PA PA - Corey Edkin, 2, New Columbia, 12 Oct 1986

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Corey James Edkin – The Charley Project
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Corey James Edkin
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  • corey_james_edkin_2.jpg
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Corey, circa 1986; Age-progression to age 25 (circa 2009)

  • Missing Since10/12/1986
  • Missing FromNew Columbia, Pennsylvania
  • ClassificationNon-Family Abduction
  • Date of Birth06/11/1984 (34)
  • Age2 years old
  • Height and Weight3'0, 30 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionGray pajama pants, a short-sleeved white pajama top with an image of a cartoon beaver imprinted on the front, and no shoes or socks.
  • Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Corey's hair is very light in color.
Details of Disappearance
Corey was last seen at the residence he shared with his mother, Debbie S. Derr, on Second Street in New Columbia, Pennsylvania on October 12, 1986. They lived with Corey's sister; a roommate, Alberta Sones; and Sones's two young children.

Derr left Corey asleep in her upstairs bedroom while she went to a nearby convenience store for a pizza at approximately 12:10 a.m. Corey's sister, Sones, and Sones's children at the residence at the time; Sones was awake and watching television.

Derr returned at approximately 12:40 a.m. and discovered that her son had disappeared and the door was open. Sones told authorities that she didn't see Corey leave the house or anyone enter the house while his mother was away, and never heard any strange noises. The child has never been seen again.

At the time of Corey's disappearance, his parents were divorced. Authorities confirmed that Derr did go to the convenience store during the time she said, and Sones passed a polygraph test, as did several other people close to Corey's family.

Neither of Corey's parents is a suspect in his disappearance. Several ransom calls were made to different members of Corey's family after he went missing; his grandmother claimed she got a ransom call from a woman as late as January 1991. The caller(s) were never identified.

Authorities believe Corey may have been abducted by a non-family member. His case remains unsolved.
 
5eef956b38915.image.jpg

missingkids.org
Corey James Edkin went missing early on Oct. 13, 1986 from his New Berlin home.

July 21 2020
State Police: 'Significant advances' in 1986 cold case of Corey Edkin
''State Police have seen "significant advances" in a 1986 Union County cold case and say they are confident someone will be brought to justice the disappearance of Corey Edkin.

On Sunday, trooper and lead investigator in the Edkin case, Brian Watkins said"significant advances in the Corey Edkin missing persons case" have been made and "the individuals who caused this tragedy will be brought to justice."

''Milton state trooper Mark Reasner said no other information would be released at this time''.
 
Thanks for sharing, dotr.

The article states: "Troopers said they do not believe that the child walked away from the home, nor that he was abducted by any other person, according to a press release."

Anyone have any theories at this point?


dotr said:
5eef956b38915.image.jpg

missingkids.org
Corey James Edkin went missing early on Oct. 13, 1986 from his New Berlin home.

July 21 2020
State Police: 'Significant advances' in 1986 cold case of Corey Edkin
''State Police have seen "significant advances" in a 1986 Union County cold case and say they are confident someone will be brought to justice the disappearance of Corey Edkin.

On Sunday, trooper and lead investigator in the Edkin case, Brian Watkins said"significant advances in the Corey Edkin missing persons case" have been made and "the individuals who caused this tragedy will be brought to justice."

''Milton state trooper Mark Reasner said no other information would be released at this time''.
Click to expand...
 
I just read this article this morning... never knew of this case. I see @dotr has posted similar above.

MILTON - State police say they are confident the 1986 disappearance of a two-year-old boy from his central Pennsylvania house will be solved and those who “perpetrated this tragedy” will be brought to justice.

Corey James Edkin was last seen about 12:10 a.m. Oct. 12, 1986, before his mother, Debbie Mowery (then Wise), left for a convenience store in Milton to pick up a pizza.

Significant advances have been made recently in the case, Trooper Brian Watkins, the current lead investigator, said Sunday.

He cited cooperation from individuals and advances in forensic technology.

“I am confident the individuals who caused this tragedy will be brought to justice,” he said.

Police would not say if they believe Edkin is alive or dead. His birthday was June 11, 1984.

James Edkin, Corey’s father, said Sunday investigators have told him an arrest could be coming but nothing else, he said.

