CT CT - Janice Pockett, 7, Tolland, 26 July 1973

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I'll try to clear up a few things. The butterfly was found and hidden a couple of days before the abduction. My mother, Janice and I were out for a walk when Janice found the butterfly. I don't remember clearly why she didn't bring it home the day she found it, except that she was riding her bike and my mom had our dog on a leash. I was walking as well. I remember her placing it behind a rock near a stonewall by the side of the road (a little ways into the woods). It was not a path behind our house as the show stated. It was a dirt road that cars used - mostly used by people that lived in our neighborhood - it connected to route 195. The day of the abduction we had been grocery shopping and my mom was still putting groceries away when Janice asked to go and get the butterfly. My mom gave her a white envelope to put it in and told her to come right back. My mom never let us go anywhere by ourselves - this was the first time. Janice was probably gone about 1/2 an hour when my mom and I went up the road to look for her. Her bike was lying on the side of the road. The dirt road was curvy - the bike was around the second curve. According to police records there were two "witnesses". A woman was driving down the dirt road away from our house and saw Janice's bike on it's kickstand on the side of the road facing away from our house. She even stopped her car, thinking a child might run out into the road. She did not see my sister. (I think at that time Janice may have been a little ways into the woods looking for the butterfly??)About 2 minutes or so later a man driving in the opposite direction saw Janice's bike lying on it's side on the side of the road facing toward our house. I think that during that short amount of time that the two people drove by, my sister was taken. The white envelope was never found - nor was the butterfly or any evidence from the scene - only the bike. We lived in a very remote area - it's hard to think that anyone would just be "driving around" there, but I supposed it's possible. I always thought that someone from the neighborhood took her, or someone who knew someone in our neighborhood. There were massive searches of the area, and I know the police went door to door but as far as I know they did not search inside anyone's house. I suppose it's also possible that someone followed us home from the grocery store??
I am hoping that Rodney Stanger is being looked at more closely. His brother lived in Stafford Springs in 1973.
Are there any more questions I can answer?
Thanks to everyone who is posting - I am hoping the show will open some new leads!
 
Also, there was a relative that my mother always suspected may have been involved. He was a cousin of my grandfather. However, there is a police report stating that he was at work at the time of Janice's abduction, and that he could not possibly have driven from his place of empolyment to Tolland during the time frame that he clocked in and Janice's abduction.
 
regarding the time of the walk where the butterfly was found vs. the time of Janice's abduction:
Good question! I have no idea what time the first walk occurred! Janice's was abducted some time between 3:30-4:00PM most likely. She left our house around 3:30PM I believe and I think it was not more than a 1/2 hour later when my mom and I went to look for her. After my mom and I looked for her, I believe my mother called my father at work first and he came home and looked as well. I think the police were called about 5:00PM.
 
Still waiting to hear DNA results on the remains found in Vernon, CT. At this time it does not look like any of the bones found where that of a 7-year old child. I just hope some family will get some answers soon.
 
sister said:
I'll try to clear up a few things. The butterfly was found and hidden a couple of days before the abduction. My mother, Janice and I were out for a walk when Janice found the butterfly. I don't remember clearly why she didn't bring it home the day she found it, except that she was riding her bike and my mom had our dog on a leash. I was walking as well. I remember her placing it behind a rock near a stonewall by the side of the road (a little ways into the woods). It was not a path behind our house as the show stated. It was a dirt road that cars used - mostly used by people that lived in our neighborhood - it connected to route 195. The day of the abduction we had been grocery shopping and my mom was still putting groceries away when Janice asked to go and get the butterfly. My mom gave her a white envelope to put it in and told her to come right back. My mom never let us go anywhere by ourselves - this was the first time. Janice was probably gone about 1/2 an hour when my mom and I went up the road to look for her. Her bike was lying on the side of the road. The dirt road was curvy - the bike was around the second curve. According to police records there were two "witnesses". A woman was driving down the dirt road away from our house and saw Janice's bike on it's kickstand on the side of the road facing away from our house. She even stopped her car, thinking a child might run out into the road. She did not see my sister. (I think at that time Janice may have been a little ways into the woods looking for the butterfly??)About 2 minutes or so later a man driving in the opposite direction saw Janice's bike lying on it's side on the side of the road facing toward our house. I think that during that short amount of time that the two people drove by, my sister was taken. The white envelope was never found - nor was the butterfly or any evidence from the scene - only the bike. We lived in a very remote area - it's hard to think that anyone would just be "driving around" there, but I supposed it's possible. I always thought that someone from the neighborhood took her, or someone who knew someone in our neighborhood. There were massive searches of the area, and I know the police went door to door but as far as I know they did not search inside anyone's house. I suppose it's also possible that someone followed us home from the grocery store??
I am hoping that Rodney Stanger is being looked at more closely. His brother lived in Stafford Springs in 1973.
Are there any more questions I can answer?
Thanks to everyone who is posting - I am hoping the show will open some new leads!
Click to expand...

