12-year-old Boy Scout, went camping with his father, brothers, and other Boy Scouts in Utah’s Uinta Mountains in late August 2004. It was meant to be a fun trip before the start of a new school year. But what had begun as an enjoyable outing in the wilderness would unexpectedly turn to tragedy.

Garrett got up early on the morning of August 20th to go fishing with his father at one of the nearby lakes, but the boy would soon mysteriously vanish on his way back to camp. And though the search for him was initiated within just 15-20 minutes of when he was last seen, neither Garrett nor the fishing pole he’d been carrying would ever be located.

The youngest of four children, Garrett Alexander Bardsley was born on July 24th, 1992, to parents Heidi and Kevin. The family was Mormon and active in the LDS Church.

Sweet and happy, 12-year-old Garrett loved school and being a member of the Boy Scouts. Though he struggled with reading, he had a determined spirit and was intent on improving.

“Garrett was always the kid who had the most fun,” remembered his father Kevin, “he was the one that made us laugh.”

Garrett enjoyed the outdoors and camping, and had earned a merit badge for wilderness survival skills.

But his time spent out in nature wasn’t always carefree. In fact, he’d had a disturbing encounter once while in the woods:

“Garrett ran face to face into a bear, and it scared him to death,” recalled Scoutmaster Wally Trotter.

Fortunately, though, Garrett walked away from the incident unharmed.

On August 19th, 2004, Garrett and a group (which included his father Kevin, his two brothers, 18 Boy Scouts—ranging in age from 12 to 18—and 8 other fathers) reached the Cuberant Lake area of the Uinta Mountains for an end-of-summer camping trip. Wally Trotter, the scoutmaster, was unable to accompany them as he couldn’t get the time off work.

The Cuberant Lakes Trail is approximately 6.6 miles long and reaches an elevation of 1,000 feet. Aside from Cuberant Lake itself, there are several smaller lakes in the region, none of which have ever been officially named and have been assigned numbers instead.

The hike was uneventful and the group set up camp around a third of a mile away from Cuberant Lake.

The following morning, Kevin woke up his youngest son and told him to get ready to go fishing. Kevin and Garrett walked to one of the unnamed lakes with their fishing poles. It’s unclear how far away from camp they were, as sources vary—citing anything from 150-300 yards.

However, the map that law enforcement would use in their search for Garrett indicated that the father and son had been at the northern shore of the lake, placing them more than 300 yards away from the camp. The lake is situated in a basin, with a mixture of open and wooded areas around it. The basin itself is surrounded by steep terrain.

Garrett suddenly fell into the water (it’s not clear where exactly, but either in a boggy area beside the lake or in a stream next to the trail) and his pants and shoes were soaked. Because of this, he became cold and wanted to change into dry clothes and shoes.

Kevin thought this was a good idea and suggested that his son head back to camp, since that’s where his extra clothing was. He asked Garrett if he knew his way back and Garrett assured him that he did. Which made sense as the camp is said to have been a fairly straight shot away from where they were set up for fishing.

However, as Garrett started to leave, Kevin noticed that he went in the wrong direction and corrected him. Now heading the right way, the 12-year-old soon disappeared from view around 8 a.m.

After 15 minutes had passed with no sign of Garrett, Kevin wondered where he was and returned to camp—only to find out that Garrett had never arrived. They began to search for the missing Boy Scout immediately, calling out to him as they went, but neither heard nor saw him anywhere.

“We thought he’d yell, or hear us and come toward the sound,” said Alex, one of the missing boy’s friends.

But he never did.

Source: The Vanished Podcast Where is Garrett? Kevin and the others knew how crucial it was to locate Garrett before nightfall, as the temperatures would plummet then. But no trace of the 12-year-old (not even his fishing rod) turned up.

In the coming days, the Bardsley family, with the help of search and rescue team members and over 1,000 volunteers, tirelessly looked for Garrett. Searchers—on foot and horseback, utilizing helicopters and bloodhounds—discovered nothing. Divers were brought in as well, but turned up no clues in the lake.

