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View Full CaseActive Missing Child Case — 4 Years Open
The Disappearance of Brandon Abbett
● Still Missing
Missing Child
Pleasant Hill, California
Missing Since 2022
Still Missing
Brandon Abbett has been missing for
—
Days
Last Seen
January 16, 2022
Missing Child
Brandon Abbett
Brandon Abbett — Age 15, 2022
| Date Missing | January 16 to 17, 2022 |
| Age at Disappearance | 15 |
| Height / Weight | 5'6" / 107 lbs |
| Hair / Eyes | Brown / Hazel; wore braces |
| School | College Park High School, Pleasant Hill |
| Father | Andrew Abbett |
Brandon Abbett was a 15-year-old freshman at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, California, when he disappeared overnight on January 16 to 17, 2022. He was described by his family as upbeat, social, and warm. His father, Andrew Abbett, released a public statement shortly after his disappearance: "Brandon's a son, a brother, a friend, a grandson, a nephew. He means the world to us, and so much to the people who know him. Brandon's upbeat presence impacts so many of us who are around him in a positive way."
Brandon had brown hair, hazel eyes, and wore braces at the time of his disappearance. He stood approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 107 pounds. He disappeared during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend, sometime between 10 p.m. on Sunday January 16 and 9 a.m. the following morning. No description of what he was wearing at the time of his disappearance was publicly available.
Brandon's parents were separated. His father Andrew lived in the Pleasant Hill area; his mother Daun lived in the Redding area of Northern California, where she had family. Brandon was believed in the early days of the investigation to be heading toward the Redding area. His father and sister have spoken publicly about their belief that Brandon's case did not receive adequate media attention, noting that his disappearance as a teenage boy generated less coverage than comparable cases involving girls.
Brandon would be approximately 19 years old as of 2026. He has not been found. His case remains classified as Endangered Missing by the California Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The FBI's San Francisco Field Office has been actively involved in the investigation.
01
What We Know
The Disappearance of Brandon Abbett — January 2022
The disappearance of Brandon Abbett began overnight on January 16 to 17, 2022, during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend. Brandon was a 15-year-old freshman at College Park High School living with his family in Pleasant Hill, a city in Contra Costa County in the East Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area. He was last seen at the family home in Pleasant Hill at approximately 10 p.m. on Sunday, January 16. When family members checked on him the following morning, he was gone. He was reported missing on January 17, 2022.
In the early days of the investigation, Pleasant Hill Police indicated they believed Brandon may have traveled toward the Redding area of Northern California, where his mother Daun Abbett had family. Police described Brandon's mother as cooperative with investigators and noted a search of her property was conducted early in the investigation. No charges have been filed against anyone in connection with Brandon's disappearance.
Brandon's parents had a contentious relationship following their separation, with disagreements over issues including schooling, vaccination, and Brandon's academic struggles. His father Andrew later told reporters that these tensions were part of the context of Brandon's life before his disappearance. His father and sister have been public advocates for the case, noting that cases involving teenage boys receive less media attention than those involving girls of comparable ages.
As of the time of this writing, Brandon has not been found. The Pleasant Hill Police Department and the FBI's San Francisco Field Office have continued to work the case, with investigators noting they have pursued numerous leads and authored multiple search warrants. The case remains classified as Endangered Missing.
02
Case Timeline
From Disappearance to Open Investigation
January 16 to 17, 2022
Brandon Abbett Disappears from Pleasant Hill
January 26, 2022
Police Believe Brandon May Be in Redding Area
March 2022
FBI San Francisco Field Office Joins Investigation
January 2023
One Year Anniversary — Family Speaks Out
2023 — Present
Case Remains Open — Brandon Still Missing
03
The Investigation
A Case That Did Not Get the Attention It Deserved
The investigation into the disappearance of Brandon Abbett has been conducted by the Pleasant Hill Police Department with the active assistance of the FBI's San Francisco Field Office. Investigators have described the case as an active investigation and have stated that numerous search warrants have been authored in the years since his disappearance. Despite this sustained effort, Brandon has not been found and no arrests have been made.
In the immediate aftermath of his disappearance, investigators focused on the possibility that Brandon had traveled north toward the Redding area, where his mother Daun Abbett had family. A search of Daun's property was conducted early in the investigation. Pleasant Hill Police described her as fairly cooperative with the investigation. No charges have been filed against any individual in connection with Brandon's disappearance and no person has been publicly named as a suspect.
Brandon's father Andrew and his sister have been vocal advocates for the case, raising what they describe as a disparity in media coverage between missing children cases based on gender. They observed that Brandon's disappearance as a teenage boy did not generate the same public and media attention as comparable cases involving girls of the same age. This observation reflects a documented pattern in media coverage of missing persons cases that researchers and advocates have identified for decades.
Brandon has been listed as Endangered Missing with the California Department of Justice. The California DOJ maintains an active listing for him. His case has also been listed with NCMEC. If you have any information about Brandon's whereabouts, please contact the Pleasant Hill Police Department or the FBI immediately.
04
Help Find Brandon
What Brandon May Look Like Today
Brandon Abbett was 15 years old when he disappeared from Pleasant Hill, California, on January 16 to 17, 2022. He would be approximately 19 years old as of 2026. At the time of his disappearance he had brown hair, hazel eyes, and wore braces. He stood 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed approximately 107 pounds.
As a young adult his physical appearance will have changed considerably. His height, build, and hair may all be different. His braces will likely have been removed. No official age progression image has been released by NCMEC or the California Department of Justice. If you believe you have seen Brandon or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact law enforcement immediately.
Pleasant Hill Police Department
(925) 288-4600
Reference: Case No. 22-174 — Brandon Abbett
FBI San Francisco Field Office
(415) 553-7400
Or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov
NCMEC
Brandon is listed as an active missing child with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit missingkids.org to view his listing.
California Department of Justice
Brandon's active listing is maintained by the California DOJ Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit at oag.ca.gov/missing. Tips can also be submitted to the California DOJ directly.
Still Missing
Brandon Abbett
Brandon Abbett was fifteen years old and a freshman in high school. His father described him as upbeat, the kind of person whose presence made things better for everyone around him. He went missing on a holiday weekend in January 2022 and the world kept moving without him, with less noise and less urgency than it should have. His father and his sister noticed. They said it plainly: if Brandon had been a girl, this case would have been different. They were not wrong. Brandon would be around nineteen years old now. He has not been found. His family has not stopped looking. We say his name here. He is not forgotten.
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