The FBI is renewing its call for information in the disappearance of Steven Earle Kraft Jr., who vanished from his Benton Harbor, Michigan, neighborhood on February 15, 2001, at the age of 12.
Steven, described as an independent and social boy who loved exploring his surroundings, was last seen leaving his home with his two dogs on a cold winter evening. He never returned.
“Everybody knew each other in the community. They were very close and very social,” said Special Agent Trisha Kovac of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, who has been working on Steven’s case. “He knew a lot of people. He had a lot of relatives. So, he would go door-to-door down on his street. They lived on a dead-end street off of, kind of a well-traveled highway. He would just stop by peoples’ houses, get something to eat, hang out with family or friends. So, Steven was well-known out in the area.”
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Despite extensive searches, interviews, and national media attention, including a feature on “America’s Most Wanted,” Steven’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Over the years, investigators have pursued numerous leads, including canvassing the neighborhood, interviewing registered sex offenders, and searching nearby woods and bodies of water. One of Steven’s dogs returned home after a few days, and the other was found several blocks away, but there was no sign of the boy.
The case remains active, and the FBI continues to seek answers, even though Steven’s parents have sadly passed away in the years since his disappearance.
“My one regret is that we were not able to solve it for them,” said Agent Kovac, who developed a close relationship with Steven’s family.
Steven’s sister remains hopeful for his return and keeps his memory alive by baking his favorite cake every year on his birthday.
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The FBI urges anyone with information about Steven’s disappearance to come forward, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
“I think some people are hesitant and it’s easy to sit back and put it off when you’re anxious about giving away information. Unfortunately, a lot of witnesses, a lot of people over the years who had some sort of a tangential knowledge of the others around at the time and things, they have passed away for various reasons,” said Agent Kovac. “I don’t want any witnesses to go before they can give us their answers.”
Steven was last seen wearing a blue-green Charlotte Hornets jacket, a tan and white striped T-shirt, tan parachute pants, and black boots. He has ties to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Lexington, Kentucky, in addition to his home in Michigan.
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If you have anything to share concerning Steven, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also contact the Benton Township Police Department at 1-269-926-8221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-342-STOP. To submit an anonymous tip online, please visit tips.fbi.gov.
Despite the passage of time, the FBI remains dedicated to finding out what happened to Steven Kraft Jr. and bringing closure to his family and community.
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