PA PA - Christopher Bush, 2, Germantown, Philadelphia, 5 Apr 1975

[ChatteringBirds]

This case was entered into NamUs in June of 2021. Please help find additional information, articles about the case.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)


Missing Person / NamUs #MP81424
Christopher Bush
Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact: April 5, 1975
Missing From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Missing Age: 2 Years
Current Age: 48 Years

Height: 2' 5" - 2' 10" (29 - 34 Inches)
Weight: 25 - 40 lbs
NamUs Case Created: June 21, 2021
Last Known Location:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144
County: Philadelphia County

Circumstances of Disappearance:
Christopher was last seen on April 5th 1975 in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He was sitting in an unattended car on Chew Avenue and Maryland Street while his babysitter went into a store for 10 minutes. When she came out, the child was missing.

Physical Description
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown

Distinctive Physical Features
No Information Entered

Clothing and Accessories
Clothing: Last seen wearing a denim blue coat with white fur collar and light blue corduroy pants.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I feel like this case fell through the cracks, and my heart goes out to his family.

I could not find him listed at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children nor any other information about his case online...

 

[BrownBear]

There are 3 articles under the Images & Documents section on NamUs

 

[ChatteringBirds]

@BrownBear Thank you. I did not realize each case had this section.
Those are some very interesting articles.
I do not think he let himself out of the vehicle.
I noticed one article stated the babysitter said she left the car locked and another that she left it unlocked.

 

[BrownBear]

I noticed one article stated the babysitter said she left the car locked and another that she left it unlocked.

That's interesting, I didn't notice that. I wonder if that was just bad reporting or if her story actually changed?

 

[Deecherry]

Hello I am the niece of Christopher and my mother was only ten years old when this happened we are still trying to piece this together. The police failed my family in this case if anyone would like to email me anything you think we should follow up on here’s my email [email protected]

 

[Mysteries1974]

This is a case I found on a Newspapers.com and found no indications that he was ever found so I sent his case into NamUs and they officially added him yesterday. The details are slim but here’s his case on NamUs: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Christopher was last seen alive on April 5th 1975 in Germantown, Pennsylvania. His family home had burnt down so his mother, Gwendolyn Bush, gave him to his babysitter, Patricia “Patty” Warwick (age 26) and stayed with relatives until they could get back up on their feet again. Christopher was given to Warwick on April 1st 1975.

According to Warwick, Christopher was sitting in an unattended car on Chew Avenue and Mayland Street while she went inside a Delicatessan at 10:00 am on April 5th 1975. The vehicle in question was a 1966 maroon Ford Station Wagon. Patricia said she was gone for approximately 10 minutes and when she came back, the child was missing. She claimed the doors were locked and didn’t understand how he could’ve vanished.

The only thing police could find was a hat that was sitting in the car. The hat was worn by Christopher on the day he disappeared. It was initially suspected that he had wandered off but his family suspected someone abducted him. Christopher’s family members are not suspects in this as far as I’m aware. His mother was staying with his grandparents at the time along with her three other daughters.

Christopher has never been found and his case remains unsolved.

 

[Richard]

Hello I am the niece of Christopher and my mother was only ten years old when this happened we are still trying to piece this together. The police failed my family in this case if anyone would like to email me anything you think we should follow up on here’s my email [email protected]

Welcome to Websleuths. Sorry for the loss to your family.

Can you provide any more information or photos of Christopher?

You could contact the Doe Network and the Charley websites and ask that they include his case in their listings.

 

[detlitch46]

Hello I am the niece of Christopher and my mother was only ten years old when this happened we are still trying to piece this together. The police failed my family in this case if anyone would like to email me anything you think we should follow up on here’s my email [email protected]

I am so sorry your family has had to go through this. My thoughts are with you all.

 

[PommyMommy]

Christopher Bush – The Charley Project

Christopher Bush​

• 

Christopher, circa 1975

• Missing Since 04/05/1975
• Missing From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race Black
• Age 2 years old
• Height and Weight 2'5 - 2'10, 25 - 40 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue denim coat with a white fur collar and light blue corduroy pants.
• Distinguishing Characteristics African-American male. Black hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance​

Christopher was last seen in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 5, 1975. For the past several days, ever since his home had been destroyed in a fire, he had been staying with a babysitter and her husband and daughter in the 6300 block of Morton Street. His mother and three older sisters were staying with his mother's parents elsewhere in the city.

On the day of his disappearance, Christopher's babysitter took him out in her maroon 1966 Ford station wagon. At about 10:00 a.m., she parked the car in the vicinity of Chew Avenue and Maryland Street and left Christopher inside it, unattended, while she went into a deli for about ten minutes. It's unclear whether or not the car was locked, but the babysitter said Christopher would have been capable of getting out of it on his own.

When she returned to the vehicle, Christopher was gone; only his hat was left behind. He has never been heard from again, and an extensive search turned up no indication of his whereabouts. His case remains unsolved.

Last updated April 28, 2023; casefile added.

 

[Beccalicious]

Bumping

 

[Amateur Web Sleuth]

Does anyone have info as to why Christopher was sent with the babysitter? The rest of the family was with the grandparents it seems

 

[jewel26]

Seems that if the child got out of the car on his own someone would have seen a 2 year old toddling around unattended and/or witnesses? Was she (the sitter) somewhere where no one else was walking by or anything? Do we even know this?