Vanished in the Night: The Disappearance of Sarah Burton
On this episode of Lost Girls, hosts Amy Smith and LaDonna Humphrey shed light on the mysterious disappearance of Sarah Elizabeth Burton, a young mother from Joplin, Missouri, who vanished in 2018 under suspicious circumstances. Despite her struggles with addiction and legal troubles, Sarah was actively working to rebuild her life. She was last seen on the night of July 16, when a friend dropped her off in an alley near 10th Street and Rex Avenue. She was supposed to walk home—a short journey she never completed.Days later, the same friend returned Sarah’s purse and a single shoe to her parents, raising alarming questions. Multiple searches and investigations followed, with reports placing Sarah at different locations, but no solid answers have emerged. Her parents firmly believe she did not run away, and with the father of her children in jail at the time, suspicion lingers around those last seen with her.Did Sarah’s disappearance stem from her ties to the drug world? Was she harmed by someone she trusted? As of today, her case remains unsolved, and the FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Her family continues to seek justice, urging anyone with knowledge to come forward. Every lost girl deserves to be found—and Sarah’s story is one that must not be forgotten.