NY NY - Steven N. Chait, 20, New York City, 13 March 1972

[APIMaple]

I just realized we had passed the 40 year mark on Mr. Chait.
Very sad indeed but he could well be alive and healthy. But, if I understand correctly, his mother received calls up until about 1997. So it could be that something happened to him in 96 or 97.
But, he could still be out there somewhere trying to figure things out. It would be great if he could let his mother know the truth before she passes. That would be wonderful if it is possible.

 

[Jmoose]

I hope nobody is offended-apologies in advance, but I wonder if steven Chait might have been gay, and perhaps knew it was something that his parents never would have come to terms with? At this time, we still have so many intolerant people, who cannot imagine having a child who is gay, and back then, it was worse. Could he have left to be true to himself, knowing that he could never tell his parents? Maybe the phone calls were so that he could hear his mother's voice, but he knew he could never tell her, and possibly he'd gotten sick or even died about the time the calls stopped. This breaks my heart.

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

I read about that case a while ago on The Charley Project and think it's very likely the caller could have been Steven. Maybe he felt like he had not only disappointed himself in life but also his family and still missed them and that's why he called just to hear his Mom's voice. I guess he either died in 1997 or something bad happened to him (amnesia etc.)..or he decided he must leave that old part of his life finally behind after 25 years and stop making these calls for good.

 

[Ambercat]

Does anyone know what part of 1997 that the phone calls stopped? There is an 1997 case that I had in mind, but it looks like LE has DNA on Steven Chait and the UID, so they probably aren't the same person.

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

Bumping.

 

[Satch]

I read about that case a while ago on The Charley Project and think it's very likely the caller could have been Steven. Maybe he felt like he had not only disappointed himself in life but also his family and still missed them and that's why he called just to hear his Mom's voice. I guess he either died in 1997 or something bad happened to him (amnesia etc.)..or he decided he must leave that old part of his life finally behind after 25 years and stop making these calls for good.

Good observation,

But the information said that the caller never spoke. The other thing could be (and this is a long-shot) but if Steven was abducted he might have been able to "get away" and maybe just felt compelled to call just to hear his Mother's voice. However, if he was abducted he might have been to frightened to say anything. Personally, I don't think Steven was abducted. The calls could have been him. Maybe a cruel prank, but for twenty-five years? That would be a long time to be a prank.

It seems that if someone wasn't being held against their will and a missing person was able to call home, they would say something. Just my belief. With the moodiness and depression mentioned, sadly, we can't rule out the possibility of suicide. However, if Steven did it, when he did it, remains unknown.

Satch

 

[Satch]

What a sad story!

I was wondering how often Steven's Mother received the calls and their duration? (Often over several years, sometimes, or seldom, but over long periods of time? It sounded like they were very short. I wonder if LE was ever able to trace the calls to determine if the calls could have been from Steven, or just a cruel prank taking advantage of a terrible tragedy.

Satch

I remember making this comment on the case a few years ago.

Satch

 

[apearn]

This guy doesn't line up with the phone calls but the height, weight and age are right.
http://doenetwork.org/cases/1299umpa.html
Eye color is off but if they ran more hazel than maybe it was listed differently.

Some major mental illnesses show up around the age he was so he could have been suffering from something bigger than depression.

The Doe Network:
Case File 1299UMPA

Sketch of Victim

Unidentified White Male


The victim was discovered on January 16, 1977 in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Probable Year of Death: 1977
Cause of Death: Suicide by drug overdose
State of Remains: Recognizable Face
Vital Statistics

Estimated age: 25-35 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 5'10"-5'11; 155 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Reddish brown, long and curly hair; blue eyes. Full beard. T-shaped scar on left side of chin.
Clothing: Dark brown suede/buckskin jacket with tassels on the sleeves and torso (size 38); faded blue jeans (Wrangler brand, size 30x34); brown leather belt; brown, knit turtleneck sweater (labeled Jules Pilch-Doylestown/Hatboro, size "M"); long winter undershirt and pants (size "S"), military issue with laundry mark B-0654; two pair of socks (one pair black, the other wool); brown leather hiking boots, ankle length with black Vibran soles (size 10-10 1/2); leather gloves; sunglasses.
Personal Effects: He was wearing a 14K white gold ring with a blue stone; his pockets contained a comb, pen, pencil, matches and $1.78.
Fingerprints: Not Available
Dentals: Not Available
Case History
The frozen body of the victim was found by two hikers in a cave below an area called The Pinnacle along the Appalachian Trail, in Albany Township, Pennsylvania on January 16, 1977. The cave where he was found is only accessible by foot.
There is little documentation available for this unidentified man. Any photos, autopsy reports, possible fingerprints or dental records have been lost. He was buried in the Berks County Potters Field, however, there are no burial plot records available and his exact location in the cemetery is unknown at this time.

