A Sister’s Never-Ending Search: Sara Bushland Missing for 30 Years

On April 3, 1996, 15-year-old Sara Bushland was last seen getting off her school bus in Spooner, Wisconsin. Three decades later, her older sister, Lesley Small, is still searching for answers about what happened to Sara. 

Sara and Lesley were just 18 months apart and had a close relationship growing up. In a recent conversation with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), Lesley reflected on memories they created together and described Sara as extremely personable. “She just loved people,” Lesley said. “She just loved hanging out with people and she was very social.”

Sara Bushland prior to her disappearance. (Courtesy of Lesley Small)

Sara and Lesley spent most of their childhood side by side but lived in separate homes the year before Sara’s disappearance. Their parents were separated, and at the time, Lesley was staying with their father and stepmother in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, while Sara was living an hour away in Spooner with their mother, stepfather and stepsiblings.

Lesley shared that the weekend before Sara went missing, her sister visited their father’s home. Neither she nor Lesley realized these would be their final moments together before Sara vanished.

The afternoon of Wednesday, April 3, was like any other. Witnesses said Sara rode the school bus home and was dropped off at the end of her driveway around 4 p.m. The house was only about 100 yards away, yet investigators say it is unknown whether Sara ever made it inside.

Despite years of investigation and several different theories, it remains unclear what happened to Sara that day. But Lesley knows one thing for certain: Sara would not have gone this long without reaching out, and even if she left voluntarily, she intended to return.  

And ever since, Sara’s absence has weighed on her family. “It's so hard to put into words how you can have something like this going on in the background and still go on day by day,” Lesley said. “It's hard to balance.”

There has not been a day gone by that Lesley has not thought of her sister. She has never stopped searching and has never given up hope. 

Sara Bushland and her sister Lesley Small. (Courtesy of Lesley Small)

“It really just has felt like we're all stuck in a bad movie, and we get our hopes up and then they're just ripped out from underneath us,” Lesley explained. “I truly believe that someday we'll find out what happened to her.”

For Sara’s father, the hope is that someone with information will finally come forward.

“There has to be someone who has information about what has happened to Sara,” he said. “Any little thing will help, even if they don't think it is important, we want to know. Please help bring Sara home.”

Sara Bushland and her father. (Courtesy of Lesley Small)

To aid the search, NCMEC is releasing a new age progression image showing what Sara may look like today at 45 years old. The hope is that this new image will lead Sara’s family one step closer to answers. 

Sara Bushland age progressed to 45 years old. (Courtesy of NCMEC)

If you have any information about Sara Bushland or her disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Washburn County Sheriff's Office at 1-715-468-4700.

View Sara Bushland’s missing poster here: https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/818087/1.