The person at the center of this case
Ida Dean (Richardson) Anderson
Violent Crime · Open
67 years waiting · since 1958
IDA DEAN (RICHARDSON) ANDERSON - ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
Justice for Ida Dean (Richardson) Anderson — the trail went cold in 1958, but the truth hasn't.
Start here
Key leads to think about
⏰
timeline
Lead #1Did Ida actually appear in court on September 19, 1958, or was she already missing by that date? Conflicting court documents suggest uncertainty.
👁️
witness
Lead #2Who last saw Ida on September 18, 1958? Were there any witnesses to her movements that day?
📞
contact
Lead #3Ida maintained constant contact with family via mail before her disappearance—did she send any final letters or communications that might indicate her plans or state of mind?
Ida Dean (Richardson) Anderson, a 21-year-old woman, disappeared on September 18, 1958, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just before a crucial court hearing where she was expected to regain custody of her children. She had been fighting the state of Michigan for custody since her hospitalization earlier that year and had maintained regular contact with family, making her sudden absence highly unusual. Despite arrangements for a family trip to Florida, she never appeared for the court date, and her fate remains unknown nearly seven decades later.
Try asking
Claim this imported case
A one-time $10 claim transfers this imported case workspace to your account. You get 10 uploads for this case, 25 daily AI questions for this case, and public tips with files route to you.
10 uploads25 AI questions/day
This does not start a subscription. When the included limits are reached, the Personal plan unlocks more workspace capacity.
More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
🔍
evidence
Lead #4What happened to Ida between September 18 and her failure to appear in court? Was there any evidence of foul play or voluntary departure?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
September 18, 1958 Ann Arbor, Michigan Ida Dean (Richardson) Anderson, a 21-year-old white female, was last seen on September 18, 1958, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She was due in court the next day for her parental rights case and was to be awarded custody of her children, but due to conflicting court documents it is unclear if she showed up.
Ida had left her husband in March 1958 and was hospitalized soon after for various illnesses. As a result, her estranged husband placed their children in a boarding home and moved to Chicago while Ida was in the hospital.
The state of Michigan took custody of the children and Ida had been fighting to get them back since she was released. Arrangements had been made for Ida and her children to fly to Florida to visit family after the September 19, 1958, court date but she did not show.
Prior to her disappearance, Ida remained in constant contact with her family via mail. Anyone with information regarding Ida’s disappearance is asked to contact the Ann Arbor Police Department.
Remarks: Ida Dean (Richardson) Anderson usually wore dresses, long skirts, and button-up shirts.
Timeline of Events
📞
1958-03-18
Left Husband
Ida Dean Anderson left her husband in March 1958
🕵️
1958-03-18
Hospitalization
Ida was hospitalized for various illnesses after leaving her husband; her estranged husband placed their children in a boarding home and moved to Chicago
👤
1958-09-18
Last Seen
Ida Dean Anderson was last seen on September 18, 1958, in Ann Arbor, Michigan
🕵️
1958-09-19
Missed Court Date
Ida failed to appear for her parental rights court hearing on September 19, 1958, where she was expected to be awarded custody of her children
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:March 18, 1958
Last Updated:September 10, 2026
Leave a comment
Comments
Case Information
Incident:March 18, 1958
Last Updated:September 10, 2026