CA CA - Michael P. Hudson, 3, Weaverville, 26 July 1973

[Mysteries1974]

Michael P. Hudson was three years old when he mysteriously disappeared one scorching summer evening over five decades ago. He lived with his parents, Steve and Lily Hudson in a cabin located on Barney Gulch in Trinity County, California. The area is situated along the North Fork Trinity River 20 miles northwest of Weaverville.

On July 26th 1973, Michael was playing in the cabin yard with the family dog at 6:00 pm while Steve was nailing a fir sapling pole to a tree in the yard not far away. He looked away for a second while doing this and when he looked back around, his son and the dog were gone.

The dog, a 90 pound German Shepherd named Barney returned to the cabin fifteen minutes later without the child. Little Michael was never seen or heard from again after this. His parents and some neighbors spent four hours searching the area for him until contacting law enforcement to report his disappearance. A search involving over 200 people and helicopters commenced but no trace of the boy was found.

Police generally believed the boy had wandered off and got lost before dying of exposure. The very hot temperatures mixed with the rough mountainous terrain of the area would’ve made it impossible for a small child like Michael to survive on his own. It was also theorized he had wandered into the Trinity River and drowned or fell into an old mine shaft in the region. Still, no trace of the child was ever found to confirm any of these possibilities.

Michael’s parents do not believe their son got lost or died somewhere in the area and instead suspect he was abducted by someone. They believe he likely wandered down Barney Gulch and onto a nearby County Road where he was subsequently picked up by a passing motorist. A few hours after Michael went missing, bloodhounds were brought to assist the search. They traced Michael’s scent for 200 yards from the cabin to the county road.

Steve and Lily searched the areas surrounding their cabin various times to ensure nothing was missed. They also traveled to investigate potential sightings, most of which turned out to be lookalikes.

For example, police put an all points bulletin out on a woman seen hitchhiking in the area when Michael turned up missing. She had a small boy with her who resembled the Hudson child. The woman was located and records proved the boy was her son.

Michael’s parents later received a tip that he had been seen in Sacramento, California with an unidentified middle aged white man. The sighting occurred in November of 1973, four months after his disappearance. The sighting didn’t lead to any substantial progress in the case but his parents were convinced the boy was their son since he apparently had the same distinctive characteristics as Michael. The man and boy were never located.

Michael’s disappearance has never been solved. Although most people suspect Hudson died due to misadventure others believe he might’ve been abducted by a stranger and could still be alive today, unaware that he’s a missing child.

Michael P. Hudson (1970-1973) - Find a Grave...

Son of Steve and Lily Hudson. Disappeared 27 Jul 1973 from Barney Gulch, Trinity County, California. Michael was never found.

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