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Celina Mays' disappearance still baffles the once-peaceful community of Willingboro and those directly involved in the missing person case of 1996. Mays disappeared when she was just 12 years old and nine months pregnant. The cold case is now surrounded by numerous conspiracy theories and suspicions, given that the authorities are yet to find relevant leads in connection to her disappearance.
More than 25 years later, as the investigation continues, In Pursuit With John Walsh on ID will make an attempt to find new leads in the decades-old case that may or may not help the victim's family find closure and peace of mind. The episode, titled Unforgotten, will air on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 9 pm ET.
The official synopsis of the the upcoming episode reads:
"John joins the search for Celina Mays, whose disappearance draws police attention to her allegedly cult-like church; Cal hunts for Efren Meza, who was accused of stalking and stabbing his ex-girlfriend."
The subsequent investigation, that was followed by over 200 leads, revealed some disturbing and incriminating discoveries in connection to Celina Mays' case. Let's delve into a few of them ahead of the episode premiere.
Five chilling details about the 1996 disappearance of Celina Mays
1) The father of Celina Mays' child was never revealed
Celina never disclosed the name of the father of her child before her mysterious disappearance in December 1996. Although her family insisted on knowing the identity of the child's father, she refused to tell them about him and only claimed that he was 16 years old and did not belong to their church. This theory was the first lead investigators pursued while looking into the missing person's case.
Her father C.J. Mays revealed that, on one occasion, Celina even got mad when she learned that blood tests could be used to reveal the true identity of the father in question. C.J. Mays also confirmed that he was in no way connected to the alleged pregnancy given that he had a vasectomy done years ago. His doctor reportedly confirmed the statement.
2) Celina's paternal and maternal families had an ongoing conflict at the time
Celina Mays' both paternal and maternal families had an ongoing feud at the time she disappeared from her Willingboro home. The conflict started in 1994 when her mother Lynn Vitale died, and Vitale's side of the family wanted Celina's custody. However, her father ultimately won the trial and then moved to New Jersey, leaving behind Florida to find religion in their new community.
After her disappearance in 1996, both the families blamed the other for what had happened. Cindy Cram, Celina's maternal aunt, believed that Mays' family was harboring her at the time and thought there could be ulterior motives behind it. However, her paternal side of the family blamed the mother's side of the family, claiming they brought her back to Florida or to Michigan, given that they always wanted her custody.
Celina Mays' aunty Cindy Cram reportedly stated:
"My feeling about it right away was she's not alive. Sometimes, you go with your gut feeling. And I still don't feel that she was alive. I think they shut her up."
3) A theory connected her disappearance to her family's church
Celina Mays' aunt Cram raised suspicions and tensions over Mays' church, the Gospel of Christ Ministry. Authorities involved investigated the issue during the initial stages of the case. Investigators claim that several members of the church, that was headed by Cerita Smith, Celina Mays' paternal aunt, came forward and asserted that Smith had total control over both the church and the Mays family.
The Smiths and Mays allegedly did not contribute much to the case. Smith first asserted that the claims and rumors were fostered by former members who only wanted to see the institution crumble. Smith has seldom made public comments and has even refused official demands to inspect the house and church property.
4) Authorities suspect that Celina could still be alive
It's likely, according to police, that Celina is now going by a different name and is probably unaware of the fact that authorities have been searching for her for decades now. In an attempt to recognize her, authorities have created and shared an age-progressed image across the country.
Realizing the significance of the unresolved mystery in the state, they are hoping that someone will recognize her and come forward with the truth. They do, however, think that it's also possible that she was murdered years ago and that her life was tragically snatched away when she initially went missing.
According to CBS News, Detective Monica Pogorzelski said,
"This isn't something that just got pushed to the side. It's been continually investigated and whatever leads come up, we follow and go, go, go; and just nothing turns up of any evidentiary purposes to go farther."
Pogorzelski further added,
"We have many theories. We are hoping she is alive and that we can find her."
5) Celina Mays spent a wholesome evening with her family before her disappearance
Celina appeared to be a happy 12-year-old pregnant girl, who was actively involved in the church choir at the time. She lived in Willingboro with her family on a quiet suburban street.
The Burlington County Times reported that on December 15, 1996, Celina came home from church, shared a meal and bowl of ice cream with her family, and then said goodnight before going to bed at approximately 11 pm, which her family later suspected was her way of saying farewell to them. Her case remains one of the most high-profile cases in the state, with authorities still looking into her disappearance.
Catch more about Celina Mays' cold case on ID's In Pursuit With John Walsh this Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 9 pm ET.
