PA PA - Lauren Pico Jackson, 5, Spring City, 4 Oct 1988

[Trackergd]

Neko,

If you are still watching this thread, I posted a message for you. I have a thought, and since you know the area at the time, you might know the answer.

 

[bflocket]

You all must remember, Christina did not write her obituary, her family did.

Thank you for saying that.

The lady is dead. She might not have been the greatest mother in the world, but she is dead. Now is not the time to point fingers at her.

Not having crisp, clear pictures of your child is not a crime.
Back in 1988, some of us had cordless phones in our house. Only the rich had cellphones, and even those weren't the kind you could take with you everywhere and snap pics of everything like you can now.

Is it a sin for her to not have a camera?

 

[Trackergd]

I will agree with you for the most part. It was low income housing and still is. Without prejudice, I will say that there were other pictures in the house. Time and age have caused me to forget exactly who they were of. They were not my focus at the time.

 

[lsp4]

Hello, this is my first post on the forum. I am another one of Lauren's cousins; in fact, the shoes she was wearing had actually belonged to me before I grew out of them & my mom gave them to my aunt for Lauren. I don't remember her but there are photos of the 2 of us playing together as young kids (I was born in 1985). I find it incredible that so many people are still interested in what happened to Lauren - it is very inspiring!

Two things I would like to add to the discussion here:
1) Again, to reiterate the point that Lauren's mother (my maternal aunt) did not write her own obituary. Her death was sudden, with her siblings rushing to put plans in motion in order to give their sister a proper goodbye.
2) I saw a post from last year with people suspecting that Lauren's grandparents (who are my maternal grandparents) had something to do with this. My grandmother cried at the mention of Lauren, wrote her letters, and bought her birthday & Christmas presents every year until she passed away in 2009. When my mom was cleaning my grandmother's house, she found a box of these things, including a star named for Lauren. My grandmother would often give me the age-progressed photos of Lauren and ask me to ask people school (both high school & college) if they ever saw her and would ask me to search on the internet for her. So, if you still believe that my aunt's parents were involved, you are very much mistaken; my grandmother thought of Lauren every day. (As for my grandfather, I am positive he did as well - he unfortunately passed when I was 5 years old, so I am not as familiar!)

Again, I was only a little kid when this all happened (I was with my dad's parents while my mom & dad went out to look for Lauren) so I don't have clear memories of that specific day but I have lived my whole life, wondering what happened to my cousin & former playmate. My parents have always been extremely protective of both me & my brother, even till today (and I'm almost 30 & married at this point!).

 

[Trackergd]

Hello, this is my first post on the forum. I am another one of Lauren's cousins; in fact, the shoes she was wearing had actually belonged to me before I grew out of them & my mom gave them to my aunt for Lauren. I don't remember her but there are photos of the 2 of us playing together as young kids (I was born in 1985). I find it incredible that so many people are still interested in what happened to Lauren - it is very inspiring!

Two things I would like to add to the discussion here:
1) Again, to reiterate the point that Lauren's mother (my maternal aunt) did not write her own obituary. Her death was sudden, with her siblings rushing to put plans in motion in order to give their sister a proper goodbye.
2) I saw a post from last year with people suspecting that Lauren's grandparents (who are my maternal grandparents) had something to do with this. My grandmother cried at the mention of Lauren, wrote her letters, and bought her birthday & Christmas presents every year until she passed away in 2009. When my mom was cleaning my grandmother's house, she found a box of these things, including a star named for Lauren. My grandmother would often give me the age-progressed photos of Lauren and ask me to ask people school (both high school & college) if they ever saw her and would ask me to search on the internet for her. So, if you still believe that my aunt's parents were involved, you are very much mistaken; my grandmother thought of Lauren every day. (As for my grandfather, I am positive he did as well - he unfortunately passed when I was 5 years old, so I am not as familiar!)

