#12: The Sodder Children
On Christmas Eve, 1945, a tragic event unfolded for the Sodder family in Fayetteville, West Virginia. George and Jennie Sodder, Italian immigrants and parents of nine, awoke to their house in flames. Amidst the chaos, they managed to rescue only four of their children. George’s attempts to save the others were thwarted by mysteriously missing equipment, like his ladder.
Following the fire, no remains of the five missing children were found, leading to suspicions they didn’t perish in the blaze. This lack of evidence fueled ongoing speculation and belief, including by the Sodder family, that the children were still alive. The case remains an unsolved mystery, haunting the family and community for decades.