The Disappearance of Michael 'Monkey' Vaughan

UPDATE OCTOBER 2025: There has been an arrest in the case. Stay tuned for more details as they become available!

The disappearance of Michael Joseph Vaughn, often known as “Monkey,” is one of Idaho’s most heartbreaking and ongoing missing child cases.

Michael was five years old when he vanished on July 27, 2021, from his neighborhood in Fruitland, Idaho. He had been playing outside near his home on Southwest 9th Street around 6:30 p.m. when he went missing. Despite extensive searches involving police, volunteers, drones, boats, scent-tracking dogs, and even irrigation canals, no trace of Michael was immediately found.

The Fruitland Police Department, along with the FBI and Idaho State Police, launched a massive investigation. Over time, they received and followed up on hundreds of leads. In November 2022, the search took a major turn when investigators excavated the backyard of a home on Redwing Street — just minutes from the Vaughn residence. Authorities arrested Sarah Wondra, one of the residents, charging her with failure to report a death in connection with Michael’s case. Police stated publicly that they believed Michael had been killed and buried, then later moved from that location, though they did not find his remains during that search.

Wondra was later deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and committed to a state hospital for treatment. Police have also identified several other people of interest, but no one has yet been charged with Michael’s disappearance or death.

Michael’s parents, Brandi Neal and Tyler Vaughn, continue to advocate tirelessly for answers, keeping his memory visible through community events, billboards, and the online campaign #BringMonkeyHome. The Fruitland Police maintain that the case is active and ongoing, and they remain hopeful for a resolution.

If you have any information about Michael Vaughn’s disappearance, please contact the Fruitland Police Department at (208) 452-3001 or Crime Stoppers at (343) COPS (2677).