Pa. state police express confidence toddler’s 1986 disappearance will be solved
 
Mostly when small children dissapear it's the parents being involved. The LE do not believe he left on his own accord. Something happened in that house.

The article mentions advanced forencic technology aswell as cooperation from individuals. It's possible that his mother lied about going out and something bad happened in the house. Either the mother was involved somehow and somebody helped her to clean up. Therefore they mention advanced forencic technology as small amount of blood spatter occured, or a insignificant DNA sample they couldn't use back in 1986.

If the mother was not involved, there is probably some kind of inside job. Somebody that knew the family like Sones (her roomate) and their routines entered the house while she was gone or was allowed to by Sones, took the boy and left. Eventually somebody started talking and the LE could use the witness with forencic evidence found at the scene.

I don't think he's alive based on the article. Although regarding his young age (2) he could have been taken by a ring that trafficed young children for illegal adoptions back then but then again the article would look more sensational if they thought he was still alive.
 
Last edited:
What do people think about this quote from the article that Jerseygirl linked above? "'I always hope he is safe," said Corey's mother, Deb Mowery of Selinsgrove...."It's hard on the family. I'd love to find him but I don't want to destroy his life.' "

I don't have any opinions because I just found this thread, but the quote stands out for me.
 
ChatteringBirds said:
What do people think about this quote from the article that Jerseygirl linked above? "'I always hope he is safe," said Corey's mother, Deb Mowery of Selinsgrove...."It's hard on the family. I'd love to find him but I don't want to destroy his life.' "

I don't have any opinions because I just found this thread, but the quote stands out for me.
Click to expand...
I think she might have said that, thinking that the boy was taken into a good home and provided more for him than she could and that she doesn't want to disrupt the good life he now has... in her mind anyways.
 
Daisy1980 said:
VANISHED IN THE NIGHT — WHERE IS COREY EDKIN?
Click to expand...

Interesting blog entry.

Reading it, I had the thought maybe he woke up and did go out the door to look for his mom and fell into the river, but then wouldn't it make much more sense he'd have first gone to look for her in the living room?

I'm curious how his mother and the roommate behaved in the days afterward, how frantically they searched? And would like to see an accurate drawing of the layout of the house.

I don't know what to think.

An abduction while an adult in the house is awake and lights are on also seems unlikely (but of course possible. It's hard to say whether it's what's most likely, though.)

I also wonder what all of the people who were children in the house that night currently think about the whole situation.
 
NEW COLUMBIA One of the dogs used in the search for 2-year-old Corey James Edkin, who has been missing since Sunday, detected a human scent yesterday near the West Milton railroad bridge, state police said. A dog from a search and rescue unit in New Jersey might , be brought here today to confirm that, police said. Before three volunteers with search dogs began hunting for the boy, Sgt. Ronald Barto, commander of the Milton station, promised an all-out effort. "We're not going to give up. We're trying anything we can," he said. From about 5 to 7:30 p.m., nine divers searched for the boy in the Susquehanna River south of the railroad bridge, said Guy R. -Tiffany , one of three people from the Milton Fire Department's dive team who participated. Other divers were from Buffalo Valley and the West Branch dive team in Williamsport. The divers planned to continue their search in the river today. Tiffany said. Area fire departments, rescue squads, hospital paramedics and .others were on hand during the search. Barto said search and rescue dogs can work in areas where other searchers have been. Bloodhounds follow the scent of the missing person soon after the person is reported missing, he said. He said the search and rescue dogs can even find a scent under water. Police have not ruled out abduction, Barto said. However, they are working on a theory that the boy might have followed his mother, Debbie S. Wise, out of the house when she went to a Milton convenience store Monday morning about 12 : 10 a.m. to get a pizza. 4 "If we were going on the abduction theory, we wouldn't be putting 5 in all this time searching for him," Barto said. Mrs. Wise told police her son was sleeping in her bedroom when she checked on him at 11 p.m. Sunday. She said he was missing when she returned home from the convenience store. Another woman living with Mrs.Wise, Alberta Sones, was in her upstairs bedroom for a while and later went down to the kitchen, Barto said. He'said Mrs. Sones did not check on the child. Barto said numerous searches of the New Columbia area were conducted this week, but state police decided to try the search and rescue dogs provided by the Northeast Search and Rescue team from Stroudsburg.