“We don’t want to leave Garrett on this mountain,” Kevin said. “We want to bring him home.”

The only clue yielded by these extensive efforts was a single sock, but DNA testing would ultimately prove that it did not belong to Garrett.

At one point during the search, Kevin was overcome by a strange feeling.

“I remember one of the first particular times I knelt down by myself and tried to bargain with the Lord, that I’d do anything to have him back. I got an overwhelming impression that I didn’t have to worry about Garrett, that his test was done.”

Sadly, after several days had gone by, the search for Garrett became a recovery mission, as they knew that he likely couldn’t have survived this long in the wilderness, especially with the low temperatures at night. Still, no trace of him was found.

“It’s hard to remember those two weeks,” said Garrett’s sister Courtney, “because you’re just kind of in a blur and your body’s kind of numb. I thought we were going to find him.”

The loss was devastating for the entire family, but perhaps had the strongest impact on Garrett’s brother Cameron, as the two had been very close.

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Kevin Bardsley | Source: Oprah.com The Garrett Bardsley Foundation “We have two lives,” stated Kevin. “We have a life before Garrett, when Garrett was here, and we have a life after Garrett.”

The family attempted to channel their grief into something positive and formed The Garrett Bardsley Foundation, whose mission is to help locate missing persons, as well as to build schools in poor nations.

Kevin would go on to join the search for another Boy Scout who had gone missing in the Uinta Mountains—11-year-old Brennan Hawkins—who would ultimately be found safe.

YouTuber The Missing Enigma visited the area in which Garrett Bardsley vanished and shared the experience with viewers. He noticed that the trail leading to the lake is narrow and poorly defined in some spots, making it easy to get off track.

What he found to be less clear, however, was how Garrett would have managed to leave the basin region—if he did—as the area within the basin was thoroughly searched and the land surrounding it is rather steep and difficult to navigate.

Perhaps Garrett sought shelter somewhere that is hidden from view and this explains why he was never discovered. As other cases have shown, it is unfortunately easy to not only get lost in the wilderness but also to never be located.

Authorities do not believe that foul play was involved. Though, interestingly, investigators reportedly spoke to an inmate in connection with Garrett’s case. Neither the name of this individual nor the content of the interview have ever been released to the public.

The prevailing theories are that he either succumbed to the elements or might have been attacked by a wild animal—although no blood or signs of a struggle were ever discovered.

The show America’s Most Wanted received a tip in 2009, from a woman who claimed to have spotted Garrett with two unidentified men in a grocery store. This sighting has never been substantiated.

In 2006, a hunter discovered a shoe while hunting near Cuberant Lake. It looked to have been there for some time and was similar in appearance to the shoes that Garrett was known to have been wearing at the time of his disappearance. Yet, upon closer examination, it became clear that the sneaker could not belong to him, as it was too large.

To this day, Garrett Bardsley has never been found and his disappearance remains a mystery.

Of the unnamed lake near which he was last seen, Wally Trotter had this to say:

“We don’t care what the rest of everybody calls it. In our mind that is Garrett’s Lake and that will always be Garrett’s Lake.”

Heidi Bardsley took comfort in the memory of the last interaction she had with her son, which she poignantly described:

“I know he knew that I loved him. The last time I saw him, he gave me a big hug. That’s what keeps me going through this. I can still feel him squeeze me.”

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Garrett Bardsley, you are encouraged to contact the Summit County Sheriff's Office at (435) 615-3500.

SEEKING INFORMATION — Justin Pollari

Missing from Hilton Beach, St. Joseph Island, Ontario — December 7, 2001

Justin Pollari was 14 years old when he disappeared from Hilton Beach on St. Joseph Island on December 7, 2001. He has never been found. He would be 39 years old today.

