Kisha Birts and her mother, Hermane Grady, lived together in the 2900 block of East Ledbetter Drive in Dallas, Texas.
On August 4, 1989, Kisha gave birth to a baby boy, Emmanuel Kalief Birts, at home. Afterward, Emmanuel spent seven days in Parkland Memorial Hospital. He was released from the facility to his mother on August 11, 1989.
According to the Charley Project, on August 12, 1989, a woman named Debra Manning came to the family home. Debra said she was a social worker, making a home visit to check on Emmanuel. She even knew about an eye infection the baby was diagnosed with and said she was there on a follow-up visit, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Kisha.
On September 12, Debra came back to the house. On this day, she told Kisha and Hermane that Emmanuel may have contracted HIV, reports the Charley Project. Kisha believed her because she abused drugs previously and felt this was possible.
On September 13, Debra came back with a letter from the Child Welfare Department. The letter stated Emmanuel needed to go to the hospital immediately to be tested for HIV. Debra told Kisha she was unable to accompany them to the hospital and she would be back the following morning to pick up Emmanuel.
The following morning, on September 14, Kisha left Emmanuel at home with Hermane and went to Parkland Memorial Hospital to ask about his health.
While she was gone, Debra returned to the house. She told Hermane she would be back in an hour to pick up Emmanuel. One hour later, Debra returned with a car seat and Hermane allowed her to take Emmanuel. Debra told Hermane they would return around 2:00 pm. Emmanuel has never been seen again.
When Debra failed to return with her baby, Kisha reported Emmanuel missing at 8:00 pm that evening, reports The Resource Center for Cold Case Missing Children's Cases. Authorities contacted Child Protective Services and they advised there was no one working for them with the name Debra Manning. Hermane Grady told investigators she knew a welfare caseworker by the name of Debra Manning, who turned out to be a different woman with the same name.
Both of Emmanuel's parents passed polygraph tests. The parents also both tested negative for HIV.
Investigators are sure Debra Manning was an alias. She is described as about 5'6" and weighed 145 pounds. She was in her thirties with sandy brown hair, which could have been a wig. She spoke with a heavy accent, possibly of African origin, and wore heavy blue eyeshadow. She wore a white lab coat, and surgical pants, and had access to Emmanuel's medical information.
Emmanuel was wearing a red, white, and blue checkered shirt, light blue shorts with red trim, and red and white socks when he vanished.
If you have any information, please contact the Dallas Police Department at 214-744-4444.
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