Catherine Winters, age 9, disappeared from her hometown of New Castle, Indiana, on March 20, 1913. No trace of her has been found since. She was the only daughter of my grandfather’s cousin. (Making her my second cousin once removed.) It is not often we find information about our ancestors that grabbed the attention of an entire country and that inspired a popular song of the day. Her tragic story and memory is kept alive still. “It has been 100 years since Catherine Winters disappeared, about noon on a sunny spring day in the middle of New Castle. People still are wondering how the bright 9-year-old daughter of prominent dentist William A. Winters could have vanished, as one private detective said, ’as if the earth had opened and swallowed her up.’" [By Eldon Pitts for the Henry County Historical Society 2003 Historalog]
Even though he was falsely accused, her father was particularly distraught to the point of launching one of the first silent screen newsreels about her kidnapping. It can still be viewed on YouTube as “Catherine Winters Movie”. He spent much of his fortune producing the film and traveling around the country’s movie houses in hopes of finding her. There were numerous news accounts on the 100th anniversary of her disappearance including this TV report preserved on YouTube. There is even a Facebook page by a professor who is devoted to pursuing this story: Where is Catherine Winters?
As I pondered this tragedy, a few years ago I was moved by the relentless pursuit of another Father who certainly understands my cousin’s grief . . . with a hopeful heart.
To All Who Care:
Please help me! My child has been kidnapped! I feel agony beyond description. My heart has been torn out of my chest and the emptiness never goes away. My eyes burn from the tears, sleepless nights and endless searches for my child through empty fields and crowds of faces.
I was frantic when I discovered that she was not home at her usual time. At first, frustration rushed through my veins as I thought of her consistent, inconsiderate behavior of running off to play whenever she felt like it. I called all her friends homes to see if she had lost track of time, but no one had seen her. Feelings of fear swept over me as I thought of the horror stories I hear of captured and tortured children. I was tempted to feel regret for times that I disciplined her for disobedience and yet, the discipline was given in love to prepare her to discipline herself. I try desperately to keep grief at a distance with hope.
After years of searching, there was no sign of a body so we believed she had indeed been kidnapped. Enduring hope was rewarded and she was found. I thrilled at the thought of reuniting with my beloved child again until…. Perhaps death would have been more merciful to me; I was told that she did not want to see me or have anything to do with me. Her heartless captors had convinced her that I did not love her and did not want to be bothered with her. Their daily lies and taunts fed on the guilt she felt about disobeying me in the past. The lies they told twisted her belief from knowing me as a loving father to believing that I was a heartless selfish and cruel tyrant. Their own cruelty became a measuring stick of love and trust to her. She must have concluded, “If these people love me and are this bad, my father must be a monster!”
My only remaining child, my son, suggested that he go to the younger child on my behalf. Surely, we thought, seeing my love through the love of her older brother would convince him that being united with her father and back home with family is the best. Again, the kidnappers twisted the truth about me by accusing the older son of deceit and selfish motivation. When they could see that the love of the older son was softening the hold on my lost child, they taunted her with more lies. They fed her fears of an angry father who expected perfection. They never let words like grace, mercy, forgiveness and unconditional love be understood. Finally, they evoked such rage and fear in the kidnapped child that with the help of these wicked men she tortured and killed my son. I can hardly bear the sorrow, but knowing the unconditional love of my only son, I know he willing gave up his life to save her. He knew that I would too. Before his death he scribbled me this note, “Father, forgive her because she doesn’t know what she is doing.”
The authorities know where these hellions roam and they will soon be punished for what they have done. But my beautiful, youngest child is still emotionally enslaved to them at this point. She cannot believe how much I love her and so willingly forgive her. If she would only believe the truth, denounce the liars and come home.
My child, I love you, if you read this letter please believe me. Please come home. If any of you who are reading this letter know my lost child, please, please help me to convince her of the truth of my heart.
My love endures forever,
Your Heavenly Father
