Found Safe WI - Audrey Good Backeberg, 20, Reedsburg, 7 July 1962

[Quoththeraven]

I don’t know a lot of women who leave their kids without fear they are going to die
I don’t know a lot of women who were married at 15 in frozen, isolating Wisconsin
I don’t know a lot of detectives who tell such a stilted narrative of this story, after winning what is in many the eyes of a giant Pyrrhic victory = finding her
In 20 years history will look back at this finding and say, it was handled disgustingly.
I hope she lives a beautiful rest of her life
I hope her kids are OK
Confident on both

If I were that detective i’d be beyond revolted about the storytelling rooted in my case.

IMO, I thought it interesting that the detective glossed over the fact that a trusted adult woman took a child she was babysitting for across state lines without parental permission and used drugs in the child's presence right before they took the bus from Madison to Indianapolis and then endangered the 14 year old girl by leaving the child alone at a bus stop in a strange city while she took off. That showed very poor judgement.

In most jurisdictions, there is no statute of limitations for kidnapping, especially when it involves serious harm or death, or when it involves minors. This means that even if a significant amount of time has passed since the kidnapping occurred, the perpetrator can still be charged and prosecuted. Whether the child goes willingly or not is immaterial.

Does taking a child across state lines, using drugs in front of that child and endangering the child by leaving her alone in a strange city constitute kidnapping? Is there any difference between abandoning your own children or abandoning someone elses children? You be the judge.

 

[madamx]

Missing woman found after more than 60 years, sheriff reveals what really happened

Audrey Backeberg disappeared from Reedsburg, Wisconsin at the age of 20 in July 1962. Her cold case has been solved after a sheriff's office found her alive.

www.yahoo.com

Audrey Backeberg, now 82, who disappeared at age 20, has been found "alive and well," the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office said in a media release.

"The Sheriff’s Office is now able to report that Audrey Backeberg is alive and well and currently resides out of State," the sheriff's office said in a media release. "Further investigation has revealed that Ms. Backeberg’s disappearance was by her own choice and not the result of any criminal activity or foul play."

 

[sunnynz]

IMO, I thought it interesting that the detective glossed over the fact that a trusted adult woman took a child she was babysitting for across state lines without parental permission and used drugs in the child's presence right before they took the bus from Madison to Indianapolis and then endangered the 14 year old girl by leaving the child alone at a bus stop in a strange city while she took off. That showed very poor judgement.

In most jurisdictions, there is no statute of limitations for kidnapping, especially when it involves serious harm or death, or when it involves minors. This means that even if a significant amount of time has passed since the kidnapping occurred, the perpetrator can still be charged and prosecuted. Whether the child goes willingly or not is immaterial.

Does taking a child across state lines, using drugs in front of that child and endangering the child by leaving her alone in a strange city constitute kidnapping? Is there any difference between abandoning your own children or abandoning someone elses children? You be the judge.

I thought it said ‘swallowed pills’ rather than took drugs? The pills clild have been anything including pain relief if her husband had physically harmed her in the days prior.

I’m less concerned about her taking the babysitter with her (who knows the reasons for that) and more concerned that a 15 year old was able to get married.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I thought it said ‘swallowed pills’ rather than took drugs? The pills clild have been anything including pain relief if her husband had physically harmed her in the days prior.

I’m less concerned about her taking the babysitter with her (who knows the reasons for that) and more concerned that a 15 year old was able to get married.

Source: Newspapers.com. Several newspaper accounts state that both ran away to escape their lives. The juvenile was reinterviewed as an adult and she told the police that Audrey had taken a bunch of pills, put them in a Coke can and drank it before getting on the bus. The article didn't say what they were.

 

[caradana]

IMO, I thought it interesting that the detective glossed over the fact that a trusted adult woman took a child she was babysitting for across state lines without parental permission and used drugs in the child's presence right before they took the bus from Madison to Indianapolis and then endangered the 14 year old girl by leaving the child alone at a bus stop in a strange city while she took off. That showed very poor judgement.

In most jurisdictions, there is no statute of limitations for kidnapping, especially when it involves serious harm or death, or when it involves minors. This means that even if a significant amount of time has passed since the kidnapping occurred, the perpetrator can still be charged and prosecuted. Whether the child goes willingly or not is immaterial.

Does taking a child across state lines, using drugs in front of that child and endangering the child by leaving her alone in a strange city constitute kidnapping? Is there any difference between abandoning your own children or abandoning someone elses children? You be the judge.

