NJ NJ - Celina Mays, 12, pregnant, Willingboro, 16 Dec 1996

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Seeker2022 said:
What man goes and gets a vasectomy when his wife dies and he is alone with a 10 year old girl...????
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I need to read up more about this man, but based on this limited info., I don’t find it strange at all. Now that he is single, more partners, more chances for unwanted pregnancies. How long after her death did he get the vasectomy? Was it already scheduled and he just went to the appointment?
 
Was Celina in school or homeschooled? Private, public, etc. Anyone know?
 
Springrain said:
I wonder if she had started homeschooling after her pregnancy was discovered. A pregnant 11 or 12 y/o warrants about three thousand CPS reports from schoolteachers and admin.
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She was "homeschooled" at that church upon getting there. Makes sense... IF !!! ... CJ mays was like The Wests... No one on the outside seen her... I am hoping she is found... But most people involved have passed away. I doubt there will ever be justice for her. : (
 
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Seeker2022 said:
She was "homeschooled" at that church upon getting there. Makes sense... IF !!! ... CJ mays was like The Wests... No one on the outside seen her... I am hoping she is found... But most people involved have passed away. I doubt there will ever be justice for her. : (
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Not great to hear that. As a teacher I have nothing against homeschooling if it's done right for the kids, and the kids are SAFE - which was IMO clearly not the case.
 
Springrain said:
Not great to hear that. As a teacher I have nothing against homeschooling if it's done right for the kids, and the kids are SAFE - which was IMO clearly not the case.
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I don't have a problem with homeschooling, per se. I have a problem with unregulated schooling. There needs to be a bit of standardization, especially when it comes to socializing kids. Peer socialization is important and not just in the church community.
 
There have been other cases where dates are off for various reasons. Often it is simply a typographical error.

Even here on websleuths if you accidently type something wrong in a thread title, you have to get a moderator to correct it.

Theoretically speaking, it could also be possible for a person to intentionally report a person missing months ot even years after the fact.
 
Springrain said:
Not great to hear that. As a teacher I have nothing against homeschooling if it's done right for the kids, and the kids are SAFE - which was IMO clearly not the case.
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NJ - surprisingly, for a state that regulates everything - has no homeschool rules other than a duty to provide an equivalent education. (The average property tax is 10k and easily 20-30k in more desirable areas, which may partially explain why parents prefer the highly-ranked public schools over homeschooling). There are no check-ins, testing, or notice requirements. The ease/freedom is wonderful for most of the few families that do homeschool and risky for kids like Celina.
 
Celina Mays was only 12-years-old when she seemingly vanished from her bedroom in Willingboro, New Jersey, in December 1996. In the years that followed, loved ones and authorities continued to look for her. Celina’s story is one of the two cases featured on Investigation Discovery’s ‘In Pursuit With John Walsh: Unforgotten.’
…
While the authorities have continued to investigate Celina’s disappearance as a missing person case and not a homicide, several theories and rumors have been floated over the years. One of Celina’s relatives felt that the baby’s father killed her or that she possibly died because of an amateur abortion. Another rumor was that the baby’s father was one of Celina’s cousins. However, there has been no concrete proof, and all of these have remained mere speculation.

The authorities were puzzled because there was little evidence to indicate where Celina went. In January 1997, there was a possible sighting of Celina at a restaurant, but that was ultimately confirmed not to be her. Furthermore, reports of her sightings in Lacey Township and Hopewell Township surfaced, but they were unconfirmed. The police have chased more than 200 leads over the years and hope advancements in age-progression photo technology and the prevalence of social media will help bring new information regarding the case. If alive, Celina would be in her late 30s with a child about 25-years-old.
thecinemaholic.com

Celina Mays: Found or Missing? Is She Dead or Alive?

Celina Mays was only 12-years-old when she seemingly vanished from her bedroom in Willingboro, New Jersey, in December 1996. In the years that followed, loved ones and authorities continued to look for her. Celina’s story is one of the two cases featured on Investigation Discovery’s ‘In Pursuit...
thecinemaholic.com thecinemaholic.com
 
Celina "left her prenatal vitamins, purse and other personal belongings behind."

The "amateur abortion" theory could fit into these known facts. If she planned to abort the child in secret, then obviously she wouldn't need prenatal vitamins anymore, so why take those along? If anyone asked, she could say that she was out somewhere, suddenly went into labor, and lost the child.

