Mother of Alexis Patterson plans to sue MPD

Nearly 24 years after 7-year-old Alexis Patterson vanished on her way to school, her mother says she is preparing to sue the Milwaukee Police Department, arguing the department failed her daughter in the earliest days of the investigation.

In a notice of claim first reported by WISN 12 News, Ayana Patterson outlined plans to seek $10 million in damages. The filing accuses investigators of mishandling key parts of the 2002 case and placing too much focus on her and members of her family instead of fully pursuing other leads.

Alexis disappeared on May 3, 2002, after leaving for Hi-Mount Elementary School on Milwaukee’s north side. She was seven years old. Despite extensive searches, national media coverage, and years of tips, no one has been charged in connection with her disappearance. The case remains open.

Patterson’s claim raises concerns about how evidence was handled, including questions surrounding DNA testing. It also alleges reputational harm and emotional distress tied to early scrutiny directed at her household. Police have consistently maintained that the case is active and that investigators continue to review information as it comes in.

Over the years, Alexis’ disappearance has fueled numerous theories. Some have speculated she was abducted. Others have questioned whether she could still be alive. One long-standing theory has suggested that alleged abuse in the home may have led to something else entirely. Though no charges were ever filed related to that claim, and it has never been proven.

Most recently, social media attention turned toward a woman in Ohio who some believed resembled age-progressed images of Alexis. That speculation gained traction online but has not been confirmed by law enforcement.

For Patterson, the planned lawsuit is about accountability and renewed attention. Nearly two and a half decades later, what happened to Alexis Patterson remains one of Milwaukee’s most painful unanswered questions.