The Sodder Children Disappearance

On Christmas Eve 1945, fire destroyed the Sodder family home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. George and Jennie Sodder and four of their ten children escaped. Five children, presumed trapped upstairs, were never found in the ruins, leading to decades of mystery.

The Fire

The fire started around 1 AM. George and Jennie escaped with four children. Five others, asleep upstairs, could not be reached. The ladder that should have been against the house was missing. The fire truck took seven hours to arrive.

The Search

When the ashes were searched, no bones were found, which should have been impossible. No remains of any kind were located where the children’s bedrooms had been. The family became convinced their children had not died.

The Evidence

Strange events preceded and followed the fire. Earlier that year, a stranger threatened George. Phone lines were cut before the fire. The ladder was moved. Witnesses reported seeing the children being driven away from the house that night.

The Search

The Sodders spent the rest of their lives searching. They erected a billboard with the children’s photos. In 1968, they received an anonymous photo of a man they believed was their son Maurice.

Assessment

The Sodder children’s disappearance has never been solved. Whether they died in the fire without leaving remains, were kidnapped, or met some other fate, the case remains one of America’s most haunting mysteries.