shadowangel
Black cats consider me unlucky.
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(sources: NY Times online archives, 1991-1996 inclusive; Wikipedia [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Wiltsey[/url] )
On the evening May 25th, 1991, 23 year old single mother Michelle Lodzinski reported to reserve police officers working the carnival in Kennedy Park, located near Sayreville in NJ, that her 5 year son was missing. Lodzinski stated that she had left her son, Timothy Wiltsey, in line for a ride while she purchased a soda. Lodzinski told police that she was seperated from Timothy for only a few minutes, and when she returned to where she had left him Timothy was gone. Police immediately instituted a search, clearing the carnival grounds and calling in dog and scuba units to search the surrounding area. No sign of Timothy could be found. His father, who lived in Iowa, was confirmed to have been in Iowa at the time.
Inconsistencies in Lodzinski's story were quickly discovered. Lodzinski stated she and Timothy had been in Holmdel Park, NJ before arriving at the carnival. However, it was determined that the lot she told police she had parked in was closed that particular day. Also, no one police spoke with could remember seeing her with Timothy at the carnival. Neighbors told news reporters of their own suspicions, due to Lodzinski's seemingly odd behavior. She took no part in searches, nor did she assist with making missing-person flyers. During numerous news interviews, she appeared "perky" and "more worried about her hair" than her missing son.
In October of 1991, a science teacher discovered a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" sneaker in a swampy area of the Raritan Center Industrial Park, near Sayreville. Lodzinski reportedly denied that the shoe was Timothy's; a search of the area uncovered nothing else.
In early April of 1992, Lodzinski resigned from a non-profit group organized to find Timothy. She had wanted to organize a charity baseball game using Chippendale's dancers.
On April 24th, a follow-up search of the swamps in Raritan Center, near where the TMNT sneaker had been found, revealed the skull, skeletal remains and clothing scraps matching those of the missing child. Police later confirmed that they had in fact found Timothy. Questions by news reporters as to why the remains were not discovered at the time the shoe was found went unanswered. The cause of death has never been released, despite numerous requests by local news-gathering entities for the information. One of Lodzinski's former jobs was found to have been located close to Timothy's resting place.
The case continued to grow more bizarre. In late January of 1994, Lodzinski's car was found, running, outside her home by her brother. The next day, she called him from Michigan stating that she had been kidnapped by FBI agents who had thrown her into a black van and driven her to Detroit. Law enforcement and the FBI questioned her about the kidnapping. Lodzinski stated that the agents had repeatedly told her to keep quiet about Timothy's case. The same agents had visited her repeatedly, seeking information about a Bayonne police officer who was harrassing her. (Lodzinski had previously reported this information to local law enforcement; investigation revealed that no such officer was in the employ of the Bayonne PD).
The agents had then dumped her in Detroit. An FBI business card, bearing the name of one of the agents, had been found taped to Lodzinski's front door with the words "SEE YOU SOON its not over" written on it.
The FBI were highly skeptical of Lodzinski's report. Just prior to her "kidnapping", Lodzinski was to have been subpoened for a grand jury inquiry into the activities of a police officer who had been assisting in the search for Timothy. The officer allegedly used a police computer to search for license information at Lodzinski's request.
During their investigation, the FBI discovered that Lodzinski had taken the seal from a business card of one of the agents working Timothy's case and had fake cards made. Lodzinski later recanted the entire story, telling the judge she didnt know why she created the hoax. In March of 1995 she was sentenced to 3 years probation, 6 months house arrest, and told to seek mental treatment.
In December of 1997, Lodzinski pled guilty to the theft of a laptop computer from a former employer. In early 1998, Lodzinski left NJ to live with relatives in Florida.
Timothy's death is listed as an unsolved homicide. Though his mother has long been a suspect, no charges are pending.
On the evening May 25th, 1991, 23 year old single mother Michelle Lodzinski reported to reserve police officers working the carnival in Kennedy Park, located near Sayreville in NJ, that her 5 year son was missing. Lodzinski stated that she had left her son, Timothy Wiltsey, in line for a ride while she purchased a soda. Lodzinski told police that she was seperated from Timothy for only a few minutes, and when she returned to where she had left him Timothy was gone. Police immediately instituted a search, clearing the carnival grounds and calling in dog and scuba units to search the surrounding area. No sign of Timothy could be found. His father, who lived in Iowa, was confirmed to have been in Iowa at the time.
Inconsistencies in Lodzinski's story were quickly discovered. Lodzinski stated she and Timothy had been in Holmdel Park, NJ before arriving at the carnival. However, it was determined that the lot she told police she had parked in was closed that particular day. Also, no one police spoke with could remember seeing her with Timothy at the carnival. Neighbors told news reporters of their own suspicions, due to Lodzinski's seemingly odd behavior. She took no part in searches, nor did she assist with making missing-person flyers. During numerous news interviews, she appeared "perky" and "more worried about her hair" than her missing son.
In October of 1991, a science teacher discovered a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" sneaker in a swampy area of the Raritan Center Industrial Park, near Sayreville. Lodzinski reportedly denied that the shoe was Timothy's; a search of the area uncovered nothing else.
In early April of 1992, Lodzinski resigned from a non-profit group organized to find Timothy. She had wanted to organize a charity baseball game using Chippendale's dancers.
On April 24th, a follow-up search of the swamps in Raritan Center, near where the TMNT sneaker had been found, revealed the skull, skeletal remains and clothing scraps matching those of the missing child. Police later confirmed that they had in fact found Timothy. Questions by news reporters as to why the remains were not discovered at the time the shoe was found went unanswered. The cause of death has never been released, despite numerous requests by local news-gathering entities for the information. One of Lodzinski's former jobs was found to have been located close to Timothy's resting place.
The case continued to grow more bizarre. In late January of 1994, Lodzinski's car was found, running, outside her home by her brother. The next day, she called him from Michigan stating that she had been kidnapped by FBI agents who had thrown her into a black van and driven her to Detroit. Law enforcement and the FBI questioned her about the kidnapping. Lodzinski stated that the agents had repeatedly told her to keep quiet about Timothy's case. The same agents had visited her repeatedly, seeking information about a Bayonne police officer who was harrassing her. (Lodzinski had previously reported this information to local law enforcement; investigation revealed that no such officer was in the employ of the Bayonne PD).
The agents had then dumped her in Detroit. An FBI business card, bearing the name of one of the agents, had been found taped to Lodzinski's front door with the words "SEE YOU SOON its not over" written on it.
The FBI were highly skeptical of Lodzinski's report. Just prior to her "kidnapping", Lodzinski was to have been subpoened for a grand jury inquiry into the activities of a police officer who had been assisting in the search for Timothy. The officer allegedly used a police computer to search for license information at Lodzinski's request.
During their investigation, the FBI discovered that Lodzinski had taken the seal from a business card of one of the agents working Timothy's case and had fake cards made. Lodzinski later recanted the entire story, telling the judge she didnt know why she created the hoax. In March of 1995 she was sentenced to 3 years probation, 6 months house arrest, and told to seek mental treatment.
In December of 1997, Lodzinski pled guilty to the theft of a laptop computer from a former employer. In early 1998, Lodzinski left NJ to live with relatives in Florida.
Timothy's death is listed as an unsolved homicide. Though his mother has long been a suspect, no charges are pending.
