When Serena Trotter’s family couldn’t reach the 26-year-old mother, they became concerned. As the days, then weeks, then months passed, the situation seemed more dire. Her grandfather, Tom Trotter, claims he went to the Milwaukee Police Department to report her missing. In January 2026, he told them he’d last seen his granddaughter in October 2025 and wanted help finding her. According to Trotter, police didn’t seem to take his story seriously. On April 22, police found Serena Trotter dead, and now everyone wants to know what happened.
Tom Trotter claimed the police didn’t seem interested in his story.
The heartbroken grandfather told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he went to the Milwaukee Police Department on January 31. He’d last seen Serena on October 5, and he knew something was wrong. But according to Trotter, police blew him off. “It seemed almost like he was taking a fast-food order,” he recalled.
After feeling neglected by law enforcement, Tom Trotter began canvassing the Washington Park neighborhood and distributing fliers. He wanted anyone who knew about his granddaughter’s whereabouts to contact police.
“This just helps me feel like I’m doing something positive,” he told the Journal Sentinel.
Serena Trotter reportedly died in April.
Sadly, he never did get the break he hoped for, and Serena Trotter died before they could reunite. Tragically, a bystander found her naked in an alley in the 4200 block of West Garfield Avenue, according to a statement obtained by People. Police confirmed it was the 26-year-old and that she had marks and bruises covering her body. An autopsy to determine her cause of death is pending.
The young woman reportedly had a tough life.
Tom Trotter told the Journal Sentinel that police found Serena Trotter’s body just a few blocks from the police station where he reported her missing. The grandfather allegedly gave them a location where he thought she might be, but it’s unclear whether police followed up on his information. Tom Trotter also said his granddaughter struggled with substance abuse but had a 5-year-old son she loved.
“Here’s this 26-year-old young lady thrown out in an alley like a piece of trash,” Tom Trotter said. “We don’t want to ruin an investigation. At the same time, you know, it’s kind of hard. It kind of went unnoticed.” He said he never wants another family to feel this kind of heartache.
Loved ones created a GoFundMe account to help the Trotter family.
Serena’s Trotter’s death came as a shock to her relatives, who were not prepared to bury such a young woman. Monica Schoen made a GoFundMe account to help with final expenses. They’ve raised more than $9,000 thus far.
“We are heartbroken to share the sudden and unexpected loss of Serena. Serena was someone who brought so much light into the lives of the people around her,” Schoen wrote on the page. “She had a beautiful way of making others feel seen, loved, and cared for. Above all, she was a devoted mother, and her love for her son was the center of her world.”
Although Serena Trotter was apparently just a report number to police, she was everything to her family. In the end, she deserves dignity, and they deserve peace. If they’re lucky, one day, they might get the truth.