Investigators
If you have any information about this case please contact:
Joel Bonilla
Berks County Coroner's Office
610-478-3280
Email
You may remain anonymous when submitting information.

Agency Case Number:
A-10-77
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Pennsylvania Missing Persons
NamUs

Return to the Unidentified Victims' Index

 

[madamx]

I hope nobody is offended-apologies in advance, but I wonder if steven Chait might have been gay, and perhaps knew it was something that his parents never would have come to terms with? At this time, we still have so many intolerant people, who cannot imagine having a child who is gay, and back then, it was worse. Could he have left to be true to himself, knowing that he could never tell his parents? Maybe the phone calls were so that he could hear his mother's voice, but he knew he could never tell her, and possibly he'd gotten sick or even died about the time the calls stopped. This breaks my heart.

jmoose.. this is a thought that crossed my mind also especially with the calling on Mothers day and seeming to still wanting to keep in contact with his mom but I guess afraid to let the family know he was gay. I know it was very different in those times and that was not very accepted by families like how it is today.

I came across this guy which made me think of Steven Chait.

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/259umny.html

Unidentified White Male
Located on August 12, 1998 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.
Estimated Date of Death: 1 month prior
The victim committed suicide.
State of Remains: decomposed




Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 30-45 years old
Approximate Height and Weight: 6'0"; 132-145 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blue/hazel eyes; brown hair and a mustache. Scar on right lower abdomen; well-healed scars on ventral wrists. Missing appendix.
Clothing: He was wearing a pink/orange shirt; black slacks; a black belt; blue loafers and a gold/silver color watch. $51.85 in US*currency and a white metal and yellow*metal bull windproof cigarette lighter with chain attached was also found.
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not available.



Case History
On August 12, 1998, the victim was found hanging from a tree at Shore Parkway Westbound on East 23rd Brooklyn, New York. There were a few bottles of half empty Tanguary gin found at the scene. He had no identification. He was discovered by two passersby in a wooded area between commercial buildings and the North Atlantic Railroad tracks near Otto Road and Cypress Hill Street. The neighborhood is a mix of two-story

 

[madamx]

I came across this and thought to post it here NYC on New Mission to ID "Lost Souls"

In Queens, Gloria Chait, 83, has held on to her son Steven's belongings and has renderings of what her son might look like now, decades after he disappeared from his dorm room at Columbia University in 1972.

"I love this kid," said Gloria Chait, who still keeps Steven's belongings in his room in their Fresh Meadows home. "No one wants to go 40 years not knowing where your child is."

But she also has a grim hope that the city's new push to identify the "lost souls" of Hart Island may finally give her answers as to what happened to Steven.

"You can't be cynical about this. You have to be realistic and a bit optimistic," said Chait. "You have to understand what kind of suffering goes with a person that disappears. It is immeasurable."

 

[ADKGemini]

Updated with Age Progression: 75DMNY - Steven Norman Chait

75DMNY - Steven Norman Chait

The image on the left was taken circa 1971. The images on the right are age-progressed to 56, 60 and 65 years.

Name: Steven Norman Chait
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: March 13, 1972
Location Last Seen: New York, New York County, New York

Physical Description
Date of Birth: May 9, 1951
Age: 20 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Had a beard and mustache at the time of his disappearance and wears eyeglasses. He has several scars around his left eye.

Identifiers
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Available

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: A winter jacket, a knit hat and scarf.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance
Chait was a student at Columbia University in New York when he disappeared in 1972. The last time his mother saw him, he was home for the weekend, asleep in the bedroom he used to share with his brother. His mother closed the door gently and left with her husband for a party on Long Island.

Chait went back to Furnald Hall on campus that night and spent much of the next morning lying in bed, listening to music, his roommate said. Then he pulled on a jacket, a knit hat and scarf, said goodbye to his roommate, and left. He did not give any indication that he intended to leave for an extended period of time. His friends waited two days before calling the Chaits and telling them that Steven had missed his classes as well as his shifts at Mama Joy's Delicatessen which at the time was located on Broadway near 113th Street in New York City.

