Hope you will put this where they can see it since I'm new here. Thank you
Re: Anna Christian Waters
In late 1972, off highway 9 in Felton California, (about 50 miles south of Half Moon Bay), I had a man and a woman try to lure me into their car. I was 5 years old. I would wait by this highway in the redwoods alone, until the bus came to take me to Kindergarten. I cannot know if they had spotted me there before, and planned this, or if they just happened to see me that day.
This is long but it’s due to me typing exactly what is in my memory as a 5-year old, in addition to adding some adult thoughts.
What I recall: A car pulled up across the two-lane highway, and the man, who was driving (and closest to me), asked if I wanted a ride to school. I remember saying “no thank you I’m waiting for the school bus.” There was not much traffic on this road usually (from my perspective when waiting for the bus), so this may be why I remember being so uncomfortable initially at them stopping and talking to me. I was also a very shy child). They told me I had missed my bus. I recall being very startled/afraid since I’d be in big trouble if I missed the bus.
A lady with dark longer hair said to come along and they would get me to school. I don’t recall if I said anything back as she continued to be persistent, but one of my most vivid memories of that morning was when the lady leaned into the man, he looked toward her - and they began talking to each other. I couldn’t hear them, but my instinct was kicking in that it wasn’t a good thing. They weren’t leaving.
They tried to coax me again. I remember the lady said, “Come on hon.” I recall the man seeming mad that I wasn’t coming across the road to get in the car (my perspective). I don’t remember all of their words. Then the driver side door clicked (as if it was opening up). It’s very quiet in the redwoods unless a dog is barking or a car drives by. I recall the sound.
I don’t know if anyone said anything more before I turned and ran home. The door made the opening sound and my next memory was running. I remember feeling as if my stomach had dropped out of me, and feeling that way on the entire run back to my house – which seemed quite far away from my bus stop (up a hill a good ways and then down another road to the left). For a 5-year old it was too far. It was the 70’s though. I remember running as if someone was chasing me. I believe that was just because I was afraid, since I’d not turned to run away until I heard that click and thought he had gotten all the way out to come and get me. I feel queasy in my stomach at the memory of that long run.
This was never reported (that I’m aware of). I got home and my mom was mad that I’d missed my bus. She told me there was still time and to get back down there and to do so promptly (not put so nicely). I was crying and saying what happened but don’t remember much after that.
They were maybe a bit older than my parents, so perhaps in their late 20’s or 30’s. Again, I was 5 so I’m trying to compare with my younger parents back then. The man may have had glasses on. The woman’s hair seemed kind of oily/disheveled maybe, but I cannot be 100% certain since I was so young. Just how I have always interpreted her. I remember her better for some reason, but with the man he sits on the edge of my memory. I will say darker hair too though since that’s how I’ve always envisioned him.
I guess I’ll share how I’ve held the color of the car in my memory, but for some reason it’s not seared into my mind like some of the other parts of this. I want to say it was a blue car but that’s just what comes to mind as I’m typing, so the color I’m describing isn’t a visual memory. The next memory is certain. It was not a brand new car, but a bit older. It was square shaped. Or rectangle, ..so not rounded. Just one of the older cars from back then, but a little older because it seemed kind of faded. It’s difficult to explain. Not faded but not as bright as a newer car. I can draw the shape. I just can’t describe it too well. I want to say it was a 4 door. The 4-door comment comes to me while writing this down. Meaning, if I think about it, it’s also on the edge of my memory. I knew this detail once but can’t retrieve it at the moment. I remember looking at where they were motioning me to get in but can’t get past that at the moment to see the doors. I know to not try to fill in gaps or unclear things since it can mess up true memories, so don’t want to try too hard. I just wish to add as much as I can, even if it’s just a gut feeling of a memory I once held clearly. I think the car memory is important though so I’ll pray on that – that it comes back as clear as a bell spontaneously.
I cannot know the month. I remember part of what I was wearing (due to running), but just can’t say what the temperatures were even. It was usually chilly in the mornings so I’m sure I had my sweater on.
