WA WA - Jeffrey Bratcher, 7, Ocean Shores, 15 June 1974

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

That's a good question.

 

[allisonand80]

I tried googling to see if anything had been heard about the DNA results and didn't find anything. I was wondering if any of you prosleuthes had heard anything . I am new to all of this webhunting and such

 

[Kat]

I did a search and could find no updates allison. I did see someone who claimed to be his Mother or Sister (I can't remember which) and we can never be sure that a person who identifies themselves as a certain person is that person so I won't link. But that screenname said that as of Dec 2009 there was no results back yet.

Take that with a grain of salt because there is no way to verify it, that is why I can't link it here.

It should be treated as rumor.

 

[champton]

This young man is my cousin. I can tell you that his family has never given up on finding Jeff. We need closure. This is not something that a person will ever forget.

I'm still living in Washington and I still occasionally go to Ocean Shores/Ocean City... this even will haunt me forever although I was a very small child at the time of his disappearance.

As the posting states, the search dogs lost his scent at the side of the freeway... that leads me to assume that he was taken away in a car.

Jeff's father is still alive and I'm sure this haunts him to this day. He is my uncle... how could any parent EVER forget a tragedy like this!!!

Today is the first I had heard of the Skull from the forensic scientist at UW... if anyone knows anything further... I would certainly appreciate an update.

Thank you all for caring about Jeff... a part of me still holds that miraculous hope that he will be found alive and healthy...

God Bless
C

 

[KT Can]

Hi chamton,

Thank you very much for posting about your cousin. I am so sorry for your family has had to go through all of these years and I pray that you all will one day have closure.

Attached is the link to the February 2009 article from the Seattlepi.com website that talks about the bones. If you will read through to the bottom of the article there is a number to contact for the King County Medical Examiner. I hope this helps.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/400962_bones21.html

K

 

[coldcaseman]

DNA was extracted from the skull, and the profile was compared to Jeffrey's mother. It is not Jeffrey. What we do know is that it is a child around 8 yoa, and the skull is less than 50 years old. We can't determine sex or race (only a partial skull).

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

*bump*

Missing 37 years today.

 

[champton]

Still no disposition to the skull?

Thank you K for caring about children and Jeff... It SHOWS... as does the thoughts and prayers of people in general.

I am living in Central Washington now and a local man went missing over the holidays. The horror that this family is going through is a constant reminder to me of Jeff.

Again, thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers and CARE! Brings back our faith in humanity.

C.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

BUMPING for Jeffrey. Still missing after 39 years.

 

[KateB]

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/bratcher_jeffrey.html

Jeffrey Michael Bratcher


Left: Bratcher, age 5 (circa 1972, two years before his disappearance);
Right: Age-progression at age 38 (circa 2005)


Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance

Missing Since: June 15, 1974 from Ocean Shores, Washington
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: May 1, 1967
Age: 7 years old
Height and Weight: 3'9, 45 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Sandy brown hair, brown eyes.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A sailor's cap and plaid pants.


Details of Disappearance

Bratcher was visiting his father and stepmother in Ocean Shores, Washington on June 15, 1974. His mother had custody of him at the time. Bratcher was playing with five other children in a section of the park during the day; they were told that dinner would be prepared at 7:00 p.m. and they were to return to the adults' area at that time. Bratcher told the other children that he would take a different trail back to the picnic area when dinner time arrived and separated from the group. He was never seen again.
An extensive police search of the park area yielded few clues as to what happened to Bratcher. Search dogs may have located his scent leading up to the park's entrance, but it disappeared at the edge of the pavement. His case remains unsolved.
<RSBM>
Charley Project Home

Left: Jeffrey, age 5 (circa 1972, two years before his disappearance);
Center: Jeffrey, circa 1974;
Right: Age-progression to age 43 (circa 2010)
Photos from Charley Project.

Bumping for 40 years today.

 

[champton]

I am curious, in today's technological age , why doesn't his family have an official site??? the strangest thing that about this case to me is the lack of information? why if the police thought it was an abduction did they still not keep into consideration the abductor/s would have used the woods?. It just does not seem like it was thorough enough?? just a thought

I'm not sure about Jeff's mother, but I do know that both his father and stepmother have passed away. I am a cousin of Jeff (on his stepmother's side) so I don't know if there is an official page, sponsored by his family, to find him. I check back as often as I can with several sites to see if there is anything new... sadly... nothing.

 

[Starry Night]

I'm not sure about Jeff's mother, but I do know that both his father and stepmother have passed away. I am a cousin of Jeff (on his stepmother's side) so I don't know if there is an official page, sponsored by his family, to find him. I check back as often as I can with several sites to see if there is anything new... sadly... nothing.

What a wonderful cousin of Jeff you are! Thanks for posting here-

My prayers up for your family tonight. Family members like you humble me.

 

[Lavender Moon]

Bumping for Jeffrey. Praying for clues.

 

[Cubby]

Jeffrey Michael Bratcher – The Charley Project

 

[jbenson]

Does anyone know where Jeffrey Bratcher was originally from and if his father and stepmother were from Ocean Shores?

Jeffrey Bratcher was born in Bremerton, WA and was staying with his father who still lived in Bremerton, WA at the time of his disappearance.Reward Offered - Newspapers.com

 

[Dcliff]

It sounds as this case may be connected to the ones out of California given at least one witness remembers a Wa State plate.
I hope this case stays active since he could still be alive.

 

[Andreee]

dbm

 

[Andreee]

There is a possibility that Jeffrey's skull had been found in 1980, and has been sitting on a shelf at the University of Washington all these years. The skull will be sent for DNA testing, and if it is not Jeffrey, it is someone's child.

Eight sets of bones, few clues to their identities

Not only was there the skull of a young child, there were bones from 7 other individuals discovered! What?! Is there anything new at all about this!

 

[agapoyesoun]

I pray that the family's loved one is found and brought home. My heart goes out to you.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Bumping case up.
His link on Doe Network:
27DMWA- Jeffrey Michael Bratcher


Photo of Jeffery, in 1982

His profile on NamUs:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)