Mysterious phone calls to the Chait home began on Mother's Day of 1972, two months after Steven disappeared. The calls occurred two to three times a year for 25 years. In 1997, the phone calls stopped.

By the age of 9, Chait was reading The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report, and earning top marks in school. After he got a "C" in a crucial engineering course, a devastating first, he switched to art history. His family describes his mood as being "heavy of heart" at the time of his disappearance. He has not been seen nor heard from since.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: New York City Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: (212) 694-7781
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: KNMP05495



NCIC Case Number: M-138729871
NamUs Case Number: 5938
NCMEC Case Number:1066634

 

[Satch]

Mysterious phone calls to the Chait home began on Mother's Day of 1972, two months after Steven disappeared. The calls occurred two to three times a year for 25 years. In 1997, the phone calls stopped.

Thought updates,

Twenty-five years is too long to prank someone. I think that those calls were likely Steven and he just wanted to get away. The pressures of school and college may have gotten to be too much for him. Maybe he left to join the hippie movement and start a new life? The characteristics of his personality at the time that he went missing, don't point towards abduction. I don't there is any strong evidence as to whether he is alive or dead. My thoughts are that if he is still out there, he does not want to be found and made that decision a long time ago.

Satch

 

[Satch]

Good article from 2007:

For 35 Years, Waiting for News of a Missing Son

Satch

 

[MadMcGoo]

Refreshing the thread...https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/5938/details

• The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
• Steven Norman Chait – The Charley Project
• 75DMNY - Steven Norman Chait
• Find Missing Steven Norman Chait!

Current Unidentified Person Exclusions

UP8862 09/07/1972 Wicomico MD
UP3006 10/02/1972 Oklahoma OK
UP8937 07/27/1973 Fairfield CT
UP7774 08/08/1973 Harris TX
UP5435 08/09/1973 Anne Arundel MD
UP10941 09/18/1973 Caroline VA
UP5212 11/09/1974 Will IL
UP9383 03/04/1975 Albemarle VA
UP6700 07/01/1975 Amherst VA
UP15056 02/24/1976 Cuyahoga OH
UP12266 06/20/1977 Hampton VA
UP13930 08/01/1978 Cape May NJ
UP4887 12/28/1978 Seminole OK
UP941 03/25/1979 Oswego NY
UP6702 07/01/1979 Augusta VA
————
UP5213 07/30/1980 Will IL
UP7980 05/08/1981 Cuyahoga OH
UP8578 05/19/1981 Richmond VA
UP6745 05/22/1981 Virginia Beach VA
UP6746 01/29/1982 Newport News VA
UP6481 04/14/1982 Orange VA
UP9399 01/09/1983 Caroline VA
UP9509 02/23/1983 Virginia Beach VA
UP6059 05/11/1983 Oswego NY
UP6057 09/05/1983 Onondaga NY
UP6105 10/18/1983 Newton IN
UP9340 11/19/1983 Chesapeake VA
UP2198 03/03/1984 Wake NC
UP6640 08/30/1984 New Kent VA
UP7469 11/22/1985 Washoe NV
UP2099 02/02/1986 Washoe NV
UP6719 03/02/1986 Alleghany VA
UP8865 09/02/1986 Essex NY
UP6643 04/11/1987 Caroline VA
UP6515 04/19/1987 Charlottesville VA
UP2100 07/11/1987 Washoe NV
UP2114 02/29/1988 Washoe NV
UP6473 03/08/1988 Loudoun VA
UP7511 07/16/1988 White Pine NV
UP6018 08/15/1988 Ulster NY
UP7516 07/30/1989 Washoe NV
————
UP6513 01/01/1990 Brunswick VA
UP6530 05/18/1990 Chesterfield VA
UP6474 06/12/1990 Prince William VA
UP2230 08/19/1991 Richmond VA
UP8418 02/24/1992 Henrico VA
UP6112 04/08/1992 Oswego NY
UP6304 08/01/1993 Clarke VA
UP6095 06/26/1995 Greensville VA
UP6762 10/08/1995 Richmond VA
UP6149 01/22/1996 Halifax VA
UP6303 01/26/1997 Warren VA
UP5207 04/22/1998 Will IL
————
UP6305 07/30/2002 Prince William VA
UP2560 03/05/2003 Norfolk VA
UP763 12/16/2003 Hennepin MN
UP6171 12/26/2005 Pittsylvania VA
UP8189 08/28/2006 Hamilton TN
UP6637 10/07/2006 Fairfax VA
UP6278 07/05/2007 Botetourt VA
UP6639 07/28/2007 Fairfax VA
UP1006 02/09/2008 Guilford NC
UP2672 04/05/2008 Prince Edward VA
UP2747 05/07/2008 Limestone AL
UP2667 08/18/2008 Dinwiddie VA
UP5263 10/09/2008 Will IL
————
UP6563 01/04/2010 Middlesex NJ
UP14518 04/03/2010 Shenandoah VA
UP7605 07/21/2010 Mecklenburg VA
UP7605 07/21/2010 Mecklenburg VA
UP9513 11/13/2011 Hartford CT
UP10226 04/01/2012 Carroll VA
UP11248 08/20/2012 Alexandria VA
UP10908 08/29/2012 Fairfax VA
UP12281 12/30/2013 Monmouth NJ
UP12425 04/04/2014 Spotsylvania VA
UP12854 05/23/2014 Cuyahoga OH
UP15192 04/24/2015 Hudson NJ
UP14360 08/14/2015 Bland VA
UP15789 09/05/2016 Middlesex NJ

