Karen Kilgariff

Sometime in the upper 80s, I believe 1987 or 88, my brother asked my mom if he could walk down the street to play at his best friend's house. It was the 80s, so she said sure and waved her six or seven year old child out the door to walk down the street. Just so normal. Sure. And didn't expect him home until the streetlights came on.

Sometime in the upper 80s, I believe 1987 or 88, my brother asked my mom if he could walk down the street to play at his best friend's house. It was the 80s, so she said sure and waved her six or seven year old child out the door to walk down the street. Just so normal. Sure. And didn't expect him home until the streetlights came on.

She never could have imagined that the next time the door opened, it would be two police officers on the other side telling her that her son had been abducted. What? Okay, yeah, this gets crazy. Apparently, my big brother was walking down the street as advertised when a woman saw him by himself and decided she had a grand opportunity to make some money.

She never could have imagined that the next time the door opened, it would be two police officers on the other side telling her that her son had been abducted. What? Okay, yeah, this gets crazy. Apparently, my big brother was walking down the street as advertised when a woman saw him by himself and decided she had a grand opportunity to make some money.

She had a knife and threatened my brother with it to get him to comply and come with her. She then needed to find a payphone so she could call my parents and demand a ransom for the return of my brother, who by this time was crying. Nevertheless, she dragged my bawling brother to the closest place she could find, the high school.

She had a knife and threatened my brother with it to get him to comply and come with her. She then needed to find a payphone so she could call my parents and demand a ransom for the return of my brother, who by this time was crying. Nevertheless, she dragged my bawling brother to the closest place she could find, the high school.

There was indeed a payphone there, but to get to it, she would have to cross the practice field and get to the tennis courts on the other side of the main field. And it says for scale, this is like three city blocks. It is a huge high school.

There was indeed a payphone there, but to get to it, she would have to cross the practice field and get to the tennis courts on the other side of the main field. And it says for scale, this is like three city blocks. It is a huge high school.

All with a screaming, crying child who was pleading with her to take him home. So fucking traumatizing.

All with a screaming, crying child who was pleading with her to take him home. So fucking traumatizing.

Yeah. He even offered her his own money. Turns out his not fully formed brain was concocting a plan to give her monopoly money in exchange for his life, which is equal parts funny and absolutely heartbreaking. Yes. As she undoubtedly shouted at him to shut up and continued dragging him to the payphone, the football team on the practice field began to notice something was wrong.

Yeah. He even offered her his own money. Turns out his not fully formed brain was concocting a plan to give her monopoly money in exchange for his life, which is equal parts funny and absolutely heartbreaking. Yes. As she undoubtedly shouted at him to shut up and continued dragging him to the payphone, the football team on the practice field began to notice something was wrong.

I have searched high and low for an article about this, which I know exists because I've seen it, but because I can't find it and because I hate asking my parents and brother to relive this part of their lives, I am recounting this from memory as best as I can. The football players saw my brother crying and this disheveled woman holding a knife and correctly assumed he was in danger.

I have searched high and low for an article about this, which I know exists because I've seen it, but because I can't find it and because I hate asking my parents and brother to relive this part of their lives, I am recounting this from memory as best as I can. The football players saw my brother crying and this disheveled woman holding a knife and correctly assumed he was in danger.

They surrounded the woman and one of the players tackled her. As football players are wont to do, I guess. I'm not sure what part of scary lady with a small child and knife made the idea of tackling seem appealing, but that is indeed what happened. The police were called, probably using the very payphone she planned to ransom my brother through because 80s.

They surrounded the woman and one of the players tackled her. As football players are wont to do, I guess. I'm not sure what part of scary lady with a small child and knife made the idea of tackling seem appealing, but that is indeed what happened. The police were called, probably using the very payphone she planned to ransom my brother through because 80s.

And my hysterical brother relayed that he lived two blocks over and wanted to go home. Yeah. So that is how my mother came to find out that my brother actually never made it to the neighbor's house at all. And it says, because calling to make sure he arrived safely just wasn't a thing.

And my hysterical brother relayed that he lived two blocks over and wanted to go home. Yeah. So that is how my mother came to find out that my brother actually never made it to the neighbor's house at all. And it says, because calling to make sure he arrived safely just wasn't a thing.

and instead was dragged by a stranger in search of a payphone, but was luckily intercepted, pun intended, you're welcome, Georgia, by the football team and returned to my mother.

and instead was dragged by a stranger in search of a payphone, but was luckily intercepted, pun intended, you're welcome, Georgia, by the football team and returned to my mother.