Again, I was only a little kid when this all happened (I was with my dad's parents while my mom & dad went out to look for Lauren) so I don't have clear memories of that specific day but I have lived my whole life, wondering what happened to my cousin & former playmate. My parents have always been extremely protective of both me & my brother, even till today (and I'm almost 30 & married at this point!).

Welcome!

I was the Tracker looking for Lauren the day she went missing. I have been continuing to look for Lauren for the last 25 years.

Do you remember a man who was originally in Pennhurst Hospital who had one arm curled up and walked like he was marching? He was dirty, wore boots and his socks were yellowish? He used to try and give stuffed animals to the younger girls? He was friends with another guy who lives in the complex named "Dick" who smokes cigars.

Also, do you know of a graveyard in the woods behind King street? It's between king and the old Pennhurst facility. That is one of my primary search areas as well as a farm access road nearby.

Also wanted to add that there was a lot of suspicion that Lauren was taken by extended family to get her away from her mother. Chief Cote and the FBI were investigating this quite a bit and where the rumors about the Grandparents came from. Keep in mind that all scenarios must be investigated, even if they are uncomfortable because they involve family.

 

[lsp4]

Welcome!

I was the Tracker looking for Lauren the day she went missing. I have been continuing to look for Lauren for the last 25 years.

Do you remember a man who was originally in Pennhurst Hospital who had one arm curled up and walked like he was marching? He was dirty, wore boots and his socks were yellowish? He used to try and give stuffed animals to the younger girls? He was friends with another guy who lives in the complex named "Dick" who smokes cigars.

Also, do you know of a graveyard in the woods behind King street? It's between king and the old Pennhurst facility. That is one of my primary search areas as well as a farm access road nearby.

Also wanted to add that there was a lot of suspicion that Lauren was taken by extended family to get her away from her mother. Chief Cote and the FBI were investigating this quite a bit and where the rumors about the Grandparents came from. Keep in mind that all scenarios must be investigated, even if they are uncomfortable because they involve family.

I actually grew up in Philadelphia, so I didn't live in the area Lauren went missing from, so I can't help you out with those questions unfortunately!

Yes, I understand about the scenario of family being involved; my post served more to disprove the idea they were living in Florida, with or without her. Just wanted to put a more personal two cents into the discussion.

 

[Trackergd]

I actually grew up in Philadelphia, so I didn't live in the area Lauren went missing from, so I can't help you out with those questions unfortunately!

Yes, I understand about the scenario of family being involved; my post served more to disprove the idea they were living in Florida, with or without her. Just wanted to put a more personal two cents into the discussion.

Thanks for getting back to me!

I'll just keep on digging for the truth.

 

[Jment01]

I grew up in the area and I was 8 years old when Lauren disappeared. I remember seeing the posters as a kid with my parents in the deli that was on 724 down from the Vincent Motel and before the abandoned inn. It became a kitchen cabinet store then later on. It was weird back then and still is because those kinds of things don't happen in little East Vincent Township. I hope one day we all get closure and the answer to this mystery. It has been almost 30 years now.

 

[Trackergd]

I have gathered bits and pieces over the last couple of years, but am still missing a big part of this puzzle.

 

[Jment01]

Your dedication Tracker is simply amazing. I have re-read all the posts in this thread a couple of times now. I hope one day soon you will find the big missing part. I am familiar with a couple other of the PA cases (Ray Gricar and Kourtnee Stauffer), but Lauren is probably why I am interested in missing persons and mysteries in general. It hits home. I lived over half my life in East Vincent Township, pretty much twenty years and then three years on and off with college commuting. I live in Lancaster now. I haven't been to the area much minus my grandfathers funeral in Phoenixville last year, but it is still my home area.

After rereading the posts multiple times, why weren't the two gentlemen questioned right away, like the very day Lauren went missing? No one found the odd slow man trying to befriend children with stuffed animals, strange? Or someone you may mention to police when a young girl goes missing?

And I remember seeing the Unsolved Mystery spot. One of the theories they showed if I remember correctly was Lauren being traded in the parking lot of Jamesway/Super Fresh (East Pikeland Township/Valley Forge Mall I think). Anyone know where to watch this these days? I searched YouTube to no avail.