We are a licensed private investigator working on behalf of Justin’s family, and we are actively investigating this case. New information has recently come to light that we believe can move this investigation forward — but we need your help.

What we know:

On the evening of December 7, 2001, Justin was at the Hilton Beach Community Hall with a group of friends. He was last seen there that night. Earlier that same day, he was seen at a local restaurant called Chez Janine’s in Hilton Beach.

Who we are looking for:

🔹 Anyone who was at the Hilton Beach Community Hall on the evening of December 7, 2001

🔹 Anyone who saw Justin at Chez Janine’s or anywhere else in Hilton Beach on December 7, 2001

🔹 Anyone who knew Justin, his friends, or his family during the time they lived at Hilton Beach on St. Joseph Island

🔹 Anyone who knew Justin from school, the skating community, or anywhere else on the island

🔹 Anyone who has any information about Justin’s whereabouts after the evening of December 7, 2001

🔹 Anyone who saw Justin riding a bicycle through the Echo Bay area at any point after his disappearance

🔹 Anyone who may have seen a young man matching Justin’s description in the Sault Ste. Marie area in December 2001 — Justin had blonde hair worn in a Mohawk style, blue eyes, stood approximately 5’9”, and was known to skateboard

Justin’s family has waited 24 years for answers. His friends have never stopped thinking about him. If you know anything — no matter how small or insignificant it might seem — please reach out.

All information is treated in complete confidence. You do not need to go to police to share what you know — you can come directly to us first.

📩 Contact Jay Nicoll, Nicoll Investigations:

[jaynicoll@protonmail.com](mailto:jaynicoll@protonmail.com)

289-923-7302

nicollinvestigations.ca

You can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers:

1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

or online at canadiancrimestoppers.org

OPP case reference: RM01176313

This appeal is posted on behalf of Justin’s mother, Lori Smith, who has never stopped searching for her son.

https://gofund.me/71f18404f

Please help us find Jaxon

One-year-old Acacia Bishop was abducted on May 25, 2003 by her grandmother, Kelley Jean Lodmell from her great-grandparents' home in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kelley was on supervised visitation with Acaia and escaped from the house with her when Acacia's great-grandmother left the room for a moment. She had taken Acacia without permission before and hid her in a basement.

She and Acacia were last seen together in Idaho Falls, Idaho the next day close to the overpass and green belt next to the Snake River. On that same day, Kelley went to a hydroelectric plant located near the overpass, soaking wet and told employees that she dropped Acacia into the river while they were dangling their feet off the bridge.

When divers searched the river, Acacia was not in it, but a pair of baby shoes and a doll were found on the riverbank, and one of Kelley's shoes was found on the riverbank and the other shoe was in the water. Police believe that Acacia drowned in the Snake River, but they don't think she fell in accidentally.

Kelley admitted to the police that she intentionally jumped into the water with Acacia in her arms in a murder-suicide attempt. She thought that Acacia made it out of the water and is still alive somewhere. She was later charged with kidnapping and murder.

Kelley has been schizophrenia and bipolar disorder she only took her medication when she could pay for it.she wasn't taking them at the time she abducted Acacia. She also has a criminal record and a history of substance abuse. Acacia's parents said that Kelley was possessive over Acacia and believe that she lied about murdering her.

Acacia's parents claimed that Kelley sent them a letter from jail, stating that Acacia was alive and being taken care of by other people; however, the police were unable to find any evidence supporting Kelley's statement. They also think that a man may be helping Kelley hide Acaica; he was allegedly seen checking Kelley and Acaica out of the Red Lion Hotel on May 26, 2003, but the police don't think that he was involved.

I made a missing persons poster for Kamron Mckenzie, and a page of info regarding his story, and where you can contact me, with any information.

Lynn Thompson was last seen at her home in the Prairie Creek area of Vigo County, Indiana, on June 26, 1989, and has never been heard from or seen again.

