Michelle was last seen in the Barrio Jauca neighborhood of her hometown of Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, about forty-five minutes southwest of San Juan, on May 2, 1992. She was visiting her grandparents' residence at the time and was apparently abducted while playing in a neighbor's front yard at approximately 8:00 p.m. Her grandfather heard an old car driving nearby and when he came out to check on Michelle, she was gone. It has been established that Michelle was in the company of a family acquaintance sometime after her initial disappearance. The individual has since returned to Puerto Rico, but Michelle has not been located. It is believed that the child may be in a Puerto Rican community in Massachusetts, New York or Florida. Her family has ties to those regions of the country. She may also be in the Dominican Republic.