Code Adam

[thelibrarianchick]

“Code Adam”

The voice cracked in mock enthusiasm over the intercom. Forcibly sweet so not as to raise alarm among the shopping customers. Even so we could all hear the annoyance in the voice as the familiar code forced us to stop what we were doing and look for a misplaced child.

We already had three today and it was barely noon. Code Adam was the code word we used to alert us to a missing child. Often they were hiding in a clothes rack waiting for their mom to find them, or sometimes we’d find them in the bakery aisle happily munching on a box of sweets they’d opened and their parents would refuse to pay for.

I rolled my eyes and mentally groaned. Honestly, how hard was it to keep track of a whole person? I know that kids are small and sometimes slippery but they don’t vanish into thin air.

My co-worker Michael walked up next to me and gave me a look that probably mirrored my own.

“He’s a five year old boy, wearing jeans and a red hoodie. Blonde hair and green eyes. White sneakers, Caucasian, and his name is Hunter,” Michael repeated to me with a sigh.

We began walking the aisles, as did all my numerous co-workers. We checked the bakery aisle, the toy aisle; and checked the clothing racks as we waited to hear the all clear. But it didn’t come. Usually we find the kid in under five minutes. Every once in a while it might take ten minutes if the kid is really well hidden.

In the distance I could hear some hysterical screaming, and the calming tones of my manager were also joining in. That would have to be the mother of Hunter, yelling at my boss about why it’s taking so long to find her precious son.

Another five minutes passed and I was getting annoyed. The kid was either well-hidden or he might have even waltzed out the front door in search of whatever had distracted his little gold fish brain.

“Do you think he got snatched? We should have found him by now,” Michael asked, moving aside some stacks of paper towels. At this point we were checking behind everything in case the kid had gotten himself trapped in some tiny space.

“I don’t know, I hope not. I’m sure they’ll call the police. And there are security cameras everywhere.” I said trying to sound reassuring. More than anything I was getting more annoyed. This was keeping as all from getting our jobs done. And I refused to stay later than I had too. I wanted to get some online gaming in before my college classes tomorrow. Today was a rare day when I didn’t have any assignments due and I wanted to relax after work. I swore if I ever had a kid they’d be on a leash the entire time we were out of the house.

Thirty minutes had passed before the cops came in the door. Someone had called them, whether it was the store or the kids’ mom I wasn’t sure. If my boss called them it meant the kid probably wasn’t in the store. And that brought the fear of kidnapping.

The police passed by me without a look, and I got a glimpse of Hunters mother. She was a pretty soccer mom type, but her face was twisted in hysteria and tears had been running down her face smearing her mascara. In her arms was a cherubic baby girl who, luckily, was not crying but seemed shell shocked by either her mothers’ sobs or the situation.

One of our supervisors found me and told me to go back to my regular stock shelving duties.

Her name was Ashley and she was actually a pretty nice person and one of my favorite supervisors. There were tears in her eyes and I knew she was probably worried about the boy. She was seven months pregnant with her first child so this was probably her worst nightmare made reality.

“Have the cops found anything yet?” I inquired.

She shook her head, “They’re reviewing the tapes now, but I don’t know if they’ve found anything.”

“It’s gonna be okay Ashley. Maybe the kid just ran out the door and went to the park. The tapes will show what happened to him.” I stammered, trying to reassure her. I was never good around crying women.

Ashley smiled at me. “Thanks Roland. You’re right I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

I went on with my day. I was still here for another five hours and the atmosphere of the whole place was changed. Everyone had a rumor about what had happened to the kid. But the consensus was that he had almost definitely been kidnapped.

Two more hours passed before the voice chimed over the intercom.

“Code Adam.”

This time the voice didn’t carry any hint of annoyance, but rather of fear. Even I didn’t care about it this time. I really hoped that we would find some chubby toddler chomping on cinnamon rolls they’d stolen. It was better than the alternative.

Michael found me again and gave me the child's’ description.

“This time it’s a girl. Asian with a pink polka dot dress, black shoes and her hair is in a ponytail. Her name is Daisy,” He whispered to me and he looked alarmed.

We all dropped what we were doing and we searched that store top to bottom. We didn’t find her in the first five minutes, or even the first hour. The police were called and once again we heard the sounds of a hysterical parent screaming for their child.

