's loved ones searched for answers. Then, on November 9, 2007, her remains were discovered in a wooded area near the Pilot Mountain subdivision north of Whitehorse. The discovery confirmed the worst fears of those who loved her but left critical questions unanswered. Investigators have never determined whether Angel died at that location or if her body was moved there after her death. Angel's case remains unsolved. During this episode, LaDonna and Amy discuss Angel's life, the timeline of her disappearance, the ongoing investigation, and the broader crisis of violence against Indigenous women and girls across Canada and the United States. They also explore how silence, fear, and the passage of time can complicate homicide investigations while emphasizing the importance of continued public attention. The episode highlights renewed interest in Angel's case through the CBC podcast Someone Knows Something and examines why unresolved cases involving Indigenous women deserve sustained attention and accountability. Angel Carlick was more than a case file. She was a daughter, sister, friend, advocate, artist, and young woman with dreams that were never given the chance to fully unfold. If you have information regarding Angel Carlick's disappearance or death, please contact the Yukon RCMP Historical Case Unit at (867) 667-5500 or email MDIV_HCU@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Because every girl deserves justice. Sources & ResourcesSomeone Knows Something (Season focused on Angel Carlick's case)Yukon RCMP Historical Case UnitFamily and community advocacy efforts seeking justice for Angel CarlickFollow The Lost Girls PodcastFollow The Lost Girls Podcast for weekly episodes examining missing women, unresolved murders, suspicious deaths, and the families who continue searching for answers long after public attention fades. Hosted by LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith.

    13 min

  4. Jun 4

    Melissa Brannen: The Little Girl Who Never Came Home

    On December 3, 1989, five-year-old Melissa Brannen attended a Christmas party with her mother at their apartment complex in northern Virginia. Surrounded by neighbors, holiday decorations, and families celebrating the season, no one could have imagined that Melissa would disappear without a trace. What began as an ordinary holiday gathering quickly became one of the most haunting child abduction cases in American history. In this episode, LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith examine the heartbreaking disappearance of Melissa Brannen, a little girl who vanished after briefly returning to a crowded party to get a snack. Despite an extensive search involving law enforcement, military personnel, and hundreds of volunteers, Melissa was never found. The investigation soon focused on apartment maintenance worker Caleb Daniel Hughes. Witness statements, forensic evidence, and suspicious behavior led to his conviction for abduction with intent to defile. Yet even after decades, one devastating question remains unanswered: Where is Melissa Brannen? More than thirty-five years later, Melissa's family still lives without the answers they deserve. Her case remains a painful reminder that some of the most terrifying crimes happen in places where we feel safest. In this episode, we discuss: • Melissa Brannen's disappearance from a crowded Christmas party in 1989 • The massive search effort that followed • The investigation into Caleb Daniel Hughes • The forensic evidence presented at trial • The challenges prosecutors faced without a body • The emotional toll of unresolved child disappearances • The lasting impact this case had on parents across America This episode contains discussions of child abduction, sexual violence involving a minor, and crimes against children. Listener discretion is advised. If you have information regarding Melissa Brannen's disappearance, please contact law enforcement or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Because every girl deserves justice. Hosted by Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey Learn more about our advocacy work at All the Lost Girls: allthelostgirls.org

    18 min

  5. May 20

    What Happened to Isabelle Sam?

    For this episode of The Lost Girls Podcast, LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith examine the troubling death of Isabelle Sam, a forty-four-year-old Indigenous woman who was found deceased inside an SUV in Juneau, Alaska, in January 2023. Authorities ruled Isabelle’s death accidental, citing combined drug intoxication involving fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, and alcohol. But the circumstances surrounding her final hours have continued to raise deeply uncomfortable questions. According to reports, Isabelle was not alone prior to her death. Concerns surrounding witness accounts, the timeline of events, delays in intervention, and the reported existence of a forensic sexual assault examination have left many people unsettled by the official narrative surrounding the case. In this episode, LaDonna and Amy explore the known timeline, the larger crisis involving Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, the way addiction can alter public empathy toward victims, and the difficult questions that still linger in the aftermath of Isabelle’s death. This episode contains discussions involving addiction, death, and violence and may be difficult for some listeners. If you have information related to the death of Isabelle Sam, please contact law enforcement in Juneau, Alaska. The Lost Girls Podcast is independently produced. We do not monetize this podcast through subscriptions or paywalls because we believe these stories — and the advocacy surrounding them — should remain accessible to everyone.

    22 min

  6. Apr 25

    The Suspicious Death of Bonnie Three Irons

    Tonight on Lost Girls, hosted by LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith, we are bringing you the story of Bonnie Three Irons—a Native American mother whose life was taken in 2017, and whose case still sits without answers. Bonnie’s body was found near the Wolf Mountains on the Crow Reservation in Montana, a place that should have held familiarity and safety, not violence and loss. She was more than a name in a case file. She was a mother to her son, Faron Enemy Hunter III, and she was deeply loved by her family, including her mother, Jennifer White Bear, who continues to search for the truth about what happened to her daughter. This case is not just about one woman. It exists within a larger, deeply troubling pattern—the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Cases like Bonnie’s are too often overlooked, under-investigated, or allowed to go cold without the urgency they deserve. Behind every one of these cases is a family waiting, a story unfinished, and a life that mattered. Tonight, we are going to talk about Bonnie. About who she was. About what we know. And about what still hasn’t been answered. Because someone knows what happened to her. And it’s time that silence is broken.

    8 min

  7. Apr 23

    The Vanishing of Megan Renee Foglesong

    In late November 2015, 21-year-old Megan Renee Foglesong was last seen in Alden, Kansas. By the time anyone realized she was missing, weeks had already passed—and critical evidence was gone. Megan’s case is layered with red flags: a volatile relationship, a final message placing her at a man’s home, and a chilling warning she gave friends—if anything ever happened to her, they should know where to look. In this episode, hosts LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith walk through the timeline, the missed opportunities, and the disturbing events that followed—events that only deepen the question: what really happened to Megan Foglesong? More than a decade later, her disappearance remains unsolved. And the truth is still out there.

    5 min

  8. Apr 23

    Madison Renae Allen is Missing.

    This episode of Lost Girls, hosted by LaDonna Humphrey and Amy Smith, focuses on the disappearance of 32-year-old Madison Renae Allen, who was last seen on November 29, 2023, near Ash Street in Zachary, Louisiana. Described as 5’2”, approximately 115 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes, Madison has several distinctive tattoos, including “Allen” with a bow on her wrist, angel wings on her back, and detailed markings across her thigh and torso. According to her family, it is completely out of character for Madison to go without contact, raising serious concern about her well-being. In this episode, LaDonna and Amy examine what is known about Madison’s last known movements, highlight the identifying details that could help bring her home, and underscore the urgency of keeping her name in the public eye. If you have any information about Madison Renae Allen’s whereabouts, please contact the Zachary Police Department at 225-654-9393 or Crime Stoppers at 344-STOP.

    5 min
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2.7
out of 5
110 Ratings

About

Lost Girls, hosted by Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey -- Every Girl Deserves Justice!

Information

  • Creator
    Lost Girls
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lost Girls
  • Show Website
    Lost Girls

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