The Shame of Duson, LA and It’s Rotten Justice System: Who Failed Keiosha Felix, the Mising Teen Mom Who Vanished 14 Years Ago

Posted by David Adams on April 10th, 2026

Keiosha Felix was only 15 years old when she vanished from Duson, Louisiana on April 30, 2012. She was not just a missing teen. She was also a young mother. Her life matters, especially for her child, because any attempt to casually suggest that Keiosha simply “left” collapses under the weight of one brutal fact. She left behind her little girl. The FBI and other public case summaries still list her as missing, and nearly fourteen years later, there has still been no justice, no closure, and no honest accounting for how badly this case was handled.

From the beginning, this case carried the stench of failure. Public records shows that several people tied to Keiosha’s disappearance were arrested in 2012, including her aunt Patricia Andrus, her cousin Portia Felix, and Leon Wilkerson Jr., the boyfriend of Keiosha’s aunt. Public case summaries also state that Keiosha had allegedly accused Wilkerson of sexually assaulting her before she disappeared. there also were rumors that Wilkerson may have fathered Keiosha’s child. Those are not small details. They’re flashing red lights that should have sent state case workers into action, if only to insure the protection of a teen mother under state custody.

The weekend before she vanished, Keiosha got a weekend pass to visit her paternal aunt Patricia Andrus. She was last seen leaving Patricia’s Duson, Louisiana home. She has never been seen or heard from again. Keiosha was initially classified as a runaway just as most cases involving missing Black kids are. She had run away once in the past, but she was back after two days. Additionally, Patricia’s daughter (Keiosha’s cousin) Portia Felix claimed to have heard from Keiosha after April 30th, and that Keiosha allegedly said she was “just fine”. Yet, despite arrests, headlines, and all the noise that surrounded this case, Keiosha was never found.

*From left to right: Leon Wilkerson (aunt’s boyfriend), Patricia Andrus (her aunt), and Portia Felix (the cousin).*

However, many relatives on Keiosha’s mother’s side have stated that Keiosha would not leave her one-year-old daughter behind. Keiosha was also a frequent social media user, yet she had not accessed any of her social media accounts since the day she was last seen.That information makes thye case even more alarming and creates suspicion whether something happened to the teen. There should also be public outrage, not because it was another missing Black teen, but because the manner in which the teen’s case was fumbled by the authorities.

It all of three months, before Keiosha was reclassified as an endangered missing person. Throughout the investigation, the Duson Police Department learned more information about Keiosha’s relationship with her aunt Patricia and Patricia’s boyfriend, Leon Wilkerson Jr. It was discovered that prior to her disappearance, Keiosha had allegedly told her aunt Patricia that Leon had sexually assaulted her. Patricia never reported this to the authorities, nor did she tell investigators about it after Keiosha went missing. That alone should disturb anybody paying attention to this child’s case.

In July of the same year, Leon was arrested and charged with rape and second-degree kidnapping in connection with Keiosha’s disappearance. Patricia was arrested and charged with improper supervision of a minor and accessory to rape. Keiosha’s cousin Portia, who told investigators that she heard from Keiosha after her disappearance, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. Also, in August 2012, Leon’s brother Ronald Wilkerson was also arrested and charged with kidnapping in connection with Keiosha’s case. It seemed that investigators were closer to getting their answers about what happened to Keiosha. Then, the following month, the investigation took an unexpected turn. This is where the focus from finding out what happened to a missing teen mother, shifted the following month, and the investigation took an unexpected turn

At that time, the Duson Police Department was handling the case, and the police chief was Frank Andrew. Lt. Gerald Credeur, who was then the assistant chief, was the lead investigator, but instead of this case moving toward truth, it spiraled into controversy. Credeur was suspiciously removed from the investigation, suspended, and later fired. Public records says he was accused of unlawful arrests, illegal searches and seizures, and false testimony. After that, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office took over the case.

