Lithia mother, infant son still missing 32 years after disappearance: 'Living a nightmare'
LITHIA, Fla. - It's a painful anniversary for the family of young Lithia mother, Bonnie Lee Dages, who vanished along with her four-month-old son, Jeremy, 32 years ago. They are still left without answers as investigators continue searching for the 18-year-old mother and son.
However, new developments in the case have given Dages' family renewed hope.
RELATED: What happened to Bonnie Lee and Jeremy Dages? Family pleads for answers 3 decades later
The backstory:
Growing up, Joe Dages looked up to his oldest sister, Bonnie.
Pictured: Bonnie Lee Dages.
"She tried to talk me into liking rock music, and I was hardcore old school country," he remembered. "My sister was cool, and she was tough, but she was my hero too."
Bonnie's family said she loved horses, and at 10 years old, "broke" a mean pony the family had been gifted.
"She whipped that pony into shape, and we had the pony for all the rest of the children to learn how to ride with," he said.
Pictured: Bonnie Lee Dages.
In 1993, Bonnie had just turned 18 years old when she was bravely navigating the world as a new mom. She had even bought a minivan and moved out of her parents' home.
But, she went to what was a Kash 'N Karry store in Lithia with her baby, and they were never seen again.
"It's like living a nightmare that doesn't go away every day," said Joe Dages.
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Dig deeper:
Her family learned that she was supposed to meet her boyfriend at the store. She had taken $15,000 from the bank, which was money that was part of her inheritance. Apparently, she was going to give it to her boyfriend for a business deal.
Two days later, investigators found her van in the parking lot of the Kash 'N Karry locked with her wallet and the diaper bag inside.
"That baby was so special to our family," said Joe Dages.
Pictured: Bonnie Lee Dages with her baby, Jeremy.
Bonnie's family said the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's cold case investigators have new developments they can’t share yet, but it's given them renewed hope for answers.
What they're saying:
The sheriff’s office told FOX 13 that investigators are actively working on the case with modern forensic techniques and digital analysis that wasn’t originally available. Investigators have previously told FOX13 they believe the motive was related to money. She had recently come into a $50,000 inheritance when she turned 18.
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"Somebody that knew Bonnie knows what happened to Bonnie and somebody that knew our family," Joe Dages said. "If you love Bonnie or cared about her, then I would hope that you would be able to give some closure to us, especially my parents, that have been dealing with this their whole lives."
Pictured: Bonnie Lee Dages with her baby, Jeremy.
Seven years after Bonnie and Jeremy disappeared, they were declared legally dead. But, it doesn't stop their family from wondering if they might still be alive.
A few years ago, age progression showed what Jeremy might look like now.
"We need Bonnie and Jeremy to know that we're not going to stop looking for them," said Linda Hersberger, Bonnie’s mom.
Pictured: Age progression of Jeremy (what investigators believe the 4-month-old would look like today). Courtesy: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
It’s hard for their family to imagine the people they’d be at 50 and 32, because, in their eyes, they are forever 18 years old and four months old.
"We love them. We did love them; we do love them, and we are always going to love them," said Hersberger.
READ: Missing Florida baby’s family desperate for answers 18 years after alleged knifepoint abduction
Joe Dages said what they are really after is being able to bring them home.
"Our family is not out for vengeance and our family isn't out to have someone prosecuted," he said. "We really want to be able to bring Bonnie and Jeremy home in whatever capacity that is today and be able to have a grave and mourn and have some form of closure," he said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with Bonnie Lee Dages' family. It also includes information from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
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