Overview

Name: Dorothy Delilah Scofield (Dee)

Missing Since: July 22, 1976

Last Seen: Approximately 2:00 p.m., J.M. Fields shopping center, Ocala, Marion County, Florida

Age at Disappearance: 12 years old

Classification: Missing child; suspected nonfamily abduction

Case Status: Unsolved

Main Circumstances: Dorothy disappeared during a shopping trip with her mother. After separating to complete errands, Dorothy failed to return to their agreed meeting place. A possible sighting later placed a frightened girl matching her description with one or two adult men at a convenience store, but investigators never confirmed that the girl was Dorothy. No verified recovery or resolution has been publicly announced.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Dorothy Delilah Scofield Missing Since 1976: The Unsolved Disappearance of a 12-Year-Old Girl in Ocala, Florida

Florida Missing Persons Cold Case | Marion County | Updated October 16, 2026

Case Summary

Main circumstances: Dorothy disappeared after exchanging shoes at a department store while her mother was taking a driving test nearby. She never arrived at their planned meeting place. A possible later sighting placed a frightened girl resembling Dorothy with one or two men near the Ocala National Forest, but investigators have not confirmed that the girl was Dorothy.

The Disappearance of Dorothy “Dee” Scofield

On July 22, 1976, 12-year-old Dorothy Delilah Scofield accompanied her mother on what should have been an ordinary afternoon of errands in Ocala, Florida. Nearly five decades later, her disappearance remains one of Marion County’s longstanding unsolved missing-child cases.

Dorothy, affectionately called “Dee” or “Dee Dee,” was the youngest of five children. She was described as an honor student who attended church regularly and helped at her parents’ barbecue business. Her family lived in the Citra area of Marion County.

That afternoon, Dorothy’s mother was taking a driving test while Dorothy visited the J.M. Fields department store to exchange a pair of sandals. Dorothy also intended to purchase a birthday present for her brother.

The two had agreed to meet afterward. Dorothy completed the shoe exchange and was last reliably seen at approximately 2:00 p.m. She never appeared at the designated meeting place. Her mother reported her missing, beginning a search that has continued for decades.

A Possible Sighting Near the Ocala National Forest

One of the most troubling leads emerged after Dorothy disappeared.

A witness reported seeing a young girl resembling Dorothy at Nuby’s convenience store near the intersection of Highway 40 and State Road 314, close to the Ocala National Forest.

According to published case accounts, the girl was accompanied by one or two adult men. The group reportedly purchased soft drinks before leaving. The witness described the girl as trembling and appearing frightened.

The sighting was reported to have occurred approximately two hours after Dorothy was reported missing. However, investigators were unable to establish whether the girl was Dorothy, and the accompanying man or men were never conclusively identified.

A possible suspect sketch has circulated in connection with the investigation. Although the convenience-store account remains an important historical lead, it should not be treated as a confirmed sighting.

Why Investigators Suspect an Abduction

Dorothy’s disappearance has been classified as a suspected non-family abduction.

Investigators reportedly found no evidence suggesting that Dorothy had planned to run away. She was only 12 years old, had no known serious personal difficulties, and had arranged to reunite with her mother after completing a routine shopping errand.

Over the years, there was speculation about a possible connection between Dorothy’s disappearance and the 1975 disappearance of sisters Sheila and Katherine Lyon in Maryland. However, no evidence establishing a connection between the cases was discovered.

No publicly confirmed suspect has been identified in Dorothy’s disappearance, and the circumstances surrounding what happened after she left the shopping center remain unresolved.

Dorothy Scofield’s Physical Description and Identifying Features

At the time she disappeared, Dorothy was approximately 4 feet 11 inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. Sources report her weight as approximately 90 to 100 pounds.

She was wearing blue jeans, a red short-sleeved bodysuit decorated with blue flowers, a brown leather belt, and distinctive lime-green high-top Keds sneakers. Her hair was styled in two pigtails, and she wore wire-framed eyeglasses.

Dorothy also had several distinguishing characteristics: an upper incisor that slightly overlapped a front tooth, freckles across her nose, pierced ears, and a mole on one knee.

These identifying details remain important because Dorothy would now be an adult, and her appearance may have changed substantially since 1976.

Latest Publicly Documented Investigation Developments

One of the most significant publicly documented efforts to renew attention to Dorothy’s case occurred in July 2022.

On July 28, 2022, WCJB TV20 reported that the Ocala Police Department was working to revive interest in the decades-old investigation by releasing an age-progressed image of Dorothy.

The image was intended to help members of the public recognize what Dorothy might look like as an adult and potentially generate new information.

Dorothy also remains featured in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s missing-person clearinghouse and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s missing-child database.

As of October 16, 2026, the public sources reviewed do not establish any subsequent arrest, confirmed identification of a suspect, recovery of Dorothy’s remains, or resolution of the case. The 2022 publicity effort is the latest substantive investigative development identified in the reviewed reporting, not necessarily the last investigative activity conducted by police.

A Family Still Waiting for Answers

Dorothy’s family began searching for answers almost immediately after her disappearance.

A November–December 1976 issue of The Sheriff’s Star, published by the Florida Sheriffs Association, documented a $2,000 reward offered by Dorothy’s parents for information leading to her location and return. That historical reward should not be assumed to remain active today.

The decades that followed brought profound changes to the family. Dorothy’s parents divorced in 1981, and her father died approximately ten years later.

What has not changed is the central unanswered question: what happened to Dorothy after she was last seen at the Ocala shopping center?

Her case continues to be publicized through missing-person organizations, law enforcement databases, and online cold-case communities. Anyone with credible information, even something remembered from many years ago, is encouraged to contact the Ocala Police Department.

Latest Update: 50 Years Since Dorothy Disappeared

On July 22, 2026, exactly 50 years after Dorothy disappeared, the Ocala Police Department publicly revisited her case.

WKMG News 6 reported that police marked the anniversary by sharing Dorothy’s photograph and the original typewritten press release from 1976.

The anniversary renewed public attention to the mystery, but the report did not announce a confirmed breakthrough or resolution. Dorothy’s disappearance remains unsolved in the publicly available information reviewed.