I saw a fascinating and unique case depicted on the ID show "Disappeared." I'm new to this show, and I'm liking it so far. If you haven't seen "Disappeared," each episode follows the story of someone who has disappeared. Their friends and family are interviewed about the disappearance, as are police or other involved officials.
On the episode I saw, a family of four - mother, father and two young boys - disappeared from their home without a trace. This caught my attention right away because it is extremely rare for an entire family to go missing. Ususally it's just one person, or maybe two people.
The family had recently bought a home in Southern California. They were renovating it, and a family friend had been at the home helping to paint over the weekend. He was scheduled to return the following weekend to do more painting. However, he never heard from them after a text from the wife on Wednesday.
Wednesday night, the family van was seen pulling out of the home's driveway with no indication of foulplay. The van was discovered the following Sunday night parked at a shopping center near the Mexico border. The van's rear was filled with newly purchased toys. There was also no evidence of foulplay in the van.
The home was in dissaray from the recent move and ongoing renovations, so police were unable to determine whether anything seemed out of place. The couple's passports and children's birth certificates were found in the house. Food was left out and uneaten on the kitchen counter and on the couch. The family's beloved dogs were left behind without anyone to take care of them.
A surveillance video of the nearby California-Mexico pedestrian border crossing showed four people that could have been the family crossing into Mexico. The video was taken from the rear and far away, making a positive identification difficult. There was no indication that anyone was following them or forcing them across. The family had no luggage.
When the couple's bank records were reviewed, they had not touched any of their $100,000 savings or used any credit cards since they were last heard from. There was no evidence that the couple had any business dealings or family or friends in Mexico. There was no evidence that the family was involved in criminal activity, and authorities ruled out the family being part of the witness protection program.
The one piece of evidence that indicated the trip was voluntary was a search on the family's home computer for the requirements for travelling to Mexico.
All in all, a very strange case with more questions than answers... To report tips, check out the "Disappeared" show site.
On the episode I saw, a family of four - mother, father and two young boys - disappeared from their home without a trace. This caught my attention right away because it is extremely rare for an entire family to go missing. Ususally it's just one person, or maybe two people.
The family had recently bought a home in Southern California. They were renovating it, and a family friend had been at the home helping to paint over the weekend. He was scheduled to return the following weekend to do more painting. However, he never heard from them after a text from the wife on Wednesday.
Wednesday night, the family van was seen pulling out of the home's driveway with no indication of foulplay. The van was discovered the following Sunday night parked at a shopping center near the Mexico border. The van's rear was filled with newly purchased toys. There was also no evidence of foulplay in the van.
The home was in dissaray from the recent move and ongoing renovations, so police were unable to determine whether anything seemed out of place. The couple's passports and children's birth certificates were found in the house. Food was left out and uneaten on the kitchen counter and on the couch. The family's beloved dogs were left behind without anyone to take care of them.
A surveillance video of the nearby California-Mexico pedestrian border crossing showed four people that could have been the family crossing into Mexico. The video was taken from the rear and far away, making a positive identification difficult. There was no indication that anyone was following them or forcing them across. The family had no luggage.
When the couple's bank records were reviewed, they had not touched any of their $100,000 savings or used any credit cards since they were last heard from. There was no evidence that the couple had any business dealings or family or friends in Mexico. There was no evidence that the family was involved in criminal activity, and authorities ruled out the family being part of the witness protection program.
The one piece of evidence that indicated the trip was voluntary was a search on the family's home computer for the requirements for travelling to Mexico.
All in all, a very strange case with more questions than answers... To report tips, check out the "Disappeared" show site.
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