 

[csa29]

Bump because I'm new and work in this area! It is now a little over 27 years! Plus, i honestly never heard of this case before.

 

[Trackergd]

A kind soul just sent me the Unsolved Mystery episode from 4/27/94 on DVD. I will update you folks on a few things. First, I dropped a large envelope of redacted information (name removed to protect a witness) off at the Police Department....two years ago. I have called a few times in the interim and my calls are never returned. It is very clear that the local PD either does not want to talk to me, or just wishes this entire case would go away. This is now forcing me to re-copy the information and take it to a higher law enforcement agency. Lauren has waited long enough for justice. I have established there was a former Pennhurst mental hospital patient living in the area at the time. His friend still lives in the same apartment complex that Lauren went missing from. This individual was repeatedly thrown out of the abandoned Pennhurst when he tried to get back into the buildings to sleep. His right arm was unusable and he wore boots. He was known to try and lure young girls with stuffed toys he stole from Jamesway and had on more than one occasion masturbated in front of older elementary school girls. He was known to LE. Where this is significant is that whomever was walking Lauren up the road to the Vincent Motel was walking to Laurens right as if holding her hand and was wearing a flat sole boot. I only had one of his prints and just a few of Laurens...a trail confirmed by an experience bloodhound and handler. This individual was also known to sleep in a small graveyard in a copse of pine trees between King street and what is now a national guard center and the South Eastern Veterans Center (in a renovated Pennhurst building). Kids walking through that part of the woods in the late 80's would be suddenly frightened when he would jump up from his sleeping spot as they walked by. I am not sure if any evidence would be left there after this many years, or if the reported graveyard even exists, but I intend to look.

 

[mariamcc]

I grew up in the area and was 14 at the time Lauren disappeared. I remember thinking...this stuff just doesn't happen around here. I know all the places and landmarks and I am still there often as my family still lives there. I did a small amount of research and was saddened to see she has never been found, no one has ever been charged and there really are no persons of interest. I posted a blip in a group I am part of on FB. It is a group "of people from the area." I asked if anyone remembered Lauren. The responses I got were eye-opening. Many people remember her, in fact many people who lived in the Park Springs complex at the time responded to the post about Lauren and the night she disappeared. I have read all the articles and know from the responses from the FB post what the general rumors were surrounding Lauren's disappearance. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. I do not believe that Christina sold Lauren or gave her away for drugs or to pay a drug debt. Although Christina may not have been Mother of the Year, I do not believe she was involved in Lauren's disappearance. Lauren's 12 year old sister Diana, lived in the house at the time and I don't think that you could make arrangements to give/sell your daughter without the 12 year old sister knowing or hearing something. Back then we did not have cell phones or texting. You could not have a conversation without other people hearing it because you were attached to the phone which was on a cord attached to the wall.
2. One of the FB responses was from a woman who lived in the trailer park on 724 near Park Springs. She said that there was a man that lived in the trailer across the street that in later years was accused of child molestation. She said before any of the parents knew of this man's alleged past they allowed their children to play in his home. This man later committed suicide. This got me thinking.
3. I believe that Lauren was abducted by a child predator who knew the children in that complex and knew that many times these children were outside un-supervised.
4. I believe that if you interview the kids (now adults) who lived in Park Springs at the time and also in the trailer park on 724, they may remember or have knowledge of any of the creepy characters that they were aware of. I am sure as children they may not have wanted to talk, but maybe now as adults they may want to say something.
5. I would want to know from LE were all the child sex offenders in that area interviewed?
6. Lastly I think I know the Pennhurst patient that lived in the Park Springs complex at the time that Tracker mentioned. If he is the person I am thinking of he was always hanging out at the Spring Ford High School football games. If it is the correct person, my gut feeling is that he did not have the mental capacity to abduct Lauren and then hide any evidence.

