Britt

Still, he saw her a few more times and couldn't shake the feeling that she was the daughter Linda's looking for. When Linda sends Don photos of Kimberly, he tells her without hesitation that he believes they look enough alike to be the same person. But there are some things that don't quite add up. This girl is taller, about 5'6", while Kimberly was 5'2", at the time she went missing.

Still, he saw her a few more times and couldn't shake the feeling that she was the daughter Linda's looking for. When Linda sends Don photos of Kimberly, he tells her without hesitation that he believes they look enough alike to be the same person. But there are some things that don't quite add up. This girl is taller, about 5'6", while Kimberly was 5'2", at the time she went missing.

And she has blonde hair, not brown. And she gave a completely different birth date. But at this point, Linda hasn't seen a photo of this Kimberly Gardner yet. So on December 21st, 1984, her family reported the sighting to police and asks Davenport PD to follow up on the lead with police in L.A.

And she has blonde hair, not brown. And she gave a completely different birth date. But at this point, Linda hasn't seen a photo of this Kimberly Gardner yet. So on December 21st, 1984, her family reported the sighting to police and asks Davenport PD to follow up on the lead with police in L.A.

But when a detective calls LAPD to try to get a mugshot of Kimberly Gardner, they say they're months behind on logging those and just say they'll call if they find anything. In the meantime, an FBI agent on Kimberly's case who's also working this lead makes things even more confusing.

But when a detective calls LAPD to try to get a mugshot of Kimberly Gardner, they say they're months behind on logging those and just say they'll call if they find anything. In the meantime, an FBI agent on Kimberly's case who's also working this lead makes things even more confusing.

He tells the Davenport PD detective that Kimberly's dad said someone on his side of the family had given Kimberly money to leave town and that Kimberly might have been pregnant or had already had a baby when she left. So the family just wants to meet the child, not bring Kimberly home. But here's the thing.

He tells the Davenport PD detective that Kimberly's dad said someone on his side of the family had given Kimberly money to leave town and that Kimberly might have been pregnant or had already had a baby when she left. So the family just wants to meet the child, not bring Kimberly home. But here's the thing.

When Kimberly's sister followed up on that story years later, her stepmom said she and Kimberly's dad had no idea what the FBI agent was talking about. They never said that. And they didn't believe it was true. Still, that story, the idea that Kimberly ran away maybe because of a pregnancy, seems to stick in investigators' mind from that point on.

When Kimberly's sister followed up on that story years later, her stepmom said she and Kimberly's dad had no idea what the FBI agent was talking about. They never said that. And they didn't believe it was true. Still, that story, the idea that Kimberly ran away maybe because of a pregnancy, seems to stick in investigators' mind from that point on.

And it probably influences how seriously they take this Hollywood sighting. Months pass, Linda waits and waits, and no mugshot ever comes from L.A. So on October 30th, 1985, almost a full year after the sighting was reported, Linda checks in with LAPD herself. And LAPD says there were two girls named Kimberly Gardner arrested around the same time, and one of them could be who she's looking for.

And it probably influences how seriously they take this Hollywood sighting. Months pass, Linda waits and waits, and no mugshot ever comes from L.A. So on October 30th, 1985, almost a full year after the sighting was reported, Linda checks in with LAPD herself. And LAPD says there were two girls named Kimberly Gardner arrested around the same time, and one of them could be who she's looking for.

And actually, they do have photos of that girl, even though the case files mention that they previously told Davenport that they didn't. But LAPD can't send them to her directly. So Linda's frustrations are boiling over into rage. And the next day, Linda calls Davenport PD to tell them exactly what she thinks about their investigation.

And actually, they do have photos of that girl, even though the case files mention that they previously told Davenport that they didn't. But LAPD can't send them to her directly. So Linda's frustrations are boiling over into rage. And the next day, Linda calls Davenport PD to tell them exactly what she thinks about their investigation.

Somehow, two weeks later, Davenport PD finally shows Kimberly's local family members some photos of the girl in LA that they've managed to get their hands on. They claim both Kimberly's dad and aunt ID the girl as their Kimberly. Then, in January 1986, Davenport PD sends Linda the photos in the mail and claim in their reports that she makes a positive ID, too.

Somehow, two weeks later, Davenport PD finally shows Kimberly's local family members some photos of the girl in LA that they've managed to get their hands on. They claim both Kimberly's dad and aunt ID the girl as their Kimberly. Then, in January 1986, Davenport PD sends Linda the photos in the mail and claim in their reports that she makes a positive ID, too.

But, according to the family advocate, Linda never believed that girl was her daughter. The photo she got wasn't a mugshot. It was a blurry snapshot taken at night. And she said even then, it didn't look like Kimberly. But police are convinced that Kimberly Gardner is Kimberly Dawes.

But, according to the family advocate, Linda never believed that girl was her daughter. The photo she got wasn't a mugshot. It was a blurry snapshot taken at night. And she said even then, it didn't look like Kimberly. But police are convinced that Kimberly Gardner is Kimberly Dawes.

So they never enter Kimberly into the adult missing person system and essentially stop actively investigating, even though they still check out a few leads that come in from the public. But that doesn't stop Linda. In 1991, she walks into the police station with a new composite sketch and asks why Kimberly couldn't be added back into the NCIC as a missing person.

So they never enter Kimberly into the adult missing person system and essentially stop actively investigating, even though they still check out a few leads that come in from the public. But that doesn't stop Linda. In 1991, she walks into the police station with a new composite sketch and asks why Kimberly couldn't be added back into the NCIC as a missing person.