Dermot was passing a pile of logs when something caught his eye. He heard a strange noise that sounded out of place, so he paused to hear it better. At first, there didn’t seem to be anything odd about the pile of logs in front of him. However, he turned out to be wrong about that! He knew he had to ask for help, but how? He was far from civilization, and no one could hear him from there. There was nothing for it but to get closer and check the logs for himself…
Seven Months After Girl Disappeared, Hiker Told Cops To Check Out A Pile Of Logs..
A lover of the great outdoors
He was a lover of the great outdoors and loved to hike. Dermot loved the feel of the earth beneath his feet and the smell of pine trees. If he could, he would spend every day in nature. It began as a normal Sunday morning for him. As he headed into the woods, he had no idea what fate had in store for him.
An Outdoorsy Person
The little town of Riverwood
Back then, he lived in a small town called Riverwood. The people were friendly and kind. They knew each other and didn’t hesitate to help when they could. However, a mystery had befallen the town just seven months before Dermot took his morning stroll. No one knew the truth… until now.
The Small Town Of Riverwood
A girl goes missing
Several months ago, a child named Alice disappeared after visiting a friend. All they found was the pink bike the 11-year-old girl was riding. Her parents were heartbroken. They knew their daughter wouldn’t go anywhere without asking their permission. At first, they thought she’d simply gotten lost. The whole town tried to help them look for the girl, but they were unable to find the missing child.
A Girl Went Missing
They tried to help
A hundred concerned residents helped in the search for the child. Dermot was in fact one of these volunteers. The police arrived at the family home to conduct the search. Everyone knew it was going to be a long night. They all felt worried and hoped Alice was all right. They didn’t mind spending hours looking for her if it meant getting her home safely.
They Tried To Help
Every nook and cranny
They scoured the neighborhood and called out her name. Volunteers searched for her both on the roads and in the fields. A hundred people were doing this, but no one found any trace of the girl. As Dermot shouted her name, there was a lump of fear in his stomach. They had no idea if she was safe and well. Everyone tried to remain hopeful as they found no indication that she had been hurt either.
Every Nook And Cranny
Over time
Jan, a friend of the parents, shared what it was like. “It was stressful and emotional. We were all there, just going back and forth, back and forth, screaming his name,” she explained. As time passed, people began to lose hope. Everyone was stumbling around shouting the little girl’s name. After a while, it looked like nothing more than a disorganized search party.
As Time Passed By
After a week
A week later, fewer people were actively looking for her. Many volunteers had already given up. Those who were still making the rounds at night were also beginning to feel discouraged. There were so many possibilities. Alice could be in the fields, in the woods or much further afield. They couldn’t find a single clue that would lead them in the right direction. It was like looking for a needle in the middle of a haystack.
After A Week
What the police did
The police sent helicopters equipped with infrared cameras to comb the woods. On the ground, they had dogs sniffing out clues. Despite this, they still couldn’t find anything useful. Days turned into weeks, but they still had no idea what might have happened to the girl. Where was Alice?
What The Police Did
As much as he could
It was horrible to hear the news of the disappearance. Dermot was even sadder to see that the search had turned up nothing. He tried to help as much as he could. He spent nights searching for her in the woods. Unfortunately, their efforts came to nothing. It was as if Alice had simply disappeared. Where did the child go?
As Much As He Could
Starting to lose hope
Dermot was an experienced hiker who knew he could offer help by exploring the mountains around their town. After all, he could reach places most people couldn’t. Unfortunately, the helicopters and dogs couldn’t find the poor girl. It was very frustrating to spend so much effort in vain. Although he was a little discouraged, he felt the need to do his part. He had no idea he’d be the only one to solve the case.
Starting To Lose Hope
After seven months
Seven months later, they still had no idea where Alice was. No one had any idea of the child’s fate. Others decided to simply move on, but Dermot found this impossible. Every time he went out for a hike, he went to a new area to see if he’d discover anything that might help. He grabbed his water bottle and slipped into his camping gear to head for the mountains again.
After Seven Months
Not your typical hike
At the time, he had only been hiking for less than an hour. Dermot was beginning to feel the burn of training as he observed his surroundings. Even though it wasn’t easy, he knew he had to do it. Fortunately, the magnificent views and fresh air made up for it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The smell of oak trees and wild grass relaxed him. Suddenly, however, his smile escaped his face.
