Family marks 1 year since disappearance of Oakland woman with search on International Boulevard

By Da Lin

Family members and volunteers marked the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of an Oakland woman by launching a search along International Boulevard, an area known for prostitution and suspected human trafficking.

Heaven McGee was 20 years old when she vanished on Jan. 17, 2025. The last time her family saw or heard from her was in Oakland. Police said someone reported seeing her three days later in Stockton. Since then, investigators said all leads have gone cold.

Oakland police and the FBI conducted searches for McGee last year, with the FBI offering a $10,000 reward. Authorities said they believed McGee may have been a victim of human trafficking.

On Saturday, family members, friends, and volunteers walked along International Boulevard, taping missing person flyers to light poles and handing them out to businesses in hopes someone might recognize her or provide new information. As they searched, they passed sex workers standing on street corners waiting for customers.

“She’s probably being held against her will because Heaven was a fighter,” said Alicia Hughes-Hill, McGee’s aunt and the twin sister of her mother.

Hughes-Hill said McGee’s disappearance was completely out of character.

“She loved her family. This is not like her to just all of a sudden, vanished,” she said.

McGee’s mother participated in the search but was too upset to speak on camera, according to family members. Relatives described the past year as emotionally exhausting.

“It’s been a horrible nightmare, roller coaster, no sleep, barely eating, up by our phones 24 hours a day,” Hughes-Hill said.

Another aunt, Kisha Pringle, said the family remains desperate for answers.

“We still love her and we miss her. We need her home,” Pringle said.

City leaders said McGee’s case highlights broader concerns about human trafficking along International Boulevard. Officials believe many sex workers in the area are victims themselves, forced by pimps to work.

That’s why Oakland District 2 Councilmember Charlene Wang said the city must focus on those creating the demand.

“If we are serious about ending human trafficking, we must address the demand that fuels this market,” Wang said.

Wang said she plans to introduce a city ordinance by the end of the month that would ticket johns and hotels where sexual exploitation takes place.

“One that complements, not replaces, criminal enforcement.  By adding city-level administrative penalties, we can create faster and more certain consequences for buyers and traffickers,” Wang said.

Despite the lack of new leads, Hughes-Hill said the family hopes to soon reunite with Heaven.

“We are not going to settle for nothing until we see her. So we are not giving up,” Hughes-Hill said.

McGee is 5 feet tall and weighs 140 pounds. Anyone with information about her disappearance is encouraged to contact the FBI. A $10,000 reward remains available in the case.