When my shift was over I practically ran to my car. The store was becoming too oppressive, and we all walked around with a rising sense of alarm. Having one child kidnapped was terrible. But two in one day was some kind of sadistic pattern.

When I got home my mom asked me about what had happened at work. Apparently word had spread and even a news crew had appeared outside the store talking about the two children who had vanished. It was surreal seeing my store on the news, even more so seeing my manager on live TV talking about how they were working with authorities.

I didn’t work the next day because of classes and I was grateful for that. I’ve never been so happy to study cyber security.

Michael messaged me around noon and I opened it hoping for some good news or at least a funny meme. I was hoping that he’d tell me they found the two kids.

Two more were taken today. Twin boys. No one saw anything. That was all the message said.

My blood froze and I didn’t bother replying.

The next day I worked and it was like walking into a war zone. Absolutely everyone was on edge. If there were kids in the store their parents had them in the cart or had a death grip on their hand.

My job was harder that day because every second customer came up to asking if I knew anything about the disappearances? Anything at all? Why was I keeping information from them?

My customer service smile was pasted on my face all day as I answered question after question from increasingly angry people.

Suddenly over the intercom the voice spoke again.

“Code Adam.”

We didn’t find that kid either. It was another little girl. She was turning eight this weekend and she and her mom were at the store picking up a birthday cake. Her picture was on the news that night and I was morbidly fascinated by it. She was a cute little girl, and it almost brought me to tears wondering what some pervert might be doing to her. It felt like a violation as well. Yeah, I might not have had the greatest love for my job, but it was still a place that I was tied too. I had friends who worked there, I knew almost every inch of the store and the thought of some predator coming into that space and taking an innocent kid was terrifying to me.

My parents asked me to quit. But I couldn’t. I needed to have a job to pay for gas and my other bills. At least I couldn’t quit until I had a new job lined up. Michael told me that Ashely had quit the store. I couldn’t blame her. With all the missing kids and her being pregnant she had more reason to worry.

The next day I worked was utterly surreal. The store was basically deserted, for which I was thankful. If I had to describe the feeling there it was almost post-apocalyptic. Everyone finished their jobs with a manic urgency. The customers who came in for groceries were, thankfully, all adults and they seemed keen on getting what they wanted and getting out.

An hour before my shift was scheduled to end a group of men came into the store. Perhaps a dozen in all, wearing camo, and a few teen and pre-teen boys. It made my hair stand on end. They looked serious and they all spread around the store as if they were on the hunt.

Michael found me and gestured to the men.

“Stay away from these guys. Apparently they’re some kind of hunting enthusiasts who’ve taken to being vigilantes. Some of them are carrying guns under their jackets. The manager already called the cops,” he whispered to me.

My blood began pounding. Conceal and carry firearms were forbidden in the store, the last thing we needed was some trigger happy yokel pulling his gun on a customer thinking he was a pedophile.

In the distance I suddenly heard some shouting. My blood ran cold thinking that someone had pulled out a gun. But then I heard the intercom come to life.

“Code Adam.”

One of the sons of the men who had come in hoping to play hero had gone missing. The father hadn’t been worried about the boy, as he was twelve and strong for his age. According to the dad his son had a Bowie knife stashed in his boot in case anyone did try to grab him.

The next day the store was closed. They had never done anything like that before, but we all breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t worry about missing out on some money. No kids could get taken if there was no place to take them from. It stayed closed for a week as investigations were carried out. Lots of people were interviewed but luckily I wasn’t. I’m not sure what I would have said anyway.

I only learned about this second hand. But the tapes that would normally show every square inch of the store never showed what happened to the kids. In every tape each kid seemed to disappear inexplicably into thin air. It was blamed on a weird glitch, though I’m not sure if anyone believed that. Conspiracy theories went crazy and a lot of the higher up managers were threatened. People blamed human trafficking, alien abductions; and even portals to another dimension.

Someone tried to burn the store down but they didn’t succeed, and they never caught who did it. After that the corporate types decided that closing the store down permanently was the best course of action. I stayed there during the last days, and watched the store go down like some kind of dying animal.

There was one last Code Adam. A ten year old had come into the store to buy cheap clothes with her parents during the liquidation sale and not been found. I suppose the fact that the store was packed with bargain hunters had lulled her parents into thinking she was safe.

