evidently found on her doorstep pictures of her son who had been kidnapped in 1982. the pictures are real and they were taken shortly after the abduction. This is of course similar to Tara Calico except these are obviously real and meant for this poor woman since it was her house that the kidnapper put them at.

I can't believe how many people go missing...boys, girls, men, women, all ages...there's nobody safe....just what on earth happens to these people???? There are so many maniacs out there I guess....I feel so sad for the families that never see their loved ones again and never even know what happened to them. It's bad enough to have a family member die but at least you can give them a proper burial and you aren't wracking your brain every waking second wondering if they're out there or wanting to know so badly what happened and hoping they didn't suffer too much. ughh i can't write any more, so sad :(

here's the link to this story, just saw it on yahoo

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060901/ap_on_re_us/missing_boy_photo

I too have those thoughts go through my head. I wonder, where are on earth are these people? Were they buried so well that only the animals devoured them and scattered their bones? Are they being held somewhere in some attic being tortured, brain-washed, etc? Were they sold into some sort of slavery in a foreign country? So many theories.

seriously. one missing persons case that is so mysterious to me is the one of a teen who went by the name Jason Jolkowski. Here it is in Chicago, bright summer morning, he's meeting a friend at his HS cause the school is between their homes, six blocks from Jason's house, he leaves after helping his brother take in the trash cans and nobody ever sees him again, he never made it to the school, in broad daylight! school only a few blocks away! What could have happened to this poor kid???? There's a million stories just like this one. One thing is for sure though, if one of your loved ones go missing, you HAVE to haul ass and do EVERYTHING possible and then some right away to figure out where they may be or who may have taken them, every second that goes by makes it 100 times more difficult to find them.

The thing that gets me though, is that many missing people do occur in broad daylight and right under our noses...we just don't pay attention or realize what is going on.

For example, a month ago a little boy abt 5 years of age came to play with my son...an hour and a half goes by and this boys parents never looked for him, never called out for him, NOTHING! All I kept telling myself and my boyfriend was, if we were crazy ass molesters or killers or something like that, we could have had this boy and no one would know. I see kids all the time that wander from home or their parents and no one thinks of even looking for them...to me, it only takes a mere two seconds to grab someone and do whatever to them. This little boy was gone for ONE HOUR AND 30 MINS. before we sent him to his house and watched him go to the door. He had been inside our home, in our backyard, in the neighbor's yard, MY GOD, what are people thinking??????????

The story you provided, Johnny Gosch, I remember that story. It is so horrible what that mother is going through. To think he may still be alive and being tortured...

I can't believe how many people go missing...boys, girls, men, women, all ages...there's nobody safe....just what on earth happens to these people???? There are so many maniacs out there I guess....I feel so sad for the families that never see their loved ones again and never even know what happened to them.

I've had those thoughts/feelings as well. I've never had a close family member or friend murdered or kidnapped and I can't even begin to imagine the grief involved. I went to the A&E website and took a look at the "Cold Case Files" message boards. There are literally hundreds of messages posted there...Please help me find my brother's murderer. Police won't do anything...Where do I go to get someone to look into my mother's murder? She disappeared 20 years ago and was never found.....

Reading through those messages is when it hit me. My God. These people will probably never be on a tv show. They won't be in the national news. It will be a miracle if anyone is able to provide them with real help. And there are so many of them! It's all so horrible, the sadness out there.

Here's a link that includes a photo: http://www.nbc5.com/news/9778102/detail.html#

This case has had many bizarre twists. A year or so ago it was rumored that Gosch was Jeff Gannon, the homosexual escort service guy who suddenly showed up as a White House reporter a few years ago despite lack of a journalistic background, and started asking softball questions before being exposed as a shill.

I tried to visit her son's website but it says "down due to high traffic"...I feel so bad for her, knowing her son may still be alive and she lives daily with the knowledge that her son has been turned into a possible criminal after years of being molested, raped and God knows what else. I had her in my thoughts last night...I have a 4 year old son and if I ever went through what she is going through, I would certainly go insane. How can one live? So sad. I hope they find him and his kidnapper...and of course, those two boys as well.

Okay what I don't get it this...

She says that this is the picture of her son that was taken within days or hours of him going missing. And that he's wearing the same sweatpants as when he disappeared.

