November 8, 2025 • 30 mins
https://www.solgoodmedia.com - Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad free! Dive into the captivating world of classic crime-solving with "Dragnet Radio," where each episode brings to life the thrilling police investigations from the original 1950s radio series. Join Sergeant Joe Friday and his partners as they navigate the mean streets of Los Angeles, unraveling complex cases with meticulous detail and unflinching determination. This podcast not only revisits the groundbreaking drama that set the standard for all future police procedurals but also explores the cultural impact and historical significance of one of the most influential shows of its time.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The story you're about to hear is true, only the
names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you dragnet.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. A
newborn baby is taken from a hospital nursery. There's no
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Your job find them.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
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By a pack of Fatima, you find they now cost
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Speaker 2 (00:52):
Your first puff will tell you.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
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You see, Fatima is the quality king size cigarette because
it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended,
and Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much
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(01:17):
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Fatima has more than doubled its smoker's coast to coast.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
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Speaker 5 (01:30):
But your first poff will tell.
Speaker 6 (01:32):
You, ah, that's different.
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Speaker 2 (01:53):
Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. For the
next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step by step on the side of
the law through an actual case transcribed from official police bolence,
from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is
the story of your police force and action.
Speaker 7 (02:20):
It was Thursday, January twenty eighth. It was raining in
Los Angeles. We were working a night watch out of homicide.
My partner's Ben Romero. The boss's captain Steve. My name
is Friday. It was eleven thirty five pm when we
got to Mercy Hospital on Norwich Avenue, the main entrance.
Speaker 8 (02:39):
Better check it to death, you know, to be right
A walness.
Speaker 9 (02:47):
To b Wayne too, police officers.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
We received a call from the hospital here.
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Oh yes, you're right this way please, yes, ma'am. Dr
Walsh is waiting for him.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
Is he the man in charge?
Speaker 10 (02:58):
Oh no, Doctor Walsh is the head of Oh that's
a person.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
Please, Doctor Walsh alright.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
I mean please come in. Thank you? Miss Yes, doctor Walsh,
how do you do? It's my partner sides with Romero.
My name is Friday.
Speaker 11 (03:15):
Yeah, I's been waiting for him. You have a seat,
blieve and you can't. Thanks, gentlemen. I just got here
a few moments ago myself. No doubt you know as
much about this as I do.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
We were notified that a three day old baby's missing.
Is that correct?
Speaker 11 (03:26):
Yeah, it's one of the Striker twins Faun Tuesday money
boy'd the baby disappear from doctor nursery.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Can't understand how it could happen. Never heard of such
a thing.
Speaker 7 (03:35):
Who was in charge of the nursery.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Nurse O'Connor.
Speaker 11 (03:37):
She's back with the superintendent of the nurses is quite
upset'ld like to talk to her.
Speaker 7 (03:40):
Yes here, we.
Speaker 11 (03:41):
Would alight, that's why to please. You can't understand it.
How did the baby disappear like that? Have the parents
have been notified?
Speaker 5 (03:54):
Father's on his way in and now I haven't told
her mother yet.
Speaker 8 (03:58):
When did they first noticed the baby was gone?
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I understand what's around eleven per.
Speaker 7 (04:01):
Call came into our office about eleven twenty.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
Go ahead, Serge.
Speaker 9 (04:07):
That's O Connor. Yes, doctor Wilson, he's.
Speaker 11 (04:09):
A gentleman from the police department starting amount startten Friday.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
What do you do.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
I want to know all about what happened to night.
Speaker 11 (04:16):
You know, of course it's a serious matter to try
to tell exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
How it happens.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I'll try, doctor an officer.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
It's a thing. Well, we know that you're probably pretty
upsetven nurs Now you just relax and take your time.
Speaker 9 (04:26):
Yes, sir, when did.
Speaker 7 (04:28):
You first notice that the Striker baby was missing?
Speaker 12 (04:30):
Must have happened somewhere between eleven o'clock and ten minutes
past eleven.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I'm sure of that.
Speaker 8 (04:34):
How were you sure of that?
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I came on duty a few minutes before eleven.
Speaker 12 (04:37):
I took the night reports as usual, and I started
taking the orders in the formulas. I remember very well
that both the Striker twins were in their cribs at
that time. M Corn Please, I think it must have
been about five minutes past eleven when I got this
phone call from home.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
My mother's been sick late late, it's about her.
Speaker 7 (04:51):
How far did you have to go to answer the phone?
Speaker 4 (04:53):
About ten feet down the hole from the nursery, just
around the corner.
Speaker 8 (04:56):
Could you see the entrance to the nursery from where
you were talking on the form?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
No, so, I couldn't.
Speaker 12 (05:00):
I was only on the phone for a minute or two.
