WY WY - Justin Harris, 13, Casper, 15 Feb 2004

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Wow. That blog was brutal. I feel sorry for that poor kid.
 
What a strange situation. Justin was living in a state-run home after his mother gave custody to the state rather than allow his father to take him. I would love to know exactly why she made that decision. What was the fear of letting Justin and his sister go to live with their father? I can surmise from his internet postings that the father is not a likable character but I'm curious as to the specific reasons why the state agreed with the mother that the kids would be better off with the state than a natural parent. And why did they have the mother paying child support? I've never heard of a situation like that before.

I read that the father was given a polygraph test but no word on whether or not he passed. Does anyone know?

I wonder if Justin's parent(s) have any mental or developmental disabilities. I wonder if that would explain their odd reactions to their son's disappearance.

I wonder if someone working at the home where Justin lived knew he would be an easy target and took advantage of an opportunity to lure him away. Perhaps they knew enough about his family dynamic to know that dad would be the one most likely suspected.
 
New age-progression to 23 years (current age is 23).

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http://www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/982182
 
Ani said:
What a strange situation. Justin was living in a state-run home after his mother gave custody to the state rather than allow his father to take him. I would love to know exactly why she made that decision. What was the fear of letting Justin and his sister go to live with their father? I can surmise from his internet postings that the father is not a likable character but I'm curious as to the specific reasons why the state agreed with the mother that the kids would be better off with the state than a natural parent. And why did they have the mother paying child support? I've never heard of a situation like that before.

I read that the father was given a polygraph test but no word on whether or not he passed. Does anyone know?

I wonder if Justin's parent(s) have any mental or developmental disabilities. I wonder if that would explain their odd reactions to their son's disappearance.

I wonder if someone working at the home where Justin lived knew he would be an easy target and took advantage of an opportunity to lure him away. Perhaps they knew enough about his family dynamic to know that dad would be the one most likely suspected.
Click to expand...

BBM

I can only speak for my experience with my own state. When a child becomes a dependent of the state (foster care, etc..) the parent must pay child support. The natural parents are expected to provide financially for a child to whomever the child is residing with, whether it be a grandparent, the other parent, or to the state should the child be living a group home or foster care. Sounds like the mother lost or gave up custody (i.e. the right to have the child reside with her), which is different than giving up any and all rights and responsibilities to the child. I hope that makes sense. That is how it works in my state, so I would guess it is similar in WY.
 
Unsolved Cases - Missing Persons - Homicides - Suspicious Circumstances - Division of Criminal Investigation
Justin%20Phillip%20Harris.jpg

Missing Person, February 15, 2004, Natrona County, Wyoming:
Justin Phillip Harris was last seen at his residence on February 15, 2004. Justin is in need of medication which he does not have with him. Anyone with information is urged to contact the the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Have you seen this child?

NCMEC: 982182
posterTitleMissing.png

Justin Harris
NCMC982182c1.jpg

  • Missing Since Feb 15, 2004
  • Missing From Casper, WY
  • DOB Aug 20, 1990
  • Age Now 30
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Hair Color Blonde
  • Eye Color Green
  • Height 5'0"
  • Weight 110 lbs
Age Progressed
NCMC982182e1.jpg

Justin's photo is shown age-progressed to 29 years.
He was last seen at his residence on February 15, 2004. He may still be in the local area. Justin is in need of medication which he does not have with him.
 
Here for Justin.
I haven't read all of the links yet but will.
LE, please don't close this case or give up on solving this.
He's obviously particularly vulnerable and therefore in extra need of attention and time to his case, in my opinion. This wasn't a runaway who made it somewhere safe. (ETA: By which I mean at the time he couldn't have been independent and taken care of himself. I do hope he's alive and safe somehow.)
 
Last edited:
I've done some more reading and feel like there are questions that need to be answered about the facility where he was staying and the investigation back in 2004.
Were there no security cameras?
No alarms on doors or windows?
How did he leave unseen?
Did LE interview every person, including minors, there at the time?

How did this facility keep children like him safe from those who were older or behaviorally disordered if they couldn't even notice he was missing for all of those hours?

What is the current status of his case?

Are there any public postings online from his mother? His sister or other relatives?

I hope he felt real love during his childhood and was not abused or victimized, but so many years have gone by, and there are apparently no good leads. It's very sad.
 

  • justin_phillip_harris_1.jpg
  • justin_phillip_harris_2.jpg
  • harris_justin_ap.jpg
Justin, circa 2004; Age-progression to age 29 (circa 2019)
  • Missing Since 02/15/2004
  • Missing From Casper, Wyoming
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 08/20/1990 (32)
  • Age 13 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'0, 110 pounds

  • Clothing/Jewelry Description Possibly a gray jacket and black snowboots.

  • Medical Conditions Justin was taking psychiatric medications at the time of his disappearance, including anti-depressants; he may not have the medicine with him. He is mentally disabled and functions at the level of a six- to seven-year-old.

  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, green eyes. Justin wears eyeglasses.

Details of Disappearance​

Justin was last seen at the R.L. Mills Home, the group home for boys where he resided in the 100 block of east H Street in Casper, Wyoming. At 7:00 a.m. on February 15, 2004, workers at the home found his room empty after he failed to show up for breakfast. His bed was found stuffed with clothes to give the appearance that he was sleeping in it.

Justin's mother had willingly turned him and his younger sister over to the custody of the state. He been through several failed foster care placements before he was placed in the R.L. Mills Home in the summer of 2003.

His father, Phillip Harris, a truck driver who had fought for custody of him, initially said he believed his son ran away to be with him. Phillip theorized that Justin was either still in the Casper area, or tried to go to Swink, Oklahoma, where his father lives. He had repeatedly run away from his various foster homes in the past. Later, Phillip said he thought Justin hadn't run away from the group home but had, in fact, become the victim of a crime, and that the group home was trying to cover this up.

Phillip denied that Justin suffered from any kind of disability, but these assertions were contradicted by the staff at the R.L. Mills Home, who said he required constant supervision and could not function without his psychiatric medications. They stated he'd been doing well at the facility, however, and was also succeeding at school.

Justin's case remains unsolved. The R.L. Mills Home, which served adolescent boys with a variety of emotional and behavioral problems, was closed in 2011 due to financial constraints.

Investigating Agency​

  • Casper Police Department 307-235-8278

Source Information​

Updated 5 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 6, 2020; age-progression updated./
 
Bumping to keep eyes on Justin’s case. It‘s heartbreaking he has been missing so long.
 
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