I think this was a woman on her last nerve, making debatable decisions while running for her life. There but for the Grace of heavenly powers go I.

 

[legalmomma]

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/05/us/audrey-backeberg-missing-found-alive?cid=ios_app

…Thanks to an Ancestry.com account that belonged to Backeberg’s sister, Hanson was able to review death records, census reports and “all kinds of data,” he told CNN affiliate WISN.

Ultimately, the detective found an out-of-state address and asked the local sheriff’s office to pay it a visit. They obliged and shortly after the visit, Hanson found himself on the phone with Backeberg for 45 minutes having a conversation he promised to keep private.

“She had her reasons for leaving,” Hanson told WISN.

 

[airportwoman]

IMO, the husband was a fireman, part of the good ol' boy network, which might be why his assault cases weren't pursued. Most of been pretty hard leaving the children behind.

It sounded to me like the husband worked on a farm, and was later a trucker. And he was a child groom, having married her at age 17. Most likely, she was pregnant and neither of them really wanted to get married, but that's the way things were done back then.

 

[airportwoman]

IMO, I thought it interesting that the detective glossed over the fact that a trusted adult woman took a child she was babysitting for across state lines without parental permission and used drugs in the child's presence right before they took the bus from Madison to Indianapolis and then endangered the 14 year old girl by leaving the child alone at a bus stop in a strange city while she took off. That showed very poor judgement.

In most jurisdictions, there is no statute of limitations for kidnapping, especially when it involves serious harm or death, or when it involves minors. This means that even if a significant amount of time has passed since the kidnapping occurred, the perpetrator can still be charged and prosecuted. Whether the child goes willingly or not is immaterial.

Does taking a child across state lines, using drugs in front of that child and endangering the child by leaving her alone in a strange city constitute kidnapping? Is there any difference between abandoning your own children or abandoning someone elses children? You be the judge.

I do wonder what was going on with the 14-year-old babysitter. Does anyone know if she's still alive? She, too may have been attempting to flee a bad situation. That they HITCHHIKED to a city more than 50 miles away is risky in itself, even back in 1962!

 

[beubeubeu]

It sounded to me like the husband worked on a farm, and was later a trucker. And he was a child groom, having married her at age 17. Most likely, she was pregnant and neither of them really wanted to get married, but that's the way things were done back then.

She was born July 6th, 1942.
Her son was born March 19th, 1958.

Tragically that son died at pretty young age by accidental drowning:

One strange story it is, imo. Both local creeks are seriously tiny.

Was there any concrete evidence her husband abusing her ?

I'd think there had to be some pretty seriously GOOD evidence of abuse if despite of babysitter's story investigators were taking possibility of her being murdered so seriously.

 

[airportwoman]

He died August 20, 1990 so hypothermia is unlikely. However, people can drown in a surprisingly small amount of water if they are intoxicated, which is a possibility.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

• Audrey Backeberg, a married mother of two children, was living in Reedsburg, Wisc., when she was last seen in 1962
• A babysitter for Backeberg and her husband later claimed that she and Backeberg hitchhiked to Madison, and then took a bus to Indianapolis
• Authorities now said she was found "alive and well," and there is no foul play

Mom Was Last Seen Walking from Bus Stop. Over 60 Years Later, Police Say She's ‘Alive and Well'

A Wisconsin woman who had not been heard from in over six decades has now been found “alive and well,” authorities said.

people.com

 

[Teche]

It sounded to me like the husband worked on a farm, and was later a trucker. And he was a child groom, having married her at age 17. Most likely, she was pregnant and neither of them really wanted to get married, but that's the way things were done back then.

AB is in her early 80’s. Many couples in that period married young and the parents could give permission for their minor children.

 

[airportwoman]

I just hope this woman has had a good life, and has many more happy years before her life ends.

 

[beubeubeu]

AB is in her early 80’s. Many couples in that period married young and the parents could give permission for their minor children.