Not A Typical Hike
He heard a strange sound
A strange sound caught his attention. It sounded like a voice, albeit a very faint one. Dermot looked around, not knowing where it was coming from. Suddenly, he thought of the missing girl. His blood ran cold as he remembered her. “Alice?!” he shouted into space. However, he heard no reply. The voice suddenly stopped for some reason. What exactly was going on here?
He Heard An Odd Sound
Not his imagination
He was in hyper-alert mode. Cautiously, he stepped forward and looked around. Had he just imagined the voice? He couldn’t help feeling sick. As much as he wanted to run and shout his name, he knew it might not be the best thing to do. After all, he had no idea what was going on. Looking around, he heard the voice again. Not only that, but it sounded closer! It made his body burst with goose bumps.
Not His Imagination
A pile of logs
Dermot stopped in his tracks once more. He tried to keep his breathing even as he tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. He stopped again. After running forward, he finally saw it. There was a pile of logs in front of him. He was confused because they seemed out of place. As he approached it, his jaw dropped. The only thing he wanted to do was scream for help, but no one could hear him.
A Random Pile Of Logs
It was irrelevant
Dermot had to do something right away. His hands were shaking, but he managed to dial 911 on his phone. Let’s hope it wasn’t too late. He paced back and forth, waiting for help to come. He had no idea what to do now. It was the first time he’d experienced anything like this. The only thing he could do was keep the evidence intact and keep an ear out for the voice.
It Was Out Of Place
Call to the authorities
It helps that the police were in the mountains shortly after he called to report what he’d seen. “Come quick! Now! Please!” he pleaded with the operators, his voice breaking. But what about the logs that made him react like that? In less than half an hour, the cops finally arrived. What happened after that?
Calling The Authorities
In the right direction
When the cops finally arrived, they were greeted by the sight of a distraught Dermot and a pile of logs. “What exactly is going on here?” an officer asked him in a stern voice. Dermot approached him, tears streaming down his face. He pointed to the pile of logs and told them, “Look over there.
In The Right Direction
Uncomfortable
Confused, the officer approached the pile of logs. At the time, they had no idea what was going on. The cop began to feel uncomfortable with every step he took. He didn’t know why, but the wood was making him uncomfortable. After getting closer, he finally saw what made Dermot react like that. We’re sure they felt the same way as that poor hiker.
Ill At Ease
Not as it seemed
If you look at it from a distance, there’s nothing special about the log pile. However, you’ll notice how strange it is once you examine it more closely. No stack of logs would be perfectly rectangular and accompanied by black lines. When the cop realized what it really was, he felt sick to his stomach.
Not As It Seemed
A hiding place in the woods
It turns out that the ordinary pile of logs was in fact a camouflaged structure. At first, Dermot thought it was nothing more than wood, but it was really an entrance to a refuge. The idea of hiding something in such a place gave them a bad feeling. When they finally entered the hidden cabin, they were horrified.
A Hideaway In The Woods
Inside the secret cabin
They found a small room in the secret cabin. They were shocked to find a young girl emerging from the corner! The cop screamed in surprise at the sight of the child. After getting a better look at her, they realized who this child was. They were at a loss for words. Dermot couldn’t help but shed tears of relief!
Inside The Secret Cabin
They found the missing girl
At last, they had solved a piece of the puzzle. Seven months after Alice’s disappearance, they were finally on to something. The officer was both shocked and impressed by Dermot’s efforts. However, how had this young girl ended up here? The officer called for backup so they could get her to safety. This was their main concern, but they still had many questions about the case.
They Found The Missing Girl
She was safe at last
Other cops got there as soon as they could. They also took the poor girl to the station. According to Alice, she had been kidnapped by a man who then took her to this secret cabin. However, the police were unable to determine who would do such a thing. We’re sure you’d also like to know who did this, but no dice. At the very least, we’re glad Alice managed to get home safely. The sad truth is that children go missing every day.
She Was Finally Safe
The worst day of her life
Her wish had finally come true, and it didn’t matter that it had taken over thirty years. No one should have to go through what she did. We’re willing to bet Lyneth wouldn’t wish such a thing on her worst enemy either. Her emotions were all over the place when she arrived at the Connecticut airport. She was hundreds of miles from home, but the trip was worth it. She stepped out into the arrival area and hoped it would mark the end of the worst chapter of her life.
