Delia D'Ambra

Hi, park enthusiasts. I'm your host, Delia D'Ambra, and the story I'm going to share with you today is one that's filled with a lot of twists and turns, perhaps as many ups and downs as the hilly landscape it took place in. As a mother to a young child, it's one of those stories that genuinely broke my heart and is still a case I find myself thinking about in quiet moments.

Hi, park enthusiasts. I'm your host, Delia D'Ambra, and the story I'm going to share with you today is one that's filled with a lot of twists and turns, perhaps as many ups and downs as the hilly landscape it took place in. As a mother to a young child, it's one of those stories that genuinely broke my heart and is still a case I find myself thinking about in quiet moments.

It happened in Norway's Banaheja Recreation Area in the city of Kristiansand 25 years ago. According to VisitNorway.com, this area is a space that's easily accessible from nearby residential neighborhoods and known for being a great place to swim, fish, and walk trails. Banahaya consists of a three-mile loop that AllTrails.com estimates takes the average person a little over an hour to finish.

It happened in Norway's Banaheja Recreation Area in the city of Kristiansand 25 years ago. According to VisitNorway.com, this area is a space that's easily accessible from nearby residential neighborhoods and known for being a great place to swim, fish, and walk trails. Banahaya consists of a three-mile loop that AllTrails.com estimates takes the average person a little over an hour to finish.

I'll go ahead and tell you up front, there are a lot of Norwegian names and pronunciations in this episode that I've tried my very best to deliver correctly. But I'm a native English speaker, so there may be some names or locations I don't say perfectly. That's just the reality of taking on a case in a nation that's foreign to me.

I'll go ahead and tell you up front, there are a lot of Norwegian names and pronunciations in this episode that I've tried my very best to deliver correctly. But I'm a native English speaker, so there may be some names or locations I don't say perfectly. That's just the reality of taking on a case in a nation that's foreign to me.

So,

So,

Around 7.30 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2000, Jostein Søstrenund was sitting at his home in the grim borough of Kristiansand, Norway, watching the clock. With each passing minute, he was growing more and more worried. His 8-year-old daughter, Stina Sofia, and her friend, 10-year-old Lena Paulsen, were overdue from an evening swim in Banahaya Recreation Area.

Around 7.30 p.m. on Friday, May 19, 2000, Jostein Søstrenund was sitting at his home in the grim borough of Kristiansand, Norway, watching the clock. With each passing minute, he was growing more and more worried. His 8-year-old daughter, Stina Sofia, and her friend, 10-year-old Lena Paulsen, were overdue from an evening swim in Banahaya Recreation Area.

About an hour earlier, around 6.30 p.m., the girls had left the house together to go to Lake No. 3 in the park, which was only a few minutes away from Grimm. And Eustine thought it was unusual for them to have taken so long to get to the lake, swim, and then return. So, unsure what was going on, he did what I imagine most dads would do in this situation.

About an hour earlier, around 6.30 p.m., the girls had left the house together to go to Lake No. 3 in the park, which was only a few minutes away from Grimm. And Eustine thought it was unusual for them to have taken so long to get to the lake, swim, and then return. So, unsure what was going on, he did what I imagine most dads would do in this situation.

He got on his bicycle and rode the trail the girls could have taken to get into Banahaya. He cycled all the way to the jetty at lake number three, which is where his daughter and her friend had asked to go. But when he arrived, the area was empty. No one was around, and he definitely didn't see the girl swimming in the lake. But he didn't go into full-blown panic mode right away.

He got on his bicycle and rode the trail the girls could have taken to get into Banahaya. He cycled all the way to the jetty at lake number three, which is where his daughter and her friend had asked to go. But when he arrived, the area was empty. No one was around, and he definitely didn't see the girl swimming in the lake. But he didn't go into full-blown panic mode right away.

He figured maybe Stina, Sofia, and Lena had just taken another route home, which is why he hadn't come across them on his way into the park. As he biked back to Grimm, he hoped that they might have taken another route home. But once again, he didn't find them.

He figured maybe Stina, Sofia, and Lena had just taken another route home, which is why he hadn't come across them on his way into the park. As he biked back to Grimm, he hoped that they might have taken another route home. But once again, he didn't find them.

When he returned to his neighborhood, he continued to ride around looking for them and even went over to another neighboring park called Ravnadalen. But he was met with the same results. The girls were nowhere to be found. At that point, it was 10.10 p.m. and the sun had already set. So Eustine decided enough was enough. And he alerted the Christianson police about what was going on.

When he returned to his neighborhood, he continued to ride around looking for them and even went over to another neighboring park called Ravnadalen. But he was met with the same results. The girls were nowhere to be found. At that point, it was 10.10 p.m. and the sun had already set. So Eustine decided enough was enough. And he alerted the Christianson police about what was going on.

According to the available source material, it was at this time he officially reported the girls missing. When investigators filled out the missing persons reports, they relied on Youstein to give them information about the girls' last movements.

According to the available source material, it was at this time he officially reported the girls missing. When investigators filled out the missing persons reports, they relied on Youstein to give them information about the girls' last movements.