On December 24th of 1945, tragedy struck the Sodder family when a fire killed five of their ten children…or did it?
Show Notes:
When no remains were found, the family started to suspect that the children hadn’t died, but had been kidnapped. What really happened to the Sodder children that night? Did they perish in the fire, or were they taken away? And if so, why?
References:
Abbott, Karen (Dec. 25, 2012). “The Children Who Went Up In Smoke,” Smithsonian Magazine, retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-children-who-went-up-in-smoke-172429802/
Serafino, Jay (Dec. 23, 2017). “The Enduring Mystery of the Sodder Children’s Christmas Disappearance,” Mental Floss, retrieved from: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/522074/enduring-mystery-sodder-childrens-christmas-disappearance
Stanton, Audrey (Dec. 24, 2006). “Where are the children?,” The Register-Herald (WV), retrieved from: https://archive.is/20131014191841/http://www.register-herald.com/local/local_story_358182913.html#selection-939.0-1286.0
Fidler, Julie (Dec. 30, 2019). “The Sodder Family: A Christmas Inferno,” Medium, retrieved from: https://medium.com/the-true-crime-times/the-sodder-family-a-christmas-inferno-f39f60843412
Trista (n.d.). “The Sodder Children Vanished Christmas Eve 1945, and the Police Still Have No Idea What Happened,” History Collection, retrieved from: https://historycollection.com/the-sodder-children-vanished-christmas-eve-1945-and-the-police-still-have-no-idea-what-happened/
Jackson, Niles (Dec. 22, 1968). “What Really Happened To Children,” Sunday Gazette-Mail (now Charleston Gazette, WV).
Horn, Stacy (Dec. 23, 2005). “Mystery of Missing Children Haunts W.Va. Town,” All Things Considered, NPR, retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5067563
Bergara, Ryan and Shane Madej (Dec. 23, 2016). “The Mysterious Disappearance of the Sodder Children,” Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime, Season 1, Episode 9, retrieved from: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanbergara/the-mysterious-disappearence-of-these-children-will-keep-you
Stanton, Audrey (Jan. 2, 2007). “Internet Sleuths Awaken 61 Year-Old Christmas Mystery,” The Montgomery Herald (WV), retrieved from: https://www.montgomery-herald.com/archives/internet-sleuths-awaken-61-year-old-christmas-mystery/article_f09d3cac-bcee-5913-8b86-0588d7e4db41.html
Horn, Stacy (Dec. 28, 2005). “Long, Long, Long Sodder Post,” stacyhorn.com, retrieved from: https://stacyhorn.com/2005/12/28/long-long-long-sodder-post/
Lancianese, Adelina (Nov. 6, 2016). “Their fate: Kidnapped-murdered or are they still alive?”, Times West Virginian, retrieved from: https://www.timeswv.com/news/their-fate-kidnapped-murdered-or-are-they-still-alive/article_be5920fe-a3f1-11e6-a3fc-43908d62effb.html
Emmett, Michael (Aug. 20, 1976). “Haunting Mystery: Fayette Woman Still Presses Probe for Missing Children,” Charleston Daily Mail (WV).
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GhoulishTendencies
IG: @ghoulishtendenciespodcast
FB: @ghoulishtendenciespodcast
Twitter: @ghoulishpodcast
Researched & Written by Kim Douthit
Edited & Produced by Gabi Fiore
Music by Dan Moretti