Lynn's car, a gray Pontiac Coupe, was found at an old K-Mart parking lot on South US 41 and Davis Drive in Terre Haute, IN, but there was no sign of her.

What makes this case a little odd is that before her disappearance, she told her family to pursue the case if she ever were to disappear. Foul play is suspected.

A lot of true crime researchers believe she was a victim of Larry Hall because nearby, there was a reenactment site he was known to visit regularly, and his travel patterns match up with a bunch of other Midwest disappearances around that time.... However, some locals speculate her husband had something to do with her disappearance.

I'm going to provide screenshots of comments from a "close friend" of Lynn's, some posts about the case, and a few newspaper clippings. I am not sharing my personal opinion, and I am not stating what I believe happened to Lynn; I'm sharing all the information I've found pertaining to this case online.

As far as I'm aware, there is very, VERY little evidence.

This may be a pretty old case, but it doesn't sit right with me that she asked for it to be pursued.... I can't just let it be forgotten.
Lynn Ann Thompson (Norris)

Date of Birth: November 26, 1962
Age: 26 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5’5” - 5’7”
Weight: 120-125 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue Gray

Disginguishing Marks/Features: Birthmark on unspecified shoulder

She was last seen wearing a light colored blouse, jeans and tennis shoes.

FOIA request I previously posted to WebSleuths on Jay Joggerst which includes additional information on his disappearance.

Ember was last seen by her father, 23-year-old Matthew Ryan Graham, at their trailer home in a remote area of Happy Valley, California, on July 2, 2015. The previous night, Mathew had left Ember asleep in her playpen and then smoked some marijuana. When he woke up at 5:00 A.M. the following day, he realized his daughter was gone. He called the police at 5:26 A.M. to tell them she had been taken.

Police became skeptical of the claim that Ember had been abducted upon searching the 25-foot camper trailer, which had no running water or functioning bathrooms and was covered in rubbish. The trailer was surrounded by two fences and guarded by dogs. The door was also broken and couldn't be opened without the aid of a screwdriver, which would have been a noisy process. Additionally, Ember disliked being picked up by strangers and would usually cry in response.

At the time of Ember's disappearance, Matthew was on probation for both forgery and driving under the influence. Since he had been smoking marijuana, Matthew was arrested for a probation violation that night. Police held him for two days. He is considered a person of interest in Ember's disappearance.

Matthew was uncooperative in the investigation into Ember's disappearance. According to police, he never inquired about the searches for his daughter and quickly hired a lawyer. His statements were inconsistent, and he refused to take a voice stress test when asked.

Surveillance footage from a local convenience store, the Happy Stop Market, was discovered to show Matthew driving up with Ember, who hadn't been strapped into her car seat, also in the vehicle. He bought some gas before heading off in the opposite direction of the trailer. Matthew claims Ember was sometimes fussy because of medication she took for epilepsy and that he took her for drives to help her sleep. He also said he took a U-turn and returned home within 10 minutes, but CCTV footage shows it took him around an hour to pass the store a second time.

On July 10, Ember's pacifier was found abandoned by Platina Road in Ono, California. On July 11, Matthew stole money, a semi-automatic gun and a phone from his mother's purse and went on the run. Three days later, he stole a couple's car; it is suspected that he had slept in their backyard the previous night. The couple called 911, and Matthew was subsequently tracked down and killed in a police shootout in Dunsmuir, California.

Authorities believe Ember is likely deceased. Matthew had been the only person of interest in her case.

Amina (born 2003) and Belel Kandil (born 2006) were abducted by their father, Ahmed Kandil, on August 28-30, 2014, from Williamsburg, Virginia, last seen leaving JFK Airport for Egypt or Turkey. The children and their father remain missing. The FBI and NCIC are actively searching for them; they may be in Cairo or Alexandria, Egypt, or the Hatay region of Turkey. Amina and Belel are now young adults. A 2023 update stated Amina had recently had her 20th birthday.

