meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Unsolved

S4 Ep1: She never made it to school

Unsolved

USA TODAY and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

True Crime

3.9792 Ratings

🗓️ 3 May 2023

⏱️ 32 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Despite Milwaukee’s history of segregation and distrust between Black residents and police, the whole city comes together to search for 7-year-old Alexis Patterson, who disappeared somewhere in the 242 steps between her home and school.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Once upon a time, Amazon Music met audiobooks and listeners everywhere rejoiced.

0:05.8

Oh yeah.

0:06.6

Because now they could listen to one audiobook title a month from an enormous library of popular

0:11.7

audiobook titles, including Romantasy, autobiographies, true crime, and more.

0:19.3

Suddenly listeners didn't mind sitting in traffic or even missing their flight.

0:23.4

Amazon Music Unlimited now includes Audible.

0:25.7

No way.

0:26.4

Download the Amazon Music app now to start listening.

0:29.2

Terms apply.

0:44.9

Show a picture of seven-year-old Alexis Patterson to anyone in Milwaukee.

0:49.9

Odds are they'll recognize it, even after more than 20 years.

0:59.2

In a poster, once plastered all over the city, Alexis has her hair in pigtails, and she's squinting a little from smiling so big.

1:07.3

When you look at that picture, when you see that picture of her, you just see someone that could be like you're a kid.

1:12.6

That's James Cawsey, a local reporter who covered the case. But this is the case that rocked this city.

1:15.6

It rocked a city like never before.

1:18.6

For Alexis's mother, Ianna Patterson,

1:22.6

the first indication that something was wrong

1:25.6

came shortly before 3 p.m. on May 3, 2002.

1:31.6

So normally Alexis make it home from school between 252 and 255 every day. So when 255 came,

1:42.2

she, like 258 up in there, she didn't make a home.

1:46.5

I'm looking out the window because I normally see my baby walk.

1:48.9

I watch my baby come home every day.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from USA TODAY and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of USA TODAY and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.