Overview

Missing: Sometime in 1976; January 1, 1976 is used by several databases as an approximate date.

Reported location: Public records differ. NCMEC lists Montebello, California, while The Charley Project describes Sarah as missing from San Bernardino County, California. Historical school information indicates she had connections to the Palm Springs area.

Age: Approximately 15–16.

Circumstances: Sarah disappeared as a teenager and has never been publicly confirmed as found. Very little information about the circumstances leading to her disappearance has been released.

Current status: Her disappearance remains an active missing-person case in public databases. The California Department of Justice currently lists Sarah R. Tokier with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department under case number 090902315.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Sarah Rachel Tokier: California Teen Missing Since 1976

Sarah Rachel Tokier was a California teenager who disappeared in 1976 under circumstances that remain remarkably unclear half a century later. Born June 10, 1960, Sarah was approximately 15 or 16 years old when she vanished. She had brown hair and brown eyes and was approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and 110 pounds. Her case remains listed with California authorities, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and missing-person organizations.

Brief Case Summary

Missing: Sometime in 1976; January 1, 1976 is used by several databases as an approximate date.

Reported location: Public records differ. NCMEC lists Montebello, California, while The Charley Project describes Sarah as missing from San Bernardino County, California. Historical school information indicates she had connections to the Palm Springs area.

Age: Approximately 15–16.

Circumstances: Sarah disappeared as a teenager and has never been publicly confirmed as found. Very little information about the circumstances leading to her disappearance has been released.

Current status: Her disappearance remains an active missing-person case in public databases. The California Department of Justice currently lists Sarah R. Tokier with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department under case number 090902315.

The Disappearance of Sarah Rachel Tokier

For decades, databases have commonly given January 1, 1976 as Sarah’s missing date. That date should not, however, be interpreted as a confirmed last sighting.

NCMEC specifically states that Sarah was last seen “around” January 1 and that the missing date is an approximation. Its current poster lists the location as Montebello, California. The Charley Project instead says Sarah was last seen somewhere in San Bernardino County during 1976 and notes that few details concerning her disappearance are available.

Evidence the January Date May Not Be Exact

One of the most significant issues surrounding Sarah’s case is the uncertain timeline.

Researchers examining historical records reported finding Sarah identified as a sophomore honor student at Palm Springs High School in both January and March 1976. The March reference is especially important because, if the historical school record has been interpreted correctly, Sarah was apparently still connected with the school after the January 1 date now used in missing-person databases.

The same research discussion reported that Sarah volunteered at Desert Hospital and received recognition for volunteer service. These historical findings have circulated through Websleuths and should be treated as research leads rather than an official reconstruction released by investigators.

Taken together, the records reinforce NCMEC’s warning that January 1 is an approximate date rather than a precisely established day on which Sarah disappeared.

Why Are Different Locations Listed?

Another unresolved issue is Sarah’s location when she disappeared.

NCMEC currently identifies Montebello, California as the missing location. The Charley Project lists San Bernardino County, while older case discussions have connected Sarah with Palm Springs and surrounding communities.

The discrepancies do not necessarily mean one record is wrong. In a decades-old case with an uncertain disappearance date, locations may refer to a residence, reporting jurisdiction, last-known community or the agency ultimately assigned the investigation.

Without additional documentation from law enforcement, the precise place of Sarah’s final confirmed sighting cannot be established from the publicly available records reviewed for this article.

Sarah’s Missing-Person Records

Sarah remains identifiable through several national and state case numbers.

Her NamUs number is MP5091, according to archived case information reproduced by Websleuths. The Doe Network lists her as 2883DFCA, and NCMEC assigns her case number 1154470. NCMEC also lists NCIC number M488514290.

California’s current missing-person database lists the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department case as 090902315.

DNA and Efforts to Compare Sarah With Unidentified People

Archived discussions of Sarah’s former NamUs information reported that a DNA sample had been submitted and testing completed, with DNA information available through CODIS. Because this information comes from archived reproductions and community discussion rather than a currently accessible public NamUs record, its present status should be confirmed directly with investigators before being treated as current forensic information.

Over the years, online researchers have proposed possible comparisons between Sarah and unidentified women found in different locations. These suggestions should not be confused with official identifications or investigative conclusions.

At least one historical unidentified-person record specifically lists Sarah Tokier among people who were excluded as that decedent, demonstrating that authorities have been able to make forensic comparisons involving Sarah in at least some circumstances.

Age-Progressed Image

NCMEC continues to publish Sarah’s missing-child poster. Her photograph has been age-progressed to approximately age 56 in an effort to show what she might have looked like decades after disappearing.

Sarah turned 66 years old in June 2026.

The continued presence of her case in current government and national missing-child databases means anyone who knew Sarah, her family, classmates or associates in California during the mid-1970s could still potentially possess information relevant to establishing a more accurate timeline.

Latest Publicly Available Case Information

As of September 2026, Sarah is still listed in the California Department of Justice Missing Persons database. The state identifies the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department as the responsible agency and provides case number 090902315 and the agency contact number (909) 387-3690.

NCMEC also continues to maintain Sarah’s missing-person poster under NCMEC 1154470, listing the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office at (760) 366-4175.

The Doe Network continues to list Sarah under 2883DFCA. Its archived update records show Sarah’s case information was updated on June 15, 2022.

The Charley Project states that its Sarah Tokier page was last substantively updated in October 2016 when an age-progressed image was added.

I found no publicly documented announcement that Sarah has been located, identified as a deceased person, or that an arrest has been made in connection with her disappearance. Likewise, the sources reviewed do not establish that her disappearance was a homicide. She should therefore be described as an endangered missing person, not a confirmed homicide victim.

A 50-Year-Old Mystery

Sarah Rachel Tokier’s disappearance reached the 50-year mark in 2026.

Yet one of the most fundamental questions remains unanswered publicly: When was Sarah actually last seen?

The January 1, 1976 date commonly associated with the case is expressly described by NCMEC as approximate, while historical school material discussed by researchers potentially places Sarah at Palm Springs High School later that year. The different locations appearing in public databases create another unanswered question about where her final confirmed sighting actually occurred.

Sarah’s case remains listed with authorities. Anyone with firsthand information about Sarah’s whereabouts in 1976—or information capable of establishing her last confirmed movements—should contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department or NCMEC.