http://culturecrossfire.com/etc/unsolved-mysteries-and-scary-stuff-where-are-the-sodder-children/#.UgD6zm0iy2A

I look into the disappearance of several kids during a fire at a family's home in 1945.
Death by fire seems obvious...but a lot of odd circumstances surround the case.

What do you think happened?

http://culturecrossfire.com/etc/unsolved-mysteries-and-scary-stuff-where-are-the-sodder-children/#.UgD6zm0iy2A

I look into the disappearance of several kids during a fire at a family's home in 1945.
Death by fire seems obvious...but a lot of odd circumstances surround the case.

What do you think happened?

This case is sooo baffling! I think its more likely the children just burned completely up in the fire that night and with the lackluster work of police any remains weren't found because the ashes were never properly searched right after the fire. However by reading that article it does sound like their house was intentionally set on fire and it may have even been political. I think its more likely that people who were mad at the dad for being anti-Mussolini would be more likely to set his house on fire than to do that and kidnap 5 of their children. It seems a huge task and I would have thought if they were taken that night there would be more reports of seeing them around that area (or anywhere for that matter) in the days after the fire.

I am a little familiar with this case. I really can't believe 5 children died in a fire and no remains at all were found. I think the odds of 5 children dying in the fire and no remains, not even bones being found, are really low.

I don't know anything about the layout of the house or where the fire started, but I do think it's odd that the kids who were on the ground floor are the ones who are missing: it seems like they would be the first to get out since they must have been closest to the exits. This case would have been perfect for UM.

I think whoever kidnapped the children was especially cruel, doing this on Christmas morning.

No way on Earth this was not a kidnapping: their ladder had been moved and phone lines cut and house set on fire. the mother said she heard what sounded like something landing on her roof and rolling down, which would match the eyewitness account of someone stating they saw someone throw a bomb or grenade type device onto the house.

Unfortunately, I think all the Sodders seemed to suffer from all sorts of bad luck that night.

I think the phone call was just a wrong number, though I could be wrong.

Another thing I am curious on: it says the Sodder children who were still awake (the ones who were kidnapped) said they were going to do their chores before going to bed. That seems strange, why would the parents insist the kids be performing work that late? I would also like to know if these were indoor or outdoor chores? Perhaps the kids were outside doing chores when they were kidnapped.

Really sad case. The Sodder family was split up and their house torched on Christmas morning. :(

I learned about the Sodder family years ago, and I've always been intrigued. I agree that it's not likely for 5 people to die in a fire and not one bone be found. However, I'm not sure about a kidnapping, either. I mean, taking 5 kids at once wouldn't be an easy task (especially the older ones, who were 14 and 12). I think the smaller children would be easier to kidnap. If they were kidnapped, there must have been several people involved. I read someone else that it took firefighters 7 hours to get there! I understand we're talking about the 1940s and I know they had to be woken up at home one-by-one, but, wow...7 hours?! I have no idea what to make of this sad story.


http://culturecrossfire.com/etc/unsolved-mysteries-and-scary-stuff-where-are-the-sodder-children/#.UzhK4H7D-Ul

A man was discovered stealing from the Sodder’s garage as the fire was unfolding, and he had also apparently stolen the family’s ladder in order to try and cut their power lines, but he cut the phone line instead by mistake. Oddly enough, the man was never considered a serious suspect for arson. He paid a fine for his actions and that was the end of that.Great police work there! :rolleyes: Stealing and trying to cut power and/or phone lines while a fire is happening isn't suspicious at all, right?

Its been a year since I wrote the article in the first post, and I was contacted out of the blue by a documentary film maker who is working on the case. He thought I was a hardcore researcher and wanted to trade notes and possibly partake in the documentary.

I explained to him that I pulled my info from here and web sleuths. I then told him I work for a paranormal radio show on the side and we are currently working out the details of his appearance.

Its been a year since I wrote the article in the first post, and I was contacted out of the blue by a documentary film maker who is working on the case. He thought I was a hardcore researcher and wanted to trade notes and possibly partake in the documentary.

I explained to him that I pulled my info from here and web sleuths. I then told him I work for a paranormal radio show on the side and we are currently working out the details of his appearance.

Ok got it worked out! Next Friday night he'll be on www.afterdarkradioshow.com (www.afterdarkradio.com) discussing the case. The show will be available for 7 days after via a free MP3

So between that and his documentary, I'm excited that this case will garner more interest from a broad spectrum of people.

I do freelance writing for Cracked.com and another writer and I recently teamed up to turn in an article about mysterious disappearances. One of the cases we covered is the Sodder children and assuming the editors don't cut it out of the final article, their story will be featured on the website sometime close to Halloween.

I do freelance writing for Cracked.com and another writer and I recently teamed up to turn in an article about mysterious disappearances. One of the cases we covered is the Sodder children and assuming the editors don't cut it out of the final article, their story will be featured on the website sometime close to Halloween.
Awesome! I can't wait to read it. :wave: I hope that the Sodder children won't be cut out, as it's such a crazy case. Even if the children DID die in the fire, there are still weird elements to it, such as the ladder being taken, the children being heard calling back after the fire started, and why those who stayed up late to play wouldn't have gotten out. I have a very difficult time believing that all 5 of the children died without a scrap of evidence being found.

Awesome! I can't wait to read it. :wave: I hope that the Sodder children won't be cut out, as it's such a crazy case. Even if the children DID die in the fire, there are still weird elements to it, such as the ladder being taken, the children being heard calling back after the fire started, and why those who stayed up late to play wouldn't have gotten out. I have a very difficult time believing that all 5 of the children died without a scrap of evidence being found.

Yeah, I agree, even if all five children did actually die in the fire, I certain don't believe the fire was a simple accident that and I'm pretty certain there was foul play involved.

Ok got it worked out! Next Friday night he'll be on www.afterdarkradioshow.com (www.afterdarkradio.com) discussing the case. The show will be available for 7 days after via a free MP3

So between that and his documentary, I'm excited that this case will garner more interest from a broad spectrum of people.

That link takes me to a dead page. Is this the correct link?

http://www.afterdarkradioshow.com/

Good to hear there's more interest in the Sodder case. Be sure to keep us updated!

Here's a link to a 2005 NPR article by Stacy Horn. Not sure if there will be anything new or helpful to the projects you guys are working on but it's worth a read:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5067563

The author's blog page explaining some info that had to be cut from the 8 minute radio interview she did on the subject:

http://www.echonyc.com/~horn/stacy/?p=80

Another, short thread here about the case:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=186486&highlight=sodder

And a three page thread here:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=293816&highlight=sodder

That link takes me to a dead page. Is this the correct link?

http://www.afterdarkradioshow.com/

Good to hear there's more interest in the Sodder case. Be sure to keep us updated!
That's it;)

Well the dude went AWOL and Bryan is now interviewing his wife instead. No idea what happened. Bryan asked me to jump in as a guest but I had no prep time and didn't want to sound like a goof.

http://www.f4wonline.com/component/content/article/121-after-dark/39578-after-dark-radio-1025-daniel-zaleski-talks-sodder-children-mystery-your-calls-emails-and-more The Mystery of the missing Sodder Children is discussed along with callers, emails, news and more. Download is free for the next 6 days so please pass the link along!

Thank you!

this would be a perfect case for A Crime To Remember