Officials announced that “Baby Holly”, a child who disappeared in Texas in the 1980s when her parents vanished, was discovered alive and well 40 years later.
Officials confirmed that Holly Marie Clouse (42), was “alive” after using genetic genealogy to identify her parents Tina Gail Linn Clouse Jr. and Harold Dean Clouse Jr.
During a press conference, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Office made the shocking announcement. Investigators stressed that the public must help them find answers.
Paxton’s office issued a press release stating that Baby Holly, 42 years old, was found healthy and well. She is in contact with her extended biological family and hopes to see them soon.
Clouse spoke Tuesday with her biological family and will soon be able to meet them in person. Brent Webster, First Assistant Attorney General, stated that Clouse was offered a trip by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to be reunited with her biological family.
To achieve this significant development, the Texas Attorney General’s Office Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit teamed with Identifiers International and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and various law enforcement agencies from Texas and Florida.
Holly’s grandmother Donna Casasanta stated that Holly’s health was discovered on Dean’s birthday by her family. The news was a “birthday gift from heaven”.
She stated, “I prayed over 40 years for answers and the Lord has shown some… we have found Holly. “Thank you to all of the investigators who searched tirelessly for Holly”.
Officials confirmed that Tina Gail Linn Clouse Jr. and Harold Dean Clouse Jr. had been found murdered in a Houston wooded area in the 1980s.
Due to the hard work done by my office’s newly formed Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit — Baby Holly, who has been missing for 40 years, has been located alive and well! https://t.co/ZL5Teunaht
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) June 9, 2022
Holly, who was a newborn at that time, wasn’t found. For many decades, she was declared missing. Tina and Dean were declared missing for many decades. Paxton’s office said that their remains remained unidentified until 2021. Paxton stated that family members continued to search for information about the disappearance and whereabouts of the trio. They hadn’t heard from them since 1980.
The bizarre circumstances surrounding the death of the young Clouse family members are now revealed
Webster stated that Holly was left at an Arizona church and taken in by him.
Webster described how Holly was brought to church by two women who claimed they were members of a nomadic religious group.
“They indicated the beliefs of their religion included the separation of male and female members, practicing vegetarian habits, and not using or wearing leather goods,” he said. “The women indicated they had given up a baby before at a laundromat.”
According to reports, the group traveled across the Southwest region of the United States, including Arizona, California, and possibly Texas.
Identifinders is happy to announce a resolution to the Holly Marie Clouse missing persons case. Many thanks to @stjbs for his article in the Houston Chronicle about the discovery:https://t.co/KWfKAF3Lee
— Identifinders International, LLC (@Identifinders) June 9, 2022
Webster said that Tina Clouse’s family had not heard from Dean Clouse since October 1980 when they lived in Lewisville.
Tina and Dean were contacted by “Sister Susan”, a person identifying herself only as her in the period December 1980 to January 1981. She claimed she called Tina, Dean, and their car from Los Angeles, California.
Sister Susan said, “Tina had joined the religious group and that they didn’t want to be in contact with their families anymore”.
Webster stated, “They were also giving up all their possessions. “Sister Susan” requested money to return their car to Florida. Webster said that they were willing to pay. However, the family contacted the authorities to clarify the situation.
“Sister Susan” was the name of a woman who the family met at a Daytona racetrack in Florida. Webster suggests that she was with at least one other woman.
He stated, “Once again, these women were wearing dresses and appeared to be part of this religious group.”
The Police believe that the women were taken into custody by them but have not been able to locate any police records. Officials described it as a 1978 AMC Concord two-door, which was either red or burgundy.
Tina and Dean Clouse’s remains were discovered between January 6 and January 11, 1981, off of Wallisville Road in Harris County, Texas, Webster said.
Investigators believe they were murdered between December 1980 and early January 1981.