As soon as I hung up, I came right back
to the nursery.
Speaker 7 (05:04):
Was the telephone call actually from your mother?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yes, sir, my mother has a heart condition. She wanted
me to be sure and have a prescription filled.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
What time was it when you got back to the nursery, owner,
Can you remember that.
Speaker 12 (05:14):
It wasn't quite ten minutes past eleven? So I came
back through the door into the nursery. I noticed right
away one of the crips was empty. One of the
striker twins was gone.
Speaker 8 (05:22):
Is there more than one entrance to the nurserym or
so Kina.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yes, sir, there are two entrances, but at night, one
of 'ems get locked.
Speaker 7 (05:29):
Is it possible that somebody in the hospital, maybe a doctor,
took the baby for examination or some kind of treatment, No, sir.
Speaker 12 (05:35):
Just as soon as I noticed the baby was gone,
I went to the head nurse and the two of
us contacted everybody in the hospital.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
No one knew anything about it.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
Well, is it possible that the child's mother could have
come down from the second floor and taken the baby.
Speaker 12 (05:46):
No, so Miss Strike has been asleep since ten o'clock.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
She's still asleep.
Speaker 8 (05:49):
Are there any other nurses or at tenants working near
the nursery when the baby disappeared?
Speaker 12 (05:54):
No, no reason for anyone besides myself to be around
at that time.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
One of the cleaning people. They'd all gone home after watch.
Speaker 7 (06:00):
I wonder if we get to have a look at
the nursery.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You know, certainly certain want nurse the country to come along.
Speaker 7 (06:05):
Yes, would you please?
Speaker 11 (06:06):
Yes, that's where gentlemen stare down the hall.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
What are they?
Speaker 9 (06:17):
Hospital visiting?
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Eus? Doctor?
Speaker 5 (06:19):
Usual? Two ones were four in the afternoon, seven to
nine in the Evening's quite strict about that.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
Do you know if all the visitors had left the
hospital by nine o'clock? Tony?
Speaker 11 (06:27):
Of course I wasn't here, but the superintendent of nurses
told me they had all left by nine. She's compelling
our list of.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Every visitor we had this evening.
Speaker 7 (06:33):
It was great.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
They'll all have to be checked nurses.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Right here uses.
Speaker 8 (06:40):
This empty crib just inside the window here.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Yes, sir, that's where the baby was. People say it's
right next to the.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Door here, and I noticed that there's no blanket in
the crib.
Speaker 12 (06:49):
Is that mission too, yes, sir Culbs, just the way
I found it when I came back in the telephone.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I hadn't touched it.
Speaker 7 (06:54):
Were there any marks of identification of the blanket or
the clothing?
Speaker 12 (06:57):
Each one Stencild Mercy Hospital, each be he where's an
ID bracelet?
Speaker 7 (07:01):
Doctor? I wonder if we could have that crib brought
out to have a check for possible fingerprints.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Certainly, of course?
Speaker 8 (07:06):
Is this the other door of the nursery thenks you,
miss o Connor.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
That's right, Sergeant. I checked it. It's locked.
Speaker 8 (07:11):
That dog's window on the other side of the nursery
had a station.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Any window, yes, sir it is. It faces onto a
small court.
Speaker 7 (07:16):
I wonder wherever took the baby had to use this door,
so whee.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
They could have gotten in?
Speaker 12 (07:20):
Oh excuse me a minute, I want to attend the
baby in there?
Speaker 5 (07:23):
Sure listen to that, Jim.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
Yeah, doctor. Are there any other entrances open at night
besides the main one?
Speaker 11 (07:33):
Not after ten pm? Or just the main entrance on
Alwich air Men? There's a nurse on Dutyser at all times.
Speaker 7 (07:39):
How about the appearance. Is there any unusual there?
Speaker 11 (07:41):
No father's working man, there's a housewife. Well, the baby's
perfectly normal, nothing unusual at all.
Speaker 8 (07:47):
Three day old baby. They usually take a lot of
careful handling, don't that's definitely first week is always critical.
And this thing taking a three day old infant out
in this weather, cool rain Fred the odds or against
the child were sure.
Speaker 7 (08:01):
The main entrance was the only one open after ten o'clock.
Speaker 11 (08:04):
Ash, I can't understand it. How could anyone get that
baby out of that hospital?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
How could they.
Speaker 7 (08:09):
Were not sure they did? Midnight, a three day old
twin boy was missing from his crib in the hospital nursery.
That's all we knew. We checked the list of possibilities.
The baby could have been taken for ransom. Somebody wanted
revenge in the Striker family and decided on the baby
as the best means. Maybe someone just wanted a child,
(08:32):
someone mentally unsound, a maniac, a pervert. Maybe an accident
had happened at the hospital, somebody wanted to cover up.
