WASHINGTON, DC — One month after Antoinette Forbes disappeared from Northwest D.C., her family is still searching for answers and hoping for a breakthrough. Forbes was last seen Sept. 4 in the 3200 block of Nebraska Avenue Northwest, and loved ones say the most troubling detail is that her car was still outside her home when she vanished.
Her keys, wallet and phones were also left behind. To family and friends, that made the disappearance feel sudden and deeply out of character. They say Forbes was a devoted mother with a full life, not someone who would simply walk away without telling anyone where she was going.
Loved ones say the signs pointed to something wrong
Elizabeth Northrup, who has known Forbes for about 28 years, described her as smart, articulate and fiercely loyal. She said Forbes was the kind of person who stayed connected to the people around her and did not leave relationships or responsibilities behind lightly.
Aileen Forbes, Antoinette’s sister, said the family had no reason to believe she chose to disappear. The sisters had traveled to Europe together in June and were already talking about future trips. Aileen Forbes said her sister had a “full, rewarding, vibrant life” and a beloved 10-year-old son.
For the family, those details have sharpened the mystery rather than eased it. They say the combination of a missing mother, abandoned personal items and no clear explanation has only deepened their fear that something happened to her suddenly.
Attention turns to a past domestic violence case
As the search continues, new attention has centered on a 2021 domestic violence case involving Russell Ashford, the father of Forbes’ son. Ashford was arrested in Pennsylvania on a D.C. probation violation tied to that case, according to court records.
The records say the 2021 assault left Forbes with a concussion and permanent injuries to her eye and hand. They also show that Forbes’ nanny heard Ashford threaten to kill her. Two months before she disappeared, Forbes returned to court and opposed changing Ashford’s judgment, saying she was still afraid of him.
Ashford has also been charged separately in Pennsylvania with seven felony firearm counts. Police have not named him a suspect in Forbes’ disappearance, and he has not been charged in connection with it.
Police have given no new public update
The Metropolitan Police Department told 7News it has no new information to share and that the case remains under investigation. For a family marking the first month without answers, that silence has been frustrating, but investigators often keep some details back while they work through leads.
Former MPD investigator Jonathan Rosnick said the passage of 30 days matters emotionally for a family, but it does not necessarily mark a major investigative turning point. He said detectives likely have more information now than they did on day one, even if they are not revealing it publicly.
Rosnick said that work can include rebuilding timelines, reviewing evidence and going back to witnesses for more interviews as new facts emerge. He also cautioned against reading too much into limited public updates, saying silence does not mean investigators have nothing to work with.
Family members keep urging the public to look closely
Forbes’ relatives and friends say they still need the public’s help and are asking anyone who may have seen something small or unusual to come forward. Northrup said information that seemed insignificant at the time could become important now.
“Someone somewhere has seen something,” she said, adding that people may not realize a detail they noticed could help find Forbes. Aileen Forbes echoed that request, saying the family wants people to keep Antoinette’s photo in mind during ordinary daily routines and report anything that seems connected.
They say the case will depend in part on whether someone remembers a sighting, a conversation or another piece of information that investigators can use to connect the dots.
A missing mother, a safe child and a family refusing to stop
Forbes’ 10-year-old son is safe and staying with family, according to Aileen Forbes. That has brought the relatives some measure of stability, but it has not lessened their urgency to find Antoinette and bring her home.
Northrup said the experience has also made her think about what she would tell Forbes now if she had the chance. Her message to anyone in an abusive situation was direct: do not wait to tell someone and let others help carry the load.
For the family, though, the central message remains focused on Antoinette herself. Aileen Forbes said they love her, are not giving up and want her to come home. Anyone with information about her disappearance is asked to call D.C. police at 202-727-9099 or text 50411.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
