MI MI - Nikole Betterson, 2, Dearborn, Dec 1977

[mtrooper]

Not sure if anyone is intersted in all the information I am about to post but here goes nothing. (all information is from Ancestry)

Name: Jarrett James Betterson
Gender: Male
Residence state: Nevada
Spouse: Barbara Gaines Saddler
Spouse residence state: Nevada
Marriage Date: 28 Aug 1982
Marriage County: Clark
Officiant type: Civil celebrant
Recorded date: 31 Aug 1982
Recorded county: Clark
Book: 660
Page: B399936
Instrument number: 186372

 

[Sleuthster]

Searching some of the people search websites, I only find previous addresses as Inkster,MI and Las Vegas,NV with 3 prior adresses in Las Vegas.

That's another thing that catches my attention, it does not appear like they where trying to evade LE by moving around or concealing their location. Im thinking that it could have been the social security fraud they where concerned with when the detectives showed up asking questions and knew that this alone would send him to prison.

My intuition does not indicate that this is a case where they killed this little girl but gave her up for adoption and they did continue to get her survivor benefits from the mom. Now it could be that the child died accidentally also on the trip there. just my thought.

 

[Satch]

What a tragic case,

I think they could have given Nicole up for adoption and than somehow they kept cashing her support checks from her Mother's death. It sounds like records were not checked as throughly as they should have been.

Satch

PS. Has anyone tried the more common spelling of "Nichole" to see how many Nichole Betterson's come up in searches? If she is still alive, could she have changed her name or its spelling to try to get away from all of the crisis in her life? Just thoughts.

 

[traacker13]

Does anyone think this may be a possible match for Nikole?


I know the age is slightly off, but from the facial structure and date of discovery, she may be a possibility?

https://identifyus.org/cases/2196

 

[Ambercat]

Its sort of a long shot, because of the amount of time passed between 1978 and 1995, but the date of death isn't estimated for this little girl on NamUs. Because her father and stepmother settled in Las Vegas (Clark County), NV, I thought she could be Nikole. https://identifyus.org/en/cases/10561

 

[Hulagirl29]

Bumping for Nikole. Incredibly odd story

 

[Richard]

It has now been 35 years since little Nikole was last seen...

 

[Cubby]

Sadly, there is no dna on file for Nikole. I wonder if her maternal grandparents are still alive and if there is any family left to submit DNA.

 

[TB Rhine]

I think maybe it's an inverse of the classic scenario where a young single mom gets a new man in her life, only for him to let her know in no uncertain terms that whatever life they could have together has no room for her child in it. In this case I think it was the other way around: the new girlfriend convinced him to run away and start a new life together. They couldn't let folks know where they were going, as they knew they wouldn't be able to produce the child for visits and whatnot. They either killed the kid or left her somewhere, and their lives basically went to **** after that, possibly as a result of neither one really being able to come to terms with what they kid.

 

[Jake479]

Bumping

 

[cvaldez1975]

what a sad case.... did they just kill her off as soon as they were out of dodge? poor baby was she sold or was it an accident?

 

[Jake479]

Nikole now has DNA available. I hope they compare her to Northampton County Jane Doe.

findthemissing.org/cases/2543
identifyus.org/cases/2196

 

[Richard]

This case will be 42 years old in December.

 

[Sleuth91]

Bumping this thread for Nikole.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Bumping up for little Nikole. She was mentioned as being ruled-out for little St. Louis Jane Doe.

 

[Satch]

Nikole's Charlie Project page:

Nikole Betterson – The Charley Project

Satch

 

[Beekarina]

Since these were survivor benefits Nikole was receiving, what happens is the surviving parent (typically the parent, although it could be a grandparent or other adult representative) receives and manages the funds in the child's behalf. Over time, things have changed and simplified somewhat, but during Nikole's lifetime, her father would have forged documents on at least an annual basis showing what he spent caring for Nikole--and quite possible a breakdown in categories, including producing receipts if ever asked for proof--and a log of any savings in her name.

So...survivor benefits would be as a result of her mother's death. Nikole herself would not have gone to the appointment, especially as such a young child. Her father would have gone and brought birth and death certificates, and maybe some other paperwork showing he had custody since he was not married to her mom.

Edited to add: Basically, he was in a lot of hot water for fraud if Nikole was elsewhere (?) the entire time he received money on her behalf, even if she was/is alive and well. Which doesn't seem likely....

 

[Richard]

Nicole has been missing for over 45 years.