Janice Morgan

She'd much rather be with her friends, fishing on the Snake River or playing in the nearby woods. Around noon, when the sun was at its peak, Christina poked her mom and asked her if she could go to her friend's house. She had her bike at the fair. She could ride there herself and come back home for dinner. Betty nodded. The heat was starting to bother her, too.

She'd much rather be with her friends, fishing on the Snake River or playing in the nearby woods. Around noon, when the sun was at its peak, Christina poked her mom and asked her if she could go to her friend's house. She had her bike at the fair. She could ride there herself and come back home for dinner. Betty nodded. The heat was starting to bother her, too.

As Christina jumped on her bike and rode away, Betty and Carlin started home on foot. They passed Christina's friend's house on the way and saw her outside. She'd arrived safely. They waved and carried on. Later that afternoon, Betty's phone rang. It was Christina calling from the friend's house. She had symptoms of heat stroke. This had happened before, so Betty wasn't too worried.

As Christina jumped on her bike and rode away, Betty and Carlin started home on foot. They passed Christina's friend's house on the way and saw her outside. She'd arrived safely. They waved and carried on. Later that afternoon, Betty's phone rang. It was Christina calling from the friend's house. She had symptoms of heat stroke. This had happened before, so Betty wasn't too worried.

She told her daughter to drape a cold, damp towel over her head, then lie down for a bit. Then as soon as she felt better, bike home. Betty expected to see her daughter fairly soon, but hours passed with no sign of Christina and no call back. When she didn't show for dinner, Betty grew worried. She called Christina's friend's house, but her daughter wasn't there anymore. Nobody knew where she was.

She told her daughter to drape a cold, damp towel over her head, then lie down for a bit. Then as soon as she felt better, bike home. Betty expected to see her daughter fairly soon, but hours passed with no sign of Christina and no call back. When she didn't show for dinner, Betty grew worried. She called Christina's friend's house, but her daughter wasn't there anymore. Nobody knew where she was.

So Betty contacted the police. As you probably know, in a lot of disappearances, authorities wait anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to begin an official investigation. But in this case, Chief Tom Pryor immediately sprang into action, likely because Christina was so young and the Esotan community was so tight-knit. That said, Betty and the authorities thought they'd find Christina quickly.

So Betty contacted the police. As you probably know, in a lot of disappearances, authorities wait anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to begin an official investigation. But in this case, Chief Tom Pryor immediately sprang into action, likely because Christina was so young and the Esotan community was so tight-knit. That said, Betty and the authorities thought they'd find Christina quickly.

She was probably riding her bike around, totally unaware of the commotion she'd caused. Or maybe she was still having heat stroke symptoms and decided to lie down somewhere. Betty and the police scoured every nook and cranny of the small town, but they couldn't find Christina or her bike anywhere. As far as they could tell, she left her friend's house to bike home, then vanished.

She was probably riding her bike around, totally unaware of the commotion she'd caused. Or maybe she was still having heat stroke symptoms and decided to lie down somewhere. Betty and the police scoured every nook and cranny of the small town, but they couldn't find Christina or her bike anywhere. As far as they could tell, she left her friend's house to bike home, then vanished.

News spread fast in Esoton. That night and the next morning, the community came together in support of Betty and her family. They offered help in whatever way they could, searching the town, putting up posters, or simply lending a sympathetic ear. But one man was incredibly quick to offer his services. For privacy, we'll call him Frank. He was a local guy with a wife and kids.

News spread fast in Esoton. That night and the next morning, the community came together in support of Betty and her family. They offered help in whatever way they could, searching the town, putting up posters, or simply lending a sympathetic ear. But one man was incredibly quick to offer his services. For privacy, we'll call him Frank. He was a local guy with a wife and kids.

He worked at a local theater, sometimes performing on stage. So far, pretty normal. Except he seemed a little too invested in the search, especially right at the start, which detectives found odd. According to one Esotan police officer, it's rare for innocent bystanders to get highly involved in an investigation, but it's actually quite common for the perpetrator of a crime.

He worked at a local theater, sometimes performing on stage. So far, pretty normal. Except he seemed a little too invested in the search, especially right at the start, which detectives found odd. According to one Esotan police officer, it's rare for innocent bystanders to get highly involved in an investigation, but it's actually quite common for the perpetrator of a crime.

They offer to help, but they really just want to see what the police know. Frank's behavior struck detectives as off-putting, but that was just gut instinct, not real evidence. Right then, the most important thing was finding Christina, so they took any help they could get. While the police dealt with Frank, Christina's father, Gary White, raced to Esoton to join the search.

They offer to help, but they really just want to see what the police know. Frank's behavior struck detectives as off-putting, but that was just gut instinct, not real evidence. Right then, the most important thing was finding Christina, so they took any help they could get. While the police dealt with Frank, Christina's father, Gary White, raced to Esoton to join the search.

By the time he arrived in town, he had his own theory. Someone from the county fair kidnapped Christina. He tried to get the police to search the trailers and campers, but there wasn't enough evidence to obtain warrants. Gary was frustrated, but he had another idea. He asked a local man, Jim Pope, for a favor.

By the time he arrived in town, he had his own theory. Someone from the county fair kidnapped Christina. He tried to get the police to search the trailers and campers, but there wasn't enough evidence to obtain warrants. Gary was frustrated, but he had another idea. He asked a local man, Jim Pope, for a favor.

Jim owned a helicopter, and Gary thought they might have an easier time spotting clues from above. So they took the chopper all over the county. In the air, Gary kept his eyes peeled, desperate to find his daughter. They didn't see anything. But Gary wasn't giving up. When the carnival left town, he followed it 150 miles to the Tri-Cities area.

Jim owned a helicopter, and Gary thought they might have an easier time spotting clues from above. So they took the chopper all over the county. In the air, Gary kept his eyes peeled, desperate to find his daughter. They didn't see anything. But Gary wasn't giving up. When the carnival left town, he followed it 150 miles to the Tri-Cities area.