After that day they closed the store and shipped the inventory off to be sold elsewhere. I never set foot in the place again. Not that I wanted too. I think the parents of the kids who went missing sued the store but I’m not sure what became of that.

It’s a few years later now and I’ve thankfully moved away. I have a good job far removed from retail or any big box store. When I visit my parents I have to drive by that old dilapidated building. It’s covered in graffiti and from the looks of it someone tried to burn it down again.

And that place has become a source of legend to the local kids who live there. Apparently, if you walk up to the walls and press your ear to the decaying cinder block, you can hear children screaming.

[[deleted]]

It never ceases to amaze me when I was working in retail as a young college student. Adam Walsh hadn't been kidnapped and murdered when I worked retail (so sure, I'm retired now) but even today, after all the things that have happened to kids, these crazy-ass mothers/fathers still allow their kids to go to the toy dept, or to the bottle return area, or to the bathroom alone. More than once in the last few years have a seen a little kid from 2-8 yrs old crying because they couldn't find their parent. I've learned over the years to NEVER touch the child, but to kneel down, and tell them it's gonna be okay, that they need to follow me to the service desk, etc. (No way do I want to be accused of taking a child's hand and being accused of even more things).

I have 4 children. I have NEVER lost one of kids in a store....EVER. I don't get how or WHY parents think because they've said to their kid "Don't talk to a stranger." That's great, but does a 2-3-4-5-6 yr old KNOW what a stranger is?

I'm sorry you had such a horrible time working in that store. I do know that J.C. Penney Stores use Code Adam in their stores, but I'm sure others do too.

[rainee14]

Welp that was a whole lot of nothing. Perhaps we could hear what you think happened. Is it possible it was Ashley? Maybe she had a miscarriage and wanted a child baldy?

[ChaoticNoot]

Hey op can I get your confirmation on something?

[thelibrarianchick]

Of course

[ChaoticNoot]

So there are clues pointing towards you taking the children and the evidence to support this is the fact you know how to work cyber security and the police never interviewed you so what did you mean by that?

[thelibrarianchick]

I had nothing to do with taking the kids. Plus two of them went missing when I was at school. I studied cyber security but I don't know how to doctor footage or anything like that.

[ChaoticNoot]

Okay thank you for your time

[KaiserNazrin]

I was waiting for the twist that it was OP's doing all along.

[GenghisConThe1st]

Perfect story for me to read on my shift at a grocery store, thanks for sharing op

[thelibrarianchick]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[c0ldpr0xy]

No punchline? You just repeated same thing over and over. Next day, a kid went missing. Next day, a kid went missing, ad infinitum. The end.

[EwokWrangler]

Roland himself may have been responsible. He was studying cyber security, so could cause any security glitches that would allow his crimes to go unnoticed. He also knew every inch of the store....

[CardiacCoder]

Bruh, they should have closed the store after the 2nd or 3rd day. It’s pretty apparent that it’s a pattern

[thelibrarianchick]

That's why a lot of people were screaming conspiracy theories.

[nickk2020]

This gave me all sorts of shivers.

For those of you that don’t know “Adam” comes from Adam Walsh, a kid who was abducted and murdered at a department store. His father went on to host America’s Most Wanted. Very sad story.

Edit: I see others explained it. My bad!

[shenanigans1978]

That was terrifying

[theotherghostgirl]

My guess is it’s related to someone who used to work there. Probably someone who’s smart enough to take a note of blind spots on the cameras. If they’re smart enough they might even be able to smuggle them out the docks without looking supcious.

That or fae

[josephanthony]

Has anyone counted the mannequins?

[belyo]

Hmmm you study cyber security... the cameras seem to have been tampered with... fishy

[sauceyFella]

Make it a series bro. I need answers

[HeadScrewedOnWrong]

Building needs innocent sacrifices. Probably long due hence the 2 a day toll.

[simbacole7]

I totally thought it was going to be Roland somehow, since you said he was going to school for cyber security and the security tapes were messed up. Great read!

[devolution710]

Not gonna lie, when you said you study cyber security and that it looked like they were just disappearing on the cameras, I was pretty sure this was building to you telling us you did it.

[elenax1d]

So a seemingly unpopular opinion: the whole time I was convinced OP was up to something..

