The Disappearance of Asha Degree
Valentine’s Day, 2000 – Asha Leaves Home
In the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, Asha Degree, a 9-year-old girl from Shelby, North Carolina, quietly got out of bed, packed a few belongings into her book bag, and walked out of her house sometime between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m.
It was cold and rainy. There had been a power outage earlier that night. Asha shared a room with her brother, who later said he heard her bed creak but assumed she was adjusting in her sleep.
When her mother woke at 6:30 a.m. to get the kids ready for school, Asha’s bed was empty. The front door was locked — but she was gone.
Witnesses See Her Walking Alone
At least two drivers reported seeing a small girl walking down Highway 18 between 3:30 and 4:15 a.m., about a mile from her home. One driver turned around to approach her out of concern, but she bolted into the woods.
That was the last confirmed sighting of Asha Degree.
The Search Begins
Police launched an immediate search. Bloodhounds traced her scent from her home down the highway — and to the spot where she ran into the woods.
Over the next days and weeks, volunteers combed the area. A few clues emerged:
- A Mickey Mouse hair bow and a pencil belonging to Asha were found in a shed along the highway.
- But no footprints, no signs of a struggle, and no confirmed reason for her leaving were ever found.
Her family was loving, stable, and churchgoing. There were no indications of abuse, neglect, or conflict. By all accounts, Asha was shy, well-behaved, and afraid of the dark.
So… why did she leave?
A Year Later: A Strange Discovery
In August 2001, more than a year after she vanished, Asha’s backpack was found 26 miles away, buried in a plastic bag in the woods near a construction site in Burke County.
The bag contained:
- Asha’s backpack
- A New Kids on the Block t-shirt (not hers)
- A pencil, marker, and notebook — identified as hers
Police never revealed all the contents, but confirmed it was deliberately buried. It was not weathered as if it had been in the elements for a year, suggesting it was buried months after she disappeared.
The location made no sense. Asha didn’t know anyone in that area. She had no way of getting there on her own.
Theories and Questions
1. A planned runaway?
Asha packed her school bag with a change of clothes, but she was only 9. She didn’t take money, didn’t leave a note, and was afraid of dogs, strangers, and the dark. Why leave at night?
2. Groomed by someone she met?
Some believe Asha may have been lured or manipulated by someone she met — possibly at school or church. But her internet access was limited and there was no sign she was in contact with anyone secretly.
3. Abduction along the road?
Did someone see her walking, stop, and convince her to get in? The deliberate burial of her backpack suggests the involvement of someone with a plan.
4. A psychological episode?
There’s no evidence that Asha had any mental health issues, but the sudden walk into the dark with no explanation raises many questions.
Still Missing, Still Loved
Every year, on Valentine’s Day, her parents place flowers along Highway 18 where she was last seen. They still believe she’s alive.
In 2020, the FBI released new evidence: someone may have seen a dark green 1970s Lincoln Continental or Ford Thunderbird in the area that morning. It’s unclear if it was connected.
Despite thousands of tips, Asha Degree remains missing — 25 years later.
**A girl walked into a storm at 4 a.m.
People saw her. She ran. Then, she vanished.
And left behind a backpack, a heartbreak, and a trail that’s still cold.**