Charles Christopher Francis, a 7-year-old boy from Santa Ana, California, was last seen on April 9, 1979. On that day, Charles had accompanied his father, Dennis, to work, where Dennis delivered water tanks. Due to restrictions against bringing children along, Dennis left Charles on the corner of Chestnut Avenue and Lyon Street while he unloaded his truck. When Dennis returned ten minutes later, Charles had disappeared.
At the time, Charles' parents were engaged in a custody dispute, with his mother having legal custody. Dennis had brought Charles from Colorado to California for a custody hearing scheduled later that month. Authorities initially considered the possibility that one of his parents may have hidden him, but no evidence supported this theory.
Suspicion eventually fell on serial child molester and convicted killer James Crummel, who was active in the area and linked to other child disappearances. Crummel, who had a history of abducting and harming children, became a prime suspect in Charles' case. However, despite extensive investigations, Charles remains missing, and foul play is strongly suspected. His case remains unsolved(
Last Seen: Apr 9, 1979