The Board of Alderman determined that Credeur did, in fact, make the searches and the arrests without probable cause and he was fired the following month. The charges against Leon and Ronald Wilkerson were dropped. The charges were eventually dropped against Andrus and Felix also. This leaves so many unanswered questions related to this missing teen case. Did Lt. Credeur botch the case on his own? What did Credeur falsely testify about? What basis were the Wilkerson brothers arrest on? Were the rape allegations true? Did Patricia Andrus actually tell investigators that Keiosha told her about the alleged rape? Way too many unanswered questions, and it appears that the public has heard more about Credeur’s firing than the progress of the teen’s case.

When a missing child investigation turns into a mess of arrests, internal discipline, firings, and a transfer of control to another agency, that is not justice working smoothly. It’s a warning sign that something went terribly wrong. There have long been rumors that Chief Frank Andrew may have had some relationship or connection to people initially arrested in the case. But based on the publicly available reporting I could verify, I did not find confirmed evidence establishing that Frank Andrew was related to those suspects. That point should be stated plainly and clearly. But,the rumor exists, it remains unverified in the sources I reviewed. What is verified is that the investigation became compromised, the lead investigator was fired, the case changed hands, and Keiosha Felix is still missing.

Whether the rot in this case came from incompetence, internal politics, bad police work, or something even darker, the result has been the same. A missing Black teenage mother has gone almost fourteen years without answers. That’s not just tragic. It’s disgraceful.

*Images ou young Keiosha Felix pictured with her baby.*

What makes this case feel even more troubling is what happened in August 2025. I personally made contact with former lead investigator Gerald Credeur. In our messages, he agreed to a telephone interview and even discussed timing, saying he would be willing to talk. But when the scheduled time came, it passed without a word from him. No call. No explanation. No follow-up. That silence does not prove wrongdoing, and I will not pretend it does. But in a case already soaked in unanswered questions, his failure to follow through only adds another layer of unease. It leaves the public to wonder: is it simple avoidance, or is there still fear about what might be said. or what might happen if people start talking too freely? That is food for thought.

Keiosha Felix was not some disposable child whose life should be buried beneath departmental drama, legal technicalities, and whispered rumors. She was a young girl. She was a mother. She was someone whose life mattered, and the system that should have protected her instead delivered confusion, contradiction, and collapse.Fourteen years later, the central truth remains unchanged, Keiosha Felix did not fail the system. The system failed Keiosha. Until the full truth comes out, the stain of that failure belongs not to the missing child, but to every institution and every adult who let this case drift into darkness. I remain committed to finding out what happened to Keiosha and will speak with anyone regarding her disappearance. there is something seriously rotten in the Louisiana justice system.

I’m Journalist and Blogger David b. Adams

The People’s Champion Blog

David Adams

David B. Adams grew up in the Highlandtown section of Baltimore's southeast district and is his parent's youngest child. He experienced pervasive poverty, which taught him humility and compassion for the plight of others. His exposure to violence and gritty urban life were some of his early lessons of life's many hardships. Adams credits the upheavals he endured during his conformity with helping to shape the foundation of his outlook and perspectives on society. With a steadfast commitment to giving voice to the voiceless, Adams is a journalist, crime writer, and blogger renowned for tireless investigative journalism and advocacy on behalf of vulnerable populations. As founder and administrator of The People's Champion, Adams sheds light on critical social issues, championing the rights of: - Homeless individuals - Victims of violent crime and their families - Wrongfully convicted individuals - Missing and exploited children; Additionally, he is a seasoned investigative reporter, Adams has earned recognition for relentless pursuit of truth and justice. With a strong national and global focus, on inspiring meaningful change and crucial conversations impacting all of humanity.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:

Keiosha Felix was only 15 years old when she vanished from Duson, Louisiana on April 30, 2012. She was not just a missing teen. She was also a young mother. Her life matters, especially for her child, because any attempt to casually suggest that Keiosha simply “left” collapses under the weight of one brutal fact. She left behind her little girl. The FBI and other public case summaries still list her as missing, and nearly fourteen years later, there has still been no justice, no closure, and no honest accounting for how badly this case was handled.