Girl Vanishes, 7 Months Later Hiker Tells Cops To Look Closer At Log Pile

Girl Vanishes Seven months later, Hiker tells cops to look closer at Logpile. Dermot was walking past a pile of logs when he swore he heard something. It stood out among the natural sounds of the landscape. He tried listening more intently at the logpile. Soon, he'd find that it was far from an ordinary logpile. He was frozen in place. He needed to cry out for help, but nothing came out of his mouth. He knew it was useless anyway. With him so far away from any form of settlement, the only option was to inspect the logpile. Dermot had a passion for hiking. When he set foot on a trail, he loved the smell of pine and the crunch of dirt beneath his boots. He would spend every opportunity in the wild, but little did Dermot know that he would stumble upon something on a Sunday morning like any other as he put on his boots and walked out the door. Dermot lived and grew up in a town called Riverwood. The town wasn't very big, so everyone knew each other by name. Everyone was neighborly and would always help out if someone needed help. Seven months before Dermot decided to start his Sunday walk, there was an event that shook the town and hung over everyone for a long time. Alice was in one. One year. Old girl that lived in Riverwood with her parents. One day, she decided to visit her friend, but never came back. The only clue they could find was her pink bicycle that was left on the side of the road. Her parents were struck with worry and grief. Maybe she couldn't find her way home. Since the town was small, soon everyone heard about it and pitched in to help. Still, there was no sign of anything. Around 100 town locals decided to help the family search for their little girl. Dermot volunteered as soon as he heard what had happened. The local police aided in the search. When everyone started at Alice's house, they met with the parents and got ready for a long trek through the night. Everyone wished and prayed that little Alice was okay. They would search for as long as it took. A hundred people marched in every direction. They searched the field near the town and on either side of the road going into town. They all cried out Alice's name, hoping for a response. Dermot didn't feel good about this. Not at all. There was no trace of what could have happened to her. At least that meant there were no signs that contradicted that she was alright. Everyone stayed calm and tried their best to keep their chins up. A resident and a family friend of Alice said, It was stressful and emotional. We were all out there, just walking back and forth from one end to the other, yelling her name. As days went by, people began to feel more and more disheartened as they searched for Alice. The search had turned into a disorganized bunch of people walking around aimlessly, calling out her name. After a week had passed, there weren't nearly as many flashlights as day one. A lot of the volunteers had resumed their day-to-day lives. The people that remained also found it difficult to keep the search up. Alice could be anywhere, and no one had any idea where she was. Maybe she'd be somewhere they'd never thought of. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. But then there was the sound of chopping. Police soon started helping the search for the girl. Helicopters started searching thick woods with heat-sensitive cameras, while units on the ground used dogs to sniff out her scent. But even with all the advanced aid from the police, there was still no sign of Alice. Days soon turned into weeks, and most people lost hope. The question was still burning in everyone's mind. Where was Alice? It was like Alice had just disappeared into thin air. German thought she was probably miles away. He didn't actually know how close she was. As an experienced hiker, Dermot felt he was most useful searching through the tough terrain of the mountains that surrounded their town. He could get into places others couldn't. But as the helicopters and dogs had no luck locating the girl, Dermot felt he was throwing sand against the wall and asking it to stick. Still, he felt he had to do something. Little did he know, however, that his decision would turn this mysterious case on its head. It was now seven months since Alice disappeared. The young one, one, year, old girl had still not been found. Some people moved on with their lives, but not Dermot. Every time he went for a hike, he found himself searching new areas of the wilderness just for her. He grabbed his bottle of water and walking gear and headed out into the mountains once again. Only this time, life as he knew it would change. German had been hiking for just under an hour. He started to break a sweat and could feel the burn of a workout beginning to take hold in his muscles. Despite his struggle, he powered through, enjoying the stunning scenery. As he breathed in the fresh air, he closed his eyes and smiled as he took a deep inhale of the scent of wild grass and oak trees. Suddenly, his eyes shot awake. The smile vanished from his face. He held his breath as he identified the strange sound. It was a voice, a very faint one, but Dermot had no idea where it was coming from. Suddenly, he thought of Alice. The sound made his blood run cold. He shouted out into an empty space around him. Alice? But there was no response. Then the voice suddenly stopped. What was going on? Dermot cautioned forward as he looked around on hyper alert. Was this a joke? Was that all in his head? He felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to run forward and scream out for Alice, but he also knew that maybe that wasn't the best decision. After all, he had no idea what he was walking into. Then, as quickly as it disappeared, he heard the same voice that sent a shiver up his spine, only this time it was closer. Dermot froze in his tracks again. He steadied his breathing to identify where the sound was coming from. Then, once more, it stopped. Heart racing, he ran forward. And then he saw it. A random pile of logs. What were they doing there? Curious, he walked toward them to inspect it. Once he reached it, his eyes popped. He wanted to run and scream for help, but who would hear him in these hills? He knew he had to be quick. With his hands trembling, he picked up his phone and dialed 911. He hoped it wasn't too late. German paced back and forth as he waited for help to arrive. He didn't know what to do. He had never been in a situation like this before. All he could do was not mess with the evidence and listen out for the voice again. He was so close, he could feel it. The police headed out to the mountains immediately after hearing Dermot frantically telling them what he saw on the phone. Come quick now, please. Dermot pleaded with the cops before his voice broke. What had Dermot discovered? It took them just under 30 minutes, but finally the cops arrived. They had no idea what was waiting for them. When the cops arrived at the hills, they were stumped to find a pile of logs and a distraught looking Dermot. What exactly is going on here? One officer asked, his tone stern and authoritative. Dermot walked up to the officer with tears trickling down his cheeks. Just look over there, he said, and pointed to the unfitting pile of logs. The officer made his way over to the pile of logs, bracing himself for what he would find. With each step he took, an uneasy feeling crept up his spine. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about these logs. When the officer got closer to the logs, he saw what Dermot saw. He felt sick to his stomach. What was it? When he realized what this pile of logs actually was, a terrible feeling grew deep within the pit of his stomach. The odd looking lines of the pile of logs were actually windows. What he thought was a pile of logs was actually a secret hideaway. But what exactly needed to stay hidden away from everyone to see? When the officer and Dermot looked inside the secret cabin, they were absolutely horrified. Inside the secret cabin was a small accommodation. Then suddenly, and shockingly, a young girl emerged from the corner of the room. The officer yelped in surprise at seeing the young girl. He took a closer look at the girl and realized exactly who she was. He was at a loss for words. Dermot was in tears of relief. This had become personal for him. The mysterious case of the missing one. One year, old girl called Alice was finally progressing. After seven long months of hopelessness, she was finally found. The officer was startled at Dermot's discovery and perseverance. But what was she doing there? The officer immediately called for backup and got the little girl to safety. But was it too late? Were they still in danger? Who owned the cabin? More cops arrived at the scene in no time and took the disoriented Alice back to the station for questioning. Alice told officers that a man had kidnapped her and put her in the secret cabin. However, as hard as they tried to piece together what happened, the police had no leads. Alice was returned back home safely, and the case is still open to this day. But half a world away, another child had also gone missing. But unlike Alice, he was only found 31 years later. This was the moment she was waiting for. Finally, some truth, some answers. No mother should go through what Lynette went through. Never in a million years would she wish what she went through on anyone, not even her own worst enemy, which at times was herself. Arriving at Connecticut Airport, hundreds of miles away from her home in Canada, Lynette stepped out onto the pickup area, hoping that she'd finally be given answers about her son's disappearance. She had been waiting 31 years for this moment. It was a warm summer day in June 1987 when Lynette pulled up to a dollar store on Islington Avenue in the north of Toronto. She was picking up her son Jermaine from his father Alan, who had arranged to meet Lynette there at 4 p.m. Jermaine was just a baby when the two parents decided to separate, but despite this, Jermaine was a happy child with a smile and laugh that could light up a room. She couldn't wait to see him, but she had no idea what was to come. Lynette had spent the day doing all the typical things you do when you're child-free for the day, grocery shopping, daily errands, etc. She even bought Jermaine a toy, a fluffy plush lion with big brown eyes just like Jermaine. Lions were his favorite. She knew he would love it. But little did she know, her whole world was about to come crashing down. The clock had just gone 4 p.m., and Lynette watched a family across the road. They're laughing, smiling, and enjoying each other's company. Lynette smiles to herself. Strangely, the little boy who's clinging onto his father's shoulders resembles her own son. He waves at Lynette, and she waves back before checking her watch. It's now 4-9. Where were they? As the minutes passed, she could feel a terrible feeling in her stomach. Lynette's heart is pounding. She can feel it in her chest. The time is now 4-20 p.m., and Alan and