MA MA - Andrew Amato, 4, Webster, 30 Sept 1978

[coco67]

Bumping for Andrew...it's now been 42 years.

I am trying to shine a light on this case. Please reach out if you would like to help.

 

[coco67]

They suspect foul play because an unnamed man admitted to abducting and killing Andrew on his deathbed in 1999. This man was a suspect for many years and he found Andrew’s missing toy in an area that had already been searched a few times. I remember reading more about it but yeah, they just need to locate the exact gravesite.

BUMP

Hi WS-ers! I've come across this site many times searching for crime news but never signed up until recently. I've decided to make my first post here on Andrew's thread for some personal reasons.

I dated Andy's younger brother in high school (from about 1993-1995), though I haven't talked to him since about 1997. I won't post his name, though it is readily available in some news articles (most of them are pay-to-view though). He was only a little over a year old when Andy disappeared so he remembers nothing about it. His family moved to NH a number of years later.

I have always hoped that one day his family would find some closure, by either finding Andy, his remains, or some proof or what happened to him. I often search for any new news about Andy's disappearance and would love to find a way to get more involved. I haven't spoken to any of the family in years, but they are never far from my thoughts and I want so badly for them to find closure.

If there's anybody else who's interested in helping me with this and knows where I should start, please let me know.

Are you still looking for him? I grew up in the same town and have started a Facebook group & am trying to shine a light on this case. Please respond if so.

 

[coco67]

Still missing:

Missing kids in Massachusetts

I am trying to get some attention to this case. Any suggestions?

 

[coco67]

I grew up in Webster, MA where Andrew went missing in 1978. We recently saw the 46th anniversary of his disappearance - September 30, 1978.

Here are some links -
Have you seen this child? Andrew John Amato
Andrew John Amato
Andrew Amato - The Polly Klaas Foundation
Missing Persons | Webster, MA

What we know:
There are claims that Nathanial Bar Jonah (aka David Paul Brown) could have been involved in this disappearance, as he was a known pedophile and predator living in Webster, MA in the 1970s. Bar Jonah was in the Bridgewater State Mental Hospital, following his attempted murder of two boys from White City Theater in Shrewsbury, MA in 1977. But, I've recently learned that they sometimes let the patients there out on furloughs. Bar Jonah was kicked out of MA and send to Montana where he ultimately landed himself in prison again after being implicated in several crimes against children. He died in prison. Details in the link below (WARNING, DISTURBING CONTENT) -
Nathaniel Bar-Jonah
UPDATE TO ABOVE: Somene messaged me that Bar Jonah was actually incarcerated in Walpole at the time, not the Bridgewater State Hospital. If anyone can confirm, please do, thanks!

A lead suspect in the case is a Rhode Island laborer who made a deathbed confession to a family member in 1999, shortly before succumbing to cancer. His family came forward and told the police in 2003. Based on information provided, searches have been done on multiple occasions in an area of Burrillville, RI. The area is vast and the child was small, 38 lbs. After 46 years, there would be little to find. There is a newspaper photo of this man on the search for Andrew, and he was the one who found his weeble toy in the leaves in an area that had previously been searched. He told people he came to the scene to help with the search, after hearing about the.missing boy on his CB radio. Searches were also done in the Minebrook area of Webster, MA, based on a tip from a Webster man, but, according to what I've read, nothing of evidentiary value was found there.

Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified-Amato, Andrew - (09/30/78)
Andrew Amato Disappeared From Webster 40 Years Ago Today
Andrew John Amato – The Charley Project

There were many missing children in the northeast (specifically MA) in the 1970’s, and a child sex trafficking raid in Revere in 1977. Andy’s Mickey Mouse t-shirt was found in Woburn, MA, not far from Revere.

12 Arrested as Child Molesters in a Boston Area Ring (Published 1977)

Open Investigation

True Crime Podcast · Updated Weekly · Open Investigation, an investigative true crime podcast about unsolved cases of missing and murdered children; a follow-up to the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary, "Have You Seen Andy?", hosted by M…

podcasts.apple.com

Do you have any theories or information on this case?
Did he wander up to the highway and get snatched up?
Was it someone in the trailer park that killed him?
Could he be alive and out there somewhere today?
Could he have fallen into one of the swamps, or been hidden in a swamp?
The area had woods, swamps, lakes...see google map below. It was also very close to a major highway:

Ash St & Richard Ave · Webster, MA 01570

This case has been on my mind for years and I can't believe all these years later, they've never found him.