BUT if you look at the picture, none of the boys are wearing sweatpants. Not even the one on the far right which they are saying is her son.

So is this really her son????

The police say that the pic was taken within hours/days of his disappearance, not the mother. You can't really tell from the photo whether he is wearing sweat pants...the boy has his legs bound...

If you goto crimeblog.us there is a good synopsis about this photo. Apparently the mother said she received the photos on a certain date but emailed out details before.

A contact in the msm pointed out the following discrepancy in an article about these photos published in the Des Moines Register on September 1, 2006. Emphasis has been added:

Noreen Gosch told the Register that she found the photos on her doorstep when she woke up Sunday morning. E-mail files of the photos, sent from Gosch to Rothstein, have a subject line that reads, “I got this tonight,” and show the date sent as Aug. 26…

August 26th fell on Saturday. Sunday was the 27th. An oversight? Misstatement?

Whomever said this case has a great deal of twists and turns is correct to say the least. Its odd that those photos would show up years after the fact but I have no doubt they are legitimate and young Johnny was kidnapped back in 1982.

There are a few things though that make me doubt some of the things Noreen Gosch says regarding her son. She has made claims that in the late 90s, two unidentified men showed up at her doorstep in the middle of the night one of which claimed to be her son. He explained that he was kidnapped in 1982 by a "kiddie porn" racket and as the years went along, got involved with some very bad people, so bad in fact that now even as an adult he cannot return to his "former life" but must conduct his life under a "new identity".

Noreen Gosch believes this man was in fact her son Johnny although she didn't report the sighting to anyone (including I believe the authorities) until several years after the fact. Mrs. Gosch is in fact the only witness to this sighting and what is equally suspicious is that Noreen Gosch divorced her husband (Johnny's father) in 1990 and moved to a new home.

When the man purported to be John Gosch showed up in the middle of the night with an unidentified man, he showed up at his mother's new address and NOT his childhood home where apparently his father still resides. The man purported to be Gosch also made no attempt to contact his father.

I just find this whole thing very odd and somewhat not believeable.

I'm glad you pointed out those additional details about the case Dante. I have done a lot of reading on this case in the past and I don't know if I believe 100% of what comes out of the mother's mouth. Of course I feel great sympathy for her with her child being missing all these years but I still don't understand why if Johnny really did visit her all those years ago why she wouldn't have told people right away. She could have phoned the police why he was there and they could have put him in protective custody. I know she did write a book, I wonder if her claim that he came to her door was near the same time her book was published. Maybe that sounds cynical but you have to look at all the facts in this strange case. It makes me question whether he even did come. Websleuths has a lot of indepth discussion about this case I've read in the past and there was even mention on there that Johnny's father could have played a role in Johnny's abduction. Just speculation of course but I thought I'd point that out as yet another "twist and turn" in this case.

I completely agree with you guys. It is really unbelievable to me that her son showed up one night and she actually let him leave again. I think any mother would tie her son down if that's what it took to keep him from leaving. And then she didn't tell anyone until years later? I would think she would be so excited/freaked out by the experience that she would be telling everyone. Maybe it's just a ploy to keep the case in the public eye so the investigation won't totally die out. Whatever the reason, I just don't buy it. These pictures just showing up so many years later is really suspicious to me also. There's definitely something very weird going on although I have no idea what it is. Just my two cents.

I would wonder if having her son kidnapped would result in psychological problems for the mother. If I had been kidnapped my mother would probably have committed suicide or lord knows what could have happened.

I would wonder if having her son kidnapped would result in psychological problems for the mother. If I had been kidnapped my mother would probably have committed suicide or lord knows what could have happened.
I had the same thought after reading these posts. I mean, having your child kidnapped is not something any parent is prepared for and it can lead people to do crazy things. I have read/heard abt parent(s) who killed themselves because of a death of a child.

According to his mother, when Johnny came to see her he identified himself through a birthmark on his stomach. I'm wondering if the birthmark would help positively identify Johnny in the photo where he is not wearing a shirt

Sorry, I think the visit is a lie and the photos are also a lie. I dont believe anything of what this woman says

The Des Moines Police Department has officially confirmed that the photos found are not of Johnny Gosch. They were apparently taken in the late 70's and the boys were identified through an unrelated investigation. It was either a sick prank by someone or a publicity stunt by Noreen Gosch. It's sad, either way.