 

[JSolt1210]

The orangetourism e-mail address works!! I received an e-mail back and they are going to pass the information on. I gave them the link to this forum. They are pleased to see that there is something like this out there. Maybe it will relieve some of the stress the family feels by knowing that he is not forgotten.

Did anything ever end up coming from this potential lead? It seemed promising, but then it just disappeared into the thread.

I agree that 25 years is way too long to prank someone. And I doubt he was being held against his will all that time—he would've been 45 near the end!

If it was him, though, I just don't understand the secretiveness behind it. If he disappeared in order to sever contact with his family, why then is he contacting his family?

In this scenario, then maybe what @Jmoose said above makes some sense. What if he was gay and he disappeared because he knew his parents wouldn't approve—but then would call back to hear his mom's voice because he loved her?

At the same time, though, I can understand that when he's in his 20s—but in his 40s? I would like to think that by this point, he's independent, has his own job, own place, own friends, own support system etc. so that would make it easier to come out. Like, his parents are probably elderly and can't fight him or kick him out anymore. You see what I mean? I wish we had more to go on.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Did anything ever end up coming from this potential lead? It seemed promising, but then it just disappeared into the thread.

I agree that 25 years is way too long to prank someone. And I doubt he was being held against his will all that time—he would've been 45 near the end!

If it was him, though, I just don't understand the secretiveness behind it. If he disappeared in order to sever contact with his family, why then is he contacting his family?

In this scenario, then maybe what @Jmoose said above makes some sense. What if he was gay and he disappeared because he knew his parents wouldn't approve—but then would call back to hear his mom's voice because he loved her?

At the same time, though, I can understand that when he's in his 20s—but in his 40s? I would like to think that by this point, he's independent, has his own job, own place, own friends, own support system etc. so that would make it easier to come out. Like, his parents are probably elderly and can't fight him or kick him out anymore. You see what I mean? I wish we had more to go on.

I only recently came across Steven’s case so I’m not fully up to date on every detail or prior lead, but I tend to agree with all your thoughts on this. This is almost a scenario I could see in Julie Transgender Doe’s case. (I’m not suggesting Steven is Julie), I just think you brought up some interesting points and I wonder if Steven could be an UID like Julie. If he is not still alive.

I have two gay uncles who were raised in a very religious and strict home and coming out to their parents was just not an option for them. They both moved clear across the country as soon as they were old enough. I think my grandparents knew they were gay but it was not ever spoken about. That’s just how they were raised and in a much different time than even the 70s-90s.

And although they weren’t “missing”, a lot of the phone calls between them and my grandparents, after they moved away, would have been fairly similar to those of Steven and his mother after he went missing. I guess conversation just didn’t come as easy for them - it certainly wasn’t because they didn’t love one another.

It would be nice to know a little more and what has happened to Steven.

(eta: JMHO)

 

[madamx]

Bumping for Steven

 

[spartanx]

I have the impression that he committed suicide. He left everything behind, money, documents, passport, etc. Regarding the calls, I think the same as his mother, who was listening and waiting. of calls and maybe he knew... it's very complex when you're in an altered state of mind you see everything differently you feel threatened... right now I feel anxious I bite my nails my knee moves by itself although we can't compare anxiety with a depression like the one steven suffered..
whatever it is rest in peace steven

 

[madamx]

Bumping for Steven

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Steven Norman Chait – The Charley Project