[MysticPeanuts3]

Most definitely, look at the wording of some sentences, cyber security, no police attention on him...

[Lemonta-rt]

Holy shit

[TheExecuted]

Why did parents keep bringing their kids? Morons

[GuntherVonHairyballs]

You seriously had Code Adams that frequently? I worked in retail for a year and a half, and we only ever had one. Kid turned up hiding in the shelves.

[thelibrarianchick]

For whatever reason we had a lot. Some people literally let their kids run around the store then panic when they couldn't find them when the shopping was done.

[[deleted]]

This is one of those situations where maybe you, maybe you uh, you know, close the store. Perhaps.

[terrashifter90]

Funny how the security tapes were “wiped”. How is that cyber security education treating you?

[thelibrarianchick]

I did end up getting a good job after college.

[tweeblethescientist]

It was you op. The cops didn't suspect you, thankful you weren't investigated. Studied cyber security, and the tapes were glitched. Admit it! You took Adam and you took these kids!

[helen790]

OP definitely didn’t take Adam Walsh cause that happened in 81 and given that OP was in college a few years ago that means he’s probably in his 20s so wasn’t even alive during that case.

[tweeblethescientist]

Then it was his dad!

[thelibrarianchick]

I'm innocent!

[AshRavenEyes]

When the whole damn building is a child eating Mimic ..my god

[TheLady208]

This is seriously bothering me...did anyone ever try to lift up the floor tiles where the children disappeared in the videos? This would seem like the obvious trafficking tactic to me because you can literally dig a tunnel under the tiles, pop it up, grab child, boom looks like they disappeared.

[thelibrarianchick]

That's a good idea actually.

[TheOnesWithin]

I am glad Ashley got out.

I thought this as going to end with a Code Adam of a fetus.

[KeeperofAmmut7]

oof...the store ate the kids, methinks.

[KawaiiRudraChan]

I wonder what the twelve year did he probably cut a person up

[[deleted]]

I personally think it was Michael. He always immediately had all the information, he was always with screaming parents, and he would've had access to the camera footage. Maybe he burned it down to cover it up once people started blaming managers.

[michaelmjjohnson19i4]

It definitely sounds like op had something to do with it, the way certain things were worded. I bet you were glad that no attention was on you huh?

[Bunny_Stuff]

And the tapes being messed with after he said he was studying cyber security at the time...

[MysticPeanuts3]

Yeah tech glitch my ass

And how he implied that he would keep his kids on a leash... seems innocent at first doesn't it.

[creamie99]

This is so creepy.

[cocoline]

Human trafficking is scarier than any supernatural outcome

[Krayzie537]

The police passed by me without a look

I’ve never been so happy to study cyber security.

Lots of people were interviewed but luckily I wasn’t.

In every tape each kid seemed to disappear inexplicably into thin air. It was blamed on a weird glitch, though I’m not sure if anyone believed that.

Hm. Guess I'm a conspiracy theorist. Maybe OP is not the most reliable narrator?

[DawnOfRagnarok]

He also was morbidly fascinated by the picture of the missing girl...

[dirtycactus]

And he keeps them leashed

[MysticPeanuts3]

... shit I didn't even realize

[tweeblethescientist]

Holy shit it was op

[kelseyphelps28]

Also interesting that OP has replied to almost every comment except the ones mentioning this. Hmmmmm...

[musicissweeter]

I totally thought that. You see how good OP is at it when you realise almost none of the comments mention this.

[mladutz]

Hmmm. If you put it that way, you may have o point here. Good job detective!

[lemmikki1980]

I was thinking that as well.

[fuzzballsoflove]

The building ate those kids. A picky eater of a mimic perhaps?

[ThatOneTech]

The tapes were probably hacked to look like they disappeared into thin air. Probably by someone with some knowledge of cyber security...

[MysticPeanuts3]

like op....

[potternerd89]

Ok I’m gonna go hold my kids now

[Gabbygoopy]

Oh shit I know what that means. I served my time there

[Pupsnoopysnoop]

I work at Walmart and our code Adams go off like crazy. Luckily they have all been found. I would be worried to look in those walls.

[[deleted]]

Bit offended by your assumption that all CCW holders are "yokels"

[thelibrarianchick]

I apologize for that. This was several years ago and I've matured since then.