The worst day of her life
She was excited to see him
In June 1987, in north Toronto, Lyneth had driven to a dollar store on Islington Avenue. It was one of those hot summer days, and she picked up Jermaine, her son. He’d spent some time there with his father, Alan, and Alan had agreed that they should all meet at 4pm. When his parents had separated, the young boy was just a baby. Despite this event, Jermaine had always retained his zest for life and a smile that would light up any room; he remained a happy child after all. Lyneth was eager and happy to be reunited with her son, but life wasn’t going to be kind to her…
She was excited to see him
Buying a gift for her son
That day, she hadn’t really done anything crazy. She had, however, enjoyed having a few moments alone, spending time for herself. Lyneth had gone shopping and done a bit of shopping. And when she spotted a stuffed lion, she immediately knew she had to buy it for her son! After all, Jermaine loved lions. Alone, she had a great time, but she missed her son. She had no idea that something terrible was going to rock her world that day.
Buying a gift for her son
Starting to lose patience
The first sign that there was a problem was that they were nowhere to be found, even though it was already 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Lyneth watched the other families go by while she waited for hers. She smiled to herself at the thought that she and her son would soon be reunited. One of the boys in front of her reminded her of Jermaine. The child waved, and she waved back. She was getting impatient. It was now 4:09 a.m. Where could they be?
Starting to lose patience
A bad feeling about this
Her heart was pounding in her chest. She was so worried. Twenty minutes had passed, and Jermaine and Alan still hadn’t arrived. Lyneth felt such anguish that she collapsed to the floor and dropped the little stuffed lion. She had a bad feeling and rushed to her car. This mom hoped with all her heart she was wrong… She dialed the emergency services number and got behind the wheel, driving off and leaving the stuffed lion behind.
A bad feeling about this
Her house was empty and silent
The quiet of her house was unbearable. She couldn’t move from the kitchen chair she was sitting on. Her eyes and head ached. Forty-eight hours had passed since she’d left the dollar store. For long hours, she had waited, but neither her son nor her ex had arrived. She was in a state of immense stress, and she had no idea where either of them might be.
Her house was empty and silent
Years went by
The Toronto police had launched a massive search operation in the area, but no one had been able to find the young boy, even months later. This news broke poor Lyneth’s heart. Months turned into years, years turned into decades. Before she knew it, Lyneth was standing in an empty house, celebrating her son’s 25th birthday. And without knowing what had happened to her son, it was even harder to live with.
The years went by
She had only memories of him
Various agencies have tried to solve the mystery of Jermaine’s disappearance. Unfortunately, for a long time, no one had any leads. Canada’s Missing Children Society was heavily involved in the case, but without success either. Lyneth’s memories of her child were the only thing she had left. She never gave up hope, no matter how difficult it was. In 1989, the Toronto Star brought her in to bring more attention to the case. The theory was that Jermaine had been abducted by his father Allan, who had then crossed the border into the United States. There was a good chance this was true, but no one had any proof.
All she had were memories of him
They didn’t give up the search
Efforts to find Jermaine were not limited to Canada. Some people in the U.S. had worked hard to try to bring him home. The Charley Project is a database that publishes records of missing persons across the country. The story was presented by them, but they too had been unable to find a viable lead. Fortunately, there was at least one person who refused to give up on the case. Indeed, the person we’re going to talk about next refused to rest until the mystery was solved!
They didn’t give up
It was no longer a cold case
Ted Davis was once a police officer. He worked on specific cases for Canada’s Missing Children Society for three decades. He saw Lyneth’s anguish when he came to discuss Jermaine’s disappearance with her. He promised her he would do everything he could to bring Jermaine home. It’s a good thing he’s not the kind of guy to break promises at the drop of a hat. Because he finally made his first breakthrough in the business in 2016.
It was no longer a cold case
New leads at last
That year, Ted Davis attended a conference with other members of the Toronto police force. At the time, American representatives were also present, and they spoke together about Jermaine Mann’s disappearance at the event. The unsolved case sparked new interest. And more than that, it led to the discovery of new leads!
New leads at last
Useful new information
In the summer of 2018, investigators spoke to people who knew Allan, hoping to find new leads on the missing persons case. Some of them confided that he had moved five hundred miles east of Toronto and was now living in Connecticut. However, it wasn’t until they spoke to one of his closest friends that they made the discovery that would change everything. Finally, they had found something that could lead them to the exact location of the two men.
Useful new information
A new name for a new identity
In the summer of 2018, investigators spoke to people who knew Allan. They spoke to these people in the hope of finding new leads on the disappearance case. Some of them believed he had headed five hundred miles east of Toronto and was now living in Connecticut. However, they only made the discovery that rekindled the case after talking to one of his closest friends. Finally, they had found something that might lead them to the exact location where the two men had been.
