The abduction of Dorothy Forstein

Every year, people disappear. Although most of them return home, many others never do. What happens to these missing people? Did aliens abduct them? Although I don’t subscribe to alien abductions, it makes for good television. When people vanish, they have either walked away from their lives or someone else killed and disposed of them.

Although it’s unusual when people disappear, some cases seem extremely unusual. For instance, one of the strangest disappearances I can recall involved a Philadelphia woman named Dorothy Cooper Forstein. Before her disappearance, she had previously been the victim of a violent crime.

Dorothy lived a pleasant and comfortable life. She had married Jules Forstein, an old childhood sweetheart. Jules was a widower and single parent raising two children. After Dorothy and Jules married, the couple had their own child. Neighbors considered Dorothy a kind woman who loved her family. Jules worked as a clerk for the Philadelphia City Council before eventually becoming a magistrate.

Jules and Dorothy settled into a home on 1835 North Franklin Street in Philadelphia. But something strange occurred on January 25, 1945. After returning home from a shopping trip, an unknown man had followed Dorothy into her home and then attacked her. Although he beat her into unconsciousness and nearly killed her, Dorothy survived.

Who abducted Dorothy Forstein from her home?

Law enforcement hit a roadblock. They never determined a motive, as Dorothy didn’t have any enemies or issues with anyone. She became more aware of her surroundings and made sure her windows and doors were locked. Unfortunately, all her precautions wouldn’t save her.

On October 18, 1949, Dorothy was at home with Edward and Marcy, her two youngest children. While the oldest daughter was with friends, Jules attended a banquet. Dorothy called a friend around 9 p.m. and made plans for a shopping trip. That would be the last time anyone would ever speak to Dorothy Forstein. Jules arrived home at 11:30 p.m. to find his two children huddled in terror. They told Jules “Mommy was gone.”

He began calling around to see if anyone had seen Dorothy. No one had seen her. Afterward, Jules contacted Captain Kelly of the Philadelphia Police Department for help. Authorities checked the local hospitals, morgue and then unsuccessfully began canvassing the neighborhood.

The crime scene seemed unusual. Authorities found no signs of a struggle or any evidence of an abduction. However, the police learned nine-year-old Marcy Forstein had seen someone abduct her mother. The police found her story disturbing and didn’t believe her.

Marcy was asleep until she heard someone entering the home. She peeked through her doorway and saw an unknown man walking up the stairs. Marcy also saw her mother lying face down on her bedroom floor dressed in her pajamas. Marcy asked the man what he was doing. He patted Marcy on the head and told her not to worry. He then lifted Dorothy’s limp body onto his shoulder and exited the house.

After different psychiatrists spoke to Marcy, they believed her. The police ruled out Jules. Authorities had to consider that whoever abducted Dorothy may have sought revenge against her husband. The only potential suspect I could find was Morris Anmuth who had accused two police officers of beating him. The case went before Magistrate Jules Forstein, who tossed Anmuth’s case and dropped the charges against the officers.

Did Anmuth seek revenge against Magistrate Forstein? No one knows. Dorothy Forstein was declared deceased as of October 18, 1956. Dorothy vanished over seven decades ago. How does someone get carried away from their home without any witnesses? The disappearance of Dorothy Forstein has baffled people for many years and it’s likely to remain that way.