Bianca Lebron

Case background and investigation

Bianca Elaine Lebron was a 10-year-old fifth-grader at the Elias Howe School on Clinton Avenue in Bridgeport's West End. On the morning of November 7, 2001, shortly before classes began, she told her teacher she needed to speak with her uncle, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). She told classmates her uncle was taking her to a mall and invited them along; they said no.

At about 8:30 a.m., she was seen getting into a two-toned brown van with tinted windows. NCMEC describes the driver as a man with dark hair and a beard. The Connecticut Post, citing her NamUs entry, reported that the van was an older model with sanded patches and chrome trim along the sides. Her family has said she did not have an uncle.

Her parents did not realize anything was wrong until that evening, when they learned she had never been in school, and they reported her missing. The case prompted a national search and has been featured in many television programs. A reward of $62,000 has been offered for information, NBC Connecticut reported.

In March 2026, Bridgeport police released a new age progression, made by NCMEC, showing how Bianca might look at 34. At a press conference across from the former school, lead investigator Detective Laura Azevedo-Rasuk said there were persons of interest and a strong lead about who was driving the van, and Connecticut Public reported she mentioned a 2025 excavation at a home in the city. Detective Jeffrey Holtz said Bianca may have been the victim of a homicide but could also still be alive.

No one has been charged in connection with her disappearance. Bianca is Hispanic, with brown hair and hazel eyes, and has a birthmark on her forehead. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Bridgeport Police Department or the FBI.