Hello everyone!
Gee... I'm not sure how I should begin, so I'll just go for it....
I'm one of Bethy's sisters. Not the one whom DKC mentioned, but I was informed of her post and about this thread and after doing a little reading and checking out this website, I thought I'd respond. Maybe I can clear up some of the questions and concerns, some of you have mentioned, here.
Eisbar, she had (has) blue eyes, but her hair was more of a light, dusty brown.... oval face, but she wasn't pudgy.... maybe a little tiny for her age. My mom is only 4 & 1/2 ft. tall and my dad was 5.5
I'd like you all, to know that pictures of Bethy have never been witheld. Sheromom, all the photos we had, of Bethy, were released to the police, for distribution to news agencies, etc, at the time of her disappearance. Back, in 1965, the news media was nothing like it is, today. Believe it or not, not many news agencies, other than local, were even interested in such events. They were personal, not national tragedies. We (the family) never thought to post on websites, like this. It was so long ago, when she disappeared and I don't think any of us (siblings), are very sleuthey, or web-a-logical..... I mean.... We just never thought about adding Bethy's information to any kind of list, at websites, such as this. The internet was not even in existance, until what.... the 80's? Who'd think that people would be talking about Bethy's disappearance, after 20 years, much less 40 years?
My sisters and I were VERY surprised, when we learned this. There is also, my mother, to consider. My father died in 1970, but mom is still here and we always have to be careful to consider her feelings about this subject. Old wounds have a way of breaking open, with new attention and the loss of my little sister has left holes in our hearts, that will never mend. We were a close family then, as we are now.
My sisters and brothers and I will be seeing each other, this weekend and we'll discuss whether or not, we should post pictures and info. I would expect that we will all agree that it could do some good, even now. It's just that my family is pretty private about this and these days, EVERYONE has to be careful. People prey upon of this kind of tragedy and my family has suffered enough. There are more kooks out there today, than there were 40 years ago, but from what I've seen so far, this is a very good website, the members seem sincere and balanced and it is extremely, well monitored.
Regarding the question of family involvement; a question of accidental death/cover-up, etc.... Let me tell you the story from my own perspective, as I was there, along with my younger sister and 3 little brothers, the day that Beth disappeared. I was 13 years old. It was a Sunday. As Eisbar noted, my Dad was working in St. Louis during the week and would return home, for the weekends. (No interstate) It was a 3 hour, or more drive. He had just left for St. Louis, that Sunday. My mother had been to visit her sister, near Chicago and to attend my sister's 8th grade graduation. Mother was due back, on Saturday, but had car trouble and was delayed, until Sunday. Another, older sister, would check in on us, around noon, I think. Cape Girardeau was a small town, in 1965. Nothing like this had ever happened and no one ever expected it could, or would happen. All the kids in our neighborhood, played between each other's yards. It was our block, our territory and we knew it well. We knew who was who and where we could play and where we couldn't play.
One of the newspaper reports stated that Beth was seen, walking down the sidewalk Carrying a sand pail, but I doubt that was accurate, as she never left the yard, except to play in the neighbor's adjoining yard, unless she was accompanied by someone older... she was not given to wandering away from home. (The newspapers also reported that her nickname was, "Betsy," but that was also, inaccurate. We called her Beth, or Bethy.)
Our house was just a block and a half from the Mississippi River. There had recently, been a motel, built in the neighborhood, just a block from the Mississipi River bridge, which crossed over, into Illinois. The back of that motel stood at the edge of our back yard and one end of the parking lot, was open to the next door neighbor's back yard, where we often, played. My family has always thought that it was most likely, that Beth was seen by someone at the motel and kidnapped. She probably would not have been afraid, had she been approached by a stranger... If they were kind to her. She wasn't afraid of strangers.... none of us were. It would not have been difficult to have just, picked her up and walked away, or coaxed her into a car. I promise you that she was not killed by me, or any of my siblings. She wasn't missing, long enough for any of us, to have been able to deal with something like that.... If I remember correctly, the police were were notified, within an hour of the time, her presence was missed. Also, I was given a pollygraph test, by our chief of police.... I was very ashamed that I might have to admit to him, that I did not watch for her, as closely, as I should have. She wasn't missing, for very long, before we began searching for her, but it only takes a minute, for a child to be snatched up and lives, to be turned inside out. There was an extensive search of the neighborhood. If she were dead, I'm certain her body would have been found. If Bethy had died, by the hand of a family member, it would most certainly have been an accident and I can say without a doubt that any of us, would have been too concerned for her, to have tried to cover it up. I was the oldest person there, at the time and I was supposed to have been in charge, so I won't deny that I was responsible for her disappearance, through my own negligence, athough none of my family has ever burdened me with that blame.
As TKC mentioned, Philip Clark's story turned out to be a hoax. Some of the best leads, we were aware of, were reports of a suspicious couple, who were in the the area, selling hand made purses. (The police called them, "Gypsies".... How's THAT, for effect! "The Gypsies took my baby!" Is that not too corney, or what?) One of those reports, was that this "Gypsey" man and woman, approached a home in Southern Illiniois and the woman made such a fuss over a little girl, that the father asked his wife to take all the children, back into the house. The couple reported it, to the police, when they heard about Beth....there were other reports too, but unfortunately, they weren't enough to solve the mystery, or bring our baby, back home.
If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer anything I can. In the meantime, a big thanks, to all of you, who continue to search for truth.
Sincerely,
moon