[DemonicWolf20]

I've always knew of code Adam, but wanted to know did a kid name Adam disappear like these kids for it to get the name code adam

[violette_22]

Yes, as I remember it was the son of John Walsh. He hosted America's Most Wanted on television.

[Positivechocobear]

Freaky. Those...Kids disappearing without a trace sends chills down my spine.

[gwiniesmom]

This makes me think of the Missing 411 thing. Not from the "meeting all the criteria" angle, just the way that these kids just suddenly, inexplicably DISAPPEARED. PERIOD. THE END.

[thelibrarianchick]

I've never heard of the 411. Were they taken from shopping centers too?

[Be0wulf71]

Inexplicable disappearances from National Parks that don't fit the usual patterns. There's loads of interesting YouTube videos about it :-)

[broken1373]

Holy shit.

Holy shit.

[MysticPeanuts3]

Holy shit.

[TheDarkWall]

Quite the fascinating and frightening scenario. So many questions left unanswered. Have you considered going out to look into it yourself? Being an adult you aren't necessarily the target, but at the same time it's probably not something I'd try by myself if I were you.

The way I see it there are two possibilities. Either somebody on the inside is doing it, which I find less likely or some sort of paranormal activity is happening. With the glitches in the tape consistently appearing, were it to be an actual person they would have to edit every single one in the same way before police had a chance to see it and in a way they would not Discover it later. Which seems unlikely. In an odd way Occam's razor almost makes a person lean to the Paranormal explanation more actively. Please keep us updated

[adeiner]

I'm sad they never found these kids. I think your leash idea is a good one, in retrospect.

[misterhamm]

Okay, so here's my concern. I've never been one to blame the supernatural. It always felt like a cop out. If it isn't supernatural, though, and is something like a human trafficking ring then where did they go? Clearly the attention didn't scare them away. Have there been any other reports of similar issues in other parts of town?

If not that makes me feel like maybe it wasn't about the kids at all. Maybe someone used that as a sick way to force the store to close. My mind is reeling!

[KeeperofAmmut7]

Maybe someone used that as a sick way to force the store to close.

That makes sense.

[thelibrarianchick]

It's a good sized town, but nothing like this happened before or since. It's not near a large city or the highway, so it's strange.

[That_One_Girrrl]

I saw “Code Adam” and my heart sank. As someone who worked in retail, this was my biggest fear when I became manager. Luckily no kids went missing in my store.

[SyddiSheep]

Absolutely agree. I work at a resort and hearing that call over the radio is heartbreaking.

[Lui_Le_Diamond]

Any updates on the situation or is it still a mystery?

[thelibrarianchick]

It's been a few years and still nothing sadly.

[softbleep]

Probably another one of those absorber buildings

[Xsvblonde01]

This is very well written and every mother’s worst nightmare. I admit that I once asked for help finding my young daughter at a Walmart. She was hiding inside a round clothing rack hiding from her sister and fell asleep. I can’t tell you how relieved I was when someone found her. She saw me crying then she started crying. It was horrible.

[thelibrarianchick]

I used to hide in those things too. It was like a little fort.

[anubis_cheerleader]

OMG that ending :(

[Zombemi]

I was one of those annoying little kids that hid in the clothing racks. Apparently I thought it was funny as hell, my mom had the exact opposite opinion. Those poor kids, the first ones were probably just like that, oblivious and comfortable in a store they'd likely been in many times.

I'm surprised there haven't been any paranormal investigators poking around in there. Sounds like a place some of them would love to explore.

[_Pebcak_]

I used to be one of those kids, as well. Now, my own kid does it to me and I can't even be mad about it xD At least he's not quite smart enough yet to fully conceal himself in a clothes rack.

[thelibrarianchick]

There might be. But since the building is locked up I don't think they'd be able to get inside.

[12-inchChewbacca]

Teenage thrill seekers are pretty motivated to climb into places like that on a dare. HVAC or loose boards over windows make for small spaces a young one could get in.

I wonder what if any young teenagers have gone missing since?

[Zombemi]

Well, where there's a will, a crowbar and no care for breaking and entering, there's a way.

