Posted on 04/19/2012 2:33:35 PM PDT by Morgana
[Updated at 2:37 p.m. ET] Investigators began jackhammering into the basement of a commercial building in Lower Manhattan on Thursday as part of a search for a 6-year-old boy who disappeared in May 1979 on his way to a bus stop in New York City.
"We're looking for human remains, clothing or other personal effects," New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said. "It's a very painstaking process."
Etan Patz's disappearance, considered a high-profile cold case, prompted authorities to splash the child's image on the sides of milk cartons in hopes of gathering more information. It is thought to be the first time that step was taken for a missing child.
"The FBI's Evidence Recovery Team is on the scene," FBI special agent Peter Donald said.
The excavation includes boring into the basement floors and walls of a SoHo building on Prince Street in Manhattan, near where the schoolboy is believed to have walked on his way to a bus stop more than three decades ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.blogs.cnn.com ...
I hope they find him so he can be properly buried.
I hope they find the perp so he or she can be properly buried.
The suspect is still in prison. He’s most likely responsible for the child’s disappearance.
Hope they can prove it rather than being a suspect. No closure for the parents.
He’s been a strong suspect for years. He even admitted to it.
I truly hope he gets his justice here first before he receives his final justice later.
There is NEVER, EVER closure for the parents, families, or loved ones when it comes to these things.
You NEVER, EVER, get that ‘it’s all better now’ feeling. It only exists in the minds of those who think it exists.
All that you do get is one less question in your mind. And that’s all you get. When you have over a million questions, one answer doesn’t even make a dent.
You are absolutely and forever changed, and your loved one is gone. There’s no going back. You can’t ‘un-see’ what you saw, nor can you un-feel what you feel. You just learn to walk with it, and it’s always there.
This kind of a loss is very different from any other kind.
My prayers go out to the family, and those who were personally touched by this event. And KUDOs to those who are still looking.
This is one area where a tax dollar is never, a waste.
I'll never forget this boy - not only the milk cartons but his picture was attached to the money slot on New York City buses when he first disappeared. The case riveted and depressed the entire city. Poor baby.
Thank you for your well stated post. You are correct there is no “closure” for those who have lost a child. Not knowing where the body is, would make it even worse.
I pray they find something.
I remember when he disappeared. I was just a little kid. We didn’t have a TV back then. The milk carton photo was a great idea. Even if one lived in a cave, one would know about Ethan. I’d see his photo and wonder “why doesn’t he go home? Doesn’t he want to be with his mom?”. I couldn’t understand that he couldn’t go home.
It would be great for the parents to have closure.
Yes. It reminds me of Mark Himebaugh who disappeared in N.J. some years ago and who is still missing.
I was a little kid too when it happened but I don’t recall it. I remember when Adam Walsh went missing because not only did it make the news but there was a tv special “Adam”. Then John Walsh later went active. In fact stores like Wal Mart that have a “Code Adam” have one so because of Adam Walsh.
I do remember when kids started appearing on milk cartons. There was a different kid every week. They should still do that or at least on a pop can.
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