In retrospect: Where they stopped their car was on a blind turn, and there was only a tiny pull out, so they should not have stopped there. This is a thin highway – not a regular highway. I fully believe that had I not turned and ran they would have come to take me as there is zero reason for a stranger to be so determined on getting a child in a car. Why was that man getting out?
I also think they were watching for a while, or had studied the area because where I waited for the bus was a single abandoned house, right up against the highway. Unless someone had watched for a while they would not have known that house was abandoned. Maybe the abandoned house was evident but it took me awhile as a 5-year old to discover that. I suppose it could have been evident to an adult though. It was a spooky looking house with broken windows.
In the end, I’m reporting this because I hope people keep looking for Anna. I believe these people did not stop with me. They were after a child, at minimum. I’m a female by the way, so perhaps it was specifically a little girl they were after.
I pray this does not hurt the family should they see it. It is my intention to provide hope. Hope that she might still be out there. If this same man and woman took her it is very bad but they may not have killed her. At 5, we do have solid memories. If she is out there she may just need some help to trigger them, and to know she is still loved and still missed.
I’m glad I joined this forum. Thank you all for caring and for finding a way to help me share this.
One last thing: I just now one more thing came to me, but it is not important. It only goes to show that in the retelling these events it can help to pull up old memories. I think I was carrying a lunch pail while running. It’s funny because I can’t see it in my mind, but can sense it with hearing and the sensation of it clunking and how that felt while running. It’s a little disconcerting to have had that pop up since it made me feel fearful even in my own home for a moment, but I hope something like that happens with a crystal clear view of that car. It was right in front of me the whole time, and I know parts about it in order to describe it, but the rest sits just out of reach presently. Hopefully by telling this story that will change.
Hope you will put this where they can see it since I'm new here. Thank you
Re: Anna Christian Waters
In late 1972, off highway 9 in Felton California, (about 50 miles south of Half Moon Bay), I had a man and a woman try to lure me into their car. I was 5 years old. I would wait by this highway in the redwoods alone, until the bus came to take me to Kindergarten. I cannot know if they had spotted me there before, and planned this, or if they just happened to see me that day.
This is long but it’s due to me typing exactly what is in my memory as a 5-year old, in addition to adding some adult thoughts.
What I recall: A car pulled up across the two-lane highway, and the man, who was driving (and closest to me), asked if I wanted a ride to school. I remember saying “no thank you I’m waiting for the school bus.” There was not much traffic on this road usually (from my perspective when waiting for the bus), so this may be why I remember being so uncomfortable initially at them stopping and talking to me. I was also a very shy child). They told me I had missed my bus. I recall being very startled/afraid since I’d be in big trouble if I missed the bus.
A lady with dark longer hair said to come along and they would get me to school. I don’t recall if I said anything back as she continued to be persistent, but one of my most vivid memories of that morning was when the lady leaned into the man, he looked toward her - and they began talking to each other. I couldn’t hear them, but my instinct was kicking in that it wasn’t a good thing. They weren’t leaving.
They tried to coax me again. I remember the lady said, “Come on hon.” I recall the man seeming mad that I wasn’t coming across the road to get in the car (my perspective). I don’t remember all of their words. Then the driver side door clicked (as if it was opening up). It’s very quiet in the redwoods unless a dog is barking or a car drives by. I recall the sound.
I don’t know if anyone said anything more before I turned and ran home. The door made the opening sound and my next memory was running. I remember feeling as if my stomach had dropped out of me, and feeling that way on the entire run back to my house – which seemed quite far away from my bus stop (up a hill a good ways and then down another road to the left). For a 5-year old it was too far. It was the 70’s though. I remember running as if someone was chasing me. I believe that was just because I was afraid, since I’d not turned to run away until I heard that click and thought he had gotten all the way out to come and get me. I feel queasy in my stomach at the memory of that long run.
This was never reported (that I’m aware of). I got home and my mom was mad that I’d missed my bus. She told me there was still time and to get back down there and to do so promptly (not put so nicely). I was crying and saying what happened but don’t remember much after that.
