The Trail Went Cold - Episode 461 - Rilya Wilson

2025-12-10

January 18, 2001. Miami, Florida. Geralyn Graham, the foster mother of four-year old Rilya Wilson, claims that a female caseworker from the Florida Department of Children and Families took Rilya from her residence for a medical evaluation, but never returned. Rilya is not officially reported missing until 15 months later, but the authorities become convinced that Geralyn fabricated her story and is personally responsible for Rilya’s disappearance. Geralyn is eventually charged with numerous crimes and receives a lengthy prison sentence after she is convicted of kidnapping and child abuse at her trial. Since the jury is unable to convict Geralyn of murder and Rilya’s remains are never found, there are a lot of unanswered questions about what actually happened. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a heartbreaking and controversial missing children’s case which came about as the result of a major scandal within Florida’s foster care system. Special thanks to listener Jaclyn Collins for narrating the opening of this episode.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the Miami-Dade County Police Department at (305) 418-7302.

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Rilya_Wilson

https://charleyproject.org/case/rilya-shenise-wilson

https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/652361189/

https://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/08/18/fla.missing.girl/index.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7210798

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/proving-murder-in-case-of-missing-girl/

https://www.tampabay.com/incoming/informer-testifies-caretaker-confessed-to-killing-rilya-wilson/1266933/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/25/woman-convicted-missing-girl/1865543/

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/geralyn-graham-faces-sentencing-in-rilya-wilson-case/2015825/

https://www.nytimes.com/topic/person/rilya-wilson