Many? Seriously, not very many. It was happening sometimes, but looking through her family history on grandparents, parents and cousins marriages it doesn't seem like it was even close to common, literally just ONE of her close female relative/family member got married before the age of 20,

21 (23), 23 (23), 23 (24), 23 (22), 23 (27), 26 (30), 21 (27), 19 (33), 27 (21), 21 (28), 25 (26), 22 (21), 22 (22), 22 (26), 22 (22), 21 (??), 23 (24) 24 (32), 26 (35), 22 (19), 20 (21)

Her mom was 47 when she gave birth to Audrey, 7 years passed since she had her second youngest child. One of her three still unmarried sisters were 20 (but got married soon after), second was 10, third was 7 years old, quite a big age gap, brothers 17 and 18.
It looks like she was pregnant before the age of 15 and at the time Audrey was 15 one of these brothers passed away, all of her siblings left home and had their own families, her mom was 62, dad 64...
Perfect storm of circumstances to leave that poor girl alone and distant from her family even with the best intentions from everyone involved.

I just hope this woman has had a good life, and has many more happy years before her life ends.

Oh yeah. I hope that too.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Newly-released records reveal why woman left home and young kids in 1962​

Newly-released records reveal why woman left home and young kids in 1962

SAUK COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — Newly-released records reveal why a Reedsburg woman left her husband and two young kids in 1962 and never looked back.

www.wkow.com

 

[summergirl1]

She obviously didn't know her son was deceased. I wonder if she knows now.

 

[whatzthebuzz]

Her mom was 47 when she gave birth to Audrey, 7 years passed since she had her second youngest child. One of her three still unmarried sisters were 20 (but got married soon after), second was 10, third was 7 years old, quite a big age gap, brothers 17 and 18.
It looks like she was pregnant before the age of 15 and at the time Audrey was 15 one of these brothers passed away, all of her siblings left home and had their own families, her mom was 62, dad 64...
Perfect storm of circumstances to leave that poor girl alone and distant from her family even with the best intentions from everyone involved.

That's not Audrey Good. I believe that's the SIL, who married Ronald Backeberg's brother?

Newly-released records reveal why woman left home and young kids in 1962:

Audrey stated she "did this when the kids were very young and they would not remember her" and she "did not want to destroy anyone else's life."

That's really sad. My heart goes out to her loved ones. I wonder if she even reached out to family?

 

[airportwoman]

It sounds like she simply walked away from her life, and left it all behind. I hope her other child is doing okay.

 

[beubeubeu]

That's not Audrey Good. I believe that's the SIL, who married Ronald Backeberg's brother?

Could be actually, my apologies for causing confusion.
On the other hand... this other Audrey's family was local and women weren't getting married as young as Audrey.

 

[beubeubeu]

she simply walked away from her life

In a report filed on July 4, 1962 by Audrey Backeberg to the Reedsburg Police Department, Ronald threatened to kill her and had two loaded guns in the trunk of his car.
(...) According to records, Audrey said she was beaten so badly that she had to go to the hospital just days before she left.
(...) Isaac Hanson, a detective with the Sauk County Sheriff's Office, said. "She had concerns about her own personal safety with some abuse that she had reported to the Reedsburg Police Department."

I wonder what THAT means:

At one point in 1964, investigators determined Audrey left on her own free will and did not want to be found.

Source:

Newly-released records reveal why woman left home and young kids in 1962

SAUK COUNTY, Wis. (WKOW) — Newly-released records reveal why a Reedsburg woman left her husband and two young kids in 1962 and never looked back.

www.wkow.com

This is all super weird to me. Dozen on dozen of cases where spouse looks super guilty but nothing really happens for long years or even decades and everyone is like oh he/she was such a nice guy/gal, I can't believe he/she killed their spouse and kept the body under gazeboo.

Then here, with a whitness who not only heard or saw but accompanied Audrey while she was running away, while having pretty good reasons to leave that life behind (abuse and death threats) husband was allegedly grilled hard about her alleged murder and remained a strong suspect - despite of the fact that in 1964 investigators determined Audrey left on her own free will and did not want to be found?! I don't understand it.

That's really sad. My heart goes out to her loved ones. I wonder if she even reached out to family?

I hope she didn't. Husband was 100% sure he haven't murdered her, but was aggressive towards her, threatened her, assaulted her ("allegedly").
Two possibilities: first - he was a psycho, sadistic monster who abused everyone in his life (pretty unlikely cause she left the kids with him), second - he was young and immature, abusive (but not to the level of murdering anyone) and frustrated with the marriage, extremely angry with Audrey at the time... and he knew he didn't kill her. What he knew was that he got left with two young children to raise on his own, with people judging him for the assaults, suspecting him of a murder, with cops interested in him...
Not to be judgemental but I wouldn't be surprised if he was e x t r e m e l y angry with Audrey for his whole life resulting with children hating her dead or alive.