I truly believe that if a new look was taken at this case Lauren's family may finally be able to have some closure and know what happened to her. One of the people who responded to my FB post was from a women who lived in the Park Springs complex and was there the night Lauren disappeared. She knew Lauren well and remembers her tiny laugh. She described her as a "little fairy that had broken wings." Would love for Lauren to have her wings back.

 

[Trackergd]

I have had no luck at all with the police department. I handed a copy of all my investigation work over to them, then asked to meet with the Chief. I received no response despite repeated requests. The one officer that talked to me gave me the indication that they don't want to deal with this case at all. I am now planning to meet with County and State law enforcement to try and get something moving again. Besides the one individual I noted, I do have another and now marriamcc has suggested a third. I also have an individual I need to try and interview who might help rule one of the individuals in or out. My current problem is that I am so overloaded at work, I might as well move a cot in my lab and sleep there as well. As soon as I can, I will be back on this case.

 

[mariamcc]

Trackergd all that you have done and the time and effort you have given this case is absolutely amazing. I hope someday this case will be solved and I can absolutely say without a doubt it will be because of your hard work and dedication. Thank you.

 

[mariamcc]

I do have one question for you Trackergd. The footprints that were confirmed to be Lauren's and the other unknown person, did they go up onto Rt. 724? My feeling is if Lauren and this unknown person were up on 724 someone had to have seen them. 724 is a busy road. It was a Tuesday night at approximately 7:30p. At that time of night in the fall it is not totally dark yet. On a road like 724 if I were to see a small child even with an adult I would immediately take notice because I would be wondering why are they walking on this road at night while it is getting dark. It is dangerous. I would especially take notice if the adult had the child closest to the road.

 

[Trackergd]

I do have one question for you Trackergd. The footprints that were confirmed to be Lauren's and the other unknown person, did they go up onto Rt. 724? My feeling is if Lauren and this unknown person were up on 724 someone had to have seen them. 724 is a busy road. It was a Tuesday night at approximately 7:30p. At that time of night in the fall it is not totally dark yet. On a road like 724 if I were to see a small child even with an adult I would immediately take notice because I would be wondering why are they walking on this road at night while it is getting dark. It is dangerous. I would especially take notice if the adult had the child closest to the road.

They went along the north shoulder of Park Road to 724, turned north and turned into a scent trail for the dog. They petered out at the Vincent Motel.

The wear pattern in the prints were matched by me to a pair of Lauren's shoes and the track trail was later confirmed by Jim Hosgood's bloodhound Esmrelda working from a scent article.

Laruen was walking to the adults left putting her on the edge of the road and the adult in the grass and roadside debris. In a few places both sets of prints were visible. At the time I figured the adult was left handed, however one of my suspects did not have the use of his right hand. The adult tracks were boot prints. The same suspect wore boots with dirty yellow socks and walked in a marching type step.

 

[Redux]

I posted back earlier in this thread that I had lived in Spring City a couple of years after Lauren went missing (though now that I think more on it, I don't think it was as long as a couple of years after...I need to see if I can more accurately pinpoint the date).

Anyway, just wanted to say that I will ask some of my family that lived in Royersford at the time if they had ever heard anything about Lauren's disappearance.

Just also wanted to bring up Jack Lee Colin who is suspected of kidnapping & murdering a few girls not that far south of Spring City (specifically plymouth meeting, conshohocken & blue bell) in the early 80's. He drove a white '79 chevy malibu station wagon. He was then convicted in '84 of weapons violations but it seems like from what I can find he had short sentence of 3 years so he'd likely have been out by '88 depending on the timing.

A very long shot though for sure as his victims were more along the lines of teenage girls.

 

[Flycolt]

God bless everyone who assisted in this search and case, or who prayed for Lauren' s safe return. She is still prayed for and cared about. jc

 

[Trackergd]

Still getting nowhere with LE. I have ordered some specialized forensics ground probes and a metal detector capable of detecting the eyelets in sneakers and zippers up to 10"+deep. Will try to get into see the County Detectives and see if they have any interest. If not, I will forge ahead on my own.