A new name for a new identity
The elements coincided
They were so close to solving the mystery of Allan and Jermaine’s disappearance! Investigators had enlisted the help of forensic experts. They had checked the photo of DeSouza’s son’s driver’s license. Things were finally falling into place, slowly but surely. They were able to confirm their theory in October 2018. There was an excellent chance that the driver on the license and Jermaine Mann were the same people! What happened next?
The elements coincided
They found him
The investigators couldn’t believe it. After so many years, they now had the answers to some of their questions. They had to do something, and they had to do it as soon as possible. One of their informants informed them that Allan often visited a nearby KFC store. He liked the food there, and was on good terms with the people who worked there. So the investigators headed to the fast-food outlet in question to track him down. It was time he was brought to justice.
They found him
At the local KFC
“This is the police,” shouted a member of the Connecticut Police Department as they stormed the local KFC. They were looking around for an older-than-average man. The staff was confused and surprised by what was happening. The policemen’s eyes suddenly fell on someone in the corner of the room. He had raised his hands in the air. The man confirmed that he was indeed the person the police were looking for. They had finally found Allan.
At the local KFC
The man they’d been looking for all these years
Their theory was that Allan had fled Canada in 1986 with his son in a trailer. They must have crossed the border into the United States. Since 2004, the two men had been sharing an apartment in Connecticut. The police handcuffed Allan and led him out of the building. Suddenly, a voice was heard saying, “Dad?” Behind them stood a man. He looked like Jermaine. He had big brown eyes. Was it really him?
The man they’d been looking for all these years
His whole life was a lie
He had no idea that, for years, he had been living a lie. Learning the truth about your own life after the fact must be a terrible thing. Allan had forged documents after he and Jermaine left Canada. They also lived in New York and North Carolina before settling in the town of Vernon, Connecticut after a while. Allan, while his son worked for the state, worked as an engineer and truck driver.
His whole life was a lie
When the truth came out
Growing up, Jermaine had asked Allan many questions about his mother. But his father had always lied to him about it. He simply replied that she had died giving birth to him, without going into any further detail. Jermaine still remembers the moms who used to pick up his friends when he was a child, and he was so sad that he couldn’t have had the same experience as them back then. So, until the age of 33, he didn’t know that his mother was alive and well.
When the truth came out
He couldn’t believe it
As he learned the truth about his life, Jermaine couldn’t help sobbing. When the whole charade was indeed revealed, he couldn’t hold back his tears in court. He didn’t know how his father could have done such a thing. And when he realized that his father would not be charged with kidnapping, his heart stopped. Instead, Allan would be extradited to Canada. The young man was at a total loss when he left the courtroom. He had no idea what to do next. But suddenly, things became clearer in his head. He realized that his mother was still alive!
He couldn’t believe it
She’d waited all her life for this
Lyneth couldn’t believe it. Ted had just called to tell her the good news. After so long, they had finally found Jermaine. She was relieved to hear that he was alive and well. It had been so long since she’d last seen him. She broke down in tears, but this time with tears of relief. She couldn’t wait to see her son again.
She’d been waiting for this all her life
The joy she felt
It had taken over thirty years, but Lyneth didn’t care anymore. She was just happy to hear the good news about her son. Speaking at a press conference in 2018, she’d said, “Words can’t express how I felt,” she’d shared, “The words, ‘Your son is alive; we’ve found him,’ were breathtaking. Happy as a clam, she boarded a plane bound for Connecticut. It was time to be reunited with her son after such a long time apart.
The joy she felt
They could now be reunited
She scanned the crowd in the finish area, looking for her son. Three decades had passed since she had last seen him. She knew that a lot had changed since then. Then, suddenly, she saw a tall young man walking towards her. Although he had aged, she immediately recognized his brown eyes. Was it all true? Was it really him?
Now they could be reunited
Never to be parted again
They both ran to each other. Neither could hold back the tears. Jermaine and Lyneth fell into each other’s arms. Emotion had overwhelmed mother and son. They held each other tight. Questions could wait, they were just happy at that moment to be together at last, with each other.
Never to part again
The same brown eyes
Lyneth shared through her tears, “I grabbed him and squeezed his head; I wanted to feel that he was real.”. Then she added: “I touched him and said, ‘Oh my God, my baby’.”. Jermaine declined public interviews, but after they reunited, his mother shared something he’d said that had touched her: he couldn’t help expressing surprise that they both had the same eyes.
The same brown eyes