Disappearance of Alfred Beilhartz

Alfred Edwin Beilhartz was a young boy who vanished in 1938 at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.[1]

Alfred Beilhartz
Born
Alfred Edwin Beilhartz

c. 1934
United States
DisappearedJuly 2, 1938 (aged 3–4)
Fall River, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States
StatusMissing for 82 years, 6 months and 30 days
NationalityAmerican
Parent(s)
  • William Harvey Beilhartz (father)
Family10 siblings
Estes Park
Devils Nest
Denver
Locations

He was on vacation with his family.[2] They all went to Estes Park to fish. He was hiking with his parents on a trail that ran along a creek. He fell behind and vanished. After realizing he was no longer around, the family searched for him, but having no luck, they called in park rangers. Assuming he had drowned in the creek, searchers dammed it[3] and dragged for his body, finding nothing.[4] Searchers then concentrated on a land search. Bloodhounds were called in,[5] but had little luck. The search was called off after ten days.

Possible sightings

Hikers in a different part of the park saw a small boy on an elevation called Devils Nest on Mt. Chapin, while walking along Old Fall Road. According to the sighting, the boy sat at the ledgeside for several minutes before being jerked back by someone off to the side. The identity of this person has never been identified. [6] They contacted the park, who sent climbers to search the clifftop, but found nothing.[7] It included 150 men and members of the Civilian Conservation Corps.[8] He was supposedly sighted walking along a road with a man in Nebraska.[9]

Aftermath

A bandage found in an abandoned cabin was also tested, since the child had a similar one when he vanished. A ransom note for $500 (equivalent to $9,082 in 2019) was sent to the parents after he had been missing for five months.[10] Police determined it was a hoax.[11] His father believed that Alfred was abducted but still alive.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Alfred Beilhartz – The Charley Project". charleyproject.org. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  2. "10 Mysterious Disappearances in National Parks". HowStuffWorks. 2015-07-10. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  3. "River Diverted to Seek Child's Body". Santa Rosa, California: The Press Democrat. 6 July 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "Stream Diverted to search For Child's Body". Zanesville, Ohio: The Times Recorder. 6 July 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Dogs Trail Lost Boy". The Waco News-Tribune. 5 July 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "Denver Hiker May Have Seen Missing Child". Greeley Daily Tribune. 8 July 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  7. "Search Group For Baby Climb To Devils Nest". Greeley Daily Tribune. 9 July 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  8. Becky Striepe (10 July 2015). "10 Mysterious Disappearances in National Parks: 9 Alfred Beilhartz, 1938". adventure.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  9. "Nebraska Officers Hunt Missing Child". The San Bernardino County Sun. 12 July 1938. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  10. "Denver Police Think Beilhartz Ransome [sic] Note Is Just Hoax". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. 30 November 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Police Probe Cruel Denver 'Ransom' Hoax". The San Bernardino County Sun. 1 December 1938. p. 4. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  12. "Some Day Alfred Will Come Back". The Amarillo Globe-Times. 4 July 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2017 – via newspapers.com.
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