Jermaine still haven't shown up. Suddenly, a swarm of anxiety hits Lynette, and she stumbles to the ground, dropping the toy she had personally picked for Jermaine. As she gets up and races into her car, she dials 9-1-1 and speeds off, leaving behind a cloud of smoke in Jermaine's teddy bear. The sound of silence fills the empty home of Lynette. Perched on a chair in her kitchen, Lynette's eyes are sore, and her head is throbbing. It has been 48 hours since she waited at the dollar store, since she waited to see her little boy and give him his teddy bear, but now she has neither her son nor his teddy bear. A couple of months passed, and even after the Toronto police conducted an extensive search, there was no trace of Jermaine. As expected, Lynette was devastated. Slowly but surely, the couple of months turned into a couple of years, and the next thing Lynette knew, she was celebrating what would be Jermaine's 25th birthday in her empty home. This couldn't be it, could it? Over the years, numerous agencies had attempted to solve the disappearance of Jermaine, but there were still no leads. Even the Missing Children's Society of Canada, MCSC, became involved, but still nothing. All Lynette had left were the memories in her mind and a few images of her little boy. But Lynette refused to give up. In 1989, she appeared in the Toronto Star, hoping to raise even more awareness. There were suspicions that Alan had abducted Jermaine and taken him over to the United States, but there was no concrete evidence. However, there would soon be a crack in this heartbreaking case that would change everything. Across the border in the United States, there was an equal dedication to finding out what happened to Jermaine. His story was featured on The Charlie Project, a database dedicated to publicizing missing person cases in the United States. Unfortunately, this still didn't give police a lead. Despite all this, there was still one person that was adamant to find Jermaine, and he wouldn't rest until he did. A ray of light in a world of darkness, former policeman Ted Davis had been investigating for MCSC for three decades. After meeting Lynette and watching her wear her heart on her sleeve, Davis made a promise to Lynette and her family that he'd do everything in his power to make sure Jermaine was brought back home. And so finally, in 2016, almost 30 years after Jermaine had disappeared, there came a break in the three-decade-old case. That same year, Ted had attended a conference alongside members of the Toronto Police and representatives of the United States. At the event, the attendees started to discuss Jermaine's disappearance, which ultimately sparked further interest. As Ted left the conference, little did he know investigators would have some fresh leads to follow. By the end of the summer of 2018, investigators had got in contact with the numerous people who were Alan's acquaintances. With each person they spoke to, investigators hoped they would be able to get some vital information. Some suggested that Alan may have made his way 500 miles east of Toronto, residing in Connecticut. But it wasn't until they spoke to one of Alan's closest friends that they would land a crucial clue that would finally lead police to Jermaine. Supposedly, Alan had created a new name, an alias, and a brand new identity, going by the name Haley Randolph D'Souza. Police knew that they were one step closer to finding out what happened to Jermaine. They searched official databases and social media, and finally they found a match. An elderly man living in Vernon, a town close to the Connecticut capital of Hartford. Could this be them? If so, does that mean Jermaine is alive? With the mystery finally about to be solved, investigators enlisted forensic experts to help join the case. They examined the driver's license photo that was on record for D'Souza's son, and slowly but surely, in October 2018, the team was able to confirm what they had all been hoping for. That D'Souza's son and Jermaine were probably the same. They had a match. But first, they had to catch Alan. Investigators were excited that they finally had some answers. But they knew they needed to make a move. They had to find Alan before it was too late. An anonymous source claimed Alan often spent his time at the local KFC. He was friendly with the staff, and he sure did love the food. And so, investigators set off to the KFC, ready to bring Alan to justice and make him pay for his crimes. But would that be the case today? This is the police, screams a member of the Connecticut Police Department as they race inside the KFC restaurant. The team scan the room looking for Alan while startled and confused employees stand around. Then they notice an elderly man sitting in the corner of the room. He puts his hands up, and the police immediately corner him. The man confirms that he is the fugitive they're looking for. But where was Jermaine? Police suspected that back in 1986, Alan had fled Toronto with Jermaine and traveled to the United States, with the two reportedly sharing an apartment in Connecticut since 2004. Handcuffing Alan before leading him outside, the police hear a voice. Dad. Suddenly, a middle-aged man walks around the corner. A middle-aged man with big brown eyes, just like Jermaine. The father and son duo, unbeknownst to the son, lived a life of lies for decades. And decades after fleeing Canada, Alan had managed to acquire fake documents, residing in New York, North Carolina, and then settling in Connecticut. When living in