Vanished: The Unsolved Disappearance of Celina Janette Mays

 

Celina Janette Mays was just 12 years old when she disappeared from her aunt’s home in Willingboro, New Jersey, on the night of December 15th, 1996. She went to bed around 11 p.m., but by the next morning, she was gone. In her bed, her family found pillows arranged under the blankets to look like she was still sleeping.

What makes Celina’s case especially haunting is that she was nine months pregnant at the time. Her baby was due just two weeks later, around December 29th. But when she vanished, she left behind everything—her prenatal vitamins, her purse, and her personal belongings.

Celina lived with her father, stepmother, and several relatives. Her father, C.J. Mays, worked as an accountant for the Gospel of Christ Ministries, a church led by his sister. Celina was homeschooled and raised under very strict religious rules. But not everyone trusted the church—some former members even accused it of brainwashing. Celina’s aunt has long believed that angry ex-members may have hidden her.

But C.J. himself thought Celina may have run away, especially after he threatened to order a paternity test to reveal who fathered her unborn child. Authorities said he was uncooperative during the investigation, and over the years, he completely lost touch with law enforcement.

Theories have swirled for decades. Some relatives believe Celina was killed by the baby’s father to keep his identity secret. Others think she may have died from a botched abortion. Police have interviewed potential suspects, including one of Celina’s cousins who was rumored to be the father, but he denied involvement. Celina’s obstetrician told investigators that she once mentioned her boyfriend was 16 years old, and not connected to her church.

Tragically, Celina’s mother, Lynn Vitale, had died of a brain aneurysm two years earlier. After her death, the two sides of Celina’s family fought bitterly over custody of her. Some of her mother’s relatives still believe foul play was involved. Both sides have accused the other of hiding Celina.

There were a few reported sightings in New Jersey in the weeks after she went missing, but nothing has ever been confirmed. Over the years, family members have held out hope that she may still be alive, possibly raising her child somewhere else. If she is, she would be 41 years old today, and her child would now be an adult in their late 20s.

More than two decades later, the case remains unsolved. Was Celina a runaway? A victim of family secrets? Or did someone silence her to keep the truth from coming out?

What do you think happened to 12-year-old Celina Mays and her unborn baby on that December night in 1996?

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