"This looks just like your sister...that's Gladys"

On April 8, 1986, the body of an unidentified female was found in a wooded area in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Despite years of investigative work by Pennsylvania State Police, her identity remained unknown. For four decades she was known only as Jane Doe. 

Now, a digital facial reconstruction created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has helped investigators finally identify her as Gladys T. Johnson, an 18-year-old who disappeared from Washington, D.C., in March of 1986.

Facial reconstruction created by a NCMEC forensic artist (credit: NCMEC); Gladys T. Johnson (credit: Family).

The breakthrough came after NCMEC shared the reconstruction image on social media. A friend of Gladys' family saw the image and immediately shared it with family members saying, "This looks just like your sister...that’s Gladys.” 

Gladys' family contacted NCMEC and four months later, investigators finally had answers.

Gladys' identification is just one example of the work NCMEC does every day to help law enforcement solve cases involving unidentified children and young adults.

NCMEC is currently assisting with more than 650 cases involving unidentified child remains and has helped identify more than 455 deceased children. Some of these mysteries have gone unsolved for decades, including one case out of Philadelphia dating back to 1957, known as the “Boy in the Box.” It's the oldest case NCMEC has helped resolve.

NCMEC provides investigative support, access to forensic technologies and creates facial reconstructions that can give the public a new way to recognize someone whose identity has remained a mystery.

In 2025 alone, NCMEC's forensic artists created 75 facial reconstructions of unidentified deceased children.

But creating the image is only part of the work. Getting it in front of the right person can be just as important. That's where NCMEC's Help ID Me initiative comes in.

Launched on Facebook in 2014, Help ID Me shares facial reconstructions, case information and other identifying clues with the public. The goal is simple: reach someone who recognizes a face, a piece of jewelry or another detail that could help investigators give an unidentified person their name back.

The search for answers about Gladys continues. Anyone who knew Gladys, also known as “Tinker,” or has information about her disappearance or death – including the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her remains near Interstate 81 in Kline Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania – is urged to contact Pennsylvania State Police, Troop L Frackville, at 570-874-5300, the Pennsylvania State Police toll-free tip line at 1-800-472-8477 or NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). Tips can also be submitted online at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=107.

You don't have to be an investigator to help solve a case. Sometimes, all it takes is recognizing a face. Visit NCMEC's Help ID Me page to view cases, share images and learn how you can help give someone their name back.