In 1982, This Mother Of Two Vanished After Escaping From A Psychiatric Hospital In Alabama
Diana Avera of Mount Vernon, Alabama, was born on May 15, 1960, and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. She was also a loving mother to her two sons.
But, at 22-years-old, Diana was reportedly arrested for disorderly conduct. This resulted in her being involuntarily committed to Searcy Hospital– which was once a state-owned and operated psychiatric hospital that closed in 2012.
After Diana was arrested and committed on May 21, 1982, she underwent ECT– or electroconvulsive treatments– in addition to other therapies.
Upon being visited by family members in the hospital, though, Diana’s loved ones recalled how she had been “like a zombie” and was nearly unable to walk or speak.
About three months after Diana entered Searcy Hospital, she also wound up escaping in August of 1982.
And since then, Diana’s loved ones have never seen or heard from her again.
At the time of her disappearance, it was thought that law enforcement or the hospital had reported Diana missing in 1982.
But, her loved ones found out more recently that she was actually never reported missing.
So, it was not until August 2020 that Diana was officially reported as a missing person. Around the same time, her family members submitted samples of their DNA for matching, and Diana’s case was entered into NamUs– a national database for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases.
Facebook – pictured above is Diana
Since 1982, the circumstances surrounding Diana’s disappearance have remained unknown. So, her case has been classified as endangered missing, and her loved ones have continued searching for answers.
Online, they created a Facebook group entitled “Diana Avera: Missing In Alabama” to raise awareness about her case in hopes of gaining closure.
At the time of her disappearance, Diana was between five feet tall and five foot three, weighed between 100 and 120 pounds, and had blonde hair and hazel eyes. She had a scar on her right thigh and would be 62 years old today.
If you have any information regarding Diana Avera’s disappearance or whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at (251) 581-1181.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:True Crime