Twenty years ago this month, Oklahoma teenager Monique Daniels was reported missing. About a year ago, someone who knew Monique wrote to me about her disappearance. A few months later I wrote this commentary for KOSU Radio, the text of which I’m publishing for the first time today on this blog.
Missing Monique Daniels
The day Monique vanished the pop trio Wilson Phillips released the song, Where Are You?
It was June 2, 1992, and Monique was just 15 years old.
According to the Moore police, witnesses said they saw the girl loading clothes into a blue pickup driven by a white male. Her mother and stepfather never reported her missing because they said they thought she’d runaway.
Relatives finally reported her disappearance in January 1994, but by then, it had been 18 months since anyone had seen Monique alive. The trail was washed cold.
Monique’s parents told police they received two letters and a phone call from their daughter. However, in time, Monique’s younger sister would confess that her stepfather made her write the letters and the phone call was a hoax.
Here is a letter Monique did write to a classmate during 4th hour on September 7, 1991.
Hey Sweetie, What you doin? I’m really, really bored in Drama. Anyway, I’m so excited about the game tonight…Anyways, I think I like Jacob, but I don’t know if he’s goin’ out with someone or if he likes someone or what. I really don’t think I’m pretty enough for him. Who do you like?
You know what? On the 15th of this month I’m gonna get me some K-Swiss shoes and a new spiral perm and some new school clothes. I’m so excited.
Well, anyway, I really gotta go. I have to write four more notes. See ya tonight. Moore rules. Write back. TGIF. Love ya, Monique.
Gen-X Time Capsule
The letter is a time capsule for Generation X. A tribute to teenage communication before cell phones and texting. Here’s an excerpt from another letter Monique wrote in the spring of 1992.
Hey Woman, What’s Up. Nothin’ much here. Guess what? I made a 105 my Spanish test and I’m making a 98 in Algebra…What you are doin’ this weekend. I had fun last weekend with you and Jennifer!
Have you noticed how the whole school was really sleepy yesterday? I did.
Have you had a lot homework this week? … I had a big ol’ stack of it last night.
More Excerpts
I feel really smart…I had to carry books home two days in a row. Oh, I haven’t even mentioned Jake yet have I? … I like him and I think he’s fine.
…Oh, I need to know when to apply for the Penn Square Teen Board in the Spring. Gotta run!
But, in the spring, Monique went missing. Nobody has ever been charged with any crime related to her disappearance, and the case remains open.
In those days of acid washed jeans and banana clips, before texting and web lingo and emoticons Monique drew a smiley face at the bottom of her letter, and a school bus going Beep! Beep!
If you have information about the disappearance of Monique Daniels, please contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids.
If you are experiencing loss of any kind, I highly recommend Ann Voskamp’s book, The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life. Also, The Jesus I Never Knew
by Phillip Yancey. Be blessed, my friend, and know that I may not know your name, but I have prayed for you today.
Is Monique’s mother still teaching at Randall Middle School? I sure hope not. I would not want my children under her supervision if she failed to report her own daughter missing for two years.
I have no idea. I pray for her. Only God knows what she has been through.
So sorry this happened! Sad the parents seem to know and the mother chooses her husband over her own child! Just sad seems a lot of mothers choose men like this over their own kids! I hope you get the answers some day.. my heart breaks about this or for any child who goes through something like this! Oh I saw this story I think crime stories? I watched the Mom seemed like she just didn’t care? Said it’s in gods hands?!? Yes it is in gods hand and one way or another if the Mom is guilty she will burn in hell for this along with the step dad! Might get away with it on earth but their finale judgment will have a different outcome!
This was just broadcasted on a local television station in Tampa – Crime Watch. It seems very sketchy that the parents act the way they do. I fully believe they are responsible for her disappearance. If my child was missing or ran away I would do my best to try to help locate her. They don’t seem to care and when asked they act angrily towards others. I just don’t get it! I noticed the last post was last year…. Thank You for keeping her alive!
I will keep Monique in my prayers.
Thank you, Stacey. I hope Monique gets justice someday. It’s wonderful that you cared enough to search for her on the Internet. Her sister has tried very hard to get justice for Monique. I pray for all who loved and lost her.
Her parents know where she’s at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No If’s ands or but’s..
I hope and pray someday her sister gets the answers she deserves. Sweet Monique. She did not deserve this. Someone needs to ask for immunity and spill the beans. Moore Police need to hand the case over to the state Attorney General. Someday…
Looking over this bizarre case, I noticed some mention of an article about quonset huts, that encouraged Ana Garcia and CrimeWatch Daily to get involved. Any light to shed?
For me not to be a detective i have that feeling her parents hiding shit it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure this out i hope they get what they deserve
No evidence to prove anything.
I pray you find some answers to the whereabouts of your sister this story really touched my heart I guess b/c me & ur sis share the same first name.
This article is so perfect Jennifer. I know you wrote it in 2014 and I read it then as well. I have actually read it many times. Monique existed, she was here and she was beautiful. I just wanted to say thank you for writing this. Thank you for keeping her name out there.
Angelique
I don’t understand how the police department nor FBI or any agency hasn’t jumped on this. She hasn’t contacted any of her family especially her siblings and the detective the news reporter asked why is this not being investigated more that they had a witness say they saw her leaving with someone in a truck?? She was 15 years old excuse me she never returned home and her parents don’t report her missing for 2 years? What the heck is wrong with people? No offense but those parents should hang for the fact that they could care less where she is because they both know she didn’t run away. How can they even sleep at night? Why does people like that have children? So very sad to me! I would not be able to sleep, eat or do anything but search for my child! Im so sorry.