Robert was last seen at approximately 8:45 a.m. on July 6, 1990 in the vicinity of the 13500 block of south 8th Street in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was staying at Cheyenne Mesa, a day program and residential treatment facility. According to his mother, he was traumatized after he witnessed his stepfather's suicide when he was seven. The morning of his disappearance, Robert called his mother and insinuated that something was wrong, but told her he could not say what was troubling him because the call was being monitored. His mother immediately called the facility to make arrangements to visit him, but was told that Robert was on an outing. Later that day, a Cheyenne Mesa employee told Robert's mother he had run away. He has never been heard from again. His mother was told he was wearing a blue plaid shirt and black jeans, but these clothes were returned to her along with the rest of his belongings. She stated he brought two pairs of shoes to Cheyenne Mesa and she got both pairs back, indicating he may have been barefoot. Robert had sensitive feet and didn't like to be without shoes.