Possibly one of the parents or their families had emotive.
Perhaps somebody just wanted the child dead. We called the
office and got out an APB and the Striker baby
in a description of the blanket and the clothing details
of Officers were alerted that the bus depots, railroad terminals,
(08:53):
the airports, all public transportation facilities. Steps were taken to
notify doctors, hospital sanitariums, anybody in any point place where
a three day old baby might be taken. The entire
area around Mercy Hospital was canvass no information. The baby's
crib was dusted for prints, no leads, no physical evidence.
The investigation continued. When George Striker, the father of the child, arrived,
(09:16):
Ben and I met with him in the office of
the hospital superintendent.
Speaker 9 (09:20):
Can we let people know about it? Newspapers and the radio.
Speaker 8 (09:23):
They've already covered that. Stories and pictures have gone out
to the papers with not a fight. At radio stations,
they're getting.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Out broadcasts on AM.
Speaker 9 (09:31):
I gonna tell my wife.
Speaker 7 (09:33):
Well, so there's only one thing that we can promise you.
We'll do everything we can to find your baby.
Speaker 9 (09:37):
Isn't there something I can do? Isn't there some way
I can help?
Speaker 7 (09:41):
This is just a remote possibility, mister Striker, but you
ought to know about it. What's that in case anybody
contacts you? Regarding your baby. In case they make any
demands on you for money or anything else, we want
you to notify us immediately.
Speaker 9 (09:52):
What could they expect to get from us? We own
our home, That's about all.
Speaker 8 (09:56):
We just want to cover all the possibilities, Missus Striker,
in case any demand at all is made. Don't try
to deal with the people.
Speaker 11 (10:03):
All right, Yes, I understand, sergeant Yes, one of the
menical homsh I'd like to see out, signed Sargeant to
leave us all thank you.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
Doctor.
Speaker 8 (10:11):
We don't have to go down, Missus Dragon.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
We'll keep you in fom all right, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Joe.
Speaker 13 (10:19):
Yeah, I think we got something back here and seen
us and I were the night watchman out back the
side of the hospital.
Speaker 7 (10:25):
The faces on Stacy Avenue. Yeah, two doors back there,
just off the street.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
One of them is open.
Speaker 7 (10:34):
Together with sergeants believe us, and doctor Walsh, the head
of the hospital, we went back and examined the side
door which opened on the Stacy Avenue. The latch was
obviously fawlly. It took only slight pressure on the door
to open it. The latch, both door knobs, and the
door itself were dusted for prints. The entranceway in the
immediate area were rechecked. No leads, no physical evidence. We
(10:55):
traced an imaginary path from the open door to the nursery.
We came to the conclusion it could have been possible
for an abductor to enter the hospital, make his way
to the nursery, take the child from its crib in
the absence of the night nurse, and leave with the
same side door without being seen. Storekeepers and residents along
Stacey Avenue were requestioned. We got nowhere when the abduction
(11:17):
story broke in the newspaper and over the radio. The
next morning, the call started to come in. People and
practically all sections of the city thought that they'd seen
the missing baby. Each call was carefully checked out. None
of them paid off. Ten am, he checked back in.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
At the office. I must be getting old, Joe. I
can't seem to take these all night stations like he
used to.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
I'm pretty tired. Drank too much coffee again, I got
a sour stomach. All right, all right, lavis all right?
The Stat's office come up with that run.
Speaker 9 (11:49):
For us, yet working on it.
Speaker 8 (11:51):
How about that sam Berndino call?
Speaker 5 (11:53):
Yeah, they called back.
Speaker 9 (11:54):
They picked the woman up when she got off the bus.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Checked her and the baby out. Baby belongs to her?
Speaker 7 (11:59):
Anything else? Can all ben checked out?
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Uh?
Speaker 9 (12:01):
The press called again.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
I want to know if there are any new leads.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
Yeah, side to side to him here desert, I help you.
Speaker 14 (12:08):
They told me the business office to come down and
see it.
Speaker 7 (12:11):
Surely money nice.
Speaker 14 (12:16):
My name's Wallace. I'm a desk clerk down to the
hotel on eleventh Street, Bluebird Hotel. Yes see, you got
some information like to talk to.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
You might see this is my partner started with the
Maryland started to leave us.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
What's the information about?
Speaker 14 (12:32):
Well, I got hold of a paper this morning, read
about that baby that's missing.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
I see.
Speaker 14 (12:36):
Imagine those people are pretty worried about the kid. I
guess they like all the information they can get. Huh,
looks like that hospital's in the gym. What do you
say or.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
What information do you have?
Speaker 9 (12:45):
Wallace?
