Sara was last seen on April 3, 1996, after stepping off her school bus at the end of her family's driveway around 4:00 p.m. in rural Spooner, Wisconsin. She was about 100 yards from her home. One of her stepbrothers was home at the time, but her mother and stepfather were both out.

A dark-colored pickup truck was following the bus, and as Sara exited, it pulled up beside her. Some passengers on the bus believed the vehicle might belong to Sara's 21-year-old boyfriend. Observing Sara’s body language, the witnesses sensed she was familiar with the truck's driver. While some saw her talking with the driver, others reported that she actually got into the truck. The vehicle then backed out of the driveway and drove in the direction of Trego, a nearby town.