A young girl who went missing in 2021 at just 1 year old has been found safe after more than three years.
Blessing Wasso, now 4, disappeared on November 5, 2021, when her mother, Erika Ephraim (also known as Ericka Wasso), took her during a supervised visit at a facility in Chicago’s Brighton Park.
At the time, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), who had legal custody of Blessing, reported both mother and daughter missing.
Earlier this year, the Chicago Police Department released an updated missing person alert, suggesting they may have traveled to California or Texas. A breakthrough came when U.S. Marshals and Chicago police located them at a residence in Chicago.
On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed in a statement that Chicago police helped find the missing child on January 1, 2025.
A source told CWB Chicago that the child found was indeed Blessing.
Chicago police confirmed on June 6 that both Blessing and her mother had been “safely located.”
The case saw a breakthrough when investigators noticed a young girl looking out from a second-floor window who closely resembled an age-progressed image of Blessing.
On June 3, officers carried out a tactical raid at the residence, forcing entry.
According to a U.S. Marshals press release, Blessing was found inside and immediately taken back into protective custody.
Still under state care, she was returned to DCFS after spending more than three years in hiding.
Ephraim was taken into custody as she attempted to escape and is currently being held at Cook County Jail.
She faces multiple charges, including a full extradition warrant from the California Department of Corrections, as well as offenses related to retail theft, possession of stolen property, and robbery in both Illinois and California.
