Nicole Johnson disappearance: Missing Chicago girl's case remains unsolved two decades later

CHICAGO - Twenty-two years after a 16-year-old Chicago girl disappeared from her home on the South Side, investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Department are still trying to determine what happened to Nicole Johnson.

There are more questions than answers in the case of Nicole Johnson.

"Any tip would be helpful here," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. "We’re really - I don’t want to say desperate. But we really need help."

Investigators with the Cook County Sherriff’s Missing Persons Project said Johnson was last seen leaving her home in the 4600 block of Langley Avenue on Dec. 13, 2002.

"It was unusual for her to leave. And in this situation, she left and was never seen again," Dart said.

"So initially after she went missing, there were some sightings around 79th Street and King Drive, 79th and Cottage Grove. But none of those panned out at all. And those were pretty much the last tips that anyone has on this case."

Prior to her disappearance, officers said she had recently stopped taking a medication that she had been on for some time.

They also said cases like this are particularly concerning for other reasons as well.

"Particularly when someone that young vanishes. We know only too well the range of horrible things that can happen. So any tips of any nature would be wildly helpful here," Dart said.

Nicole is now 37 years old. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to produce an age progression photo of what she may look like today.

"Which we’re hoping will be helpful as well. We have found people that have been missing for 35 years, still alive. So there’s a strong possibility that these people are still alive," Dart said.

"So our hope on these cases though is that because there’s limited information is that somebody is going to provide us some more," he added.

Nicole is believed to be around 5-foot-7, with brown eyes and brown hair with shoulder-length extensions. She also has pierced ears.

If you have any information about her, you’re asked to call or email the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.