MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — In 2002, Miami Beach was a hotspot for tourists looking for a taste of glamour, sunshine and the vibrant party scene.
It was the clubs and concerts that beckoned tourists.
And it’s where 24-year-old model Alysha Hanin was living on and off.
Until she disappeared in January 2002.
On Jan. 6, between 2 and 4 a.m., Alysha left the Shore Club Hotel to walk to a diner off Washington Avenue and 11th Street.
Weeks later, a friend who assumed she was jet-setting somewhere reported her missing after not hearing from her.
Her belongings were left behind at the hotel, including her passport.
Her son, Adrian, was 3 at the time. He holds on to the little memories he has of her, along with pictures.
“I have a photo of my mom and dad together in Miami Beach and I can kind of see myself being there with them in a way,” Adrian said.
Adrian’s father died in 1999. He was raised by Alysha’s mother.
Weeks before Alysha disappeared, she dropped Adrian off at her mother’s home in New Zealand to undergo a medical procedure back in Miami.
She has never been seen again.
More than 20 years later, Adrian traveled from New Zealand to retrace her steps.
“I felt like not enough was done with the information we have, and I wanted to kind of unravel it, unpack it, and kind of get my boots on the ground, come here and see what it’s all about,” he said.
Police suspect foul play.
Adrian says there are several avenues they are exploring as far as possible persons of interest, including an ex-lover.
“Yeah, I mean, we have a lot of information and the night that she goes missing is very hazy,” he said.
He plans to meet with Miami Beach detectives to go over the case.
“My chosen route 24 years later is to be more public about it, get her face, her, you know, name out there, so that anyone that was around Miami Beach at the time in 2002 can come forward,” Adrian said.
He says anyone who may have worked valet at the Shore Club or worked at Stereo nightclub in Fort Lauderdale should contact him or submit a tip at FindingAlysha.com.
Miami Beach police say no one has been arrested in her case, but the case has been reopened and is active.
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