Someone Knows Something - Season 1

Episode three: The theories

SKS host David Ridgen speaks with those involved in the initial search for Adrien McNaughton, and weighs every available theory about the cause of his disappearance — from abduction to bear attack.
A bear, traced and coloured by five-year-old Adrien McNaughton.

Thousands of people were involved in the search for Adrien McNaughton in the days and weeks following his disappearance in 1972. 

Lakes were searched. Dogs, the military and even psychics weighed in. With such an intensive search, you'd think that something would be found.

On the other hand, with that number of people tramping through the bush, lakes and swampland, is it possible that any clue could survive?

The Canadian military helped to organize and conduct the prolonged search for Adrien McNaughton. (Ottawa Citizen)

David Ridgen picks up the pieces of his investigation into Adrien's disappearance in episode three of SKS.

But the more he searches for answers, the more questions arise.

How far could little Adrien have gotten? Is it possible that there was yet another adult at the lake that day?

Evidence is beginning to pile up, much of it covered in the dust and grime of more than four decades — some of it partially destroyed by the very act of uncovering it.

Someone Knows Something is an episodic series, best listened to in order. Click here to listen to Episode two: Mr. Ring.

 


Show Notes

David and the SKS team did a lot of research into the behaviour of missing people — especially young children — to better understand what may have happened to Adrien and how far he could have gotten on his own. Below, an excerpt from a U.K. study from the Centre for Search Research, with information on missing children aged one to six:

See the full report


Psychic notes from a family friend:

An envelope containing notes taken by a family friend during a visit to a psychic.

July 19, 1973

Dear Folks:

I was at a psychic reader last night. And she said that we were on the right track, just to keep going that there have been a lot of threats, but it is a big bluff, and come August that there would be big changes, and keep the date Oct. 10th in mind…

Read the full letter


A letter from Psychic Investigation International who volunteered to help find Adrien:

"By our standards the child is dead. My first impression is the child was abducted, but not by a human being. Take that for what it is worth..."

 

Read the full letter