On a dark morning in October of 1978, 46-year-old Ethel Louise Atwell, a physical therapy aide, arrived for her 6:00 a.m. shift at the Staten Island Developmental Center, formerly known as the Willowbrook State School. As she made her way from her car, which she had parked and locked behind Building 47, her colleagues inside heard a man's voice say, 'Come on, come on,' followed by Atwell's reply, 'No, you'll beat me,' and then a scream.
It was still dark, and the streetlights were out, making it difficult for anyone to see what was happening. By the time police arrived, Atwell was gone.
The scene in the parking lot told a story of a violent struggle. Scattered on the ground next to Atwell's locked vehicle were her tan pocketbook, one earring, a single black shoe, three black buttons from her coat, and half of a set of her dentures. A more extensive search of the area later uncovered her keys in a wooded area about 75 feet away. Despite a thorough search of the grounds by police and civilian volunteers, using helicopters and dogs, no other trace of Ethel Atwell was found. The investigation was further complicated by the fact that just two months prior, another employee of the center, Shin-ae Lee, had been found murdered and buried in a shallow grave on the institution's grounds.
Over the years, suspicion has fallen on Andre Rand, a former employee of Willowbrook who has since been convicted of kidnapping two young girls from Staten Island, one of whom was found murdered on the grounds of the developmental center. Rand, who had worked at the institution in the late 1960s, was known to live in makeshift camps in the wooded areas surrounding the center after it closed. While he is considered a suspect in Atwell's disappearance, and that of another employee, there is no direct evidence linking him to her case. The disappearance of Ethel Atwell is a haunting case that began with a scream in the dark and has left a family with unanswered questions for decades. The collection of personal items left behind in the parking lot paints a grim picture of her final known moments. Although a suspect has been identified in connection with other crimes in the area, a definitive link to Atwell's case has never been established, leaving her abduction an unsolved mystery.Last Seen: Oct 24, 1978