They were maybe a bit older than my parents, so perhaps in their late 20’s or 30’s. Again, I was 5 so I’m trying to compare with my younger parents back then. The man may have had glasses on. The woman’s hair seemed kind of oily/disheveled maybe, but I cannot be 100% certain since I was so young. Just how I have always interpreted her. I remember her better for some reason, but with the man he sits on the edge of my memory. I will say darker hair too though since that’s how I’ve always envisioned him.
I guess I’ll share how I’ve held the color of the car in my memory, but for some reason it’s not seared into my mind like some of the other parts of this. I want to say it was a blue car but that’s just what comes to mind as I’m typing, so the color I’m describing isn’t a visual memory. The next memory is certain. It was not a brand new car, but a bit older. It was square shaped. Or rectangle, ..so not rounded. Just one of the older cars from back then, but a little older because it seemed kind of faded. It’s difficult to explain. Not faded but not as bright as a newer car. I can draw the shape. I just can’t describe it too well. I want to say it was a 4 door. The 4-door comment comes to me while writing this down. Meaning, if I think about it, it’s also on the edge of my memory. I knew this detail once but can’t retrieve it at the moment. I remember looking at where they were motioning me to get in but can’t get past that at the moment to see the doors. I know to not try to fill in gaps or unclear things since it can mess up true memories, so don’t want to try too hard. I just wish to add as much as I can, even if it’s just a gut feeling of a memory I once held clearly. I think the car memory is important though so I’ll pray on that – that it comes back as clear as a bell spontaneously.
I cannot know the month. I remember part of what I was wearing (due to running), but just can’t say what the temperatures were even. It was usually chilly in the mornings so I’m sure I had my sweater on.
In retrospect: Where they stopped their car was on a blind turn, and there was only a tiny pull out, so they should not have stopped there. This is a thin highway – not a regular highway. I fully believe that had I not turned and ran they would have come to take me as there is zero reason for a stranger to be so determined on getting a child in a car. Why was that man getting out?
I also think they were watching for a while, or had studied the area because where I waited for the bus was a single abandoned house, right up against the highway. Unless someone had watched for a while they would not have known that house was abandoned. Maybe the abandoned house was evident but it took me awhile as a 5-year old to discover that. I suppose it could have been evident to an adult though. It was a spooky looking house with broken windows.
In the end, I’m reporting this because I hope people keep looking for Anna. I believe these people did not stop with me. They were after a child, at minimum. I’m a female by the way, so perhaps it was specifically a little girl they were after.
I pray this does not hurt the family should they see it. It is my intention to provide hope. Hope that she might still be out there. If this same man and woman took her it is very bad but they may not have killed her. At 5, we do have solid memories. If she is out there she may just need some help to trigger them, and to know she is still loved and still missed.
I’m glad I joined this forum. Thank you all for caring and for finding a way to help me share this.
One last thing: I just now one more thing came to me, but it is not important. It only goes to show that in the retelling these events it can help to pull up old memories. I think I was carrying a lunch pail while running. It’s funny because I can’t see it in my mind, but can sense it with hearing and the sensation of it clunking and how that felt while running. It’s a little disconcerting to have had that pop up since it made me feel fearful even in my own home for a moment, but I hope something like that happens with a crystal clear view of that car. It was right in front of me the whole time, and I know parts about it in order to describe it, but the rest sits just out of reach presently. Hopefully by telling this story that will change.
I had a phone call from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children this morning. There is a new person on Anna's case, and he wanted to give me his phone number and to let me know that the case is still open.I'm glad her case got some attention. I'd love to see more of the same.
Just a bump to bring Anna's threads to the top of New Posts!
I live very near where and her family lived and am wondering if anything new has been discovered?I live near Felton currently and have friends who are about your age who did live in Felton and went to school there. Let me ask them if they ever had a similar experience.
I am so sorry you went through this but happy that you are ok today.
Thinking about Anna and her beloved family.Tomorrow is Anna's 47th birthday; she has been missing for almost 42 years. I would love it if we could hear from some of the WebSleuths who have posted in the past. We don't have any new ideas, but you never know.