Community Corner

Phoenix Coldon Turns 25 and Is Still Missing, Have You Seen Her?

As the missing North County woman turns a milestone her parents grapple with losing the family home, after months of paying for searches and leads on her whereabouts.

It's her birthday and her mother hasn't given up hope that one day she will return.

Phoenix Coldon turned 25 years old on Thursday. More than 200 people wished her happiness on her day via a Facebook page dedicated to bringing her home: Missing Phoenix Coldon.

Coldon was first reported missing from her North County home on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. She was last seen in the driveway of the family's house at about 3 p.m. Her mother, Goldia Coldon, said she was sitting in her vehicle one minute and the next, she was gone.

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Goldia said she initially thought her daughter had gone to the store but when she did not return that night, she reported her daughter and her black 1998 Chevy Blazer missing to police the following morning.

According to Goldia, her daughter's disappearance is highly out of character.

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"She is very responsible, very sweet, very athletic and very intelligent," she told the Huffington Post in April 2012. "Phoenix is a regional fencing champion. She plays the piano and (is) in the handbell choir at church. Phoenix is loved. Her name stands for a beautiful, unique person of distinction -- that's Phoenix."

On Jan. 1, Coldon's family found out the missing Chevy Blazer had been impounded at 6:23 p.m. the day she disappeared. It was discovered at Ninth and St. Clair in East St. Louis. The keys were in the ignition with the vehicle running and the driver's door open. But no Phoenix.

Investigations Stalls

There is an ongoing investigation as to the whereabouts of Phoenix Coldon. St. Louis County Police Department investigators continues to seek out new information relative to this case.

Anyone who has new information concerning this case should call Crimestoppers at (866) 371-TIPS, or (314) 889-2341.

Phoenix Coldon is 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed about 125 pounds when she went missing. She has brown hair with reddish tint and pierced ears. She was last seen wearing gray University of Missouri-St. Louis sweatpants with the word "UMSL" printed vertically down one pant leg, a dark hoodie and tennis shoes.

Coldon Family Loses Home Chasing Hoax News Tip

The Coldon family has endured a turbulent year.

The saddest part about Phoenix's birthday is the fact that it's the same day her parents had to be out of their home, which they lost in a short sale.

A promising lead about the Phoenix's whereabouts turned out to be a hoax. One  that caused the missing North County woman's parents to spend their entire life savings and fall behind on their mortgage.

"Unfortunately, we will now be losing our family home," Goldia said in August 2012. "We have tried to explain the situation to our mortgage company but they don't care."

A tip that led the family to Texas came from a man who claimed to know Coldon’s whereabouts and provided her family with very convincing details.

The Coldon family spent the remainder of their savings on private investigators to follow up on the lead. It was not until after the family’s money was gone that the man who provided the tip admitted he made up the story.

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