Eventually, in 2013, the young women were found and rescued from his grasp. It wasn't until the FBI stepped in and officially declared it a kidnapping case that a nationwide search started. All rights reserved. After texting the following morning that she was getting back on the road, communication suddenly stopped. he said, that took 300 days to confirm the person in question was alive, was well, and just didn't want to be found . I didn't believe it. Its sad, but short of holding him against his will I dont know what else they could do. Lucy tried to take her kids, but he wouldnt let her, so she left and started the new phase of her life. While alive and well, Kubacki had no explanation for the missing months, saying he woke up on a grassy hill in Pittsfield, 20 miles from his aunts home and 700 miles from where he had vanished. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Steven Stayner, a second grader in 1972, was walking home from school one day and completely vanished. Kopta was last seen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 20, 1992. Chris is an award-winning reporter who started with KDKA in May 2019. Upon investigation, police found this matter as a murder case. Gui . "I don't believe it. Alexander Selkirk is one of history's most famous missing persons, but there's a good chance you don't recognize his name. Kopta's sister and husband were at Thursday's news conference. Steve Carter, 35, always knew something didnt add up with his childhood. After a decade, she declared him legally dead. "We're very thankful to know that Patty is alive and well," her sister, Gloria Smith, said. On May 25, 2019, arescue helicopter found Eller walking barefoot between two waterfalls and waiving her arms. Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico. Nagy, it was found out, had suffered amnesia and didnt remember anything about his former life. He also wanted to get more intelligence about the Taliban as a leverage. Kelly Ann and Kimberly Ann Yates (32 years missing): Kelly, 10 months, and Kimberly, 3, were abducted by their non-custodial mother from Warwick, Rhode Island on August 26, 1985. Mar 2, 2023. She led a normal life, with a job as an elevator operator at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, until 1984, when her religious vision occurred. FBI list of 43 unsolved missing cases of people under the age of 21 Here's the list, by date of disappearance: Daniel Barter was 4 years old when he went missing from Perdido Bay, Alabama,. They wouldnt fingerprint them? While her missing persons case was solved. When the investigators arrived, he disappeared again, as he did not want to be rediscovered. According to CNN, Closs approached a woman who was walking her dog around 5pmon January 10, 2019, in Gordon, Wisconsin. Police considered it a murder case but it went cold. The news of lost people coming back to life or found alive makes for great headlines but is an emotionally wrecking experience in reality, here are some strange stories of missing people who were found alive! Another missing persons case that was solved in 2021 is that of Kara Vaughn who disappeared more than 25 years ago. Angela Hernandez was travelingfrom Oregon to California to visit family when she suddenly went missing. In 2011, he was found in Las Vegas with a fake name. Her mother Dorothy Barnett kidnapped her, left the country, and settled in Queensland, Australia. NamUS missing persons database, as previously mentioned, includes over 40,000 sets of remains that have not been identified. He is thrilled to tell your stories in his hometown! There has been no indication of Kopta's whereabouts since 1992, and the circumstances of her disappearance are unclear. When a known rapist and murderer confessed to her killing, she was declared dead in 1989. The case was under investigation for 52 years; her daughter later put an ad in the paper of missing mother, and someone did reply that she has seen her mother. She wouldnt give a reason for why she left, and she didnt want to speak to the family she left behind. This continued for nine months until she was recognized and rescued while out with the couple in Sandy, Utah. He was gone for 23 years before an investigator found him through a Medicare record. Eventually, he was taken in by a church and thats how he ended up using Medicare with the real name he had finally remembered. Hed told his employer that hed be late for work but never showed up. At the age of 26, Spanish doctorCarlos De Salazar went mysteriously missing and was later presumed dead in 1995. Smith always feared the worst: hearing her beloved sister was found dead somewhere. It was only when he stopped to speak to the crew that Karkos realised who he was. It is the religious tradition of the latter-day saint movement of Restorationist Christianity initiated by Joseph Smith. She was a . Copyright 2023 WPXI via CNN Newsource. At age 28, Judith Bello, a wife and mother of two, went missing with her car totally abandoned in Stanwood, Washington. Its a missing persons case thats sat unsolved inside Ross Township police for over 30 years. Some of the most famous cold cases solved by DNA technology include the Golden State Killer and the Boston Strangler. Patty, as her family called her, street preached around the city under the name "The Sparrow." Dugard, then 29, finally had the opportunity to reveal her identity, and her abductors were charged with false imprisonment and rape. According to prosecutors, the accused kidnapper and murder, Jake Patterson, confessed to scoping out Closs's home after he randomly saw her boarding a bus. ROBERT McDonough, 75, who had been missing for 14 hours was found after approached news team reporting from the scene A news crew in Maine, US, reporting on a missing 73-year-old man were shocked when the man in question emerged from the bushes behind them. After investigation, it was found that Carlos De Salazar was suffering from depression and became a hermit. She was rescued in 2009 after Garrido visited the UC Berkeley college campus with their 2 daughters, and his suspicious activity lead to Jaycees discovery. He was abducted by Kenneth Parnell, a convicted pedophile, who told Steven to call him Dad. Stayner was told his parents didnt want him anymore and even that hed been adopted. [4] When he sat in a bus running to Niagara falls, he hurt his head and suffered from amnesia. All information available from this website are referenced from the trusted & best known sources on the web. