Ara was last seen in her bedroom in her family's mobile home in the 300 block of Boulder Street in Big Sandy, Texas on April 2, 1986. Her father stated he last checked on her between 1:00 and 2:30am. When Ara's parents woke up between 6:30 and 6:45, she was gone. The back door to the residence was open, and the dark orange bedspread under which Ara was sleeping disappeared with her. Her bedroom was otherwise undisturbed, there was no sign of forced entry to the home, and no one heard anything unusual that night. Foul play is suspected in Ara's case. Authorities believe she was kidnapped by someone who knew her family's habits. She is the second child her parents lost; their six-year-old son accidentally drowned nine months before Ara's abduction. Her case remains unsolved.