MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1996-4
Sara Anne Bushland
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Spooner, Wisconsin
Summary:
Sara Bushland was last seen getting off her school bus at the end of the driveway of the Lambert residence where she lived with her mother, stepfather and stepbrothers in rural Spooner, Wisconsin. At 15 years of age, Sara had experienced sexual abuse and had even been recently pregnant. With many relationships of concern to include older boyfriends and family friends staying at the house, there are many areas of concern related to who may have taken Sara.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
Sara had planned to go her friend Jenna's house after school but she started asking friends for a ride to her house instead. She stated she wanted to get home faster than she would by bus to pick up some things from her house before going to Jenna's house. Sara told Jenna the real reason though: she needed to get home to get her diary before her step-father could find it and read it again. Sara had been grounded for nearly two months and her punishment was ending the coming weekend. She was afraid if step-father Jim found her diary, she would be in even more trouble. Sara took a bus ride home instead. There was a dark-colored pickup truck driving behind the school bus and when she got off the bus, the truck pulled into the driveway of the Lambert house. A classmate (Elizabeth) on the bus thought the truck belonged to Steve, a former boyfriend of Sara. Another classmate thought the truck belonged to Travis' father and that Travis would commonly wait for Sara at the driveway after school.
Additional Details:
It wasn’t until July of 1999 that investigators did a physical search of her stepdads property. Later in the same year, they searched a trash dump that was on the property and dragged Spring Lake in August of 2000. Nothing was found. The property was searched again in 2013 and 2017, but nothing was found. Sara had previously lived with her father in Colorado.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Sara's step-father Jim also died from complications of COPD.
After Jim died, investigators conducted another search of the Lambert property and collected many items belonging to Jim.
Sara's mom Marie died from complications of COPD.
A 2-day search of the Lambert property involved as many as 76 persons. Agencies represented included Washburn County, Wisconsin DCI, the City of Superior/Douglas County Dive Team, the St. Louis County (Minnesota) Sheriff Search and Rescue, Wisconsin Emergency Management, the National Guard, and cadaver dog units.
Washburn County SO secured a search warrant for the Lambert property. Investigators dragged the lake and searched other areas on the property for clues.
An article in the Spooner Advocate was posted about Sara being missing. Many people didn't even know about the situation until this article was posted as they hadn't heard about it prior.
Jim & Marie report Sara as missing to the Washburn County Sheriff's Office in Shell Lake.
Marie returned to the house after having been out looking for Sara. Marie went to Jenna's house and then Marie and Jenna checked Travis' apartment in Spooner and his father's house in Trego without success.
Marie returned to the house after having been out of town for a funeral in Chippewa Falls. She received a phone call from Jim about Sara not coming home.
A step-brother called parents to let them know Sara had not come home after school (Source: Spooner Advocate and phone records).
~4pm the bus arrived in front of Sara's driveway. A truck was seen waiting and multiple witnesses saw Sara get in the truck.
School let out and Sara took a 40 minute bus ride to her house.
Sara's after school plans changed at some point. Instead of going to Jenna's after school, she asked several neighbors and friends for a ride home to her house.
Sara's plans changed when Travis showed up at the school at lunchtime. Instead o going to Jenna's house, Sara and Travis went to the home of one of Travis' friends in Spooner (which was common during the school lunch break).
Step-brother Dean gave Sara a ride before school to her friend Jenna's house in Spooner, WI. Sara wasn't comfortable in her clothes and borrowed some from Jenna, including a jacket. Sara left her backpack at the house and the plan was to return to the house during lunch to return the clothes. Sara told them mom she would see her after school as the plans were to hang out at the house after school before going to a school dance in the evening.
Brian Bowes from Canada came for an overnight visit at the house to see Jim.
Sara told her grandmother that she wanted to move back in with her dad and sister who were now living in Chippewa Falls, WI.
Sara had an abortion at a clinic in Duluth.
At 15, Sara started a relationship with 21 year old named Travis.
Sara moved in with mom in Spooner, WI after getting in trouble with dad in Colorado. She started the spring semester at Spooner HS as a freshman.
Associated Persons
Lesley S. (Sibling) - Living
Brian B. (Other) - Living
Jane (Eddy) U. (Maternal Grandmother's Mother) - Deceased
Leslie M. (Maternal Grandfather) - Deceased
Jim L. (Step-parent) - Living
Mike B. (Father) - Living
Marie L. (Mother) - Living
Thomas U. (Maternal Grandmother's Father) - Deceased
Martha Marie U. (Maternal Grandmother) - Deceased
Family Tree
Why is this important?Missing person
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Mother
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather's Mother
Paternal Grandfather's Father
Paternal Grandmother's Mother
Paternal Grandmother's Father
Maternal Grandfather's Mother
Maternal Grandfather's Father
Maternal Grandmother's Mother
Maternal Grandmother's Father
Paternal Grandfather
Paternal Grandmother
Maternal Grandfather
Maternal Grandmother
Father
Mother
Missing Person
Missing Person
Case Content Disclaimer: The details on this case page are sourced from numerous locations to include family, friends, news postings and government public releases. Solve the Case, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of any content as case pages are living documents that frequently update as case details expand.
