The Missing Steven Earl Kraft II

The Missing
Steven Earl Kraft II
Benton Harbor, Michigan

🧡🕯️ STILL MISSING: What Happened to 12-Year-Old Steven Earl Kraft II? 🕯️🧡

On the evening of February 15, 2001, 12-year-old Steven Earl Kraft II went outside to play with his family’s two dogs near his home in Benton Harbor, Michigan. He told his family he would be back in time for dinner. But Steven never returned. More than 25 years later, his disappearance remains unsolved.

Steven was last seen between 7 and 8 p.m. in the 2100 block of Holly Drive, approximately half a block from his family’s residence. Going outside to play was nothing unusual for Steven, who lived on a quiet dead-end street where neighborhood children often spent time outdoors. He knew the area well and had relatives and neighbors living nearby.

When Steven failed to return, his family became concerned. His mother contacted police during the early morning hours of February 16. Despite extensive searches, investigators were unable to locate him.

One of the most puzzling details involves the family dogs. Steven had been outside with their German Shepherd/chow mix and a six-month-old German Shepherd puppy. Both dogs eventually returned, but Steven did not. Three days after his disappearance, the older dog reportedly led the family toward a nearby pond, but investigators found no evidence of Steven. The following day, the puppy was located near Blue Creek, approximately a mile and a half north of his home.

Temperatures were below freezing when Steven disappeared, with bitter cold continuing over the following days. He was not dressed for such harsh conditions and reportedly had no hat or gloves. His footprints were traced past an iced-over pond near his home toward Harbor Haven Ministries on Irving Street, but what happened afterward remains unknown.

Investigators conducted extensive searches, including four miles of Blue Creek, the pond behind Harbor Haven Ministries, and wooded areas near the Southwestern Michigan Regional Airport in November 2002. None of these searches uncovered evidence of his whereabouts.

Steven was a sixth-grade student at Hull Elementary School. Shortly before disappearing, he had completed a five-day suspension following an altercation with another student in which school administrators stated he had defended himself. It was reportedly the first time Steven had ever been disciplined. His teachers and classmates described him as a quiet boy who had relatively few friends.

Authorities have explored several possibilities, including abduction and the possibility that Steven ran away. In February 2004, someone believed they had spotted him at Midway Airport in Chicago, Illinois, but the individual was later determined to be someone else.

Steven’s disappearance remains an active missing-person investigation. Authorities continue to receive tips, and a dedicated tip line was established to encourage anyone with information to come forward.

💔Steven was 12 years old when he disappeared. He had sandy brown hair, green eyes, and a small red birthmark on the left side of his rib cage. He was approximately 5’1″–5’2″ tall and weighed between 95 and 100 pounds.

He was last seen wearing:
• A blue-green, aqua and purple Charlotte Hornets jacket
• A tan and white striped shirt
• Tan parachute pants
• Black Lugz boots

Steven’s nickname is Stevie. He may also be listed as Steven Earl Kraft Jr. in some records. He has reported connections to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Lexington, Kentucky.

An age-progressed image shows what Steven may have looked like at approximately 33 years old. Today, he would be 37.

More than 25 years have passed since Steven went outside with his dogs. His family is still without an explanation for what happened that evening, and investigators continue to seek information that could help resolve his disappearance.

🕯️ Anyone with information concerning Steven Earl Kraft II’s disappearance is urged to contact:
Benton Township Police Department (Michigan)
📞 269-926-8221
FBI – St. Joseph, Michigan Office
📞 313-965-2323
Crime Stoppers
📞 1-800-342-STOP (7867)

Please share Steven’s story. A detail someone remembers, no matter how small, could help bring investigators closer to finding out what happened to him. 🧡

Sources:
Michigan boy Steven Kraft still missing nearly 18 years after disappearance
Steven Earl Kraft II – The Charley Project
Have you seen this child? Steven Earl Kraft
STEVEN EARL KRAFT, JR. — FBI
Michigan Missing Person Database – Missing People and Unsolved Cold Cases