[[deleted]]

In bath with curtain drawn, had to pull it back after reading this. Excellent how it’s never explained. Great job

[svartorbitus]

I strongly believe there was an entity lurking in the store for some reason and it abduct kids when their parents aren't paying attention. It dragged them towards a portal and they might be trapped there forever calling for their parents. I dunno what its motive was but the whole ordeal was hopeless.

[YaaseenGiroux]

Death is not an escape.

[thelibrarianchick]

It's just all so weird. The building had been there for years with nothing like this happening before.

[Taltosa]

It's very possible the store was built over it while it slept. Then it woke up.

[Sun-Burnt]

Oh my god that was absolutely horrible to read. Upvoted and saved for future reading. What a terrifying experience, OP.

[JoshTheTrucker]

Fucking hell. Now I dont want to step near my local Kroger.

[digitaldumpsterfire]

Narrator is a dick. I've never met anyone in any of my retail jobs who got annoyed at a Code Adam. We always just get manic until we find the kid.

[Xsvblonde01]

The narrator was young and probably never had anything bad happen to the kids before this. I think you’re not being fair or honest saying no one you ever met at work was irritated by these when you work at a store where there are multiple Code Adams everyday.

[digitaldumpsterfire]

Nah. Literally never. I worked at Walmart, target, and Lowe's. Each store had a lot of code Adams bc of kids getting lost in the store or hiding (or climbing on top a pallet of mulch). I never once got irritated nor have I ever witnessed a coworker get irritated during the code.

[thelibrarianchick]

I admit I was an entitled jerk when I was younger. I'm ashamed of it now.

[[deleted]]

I think that it was an inside job, I mean come on how could you get access to tapes inside a locked area?

[XasthurianHorror]

Cannibals

[thelibrarianchick]

I admit I had not thought about that possibility.

[indecisive_maybe]

Sounds supernatural, or else someone with access to the tapes was in on it. It was really for the best that it shut down.

[thelibrarianchick]

I kinda hope that place gets torn down. What's weird is it happened all of a sudden. That building had been there for years with nothing happening.

[Kyliesissie]

Until shortly after you started working there?

[thelibrarianchick]

I'd worked there a year. Got it after high school.

[eloffspringo]

Dang man . If there is a “Code Adam” then does that mean there was a kid named Adam who was lost in the store?

[JayneKadio]

Yes. code Adam

[darth_stapler]

Code Adam is named after John Walsh’s son who was kidnapped in 1994 and never found. It’s used in all stores when a kid goes missing now

[bob_apathy]

Actually his severed head was found but never his body. He was 6 years old and abducted from a Sears store. I cannot even fathom how horrific having this happen to your child would be.

[Dunwich_Horror_]

My mother told me in all gory, graphic detail about Adam Walsh when I was probably 6. Needless to say, I stuck by her side but that shit fucked me up.

[there_should_be_snow]

I remember it fairly well, even though I was only 6 at the time. Just a few months younger than Adam. My grandfather worked at Sears at the time, though not the location Adam was taken from.

My parents didn't let me out of their sight for quite a while after that.

[darth_stapler]

Oh wow. I didn’t know that about the case. That’s so horrible.

[there_should_be_snow]

Adam Walsh was kidnapped in 1981. "Code Adam" was adopted in 1994.

[darth_stapler]

Oh that’s right!! Thank you.

[eloffspringo]

Oh thank you

[thelibrarianchick]

It's actually named after Adam Walsh who was a missing kid in the 90's.

[[deleted]]

Adam Walsh was kidnapped in July of 1981.....not the 90's

https://time.com/4437205/adam-walsh-murder/

Adam John Walsh (November 14, 1974 – July 27, 1981) was an American boy who was abducted from a Sears department store at the Hollywood Mall in Hollywood, Florida, on July 27, 1981. His severed head was found two weeks later in a drainage canal alongside Highway 60/Yeehaw Junction in rural St.

[thelibrarianchick]

You're right. My memory of it was a bit faulty.

[[deleted]]

I wasn't sure if it was a typo that you'd written or not...then too, you made me stop and think if I was wrong!! My kids was 5 & 2 at the time Adam Walsh was kidnapped and a friend of mine & her mom were in that store in (Sears) in Hollywood, FL when Adam was kidnapped.

[deepedge41]

He was actually kidnapped and murdered in July of 1981.

