Dawn was last seen at her home on Bluegrass Road in Elizabethtown, Kentucky on December 22, 1994. She lived there with Samuel Haines, her husband of eight years, and their two children. Sam stated Dawn unexpectedly gathered her belongings together and left the house in the middle of the night. She got into a vehicle driven by another individual. She never returned home. Afterwards, Samuel packed up his children and some clothing and went to spend Christmas with his relatives in Pennsylvania. Samuel was enlisted in the army in 1994, and when he returned to active duty, he left his children with his parents in Pennsylvania. Dawn has never been heard from again.

Dawn and Samuel had frequent arguments and Dawn was allegedly unfaithful. They had previously gotten a divorce, but later married one another a second time. Investigators have stated they do not believe Samuel's version of events; they think Dawn is deceased and probably a homicide victim.