Vernon, Alan found employment as a trucker and as an engineer, while Jermaine worked for the state. Little did Jermaine know, his whole life had been a lie. All his life, Jermaine had questions about his mother. His dad told him she passed away during childbirth, but he was pretty ambiguous about the details. Jermaine remembers seeing his friends get picked up from school by their mothers. Jermaine never had that. And it wasn't until he turned 33 that the truth about his mother would come to light. Standing and weeping in court as his father's lies and deceitfulness came to light, Jermaine sobbed into his tissue. How could his father do such a thing? His heart stops to hear that Alan would not be facing charges for kidnapping. Instead, he would be extradited to Canada to face further charges. As he steps out of court, Jermaine is lost for words, with thousands of questions running through his mind. A sudden realization hits him. His mother is in fact alive. Lynette is speechless. She has just got off the phone with Ted. They found Jermaine, her baby boy. He's alive. He's safe. She had been waiting for this moment for 31 years. Overwhelmed with emotion, Lynette breaks down, tears falling from her face. She's going to see her baby boy again. So Lynette had finally received the news that she had been hoping and waiting for for the last three decades. Words can't express what I feel, she said at a press conference in 2018. The words, your son is alive. We found him. That is breathtaking. The overjoyed mother then boarded a plane to Connecticut. She couldn't wait to reunite with her long-lost son. Standing in the pickup area at Connecticut Airport, Lynette is about to be reunited with her son after 30 years. She can't believe it. What will he look like? Suddenly, a tall dark figure appears, walking towards Lynette. Instantly, she recognizes the face and those big brown eyes. Her heart stops. It's her son. It's Jermaine. Running toward each other with tears streaming down their faces, Lynette and Jermaine crashed into each other with a warm embrace. Both are crying and overwhelmed with emotion. Squeezing each other tight, they both have so many questions. But for now, they just hug each other tight, refusing to ever let go. I grabbed him and squeezed his head. I want to feel if he's real, she said through tears. I touched him and I said, oh my God, my baby. Although Jermaine has declined to give any public interviews as yet, Lynette mentioned that he made a touching comment when they met. He said that they shared the same eyes. After Lynette was reunited with Jermaine at last, the pair were able to spend some quality time together. At last, Lynette was eager to learn about Jermaine's life and what had happened in the last 31 years. Lynette even bought ingredients to make Jermaine a home-cooked dinner, only to find out that he's a vegetarian. But Jermaine decided to make an exception. He said, you know what, mommy, cook the chicken. I'm going to eat the chicken, Lynette recalled. For the time being, it is unclear if Lynette will relocate to be closer to her long-lost son. However, the happy mother did tell reporters that she will do everything in her power to make sure they are never separated again. Then Lynette went on to open up about the devastating actions that Alan had taken all those years ago. I just thought it was sad for him to have done what he did, Lynette confessed. You never take a child from its parent, no matter what. The mother also came to terms with the fact that her son had a whole other life before she came back into the picture. I have to respect the fact that he was a child. He didn't know anything, she explained. So what was given to him, he had no choice but to live with that, Lynette continued. And so if the name that he has right now, he would like to respect that, then I'm going to stand with him with that. With that being said, however, Lynette admitted that calling her son by his new name may always be difficult. To me, my son has always been germane, so yes, that sticks for me, she explained during a news conference. Lynette also took the time to give special thanks to all those people on the case, all those people who never gave up the search for her missing boy. Lynette made special mention of the MCSC and the authorities on both sides of the border. Furthermore, she hoped that her story might inspire other parents in her situation to never give up their faith. I am the proof that after 31 long years of suffering, 31 long years, one should never give up, Lynette explained. But be patient, be strong, and believe that all things are possible and that anything can transpire. Meanwhile, John Durham, Connecticut's U.S. attorney, spoke about all of the investigators who had worked so long and hard to bring Jermaine home. After taking his son away from his son's mother, this defendant is alleged to have lived a lie for the last 31 years in violation of numerous U.S. laws, Durham said in an official statement in 2018. We thank the many law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada that have investigated this matter, worked hard to apprehend this fugitive, and finally provided some answers to a mother who has suffered with her son's absence for far too long. And according to the experts, Jermaine's disappearance is an exception to the rule, and what is actually a surprisingly common crime. This is believed to be the longest case in North America, if possibly not the world, where an abducted child is reunited with a parent while they're both safe.