Episode
352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
1:00:06
Published: Sun Apr 30 2023
Description
In 1912 a four-year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing in a swamp in Louisiana. Eight months later, he was found in the hands of a wandering handyman in Mississippi. In 2004, Bobby Dunbar's granddaughter discovered a secret beneath the legend of her grandfather's kidnapping, a secret whose revelation would divide her own family, bring redemption to another, and become the answer to a third family's century-old prayer.
Chapters
A woman receives a scrapbook about her grandfather's kidnapping in the early 1900s revealing the messy real story behind the legend which became front-page news for two years across the country.
00:00 - 04:46 (04:46)
Summary
A woman receives a scrapbook about her grandfather's kidnapping in the early 1900s revealing the messy real story behind the legend which became front-page news for two years across the country.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
A mother who had her six-year-old son Charles Bruce kidnapped in 1912 was hopeful when she saw a boy who resembled her son, but fainted after realizing it wasn't him.
04:46 - 13:27 (08:41)
Summary
A mother who had her six-year-old son Charles Bruce kidnapped in 1912 was hopeful when she saw a boy who resembled her son, but fainted after realizing it wasn't him. The alleged kidnapper, William C. Walters, took the boy from North Carolina on the pretext to take him for a visit to his sister, but never returned him.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
This transcript discusses incidents where individuals had uncomfortable encounters with strangers who engaged in lengthy and intrusive conversations with them.
13:28 - 20:33 (07:05)
Summary
This transcript discusses incidents where individuals had uncomfortable encounters with strangers who engaged in lengthy and intrusive conversations with them.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
The speaker's uncle Cant visits multiple times a year for extended periods and they discuss the case of a kidnapping and how innocent he was.
20:33 - 27:49 (07:16)
Summary
The speaker's uncle Cant visits multiple times a year for extended periods and they discuss the case of a kidnapping and how innocent he was. The speaker also doesn't think that a previous comment made by someone was meant to be derogatory.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
A detailed letter revealed in a podcast illustrates the common-sense argument that the Dunbars have the wrong child in the kidnapping case of Bobby Dunbar in Mississippi in 1912.
27:49 - 33:58 (06:08)
Summary
A detailed letter revealed in a podcast illustrates the common-sense argument that the Dunbars have the wrong child in the kidnapping case of Bobby Dunbar in Mississippi in 1912.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
Family tension and disagreements arise when one member chooses to do what they feel is right, even if it goes against the rest of the family's wishes.
33:58 - 41:54 (07:56)
Summary
Family tension and disagreements arise when one member chooses to do what they feel is right, even if it goes against the rest of the family's wishes. This can lead to feeling alienated and judged, causing conflicts to arise.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
The disappearance of Bobby Dunbar affected the lives of three different families, but surprisingly, the ones who came out the best were the people who took in a young girl named Julia Anderson.
41:57 - 47:57 (06:00)
Summary
The disappearance of Bobby Dunbar affected the lives of three different families, but surprisingly, the ones who came out the best were the people who took in a young girl named Julia Anderson. Some streets in Poplarville, including Dunbar Street, were named after this tragic event.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
The divorce papers of Bobby Dunbar's parents offer a glimpse into his life after the trial, but also suggest that Percy Dunbar may have lied in court.
47:57 - 56:55 (08:57)
Summary
The divorce papers of Bobby Dunbar's parents offer a glimpse into his life after the trial, but also suggest that Percy Dunbar may have lied in court. Despite this, Bobby and his alleged kidnapper remained intertwined until their deaths.
Episode352: The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar
PodcastThis American Life
This American Life has more than 750 archived episodes that can be streamed for free on their website and also includes videos and lists of favorite shows.
56:55 - 59:01 (02:06)
Summary
This American Life has more than 750 archived episodes that can be streamed for free on their website and also includes videos and lists of favorite shows.