Sadie Hall would turn 20 on May 10.
How could one person whom I've never met consume so much of my time? I didn't know.
I opened my laptop and typed into the search bar the name, "Sadie Hall."
I regretted it as soon as I did it.
The three year old's body came up as one of the images.
She looked so peaceful. So innocent.
A link to information about her case file came up on the screen, which I then proceeded to click on.
Sadie Hall was a girl from Plest View, Alabama. She had two brothers and two parents, both of custody. She was abducted from her front yard on September 9th of 1992 and was found dead in a small town in Connecticut in February of 1995. She had just started pre-school that year at Small Minds Pre-School, and her known suspects' child had started that year as well. The suspects, Charles and Annabelle Carter, were her neighbors as well as her parents' friends. They moved to Connecticut, ironically, just as the case started to open up and grow bigger and bigger. The Carter's were convicted of abducting Sadie Hall on January 12th of 1996. They scheduled a trial, and were found not guilty. On February 4, 1996, Sadie's body was found in the Carter's backyard in Connecticut. She was two years old. Charles and Annabelle Carter were found guilty of torturing, murdering, and abducting Sadie Hall on March 2nd, 1996. They are now serving 30 years to life in a federal prison in New Hampshire.
I exited the webpage and kept scrolling until I found a horrifying result.
My father's name.
"Robert Darringer stands court in 'Sadie Hall' murder case."
He was in the jury.
———————————-
I still couldn't wrap my head around why he saved this newspaper clipping. I knew he stood court there, and I knew he was in the jury and made a valid arguement, but why? He wasn't that big of a part in the case. I did the only thing I could do.
I went into his office.
I waited until he left our house to go to work to proceed with my investigation, so to speak. I crept into his office at around 7:30 P. M.. My mother didn't seem to notice.
"Holy shit," I whispered as I looked at all of the newspaper clippings that were hung around the room.
There were so many. Sports teams winning championships, local bake sales, fundraisers, editorials- everything you could think of. I felt a hint of relief burn through me.
I found no murders.
I kept looking around until I saw a box underneath his work desk.
Found them.
——————-
The first murder/abduction case - Libby Marsfield
Parents: Unknown
Birth Date: December 20, 1975 in Lincolnsville, Pennsylvania
Date Found: June 6, 1983 in Addam, Ohio
Date Taken: February 15, 1983 (aged; 7)
Age: 8
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Sibling(s): None
Suspects: Sarah Tresko
Libby was a foster child. Sarah was her caretaker at the foster home.
Sarah was found guilty of hiding, torturing, and killing Libby Marsfield on June 21, 1987.
My father, again, in the jury.
—
Taryn Xavier
Parents: Tom and Ethster Xavier
Birth Date: May 30, 1982 in Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Found: September 27, 1986 in Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Taken: June 19, 1985 (aged; 3)
Age: 4
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Sibling(s): Ryan and Cara Xavier
Suspects: Yvette and Cal Smith
Taryn was the youngest child of three in her family. Yvette was found innocent, Cal was found guilty of murdering, abducting, torturing, blaming Yvette and was charged for manslaughter in the first degree on November 27, 1986. He was serving 30 years to life in a federal prison in Montana. He killed himself in 1988 and left a message on his cell wall, "I am innocent."
My father, once again, on the jury.
—
Catherine Gray
Parents: Rachel and Alexander Gray
Birth Date: January 26, 1989 in Maryland- City is unknown
Date Found: Unknown
Date Taken: June 12, 1991 (aged; 2)
Age: Would now be 20
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Sibling(s): None
Suspects: Olivia Newton, Frank Harding, Maurney Johns
Catherine was two years old. She would have no memory of being taken. She would never know her name. She would never be able to know her age. She would never know her birthday. She would never know her mother or father. If she's still alive, that is.
My dad on the jury, this time, arguing for suspect Olivia Newton. Olivia Newton was later reported missing. Frank Harding, Catherine's uncle, accused of raping her in the past, was the obvious suspect. He is currently serving 10+ years in a federal prison in New Hampshire. Maurney Johns was never convicted.
—
The last abduction case: Molly Slaten
Parents: George and Priscilla Slaten
Birth Date: August 14, 1992
Date Found: Unknown
Date Taken: September 21, 1995(aged; 3)
Age: would now be 19
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Sibling(s): Teresa Slaten
Suspects: Heather and Paul Worrington
Molly Slaten would be 17. Her birth date falls on the same day as mine. She was never found. She was too young to have remembered being taken.
Everything added up.
My eye color.
My hair color.
My birthday.
My age.
Ironically, my father was on the jury arguing against Heather and Paul.
Fuck.
Could I have been..
Am I.. Molly Slaten?
YOU ARE READING
Nameless
Teen FictionAnnie Darringer's life was really going for her. She had amazing grades, which would get her a full scholarship to Harvard University, a stellar athlete of a boyfriend, all of her friends, schoolmates, and family loved her, and she won prom queen. H...
