A Tennessee mother’s decades-long search for her missing daughter will take center stage in Lebanon as advocates gather to remember missing children across the state.
On March 4, 2026 — the 25th anniversary of Bethany Markowski’s disappearance — the Bethany Markowski Foundation will host the inaugural Tennessee Missing Children’s Day Community Event at the Capitol Theatre in Lebanon. The event is free and open to the public.
Bethany was 11 years old when she disappeared from Jackson, Tennessee, on March 4, 2001. Her case remains open and under active investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Her mother, Jonnie Carter, later established the foundation in her daughter’s honor to support families of missing children and promote child safety education statewide.
Tennessee Missing Children’s Day is officially recognized each year on March 4 under state law. Organizers say the Lebanon gathering will serve as the flagship observance and the foundation’s first major public event since receiving 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2026.
The evening program will feature speakers including family advocates and members of law enforcement. Wilson County families will have access to free children’s fingerprinting services, along with child safety education resources. Additional activities will include a silent auction benefiting the foundation’s family support programs, event-day merchandise sales, a children’s art station and activity area, and a segment honoring Tennessee’s missing children by name. The event will conclude with a candlelight vigil dedicated to Bethany and other missing children.
According to the foundation, approximately 500 to 600 children are reported missing in Tennessee each month. The state ranked among the top 10 nationally for missing persons in 2025, and 932 active missing children cases remain open statewide. Nationally, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 359,094 reports of missing children in 2022.
The Bethany Markowski Foundation, based in Wilson County, was incorporated in 2026 and is dedicated to providing free services to families in crisis. Those services include advocacy, search coordination support, child safety education, and ongoing case awareness efforts.
Anyone with information about Bethany Markowski’s disappearance is asked to contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tip line at 1-800-TBI-FIND or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
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