MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Twenty-four years after Alexis Patterson went missing, the Milwaukee girl's family is planning new legal action.
Patterson's missing person case has been investigated since 2002, but her mother alleges mistakes were made.
Ayanna Patterson came to the CBS 58 station Monday, Feb. 23, and spoke at length about her concerns.
She was not prepared to go on camera, but she has a list of demands she wants met or she'll threaten to file a federal lawsuit.
Ayanna Patterson's notice was sent to the Wisconsin attorney general, the Milwaukee Police Department, and the detective who originally worked her daughter's case. She claims the decades-long investigation has caused mental anguish and emotional trauma.
In a statement, MPD told us, "This remains an open cold case investigation," but would not comment on any current or pending legal challenges.
Back in 2002, 7-year-old Alexis Patterson went missing near her Milwaukee elementary school.
She's never been found. Annual remembrance ceremonies have been held ever since.
But her mother claims there were investigative failures from the start.
In 2016, years after Alexis went missing, an Ohio woman was rumored to be Alexis. Ayanna Patterson is convinced that woman is her daughter, saying she had many of the same physical features.
But DNA testing at the time showed she was not the missing girl; Ayanna disputes those results.
Ayanna told us she now intends to file a federal civil rights lawsuit unless six demands are met.
They include an independent DNA analysis of the woman she believes to be her daughter, and a $10 million payment for what she described as constitutional injury.
Ayanna Patterson's 120-day term would expire June 17.