EPISODE · Apr 10, 2026 · 1H 6M
Marlena Childress
from Voices for Justice · host Sarah Turney
A four-year-old girl disappears from a small Tennessee town, and almost instantly, fear ripples through the community. Her family pleads for answers. Her neighbors rally around them. People search, pray, and hold onto hope that she’ll be found safe. But then, just when it seems the case couldn’t get more tragic, it takes a turn so shocking it changes everything. Marlena Danyele Childress was just 4 years old when she vanished on April 16, 1987, from Union City, Tennessee, where she was last seen playing in the front yard of her family’s home. She was 4 feet tall, weighed about 38 pounds, and had light brown hair and blue or hazel eyes. Her ears were pierced, and she had silver or stainless-steel caps on her top and bottom front teeth. The day she disappeared, Marlena was wearing a purple and white checked shirt with lace trim, light purple pants, and pink jelly-style shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Union City Police Department at 731-885-1515. For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.com For even more content or to further support the show, join the Voices for Justice Patreon. Follow us on social media: Twitter: @VFJPod Instagram: @VoicesforJusticePodcast TikTok: @VoicesforJusticePodcast Facebook: @VoicesforJusticePodcast Voices for Justice is hosted by Sarah Turney Twitter: @SarahETurney Instagram: @SarahETurney TikTok: @SarahETurney Facebook: @SarahETurney YouTube: @SarahTurney The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What this episode covers
A four-year-old girl disappears from a small Tennessee town, and almost instantly, fear ripples through the community. Her family pleads for answers. Her neighbors rally around them. People search, pray, and hold onto hope that she’ll be found safe. But then, just when it seems the case couldn’t get more tragic, it takes a turn so shocking it changes everything. Marlena Danyele Childress was just 4 years old when she vanished on April 16, 1987, from Union City, Tennessee, where she was last seen playing in the front yard of her family’s home. She was 4 feet tall, weighed about 38 pounds, and had light brown hair and blue or hazel eyes. Her ears were pierced, and she had silver or stainless-steel caps on her top and bottom front teeth. The day she disappeared, Marlena was wearing a purple and white checked shirt with lace trim, light purple pants, and pink jelly-style shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Union City Police Department at 731-885-1515. For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.com For even more content or to further support the show, join the Voices for Justice Patreon. Follow us on social media: Twitter: @VFJPod Instagram: @VoicesforJusticePodcast TikTok: @VoicesforJusticePodcast Facebook: @VoicesforJusticePodcast Voices for Justice is hosted by Sarah Turney Twitter: @SarahETurney Instagram: @SarahETurney TikTok: @SarahETurney Facebook: @SarahETurney YouTube: @SarahTurney The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Marlena Childress
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