But abortions aren't free. So unless someone else paid for it, why did she leave her purse behind? Did it have any money? If someone from the church offered to pay for it, then Celina wouldn't need to take her own purse.

And if someone offered to pay for the abortion, was that offer genuine? Did that person really want to help Celina, and then maybe she accidentally died during the procedure and this was covered up? Or was the offer just a ruse to get rid of her and the unborn child?

From what she left behind, I think she had every intention of coming back.
 
www.sportskeeda.com

5 chilling details about the 1996 New Jersey Celina Mays missing person case

Celina Mays' disappearance still baffles the once-peaceful community of Willingboro and those directly involved in the missing person case of 1996.
www.sportskeeda.com www.sportskeeda.com

More than 25 years later, as the investigation continues, In Pursuit With John Walsh on ID will make an attempt to find new leads in the decades-old case that may or may not help the victim's family find closure and peace of mind. The episode, titled Unforgotten, will air on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 9 pm ET.

"John joins the search for Celina Mays, whose disappearance draws police attention to her allegedly cult-like church

1) The father of Celina Mays' child was never revealed​

2) Celina's paternal and maternal families had an ongoing conflict at the time​

However, her father ultimately won the trial and then moved to New Jersey, leaving behind Florida to find religion in their new community.

3) A theory connected her disappearance to her family's church​

Investigators claim that several members of the church, that was headed by Cerita Smith, Celina Mays' paternal aunt, came forward and asserted that Smith had total control over both the church and the Mays family.
Smith has seldom made public comments and has even refused official demands to inspect the house and church property.

4) Authorities suspect that Celina could still be alive​

They do, however, think that it's also possible that she was murdered years ago and that her life was tragically snatched away when she initially went missing.

5) Celina Mays spent a wholesome evening with her family before her disappearance​


Her case remains one of the most high-profile cases in the state, with authorities still looking into her disappearance.

Catch more about Celina Mays' cold case on ID's In Pursuit With John Walsh this Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 9 pm ET.
 
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Just read this case today and it would appear she was 9 months pregnant according to the information provided at 1577DFNJ - Celina Janette Mays

I read it over and over gain because I couldn't believe it says 12yo and 9 months pregnant on the same report. That poor girl; I hope she ran away for a better life and is living it.
 
I just finished watching the recent Here and Now episode with Celina's sister and also the current officer assigned to the case. It sounds like they have an idea of who harmed her and the cover up that took place. I won't say my thoughts, but I hope the family can find Celina or the closure from a resolution. Her sister is so determined and hopeful for a resolution. May she find closure soon.
 
Crime Junkie Podcast just released an episode about Celina's disappearance.
crimejunkiepodcast.com

Crime Junkie Podcast

Ashley Flowers is the Founder and CFO of audiochuck. A media and podcast production company known for its standout content and storytelling.
crimejunkiepodcast.com crimejunkiepodcast.com

MISSING: Celina Mays​

Celina Mays was 12 years old and nine months pregnant when she vanished from her bedroom in the middle of the night back in 1996. Her disappearance helped peel back the curtain on a small controversial church where an environment of shame, isolation and fear allowed sexual abuse to flourish.

Episode Info​

If you have any information about Celina Mays, please contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 24-hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). You can also call the Willingboro Police Department at (609) 877-3001 or the Citizen Tip Hotline at (609) 877-6958.
If you or a loved one need help or want to find resources on how to detach from a destructive group, cult or leader, check out the following websites:
Freedom of Mind Resource Center
The Cult Education Institute
Cult Escape
Dare to Doubt
EnCourage Survivors of Cults and Abuse
 
Aurora90 said:
I just finished watching the recent Here and Now episode with Celina's sister and also the current officer assigned to the case. It sounds like they have an idea of who harmed her and the cover up that took place. I won't say my thoughts, but I hope the family can find Celina or the closure from a resolution. Her sister is so determined and hopeful for a resolution. May she find closure soon.
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In the episode the current detective on the case, Det. Monica Pogozelski, said that the family did not appear to be searching for Celina immediately after her disappearance and that the family did not tell detectives that Celina was pregnant until several days after she was reported missing. She said that the family actually hindered the investigation. LE wasn't allowed to speak to many of the family members without an attorney present.

Here and Now: What happened to Celina Mays?

The segment on Celina begins at the 14 minute mark in the video while the detective begins speaking at around 18:35.

The detective also confirmed that there is a suspect (Celina's cousin) but he is now deceased. Apparently he had been accused of assaulting girls in the church and had been mentioned by Celina.
 
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