Blessing Wasso, who vanished at age 1 during supervised visit, discovered peering from window as officers launch dramatic rescue
A miraculous breakthrough has ended a three-year search for a missing toddler after eagle-eyed investigators spotted her peering from a second-floor window in Chicago.
Blessing Wasso, now 4, was found safe on June 3 after disappearing with her mother during a court-ordered supervised visit in November 2021, when she was just one year old.
The dramatic rescue operation saw US Marshals and Chicago police force their way into a home where the little girl had been hidden for more than three years.
VANISHED DURING SUPERVISED VISIT
The extraordinary case began on November 5, 2021, when Blessing’s mother Erika Ephraim – also known as Ericka Wasso – disappeared with the toddler during a supervised visit at a Brighton Park facility in Chicago.
At the time, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had legal custody of Blessing and immediately reported both mother and daughter missing.
The case went cold for years, leaving investigators and child welfare officials desperately searching for answers.
RENEWED SEARCH EFFORTS
This spring, Chicago Police Department issued a renewed missing person bulletin, with authorities suspecting Ephraim may have fled with Blessing to California or Texas.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had created an age-progressed image showing what Blessing might look like at age 4.
But the breakthrough came from much closer to home than anyone expected.
SPOTTED AT THE WINDOW
The case cracked wide open when investigators conducting surveillance noticed a young girl peering out of a second-floor window at a Chicago residence.
The child bore a striking resemblance to the age-progressed photo of Blessing.
Officers decided to proceed with an arrest operation to recover the child,” the U.S. Marshals Service stated in their press release.
DRAMATIC RESCUE OPERATION
On June 3, 2025, officers launched a tactical operation at the home.
According to the U.S. Marshals press release, authorities were forced to make entry into the residence where they found Blessing inside.
As officers moved in, Ephraim attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended.
The little girl was immediately placed back into protective custody and returned to DCFS, as she remains a ward of the state.
MOTHER FACES MULTIPLE CHARGES
Ephraim was booked into Cook County Jail on multiple active warrants, including:
- Full extradition warrant from the California Department of Corrections
- Non-extraditable warrant for retail theft in Cook County
- Stolen property charges in Orange County, California
- Robbery charges in Signal Hill, California
THREE YEARS IN HIDING
CWB Chicago, citing sources, confirmed that the infant located by authorities was indeed Blessing Wasso.
The successful operation was a joint effort between the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and the Chicago Police Department, who had requested assistance in locating the missing infant on January 1, 2025.
SAFE AT LAST
Chicago Police Department issued separate press releases on June 6, 2025, announcing that both Blessing and her mother had been “safely located.
After more than 1,300 days missing, Blessing is now back in the care of child welfare authorities.
The case highlights the dedication of law enforcement who never gave up searching for the missing toddler, even as years passed without leads.
QUESTIONS REMAIN
While Blessing has been found safe, questions remain about how mother and daughter managed to remain hidden in Chicago for so long when authorities believed they may have fled to other states.
The case serves as a reminder of the challenges facing child welfare services and law enforcement when non-custodial parents disappear with children during supervised visits.
For now, the focus remains on Blessing’s wellbeing as she adjusts to life after three years in hiding.
