Debbie Sassen
On February 13, 1996, eight-year-old Debbie Sassen left her elementary school in the Düsseldorf district of Wersten after a morning swimming lesson. She was walking home for lunch—an everyday routine, a familiar route, a short distance.
She never arrived.
In the span of roughly 900 meters, Debbie vanished without a trace. And for nearly 30 years, her family has lived inside the kind of uncertainty that never truly lets go.
A normal day that didn’t feel normal for long
Debbie was described as bright, energetic, and well-loved. She lived with her mother Dagmar, her stepfather Jürgen (the father figure who had raised her), and her older sister Anita. In Wersten, it was normal for children to walk to and from school independently.
That Tuesday was ordinary on paper: school, swim lesson, and then home for lunch. Classmates saw Debbie leave around noon. Nothing seemed wrong.
The search that swallowed a city
When Debbie didn’t come home on time, her family knew immediately something was off. Within hours, police launched what became the largest search operation in Düsseldorf’s history at the time, combing the route, knocking on doors, and flooding the area with posters.
One early fear was that Debbie had fallen through ice in the Südpark lake—divers searched and found nothing. Investigators also explored the possibility of an abduction, checked known offenders, and set up roadblocks. But there were no clear witnesses to a kidnapping. No one reported a scream. No one saw a struggle. And Debbie’s clothing—especially her bright red outerwear—was never found.
The ripple effect on Debbie’s family
Over time, the “not knowing” did what it so often does in long-term missing cases: it seeped into every corner of the people left behind. Debbie’s mother, Dagmar, described years of crushing depression and self-destructive coping. Debbie’s older sister Anita struggled deeply—and the fallout was devastating.
Why Debbie’s case is moving again—right now
For decades, Debbie’s case remained unsolved. But in late January 2026, investigators publicly confirmed new investigative activity: searches tied to a specific suspect and locations connected to the original neighborhood. Authorities emphasized that the suspect is not a family member, and indicated he had access to properties being searched back in 1996.
Police have not named the suspect (as of this recording ), and they have not announced an arrest. But the scale of the searches, the involvement of specialized units, and the public confirmation of a concrete suspect represent the most significant movement this case has seen in years.
In our full episode, we walk through what’s known, what’s speculative, the theories that have circulated for decades, and what these recent developments could mean—especially for a mother who has been waiting nearly 30 years for the truth.
Listen to the full episode of And Then They Were Gone for the deeper timeline, the investigative turns, and the January 2026 developments in full context:
Missing Person: Deborah “Debbie” Sassen
Deborah “Debbie” Sassen has been missing from Düsseldorf, Germany since February 13, 1996. She is a white female with blonde hair and blue eyes. At the time of her disappearance, she was approximately 3’9” tall. She was last seen wearing a red down jacket, plaid shirt, striped vest, red skirt, red tights, and brown boots, and carrying a red satcheland blue gym bag. Debbie was 8 years old when she vanished.
If you have information on the disappearance of Debbie Sassen, contact Düsseldorf Police at 0211-870-0.
Sources:
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