"The five sodder children"

The Sodder family tragedy is one of the most perplexing unsolved cases in American history. On Christmas Eve in 1945, the Sodder family's home in Fayetteville, West Virginia went up in flames, and five of the ten Sodder children were never seen or heard from again. The official story was that the children had died in the fire, but there were many inconsistencies in the official story and evidence that suggested foul play. To this day, the case remains unsolved, leaving the Sodder family and many others to wonder what truly happened to the five missing children.

George and Jennie Sodder were immigrants from Italy who settled in West Virginia and had a total of 10 children. They were a hardworking family, with George working at a successful grocery store and Jennie running a farm. The Sodder family was a close-knit one and the children were described as well-behaved and well-liked by their peers. The children were Maurice, 14, Martha, 12, Louis, 9, Jennie, 8, and Betty, 5, who were missing after the fire.

On the night of December 24th, the Sodder family was getting ready for bed when they heard a loud noise outside. George went to investigate and saw that the power lines to the house had been cut. He then saw a fire truck driving away and assumed that the fire department had been called to repair the lines. However, when he went back inside, he discovered that the house was on fire. The family quickly evacuated, but the five missing children were not found.

The official story was that the children had died in the fire, but their bodies were never found. The Sodder family believed that the fire was deliberately set and that their children were kidnapped. They pointed to several inconsistencies in the official story that led them to believe foul play was involved. Firstly, the fire department was not called until 45 minutes after the fire had started, despite the fact that the fire station was only a mile away. Secondly, the fire trucks that arrived at the scene were not equipped to fight a house fire. Thirdly, the fire burned so hot that it melted the metal frames of the children's beds, but the beds were not burned. Finally, a photograph taken of the burned-out house showed that the chimneys were still intact, which would have made it impossible for the children to escape through them.

The Sodder family also received several letters and phone calls claiming that their children were alive and well. They even received a photograph of a man who resembled their missing son, Louis, who was alleged to be in a New Orleans orphanage. However, all leads were ultimately inconclusive.

In 1949, the Sodder family decided to put up billboards offering a reward for information about their missing children. The billboards were put up along major highways and were seen by thousands of people. However, no new information about the case was ever brought to light.

The Sodder family never gave up hope that their children were still alive. Jennie Sodder even went to her grave in 1989 still searching for answers about the fate of her missing children. The case remains unsolved to this day, leaving the Sodder family and many others to wonder what truly happened to the five missing children.

The Sodder children case is one of the most mysterious cases of the 20th century, it raises many questions and theories, such as the possibility of the involvement of organized crime or the government, some people suspect that the children were victims of a child trafficking ring or that they were taken by the government for some unknown reason. However, there's no concrete evidence to support these theories. Despite the many efforts of the Sodder family and others to uncover the truth, the case remains a mystery.

The Sodder family's search for answers about the fate of their missing children was a long and difficult one. They contacted the FBI, local authorities, and private investigators, but none of them were able to shed any light on the case. The Sodder family also went through a lot of emotional turmoil, with George and Jennie Sodder never fully recovering from the loss of their children.

The case of the missing Sodder children is not only a mystery but also a testament to the resilience and determination of the Sodder family. They never gave up hope that their children were still alive, and their relentless pursuit of answers about the case continues to inspire others to this day.

The Sodder children case is a tragic reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of never giving up hope. The memory of the five missing Sodder children will always be remembered as a tragic event in American history, and the case will continue to be a topic of interest for true crime enthusiasts and researchers. The Sodder family's story is a reminder that even in the face of unimaginable loss, hope and determination can be a powerful force in the search for the truth.