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 1:24; She told others she would die a martyr on the streets when she was too tired to walk any longer. Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years to life in prison and Nancy was sentenced to 36 years to life. Glad her family has closure. A news crew in Maine, US, reporting on a missing 73-year-old man were shocked when the man in question emerged from the bushes behind them. Kopta was declared legally dead years ago. Copyright 2011 - 2023 List25 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Suffering from severe depression, hed decided to leave his life behind and become a hermit and subsequently lived there for those twenty years. Sadly, both missing persons and murder cold cases continue to go unsolved today. Although many of these missing persons are often found alive, individuals who remain missing for longer periods of time often have a higher chance of foul play being involved. Gloria Smith, Patricia's sister, said, "I don't believe it. Missing people found alive are stories that capture the nation's attention whenever they break. Over the past year, NewsNation has highlighted missing persons cases from across the country, and the families searching for answers. Authorities Found A Missing Woman Alive Seven Days After Her Car Plunged Off A Cliff Angela Hernandez was traveling from Oregon to California to visit family when she suddenly went missing. A boys' soccer team and a coach were found nine days after going missing in the Tham LuangNang Non caves in Thailand's Chiang Rai province. ROSS TWP., Pennsylvania -- A Pennsylvania woman missing for more than three decades has been found alive in Puerto Rico. Thirty-one years later, she was found in Dusseldorf under a new alias. A little over three months later, authorities tracked down Berchtold. Grace was reunited with her mother, then aged 84. New York authorities never thought they . Infants with this condition are born with very hard, thick skin covering most of their bodies. All of the tips and suggestions provided for locating a missing person can apply to a person of any age so we recommend using those strategies as well. Only 14 years old, Smart was taken from her home for 9 months. Angelica Gaitan went missing for two years before she was found alive floating in the sea by two baffled fishermen. Nearly three months after her parents were shot and killed in their Wisconsin home on October 15, 2018, investigators found theirmissing daughter, 13-year-old Jayme Closs, more than 60 miles away from where she disappeared the night of their murder. Her sister stated Kopta was often mistreated by the strangers she approached. Confused, she confronted her mother, Ann Pettway, who told her she had been abandoned by her mum at birth. In 2011, after 18 years, she was found living two states down in Southern California with a totally new family. The Clearinghouse provides a nationwide, toll-free hotline to receive tips on the whereabouts of missing persons. Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said an Interpol agent and a social worker from Puerto Rico contacted. He said her career as a physical therapist as well as knowledge of yoga techniquesand of the local vegetation are what saved her life. Bob Kopta said Patricia had some mental health issues and had talked about going to Puerto Rico where it was warm. Later, it was discovered Bergdahl was a prisoner of war in a Taliban prison; President Obama secured his release in 2014. https://www.wtae.com/article/ross-township-missing-person-case/43164930#. Further investigations revealed Hood, who suffered from mental illness all her life, was alive and living with a new family in Florida. Apparently, Johnsons husband had been abusive and had multiple affairs. But here are some stories of missing people that were later (after years) found alive. His family is happy that at least he is safe. Missing Ky. Sounds like metal health issues. Netty Nance found out she'd been kidnapped at birth when she was 17. Unfortunately, he passed away in an accident when he was 24 years old. Too often, so much time goes by that they have to give up and declare the person dead. He left at 31 and she at 18. She is Patricia Kopta. After Harris Todd won the custody of his daughter, claiming that his wife is abusive, Savanna Todd went missing. The woman saysshe recognized Closs immediately, and took her to a nearby neighbor's house to call 911. Each of these cases have seen no resolution, some of them seeking resolution for decades. Or how her life wouldve turned out if her symptoms were tended to early on. But, then Savanna disappeared. In the United States alone, there are over 200,000 unsolved cold cases, some of which are decades old, and others occurred more recently. A police facial reconstruction identified the remains as Hood's and Grace and her family were finally able to lay her mother to rest - or so she thought. Unlike most people who stayed on the streets all day, she maintained a neat, attractive appearance, wearing makeup and a dress or skirt each day. Her husband didn't report her missing until November 27; he told the police his wife had a tendency to drop out of sight for short periods, and that's why he was initially unconcerned by her absence. The unhinged part was most likely schizophrenia. Then 31 years later, the girl was found at a new place when questioned she didnt give any reason why she left and never spoke to her family. Although the cause of the death was ruled as suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning, his daughter believed he could have been murdered, as he "made