The photos are a fraud...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14818169/

Hi, how awefull but also hopefull. where did you guys see the pic? I'd like to post this info and a link to the pic on my missing kids message board at www.geocities.com/kidmissing. Thanks

Hi, how awefull but also hopefull. where did you guys see the pic? I'd like to post this info and a link to the pic on my missing kids message board at www.geocities.com/kidmissing. Thanks

Actually if you'll look on the website that his mother set up and scroll down I believe there is a picture of the photo in question. Pretty disturbing stuff though so anyone who clicks on it be warned:

http://www.johnnygosch.com/

thanks crystaldawn

The photo was not of any missing child.

This photo was traced back to a bunch of boys in Florida who were having a contest amongst themselves to see who could get themselves untied the fastest.

A circulated photo was turned into the police who located the boys who explained what was actually occuring and this happened years before Gosch's mother ever got her hands on a copy.

The photo then ended up on the internet.

This never had anything to do with Johnny Gosch.

Maybe it's him and maybe it's not.

Noreen states on her website that the cop who keeps saying the photo is not of her son, and pre-dates his disappearance, has nothing to back up his claims. She says that he can't produce his case file or any other information to show that he worked on it.

The cop says that one of the boys in the photo called him on the phone to say that scenario wasn't what it looked like, and it was really some kids goofing around to see who could untie themselves the quickest. That sounds like a weird thing for kids to be doing while someone is photographing the whole episode. And how does the cop know the man on the phone is genuine?

I don't know what to think about the whole thing. At one point, I even wondered if Johnny's mother had killed him, and then developed a kidnap fantasy as way of convincing herself that he was really alive and she wasn't guilty of killing him.

Regardless of who the perpetrator is, a boy went missing in 1982, and no one has been able to find him.

"On a color version of the same photo no branding can be seen. Since then, Ms. Gosch has added additional photos to her website of her supposed bound and gagged son. Remarkably, these photos have only a passing resemblance to Johnny Gosch. The photos show an emaciated boy, a stark contrast to the husky Johnny Gosch."- wiki article on Johnny Gosch.

Yeah, and the lady also claims she was visited by her son in 1997...

I will place my bets on the cop from Florida.

I would wonder if having her son kidnapped would result in psychological problems for the mother. If I had been kidnapped my mother would probably have committed suicide or lord knows what could have happened.
Was it the Mike and Tara case?:(

Noreen Gosch is obviously missing a great deal of her mental faculties. Has anyone else noticed that her site has a posting with two composite drawings of Michaela Garecht's abductor, except Noreen claims they're drawings made ten years apart of a man named Tony whom she claims kidnapped her son? She also claims that "Tony" is wanted in four other kidnappings, and states that she has further information about him. *shakes head in disbelief*

Noreen Gosch is obviously missing a great deal of her mental faculties. Has anyone else noticed that her site has a posting with two composite drawings of Michaela Garecht's abductor, except Noreen claims they're drawings made ten years apart of a man named Tony whom she claims kidnapped her son? She also claims that "Tony" is wanted in four other kidnappings, and states that she has further information about him. *shakes head in disbelief*

I noticed that as well. She also apparently believes that there exists a government conspiracy to "protect" child pornography and prostitution rings in order to satisfy the perverse needs of "top Republican officials".

although it's unlikely, i hope the mother is right. i hope that johnny is still alive and can one day lead at least a semi-normal life.

i visited the website, though, it's very disturbing. i think she ought to stop posting all those pictures on her site, maybe put them behind a cut because i had to stop reading because it was all just too much. it seems like she looks all over the internet to find those pictures, but wouldn't it be better to just forward them to the police than post them on her public website? i'm afraid that the website would just attract the wrong kinds of people, the kind of people she's trying to fight against.

I've always thought that either she truly became unhinged as a result of what happened to her son, or that she was somehow complicit and has created this whole other scenario and has just lost it in her own world.

although it's unlikely, i hope the mother is right. i hope that johnny is still alive and can one day lead at least a semi-normal life.

i visited the website, though, it's very disturbing. i think she ought to stop posting all those pictures on her site, maybe put them behind a cut because i had to stop reading because it was all just too much. it seems like she looks all over the internet to find those pictures, but wouldn't it be better to just forward them to the police than post them on her public website? i'm afraid that the website would just attract the wrong kinds of people, the kind of people she's trying to fight against.

