It’s been six months since a Connecticut woman disappeared and her family is worried that something has happened to her.
Monica Decker, 53, was last seen leaving her house in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 8, 2020, where she lived with her adult son, according to Bridgeport Police Detective Kenneth McKenna.
Two days later, Monica’s place of work, Norwalk Transit, called police to perform a welfare check at her home, stating that Monica had failed to show up for work the prior two days, which was uncharacteristic of her.
Police responded to Monica’s house on Beechmont Avenue where they discovered her locked 2016 Honda Civic parked outside and her personal belongings, including her cell phone, located inside the house. Monica was nowhere to be found, Det. McKenna told Dateline. He added that Monica’s son told police that he hadn’t seen his mother in two days and that he assumed she was at work.
Monica’s daughter, Sheila Yasin, who lives in West Haven, Connecticut, last saw her mother a week before she disappeared.
“She came by my house to visit, as she often does on the weekends,” Sheila told Dateline. “She made bread and everything was normal. She wasn’t sad or acting weird. And she certainly didn’t act like she was leaving.”
Sheila added that her son, who is autistic, is extremely close with his grandmother.
“She’s his number one advocate,” Sheila said tearfully. “My mom would never just walk away from him and not contact us. It’s been six months. This is just not like her at all. We’re crushed.”
An investigation by the Bridgeport Police led investigators to believe that Monica left the area with a man named Toby Roberts, according to Det. McKenna. In early May 2020, Monica’s daughters were alerted by the bank that she had accessed her account at an ATM in Wilmington, Vermont. The detective told Dateline that Monica had checked the account balance, but did not withdraw any cash.
Detective McKenna told Dateline that investigators obtained the security footage from the Merchants bank ATM in Wilmington and confirmed the image was Monica. The video also showed Monica getting into a green Honda CR-V with an unknown male.
“We do believe that Monica Decker is in the Wilmington, Vermont area with this man, Toby Roberts,” Det. McKenna said. “At this time, we have no reason to suspect foul play. But we haven’t given up searching for her. This is still an open, active missing persons case.”
He added that Monica’s disappearance remains a missing persons case and they continue to search for her because her family and her work colleagues believe this is out-of-character behavior on her part and are concerned for her safety.
Detective McKenna told Dateline that they’ve made multiple attempts to contact both Monica and Toby Roberts, but have been unsuccessful. He encouraged anyone who may have information on their whereabouts to contact police.
Monica’s daughter, Sheila, told Dateline that she’s frustrated with the lack of answers in her mother’s case.
“I understand that she’s an adult and can just leave if she wants,” Sheila said. “But that’s just not her. And she left everything behind. All her belongings. It just doesn’t make sense.”
And now that Monica hasn’t been seen or hear from since being seen on that ATM security video five months ago, Sheila just wants to make sure her mother has disappeared of her own free will.
“I feel like my mother is not safe,” she said. “I feel like I'm in a movie I never wanted to be part of. I just want to know that my mother is not dead. I need to know that she’s OK.”
Monica, who was 52 years old at the time of her disappearance, is now 53. She is described as being between 5’3”- 5’5" tall and weighing approximately 185-195 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone who may have information about Monica’s whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Kenneth McKenna at the Bridgeport Police Department in Connecticut at 203-581-5245.