click show 1 article text
The Daily Item from Sunbury, Pennsylvania on October 18, 1986 · 1
 
Edkin boy still missing after a year ByPaulBoyer Milton Bureau MILTON The state police at Milton have received hundreds of telephone calls during the past two months about Corey James Edkin, but none have helped them locate the toddler who has been missing for a year. The police began receiving the calls after Corey's photograph was placed on milk cartons and in utility bills by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Cpl. Donald Seidel said. "We have not given up. We've been working on that case daily. Since his photograph appeared nationwide, we've gotten hundreds of calls," Seidel said. The day after Corey's photograph began appearing throughout the United States, the state police received more than SO. calls from 28 states. Since then, they received calls from almost every state, he said. The boy's mother, Debbie Wise, last saw her son, who was 2, at about 11 p.m. Oct. 12 last year when she left her New Columbia home to go to a A Corey Edkin convenience store in Milton. When she returned shortly after midnight, the child was missing. Alberta Sones, who lived with Mrs. Wise, told police she didn't hear or see anything while Mrs. Wise was at the store. Mrs. Sones was in an upstairs bedroom when Mrs. Wise left for the store. The youngster was sleeping in his mother's bed, police said. Police are still investigating the possibility that the boy, who has blond hair and blue eyes, was abducted. "We haven't ruled anything out. We are checking all the leads we get," Seidel said

Clipping from The Daily Item - Newspapers.com

The Daily Item
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
12 Oct 1987, Mon • Page 9
 
Age progressed photo in link

INVESTIGATION boy's updated picture :emerates leads By Karen Blackledge Staff reporter NEW COLUMBIA A number of leads have been received following the nationwide release of an "age-progressed" picture of a New Columbia boy who has been missing for 1 1 years. On Wednesday, officials of the' .National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported receiving 49 calls from people who believe they have seen Corey James Edkin, who would be 13. He was reported, missing on Oct. 12, 1986, from a New Columbia home. Investigators believe he was abducted. Beginning March 23, his age-progressed picture was featured on ADVO Inc. and affiliated direct mail cards distributed to as many as 73 million househoJfs nationwide, including more than 2.8 million homes in Pennsylvania. The mailing was the largest picture distribution effort to date in the search for the boy. Corey's picture was also featured that week on ADVO's website. ADVO is the nation's largest full-service targeted direct mail marketing service company. Trooper Phil Davis of the state police at Milton, who recently took charge of the investigation, said he has received information about more than 20 calls received by the national center. "I have just started to receive them. I am collecting them all and will attempt to prioritize them and contact police agencies in the areas B Please see PICTURE, A6 .. . j ; ;n 00. " f ' "i This age-progressed picture of Corey Edkin, who has been missing since 1986, has brought in about 49 calls since its nationwide release March 23. Below is an original photo of the boy, who would be 13 now

Clipping from The Daily Item - Newspapers.com
 
The mother seems to have had a difficult life. She ran away from home in 1977(age 14), was hospitalized in 1978, and ran away again in 1979(age 16). (All found in newspapers.com articles ) I think but I'm not totally sure she had a son in 1980 as well. The daughter who was born in 1982 and in the home during the disappearance seems to have named at least one son after her brother (middle name) and or father. (per birth announcements in newspapers)

Corey's grandmother was accused of attempting to kill his grandfather by poisoning in Nov 1986. He had to be hospitalized. All above facts found in newspapers.com I don't want to link because of full /maiden names and privacy. It appears they had many children and several ended up testifying and the family was very split on this. I don't see anything on her being convicted however and she remarried.

All this doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I found all these things together highly unusual. I'm speculating someone who knew the family may be involved and see intervening as "helping" the situation. Alternately, I find it interesting the police had at least at one point considered the boy followed his mother out the door and she didn't notice. I could totally see that as a parent. It would explain why the roommate heard nothing and the door was open when the mother came home. Could someone have been keeping an eye on the home and ended up with an opportunity with the child at the front door?
 
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