enemies easily.". His mother reported him as missing people, but he was not found until he turned 18 and started applying for the college. While none of that worked, she was right where he thought she might be. It was a total shock," the woman's sister said. The city of Peoria had 118 missing persons in 2020 and found 116 of them. It is estimated that about 600,000 people are reported missing in . The news of people went missing and coming back alive makes a great headline. Went Missing: August 1971; Status: Found Alive; Melissa Highsmith, now 53, was allegedly abducted when she was just 22 months old by a woman who answered her family's newspaper ad seeking a babysitter. Daughter of murdered couple linked to Delphi case reveals paranoia, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, Alex Murdaugh looks unrecognizable in new mugshot hours after sentencing, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Angelica Gaitan was found floating in the sea and unconscious earlier this week, Philip Sessarego was a 'fantasist' who had been rejected by the SAS, Sessarego was exposed by the BBC after claiming to be SAS man Tom Carew, Lula Cora Hood disappeared from her home in 1970, Grace Kivisto, left, with her cousin who is holding a picture of her mother as a young woman, Jaycee Dugard disappeared at 11 on her way to school, Phillip Garrido and his wife Nancy held Jaycee captive in a shed behind the house, Jaycee Dugard was finally rescued after 18 years, Norm Karkos was filming an appeal for help on a local news channel, Robert McDonough wandered into shot and introduced himself, ROBERT McDonough, 75, who had been missing for 14 hours was found after approached news team reporting from the scene, Steven Kubacki went missing at Lake Michigan in 1978, Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home at 14, Elizabeth Smart was finally rescued after nine months, Brian Mitchell claimed he was an angel sent to slay the anti-Christ, Carlina White grew up as Netty Nance after being abducted, Carlina's parents Joy and Carl after their daughter was stolen, Carlina in the hospital before she disappeared, Carlina is reunited with her biological mum Joy at 23, Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus were all held captive, Evil Ariel Castro kept the three women in locked rooms. During the Russian-Afghan war in the 1980s,Bakhretdin Khakimov fought for the Russians when he was wounded in battle. Parnell abused him, beating him and giving him drugs and alcohol. After a soccer practice on June 25, 2018, the mother of one of the players became worried when her son did not return from practice. He went to prison for 45 days. While in captivity, she was repeatedly raped and assaulted. His parents were arrested and convicted of torture and second-degree child abuse. He had no idea how much time had passed until he bought a newspaper and saw the date. Later, she was arrested, and Savanna got to know the truth. Police said she originally refused to share her personal life, only saying she came to Puerto Rico on a cruise ship from Europe. I never got to meet him. Although this number is startling, and seems to be rising every year, cold cases are continuing to be solved every year due in part to advancements in forensics and DNA technology. I remember hearing coworkers talk about this story when I lived in Pittsburgh - I always just assumed she had passed away. Michele Whitaker Name: Michele Whitaker Reported missing:August 16, 2002 Status:Found alive in August 2008 Michele Whitakerwas last seen in Spartanburg, South Carolina on August 16, 2002. We didn't expect it. The number of missing individuals in the year was 5,620. Her name was changed to Samantha, and she grew up thinking her stepfather was her real father. Knight, aged 20, disappeared in August 2003 after being lured into his home to look at a puppy and was tied up beaten and raped before being locked in a room without food. A rescue untcomprised of Thai Navy SEALS, technical experts from around the globe,and prayingcitizens all contributed to the effort. We have an acquaintance from school that clearly has some mental issues. Photo: Metaweb/ GNU Free Documentation License. A woman first reported missing from Ross Township decades ago has been found alive and well in Puerto Rico. One day, when Nguyen Thi Van was 16 years old, she came home late. Those who work at the facility said the woman was found to be in need of care on June 30, 1999. Until now, there has been no national approach to compare missing persons cases against unidentified remains held in storage. He was presumed dead, but he was alive and came back to the town in his fifties. She was rescued in 2009 after Garrido visited the college campus with their daughters, and his activity led to Jaycees discovery. I remember her and Im not even (in my mind) an old timer! On the other hand, more commonly, missing people are found much more often, although you may not see much media attention once a previously missing person is found. A much older Evans put an ad in the paper for her missing mother and someone replied, saying it was her mother. I didnt believe it. Husband Marco (41), his wife Sylvia (43), and their daughter Miriam (12), went missing from their home in Drage on July 22, 2015. These Jane/John Does are sometimes identified quickly due to DNA technology, however many become cold over time, and may never be solved. Its true that people can disappear within institutions, especially nursing homes. Her real parents, Carl White and Joy Tyson, had put out a heartfelt appeal when she was stolen, in July 1987. As the FBI investigated, they discovered that Berchtold had intimate relationships with Jan's parents just to get close to her. You can bring closure to the families of loved ones by providing key information about the whereabouts of missing persons. ATM thieves use glue and 'tap' function to drain accounts at Chase, Big Bear begins running out food and fuel as ski resorts remain open, Do not to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from eBay, Girl Scouts say.