Thanks - this is so helpful and does clear up many of the misconceptions about this case. Where the path was & the fact that it was in fact a dirt road used by cars and not simply a path behind your house is significant. Also the narrow window of time for the actual abduction to have occurred.

I agree with you totally that given all the evidence it was most likely someone from the neighborhood. All of your thoughts about what happened make sense. It's a shame that the houses in the neighborhood were not searched inside.
 
^ Agreed.

I also wonder if the proximity to route 195 is significant. Maybe someone who was just passing through took her - not necessarily someone who drove by and happened to see her but someone who had been in town for a bit and had his eye on the neighbourhood for some time. Or even someone from the area who knew where it led. I'm thinking it could have been used as an escape route, especially if we're talking about someone who didn't need to return to Tolland at all. Route 195 goes by a few forests and rivers/reservoirs, and if someone goes from 195 to 198 there's even more. (In general, there are many within driving distance.) Stafford Springs is within driving distance too so I think it should also be looked at.

I can make maps if anyone needs them, but if anyone needs to see the area a bit better, look at Google Maps.
 
sister said:
Also, there was a relative that my mother always suspected may have been involved. He was a cousin of my grandfather. However, there is a police report stating that he was at work at the time of Janice's abduction, and that he could not possibly have driven from his place of empolyment to Tolland during the time frame that he clocked in and Janice's abduction.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I have no idea why your mother suspected this relative so I may be completely wrong here, but did he have any friends who were shady characters? How off was the time frame by?

Sometimes shady characters associate with other shady characters, so I wonder if he could have told a friend about Janice and where she lived, what the area was like, etc. and stayed behind waiting so he'd have an alibi.
 
Have authorities looked at Gary Allen Irving - on the lam for 34 years for rapes in MA? this wouldn't be that far from Tolland...and it says he knocked a victim off her bike.
 
NocturnalLady said:
Thanks - this is so helpful and does clear up many of the misconceptions about this case. Where the path was & the fact that it was in fact a dirt road used by cars and not simply a path behind your house is significant. Also the narrow window of time for the actual abduction to have occurred.

I agree with you totally that given all the evidence it was most likely someone from the neighborhood. All of your thoughts about what happened make sense. It's a shame that the houses in the neighborhood were not searched inside.
Click to expand...

It doesnt mean that they cant be searched now. I wonder when the last time was that HRD dogs were used in the neighborhood??
 
Thank you, mikkismom. It is hard to know what to wish for here :(
 
Sister -

I've been meaning for sometime to post here since I found the website some time ago. Please know, that although its been many years, Janice has never left my mind. Back when this occurred, I was 5 years old, and I lived in the next town over. My dad was a volunteer firefighter, as were many of my friend's dads. Several classmates also had police dads. Janice's disappearance changed my world. I was no longer allowed to play outside by myself, nor walk to my best friend's house which was next door, but in summer, could not be seen from my house because of the leaves. That summer, we spent more time inside than we ever had. M dad spent weeks working with the search effort. My neighbor had chickens, and donated eggs, so my mom and I made TONS of egg salad sandwiches for the searchers.

Anyways, when I was back East in August, we went by the new fire department (which is where Cumberland Farms used to be) and I brought up the subject with my dad. We had time to kill, so we drove up to where she disappeared, and I asked my dad a bunch of questions. He said that they had found a piece of someone's glasses in the woods, that was how carefully they searched. He also went on the anniversary searches, and knew about the guy who claimed to have done it - he said he thought that there had been a few, and every time, they'd go out and dig up, but nothing was ever found.

He said, that at the time of her disappearance, the houses on Anthony road were all part of a new development, and lots of young families had moved in there. He said that the new houses were all having stuff done -- new porches, building garages, carpeting etc. He said he always felt that it might have been one of the workers from those houses, maybe noticed her at somepoint, and saw the opportunity. After all, it appeared to be fairly close to where the intersection was. He said he heard they suspected a family member, like an uncle or something, but nothing ever really came of that.

I guess my dad's theory is as good as any of the ones I've seen or heard. It did kind of make sense, driving the area. I don't think someone just happened upon her, or that the drove off 195 and just happened to see her.

I pray that someday we will have the answers that you have been waiting many years to have.
 
Welcome to Websleuths, Have Faith. Your dad's theory sounds like a darn good one. Thank you for adding your insight.

:welcome5:
​
 
HaveFaith,
Your dad's theory sounds like a plausible one. The worker may have been transient, but at work on a house long enough to have seen Janice. Possibly he would have known places to hide her too due to his/her occupation. Prayers. Thanks for sharing.
 
Janice, you are thought of often. I pray answers are found for your family.
 
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