Zaraz V. Walker

• Missing Since 02/07/2022
• Missing From Bloomington, Illinois
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race Black
• Date of Birth 07/22/2021 (2)
• Age 7 months old
• Height and Weight 1'2, 16 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Zaraz was last seen in Bloomington, Illinois on February 7, 2022. She was last known to be in the company of her mother. On February 12, her mother, Kimberlee A. Burton, was arrested for retail theft. Zaraz wasn't with her at the time; neither was she with her five- and six-year-old siblings, whom Burton had left home alone.

When she was arrested, she didn't mention to the police that she had children. Her five- and six-year-old children were home alone until they called their father, who asked their mother to go pick them up. On February 13, the children's father called the police to ask where Zaraz was. Only then did the police realize that Burton had a baby daughter and that she was missing.

Burton was charged with two counts of felony child endangerment for leaving Zaraz's siblings home alone, and one count of concealment of a death. The death was Zaraz's. She told police and relatives that Zaraz had died after falling asleep between her legs, and that she didn't notify the authorities because she "didn’t want to deal with nobody." She said she placed the baby's body in a cemetery near her home. A neighbor reported seeing her throw away baby items, including a bed and a car seat.

A photo of Burton is posted with this case summary. In November 2022, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity for concealing Zaraz's death. Both the prosecution and the defense agreed to the outcome; Burton suffers from severe mental illness and, according to psychiatrists, was unable to recognize the criminality of her conduct.

Zaraz's body has never been located, but she is presumed deceased.