r/DoeNetwork

Do you know who this child is? If so please submit to Namus. It would be good if this case was solved. Thanks!

On the night of August 26, 1950, Earnest Cagle Sr., 35, and his 33-year-old wife, Hattie Adeline Cagle, loaded their three children, 3-year-old Mary Ellen, 2-year-old Earnest Jr., and 1-year-old Vickie Lorraine, into the couple’s car and departed from their Illiopolis, Illinois home. Around 11pm, they arrived at "DeLays Tavern” located approximately 15 miles away in rural Buckhart.

Earnest Sr. and Hattie headed inside with 3-year-old Mary Ellen, leaving the two youngest children, Earnest Jr. and Vickie, to sleep in the car. Throughout the night, between rounds of drinks and conversation with the other bar patrons, the couple stepped out periodically to check on the children. However, when the Cagle’s finally prepared to head home at 2:15am, they made a horrifying discovery; Earnest Jr. was not in the car.

When police arrived, Earnest Sr. said his last check on the children was at 1:30am. According to him, Earnest Jr. was fast asleep in the back seat of the two-door sedan, while Vickie rested in the front. Despite the late hour, the car's doors had been left unlocked and the windows were partially rolled down.

An all out search for Earnest Jr. quickly ensued. Because a water filled rock quarry sat 200 from where the Cagle’s car had been parked, it became the searchers primary focus. For days, crews dragged the deep water with grappling hooks, which reached depths of 60 feet in some areas. Simultaneously, teams with dogs and volunteers on horseback scoured the surrounding woods, creeks, and fields. Three national guard airplanes aided by searching from above. Yet they found no sign of Earnest; “not even a single footprint.” After an unsuccessful search, the Cagel’s told detectives they believed their son had been kidnapped. They explained that Earnest Jr. was diabetic and weighed just under 20 pounds. Because of his health condition, they didn't believe he was physically capable of opening and closing the heavy car door on his own. Earnest Jr. also allegedly had a profound fear of the dark. If he had somehow exited the vehicle on his own, the Cagels suspected Earnest Jr. would head towards the only lights on in the rural area; the tavern. 3-year-old Mary Ellen, who had accompanied her parents into the bar that night, also made an alarming remark while police were interviewing the family; “That man got Bubbie.” (Bubbie was her nickname for Earnest Jr.) She went on to tell detectives that a man had reached in through the car’s lowered window and retrieved something from inside. She could not describe the man and couldn’t say which way he went. Cagle’s car was searched and dusted for prints. Despite a set of fingerprints being found on the upper part of the car above the window Mary Ellen said she saw the unknown man reach into, they were unfortunately too smudged for analysis. Three days into the search for Earnest Jr., State’s Attorney George Coutrakon issued a public plea for the boy's return. He offered full immunity to whoever had the child, promising no charges would be filed if he was returned unharmed. He also emphasized that Earnest Jr. needed daily medication to live. Despite the desperate offer, no one stepped forward with any new information. A young unidentified boy’s body was found in Virginia fitting the description of Earnest Jr., but it was ultimately proven to not be him. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the case eventually went cold. In January 1951, Hattie gave birth to another son, George, and in July 1952, a daughter, they named Ernestine. Hattie died in the Spring of 1956 at the age of 38, and Earnest Sr. in 1982, at the age of 66. According to her obituary, Hattie had nine children in total; Two from a previous marriage, Mildred and Edward, followed by Mary Ellen, Earnest Jr, Vickie, George, and Ernestine. I cannot find records for the other two listed daughters, Carol and Lula Belle. Mildred, Edward, and Ernestine have all passed away, but I am unsure about the other children. Earnest Jr was described as having curly blonde hair, and blue eyes. At the time of his disappearance he was last known to be wearing sandals, green overalls, a yellow polo shirt, and a red and tan Hopalong Cassidy jacket. He weighed just 19.5 lbs. and was referred to as “a frail looking boy.” Despite never being found, Earnest Jr. is not listed on any missing persons sites as of yet. I am, however, in the process of submitting his case to both Namus and The Charley Project. I could only locate one photo of Earnest Jr and unfortunately it is terrible quality. If still alive, Earnest Cagle Jr would be in his late 70’s.

I got the information about the case from r/UnsolvedMysteries.