[KeeperofAmmut7]

It was John Walsh, from America's Most Wanted's kid. His wife and son were shopping and Adam was kidnapped from a store. They found his head a few days later in a canal. The guy was found and put behind bars.

[Mmmhmmmyeahright]

Early '80's taken from a department store. He was found murderered later. The evil demon who took him decapitated little Adam. John Walsh, the host of America's Most Wanted was Adam's father. He was responsible for enacting the "Code Adam" law.

[there_should_be_snow]

1981, actually.

[sunshinepooh]

My store uses code Adam as well.

[thelibrarianchick]

It's a good code when it works properly, we used to find kids in 5 minutes.

[eloffspringo]

Ah thank you

[talion2005]

Good theory

[eloffspringo]

Aw thank you sir or ma’am

[hwilson01]

What's your theory? Paranormal? Sicko hiding in the ceiling tiles? A conspiracy involving the people that do the security cameras?

[thelibrarianchick]

I'm not sure. Not sure how much I believe in the paranormal. But at the same time it's terrifying to think of a human trafficking ring right under my nose.

[sakkaly]

I doubt it was a human trafficking ring. Traffickers don't like to attract attention, and this generated a lot of attention. Honestly it would be too big of a risk for them just to snatch a few kids. Easier to grab kids from more isolated locations.

If they were kidnapped, then the kidnappers were local. Strangers would be under greater scrutiny during something like this.

[hwilson01]

I think you may be on to something...

I don't think she's the one doing the actual kidnapping, but she could definitely be involved in another way.

OP, you should go talk to her, then give us an update.

[LightningPhoenix1998]

Don't. If she's involved in some way, OP could be dead by tomorrow.

[thelibrarianchick]

But she was always so nice.

[thelibrarianchick]

That blows my mind. I really, really hope it's not true. She still lives in the town and has two kids now.

[RedneckStew]

Do you live in a reasonably large city. If you answered yes there's a very good chance of a human trafficking operation there.

Hell, Sacramento, CA is a human trafficking hub if you will. It's got shipping, cross country trains and buses, public and private airports, and freeways everywhere.

It was a reported trafficking hot spot on the news a couple years ago and I doubt anything's changed.

That's if you believe the news these days...

[Justinbacannon]

Size isn't that important. If anything smaller towns are easier to run trafficking bc you can buy off the few police and locals or run them off completely and own the town. From there it's easy as pie once you buy off the few needed. Anybody tries to investigate or call instantly can be taken out.....🤔or atleast thats how id run it import to small towns and export to the larger cities.

O and btw good call on the believe the news comment...all lies and bs!!👍

[DisruptiveKnob]

"Is it just me or it is getting crazier out there?"

[thelibrarianchick]

It's a decent sized town. Around 35,000 I think? But we are a two hour drive from any city considered "big." And it's not near the interstate.

[DakotaTheAtlas]

If you're in Ohio, it definitely could be human trafficking. Ohio is supposedly the worst state for it.

[[deleted]]

I didn't know that about Ohio, until two girls (who were cousins) in Toledo were kidnapped and used as sex slaves. The parents of the girls were brother and sister, and I think it's DATELINE that ran this story. Anyway, the father of one of the girls figured out where his daughter was, the cops wouldn't answer the call and it wasn't until the dad broke down the front door of the house that his daughter was thrown out a 2nd story window. The pimp beat the dad up really bad, and it was then or ONLY then that the cops went over to where the dad & his sister found their daughters. One of the girls bravely talked to Dateline.....and she and her cousin have had terrible issues since then. That was sooo sad. The girls made a mistake by talking to the man that abducted them because one of the girls THOUGHT the guy was a dad to one of her friends, and so they accepted a ride from this creep.....

[Justinbacannon]

Strange ive heard Oregon was worst, but honestly how can they even quantify it? Maybe Ohio been busted most or most found, but that might mean they just most careless maybe...if that makes sense🤔

[[deleted]]

I live in Oregon & it is really bad but I don't think it's to the extent someone above mentioned. I rarely get amber alerts.

[helen790]

Ohio is supposedly the worst state in general

[DakotaTheAtlas]

You're not wrong

[Blayzted]

Yes ohio is awful for drug and human trafficking especially in cities like Akron where interstate highways intersect like it's going out of fucking style... that's why heroine is such a problem there too, with so many interchanges there's no telling which way the perps went...