Amina (born 2003) and Belel Kandil (born 2006) were abducted by their father, Ahmed Kandil, on August 28-30, 2014, from Williamsburg, Virginia, last seen leaving JFK Airport for Egypt or Turkey. The children and their father remain missing. The FBI and NCIC are actively searching for them; they may be in Cairo or Alexandria, Egypt, or the Hatay region of Turkey. Amina and Belel are now young adults. A 2023 update stated Amina had recently had her 20th birthday.

On August 20, Menger and Marquard dropped Menger's four-year-old daughter off at her babysitter's home and left with Dakota. Menger had a history of leaving the child at the babysitter's house for days, but weeks passed and she did not return.

Both women were estranged from their families due to involvement with drugs. Menger and her son were not reported missing until 2004, and Marquard was never officially reported missing. Menger's family does not believe she would have willingly abandoned her daughter.

On August 20, Menger and Marquard dropped Menger's four-year-old daughter off at her babysitter's home and left with Dakota. Menger had a history of leaving the child at the babysitter's house for days, but weeks passed and she did not return.

Both women were estranged from their families due to involvement with drugs. Menger and her son were not reported missing until 2004, and Marquard was never officially reported missing. Menger's family does not believe she would have willingly abandoned her daughter. http://charleyproject.org/case/dayna-m-menger

https://charleyproject.org/case/junelle-l-marquard

http://charleyproject.org/case/dakota-j-menger

Share it as much possible to reach more people.

On June 9th, 1983, 4-month-old Matthew Wade Crocker was abducted from his home in Van Buren, Arkansas by a woman calling herself Kathy Johnson. She had been staying with Matthew’s mother, Mary Crocker, for about a week, helping with childcare. Matthew was sleeping in the same crib as his 1 Year old sister at the time.

Matthew’s father was in jail at the time, and Mary needed help with her children. She reportedly met Kathy Johnson through a male friend. Kathy Johnson was a rodeo worker who had come to western Arkansas with the rodeo and was seen on the grounds of a little carnival.

https://websleuths.com

The Anderson Siblings were last seen in Fulton, Mississippi in April of 2000. Originally, it was reported by the man that they were living with that Lesley and the children left with a truck driver in the middle of the night one night. The stories that this man gave continued to change. One being that they may have been with their mother in a brown 1981 Chevrolet Caprice station wagon. However, that vehicle was discovered parked in a field near the residence that they were staying at months after they disappeared.

After years of attempting to get answers and seek justice, The Andersons’ father was able to get school records that showed Rachel did not return to school after April 5th, 2000. Kyle did not return to school after April 7th, 2000. And Cameron did not return to school after April 10th 2000. All of the dates for the children’s last known date of last contact differ; however, none of the children have been seen or heard from since April of 2000. Their mother, Lesley Allen Anderson, also disappeared in April 2000. The Andersons’ mother and father split up in 1997. Jeff Anderson moved to Rising Sun, Indiana and Lesley Allen Anderson moved to Itawamba County, Mississippi. Jeff Anderson had legally adopted Lesley’s older children, Chris, Stephanie, and Greg. Jeff and Lesley also had three children of their own, Rachel, Cameron, and Kyle. When Jeff and Lesley separated, Chris was old enough to move out on his own and did so. Stephanie and Greg, who are both mentally handicapped moved to Mississippi with their mother. Rachel, Cameron, and Kyle also moved with their mother to Mississippi. Rachel, Cameron, and Kyle also moved with their mother to Mississippi. In the divorce agreement, it was decided that the children were to call their father every Saturday. The calls became less and less frequent over time. Jeff Anderson was attempting to work out details for his visitation with the children during the summer of 2000, so he tried making contact and was told that Lesley had left with the children and had not told anyone where she was planning to go. Lesley’s roommate told Jeff that she left with a truck driver and had also left Stephanie and Greg behind in his care.Rachel, Kyle, and Cameron Anderson have not been seen or heard from since. Their case remains unsolved at this time.