That brings up a point I've often pondered relating to Norren Gosch. If the pictures she posts on her website are actual kiddie porn, does that not make her just as guilty of distributing it as others?

That brings up a point I've often pondered relating to Norren Gosch. If the pictures she posts on her website are actual kiddie porn, does that not make her just as guilty of distributing it as others?
Funny you should say that, it in fact Did do just that a fewyears back, when MSN still had their message boards, I saw the thread and post when it was done, I along with many others reported it, and the thread was deleted.I can't remember the full circumstances as I was not so involved in missing cases or any of that, I was primarily a political animal, but the boards often had news items of interest etc. But it was there and I saw it, actually since becoming involved in missing people/children boards I just not long ago saw a screen shot of it someone had saved. Anyway....I think the Gosch Case has taken on a life of its own, and from my most recent visit to her web page I am not so sure any of it is any longer any help to anyone, beyond maybe Noreen herself, who seems to have gone into a dark, bizzare corner of the world that maybe only others in her position might possibly understand. But do keep one thing in mind to help your own sanity in this, many of the photos she has displayed claiming they are from kid porn sites have been exposed as being posed pics, by child actors/models for information and training, but of course that is not to say that administrators or owners of said kid porn sites have not stold these pics to put on their sites.

I noticed that as well. She also apparently believes that there exists a government conspiracy to "protect" child pornography and prostitution rings in order to satisfy the perverse needs of "top Republican officials".

http://educate-yourself.org/cn/goschgannohuntertrublingtale05apr05.shtml

sorry for bumping this so late. but after seeing a doc on msnbc have to comment on it.
i think the mother is a bit diluted, and is in denial about her sons true whereabouts. I think it is so sick that there are so many people out there telling lies to the world.
Seriously, this mother believes that her kidnapped son, whom was gone for decades. one day showed up at her door in the middle of the night, and said to her. I can't stay. I will get in trouble. She doesn't do nothing? Doesn't force him to stay? Doesn't call the police. Doesn't call the police after he leaves? Something is just wrong here.
I think its pretty obvious, what happend. The boy was kidnapped, and sexuall abused and killed. He most likely will be found, but not for years later. it will probably be within a couple miles of where he was abducted. Seriously, I do not get how they can get so diluted on this case saying the CIA is using him now? That he was kidnapped in some huge pedo-sex-ring. That the police do not care.
That this young man comes out of no where and says he knew Johnny. But people forget he was in prison for sexual abuse himself.

Am i the only one who thinks this way. I don't get how people can convince themselves of all these crazy things. Somehow this young male escaped, and was let go, but Johnny Gosch wasn't? Why isn't there more young males coming out telling their story if it was this well organized.
Then omg these pictures that the mother said 'showed' up at her doorstep. I unfortunately think the mother is the one who found these pictures online, and hoping to get more media attention said someone sent them to her. She later said she traced them back to an online website within days. People their was a picture option on google, (and even now) how would that be possible?
It was later found out that these pictures were of a different case, and that the pictures would not even correspond to the timeframe, i believe the film used was much too old.

I Think the mother is insane. Sorry. I just read some of her website and she obviously has a screw or two loose, as anyone might who had a child kidnapped. She claims he visited her, but in her open letter to him on the 30th anniversary she mentions nothing of it, and all over the site she contradicts this visit by saying she hopes he is still alive and just other little things that don't really make any sense. She seems delusional, sadly. I would bet money that Johnny is dead, people just don't have that much time and money on their hands to hide a child like that for years and years. Even in the case of trafficking they take them for what they need, use them for what they can and get rid of them. They dont' just put the fear of God into them and let them go, saying "be quiet about this", as much as we'd like to believe. How many kids have come home after a stranger abduction? 5? Out of the 90k or however many she states have been kidnapped? Might as well be 0% with those odds, those cases are exceptional. The odds are high that he is dead and has been for a long time. His mother needs to get help and move on. I feel like a dick saying that, but she needs to be a little realistic and stop with all this fantasy stuff she is posting out there.