Donna Jou, Monday4 the Missing

We live our lives everyday without worries or cares of the danger that lurks behind those dark corners that we know are there but choose to ignore. Thinking "that will never happen to me". But the reality of that is we are wrong.

Our lives can change just like that! In a blink of an eye. Without notice. Everyday living, normal events and routine should be anything but dangerous you would think. But it is not. Who would have thought that going to a party would change the lives of so many innocent people? And It did for Donna Jou and her family.

Donna Jou was a young lady with dreams, goals, expectations and her whole life ahead of her until she met with a man named John Steven Burgess on a website called craigslist..She was offering her services as a math tutor and John Burgess was listing rooms for rent at his home in Los Angeles. Donna did not know this man was a sex offender, he failed to register himself.

Donna being the trusting person that she is, not aware of the evil that lurks in the shadows. Met up with this man John Steven Burgess and jumped on his motorcycle to attend a party at his house for the evening on June 23 2007. She said bye to her mother without thinking twice and took off down the road.

Donna Jou has not been seen since. On June 24th the next day Nili Jou receives a text message from her daughters cell phone saying "batteries dying. In San Diego. Be home soon. I love you mommy" Was that text from Donna Jou? Her mom does not seem to think so because of the format in which the text was wrote..That very same day Donna's family report her missing to Orange county sheriffs office after she does not show up for work or school.

John Burgess roommate tell police that Donna was at the party and on July 5th Burgess was seen packing cardboard boxes in his truck and that's the last time he has seen him.

A few days later a man finds a box stuffed under some vines a mile and a half away from Burgess home, with a vanity license plate "SINJIN1" from Burgess truck, a black motorcycle helmet, rubber dish washing gloves, rope and a scrub brush. Why was John Burgess hiding these items? One can only speculate because he gives no answers to what he did to Donna or where she is..

Burgess who is now serving a three year sentence in prison on charges of failure to register as a sex offender continues to taunt the family of Donna Jou. He is the only one who knows exactly what happened to Donna and where she is but he says nothing..And why..To try to save himself? ...He keeps this all to himself because he can. Because he is selfish, uncaring, heartless, sick, disgrace to human kind, and evil. I mean for Pete's sakes he likes to touch himself in front of children and touch them..He should have been locked up and the key be thrown away from the start..Why would anyone let this sick twisted man walk the streets with our children anyway!! Or another person for that matter.

A search was conducted December 29-30 through out the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu..And yet the question still remains...Where is Donna Jou and what happened to her?

How does one continue to draw strength to go on searching and looking for answers that never seem to be in reach..Determination, love, hope and peace. Something I myself have learned from my own experience with my missing mother.

To Nila and Reza Jou, your family and Donna are thought of greatly..Your pain, and sorrow is heard and felt by all. Even by people who have not walked in your shoes. Your Donna is touching so many lives and hearts. YOU are touching so many lives and hearts...Especially mine.

written by Angie Gilchrist, Daughters That Are Missing


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