Missing Wittenberg woman found, arrested in Milwaukee

A Wittenberg woman reported missing and possibly in danger by her family last week was found in Milwaukee on Saturday and arrested for a probation violation, according to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Tamara Hightower, 32, was last heard from via text messages in Milwaukee on July 30 before she was reported missing. The texts and the fact that other family and friends had not been able to reach her, led the family to believe she might be in danger.

The sheriff’s department was notified over the weekend that Milwaukee authorities found Hightower at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at 4365 N. 16th St. in Milwaukee and that she was taken into custody for a probation violation.

Sheriff’s Capt. Ty Raddant said that, according to Hightower’s mother, “she was back on meth” after after having been off drugs for a while.

Raddant said Hightower went to Milwaukee with a male subject to stay at another man’s house.

The man overdosed, Raddant said, and was resuscitated with Narcan. He later left Milwaukee to go to Florida.

The man Hightower went to Milwaukee with was then arrested for burglary, Raddant said.

“That left (Hightower) high and dry,” he said.

Raddant said Hightower apparently then wandered around as authorities pinged her phone trying to locate her.

Milwaukee authorities checked several location but were unable to find her.

“They were all over the place looking for her,” Raddant said.

“She basically went down there by herself and got left high and dry when the one guy got arrested and the other guy ended up Narcanning and leaving,” he said.

According to court records, Hightower was convicted in Marathon County in 2017 for burglary and auto theft and in 2014 for second-offense or greater possession of marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

Court records also show she was convicted of possession of methamphetamine and cocaine in separate Marathon County cases in 2012.