Its all so bizarre....the police seeming to have little concern for five missing kids. This one night of all nights the kids are up by themselves, unsupervised. No further mention of the eldest daughter, who was the reason the kids were still up. A device supposedly found which could not exist (napalm was developed in late '42 by the US, and not used by anyone else during the war that I am aware of-and, as I said, rubber would be the LAST thing to make such a device from). Who knows what was going on in that house? Maybe someone thought they were saving the children? Maybe the mother had an inkling of what was about to occur, thus she keeps ONE of the children with her? Children being sold into adoption was, disturbingly, not unheard of in this area, especially in KY and TN just before WWII...However, a connection to the mines seems most likely. The song "16 Tons" isn't far off..."St Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go, I sold my soul to the company store"...The mining companies OWNED entire towns, and everything in them-including law enfocement. If the family was working a mine (or for a company) in competion to the local company...