Speaker 14 (12:46):
I guess those parents could sue the hospital if they
wanted to.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Huh.
Speaker 7 (12:49):
Well, they're all we're interested in is finding the baby.
Can you help us there?
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Well? I do know for sure?
Speaker 8 (12:54):
What are you trying to tell us? If you've seen them?
Speaker 11 (12:56):
They?
Speaker 14 (12:56):
Well, I may have. Do you happen to know if
they're offering any rewards or into Well.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
I don't know where they'd come from. My father's a
working man who, don't.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Get me wrong.
Speaker 14 (13:04):
Start, and I don't expect anything for any information i'd
give me. Well, I don't make too too much at
the hotel. You know, if they wanted to show their
gratitude in some way, just thought i'd mention it.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
Oh thank you. Well, I just don't worry about that.
What's the information?
Speaker 14 (13:17):
Well, you know, I didn't mean anything by that. Anybody
be glad to help out in the chase like this
what I came in to tell you. It was a
woman and a young baby checked in the hotel last
night when I was on duty, but I think it
was about twelve o'clock. Women didn't have any baggage or anything,
one little blanket around the kid. And I saw that
story in the paper this morning. I got suspicious. A
woman still registered at the hotel.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
She was when I left.
Speaker 9 (13:39):
That was about an hour ago.
Speaker 8 (13:40):
I'm not namedly she registering? You remember, No, I.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
Don't, but it's in the register.
Speaker 14 (13:44):
You can check it if you want. Where is it
out there, eleventh and Charleston, right in the corner. I'm
sure it must be the kid you're looking for to say,
I hope you haven't got me wrong. I mean about
the reward, you know, I don't expect anything for this.
Speaker 7 (13:56):
We haven't got you wrong. Thirty five am it was
still raining. Together with the desk clerk Wallace, we drove
to the Blueberry Hotel on Eleventh Street. We checked the
cards at the desk and found that the woman had
registered under the name of Missus Harold Parks. The clerk
on duty told us, as far as he knew, she
was still in the room with a baby.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
The rule was down this wayside.
Speaker 8 (14:20):
But no, say.
Speaker 9 (14:24):
This is abound sixty Missus Park, Missus Park.
Speaker 7 (14:32):
Do you have a pask you with your watch?
Speaker 9 (14:34):
Huh, thank you? There's nobody here.
Speaker 7 (14:45):
Wait a minute, what have you got a small blanket?
Speaker 8 (14:53):
Check the lettering Mercy Hospital.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
How you are listening to dragnet authentic stories of your
police force in action?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Oh no.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Yes, what a difference.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
There's a difference you can hear.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
There's a difference you can see.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
But the difference in fatima is quality.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yes, friends, when you compare long cigarettes, you'll find that
in fatima the difference is quality, quality of tobaccos, the
finest Turkish and domestic.
Speaker 9 (15:39):
Varieties, extra mild and superbly.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Blended to give you a much different, much better flavor
and aroma than any other long cigarette.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Quality of manufacture, smooth, plump cigarettes rolled in the finest
paper money can buy.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Quality even to the appearance of the bright, clean yellow package,
carefully wrapped and sealed to bring you Fatima's rich, fresh,
extra mild flavor.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but
your first puff will tell you, ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer
for Fatima, the quality king size cigarette, best of all
long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Friday, January twenty ninth, eleven am. We were unable to
locate the woman who had registered at the hotel under
the name of Missus Parks. There was no sign of
the baby. The blanket we found in the room was
identified by hospital personnel as the same type used in
the nursery. The room was checked for fingerprints and physical evidence.
We found nothing. People in the joining rooms were questioned,
but they could give us no information. We got a
(16:59):
description of the woman who used the name Missus Parks
from the desk clerk and we got out on all
points bullet and on her Her hotel registration card was
checked for handwriting and fingerprints. Captain Steed ordered an immediate
canvas of all hotels, apartments and rooming houses in the
central area. The hotel clerks were showing mugshots of possible suspects.
They failed to identify any of them. Three pm Friday,
(17:21):
the search for the striker baby went on.
Speaker 8 (17:23):
Yeah, checked out, all right, okay, he thinks anything gil
insane is checked that lulship costs another phone my nation.
Speaker 13 (17:32):
Yeah, Lewis and I were making the rounds of hotels
out along people stopped at drug store for a cup
of coffee.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
We talked to druggists while we were there.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
Had a pretty good story for us.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
You gotta like, yeah, there you go.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
Nice.
Speaker 13 (17:49):
This drug store is two blocks in a hotel where
the woman stayed. It's open all night and the druggist
told us. A woman answering this missus Parks description came
in about one thirty am.
Speaker 8 (17:59):
Bought a whole the stuff, how do you mean what
kind of stuff or everything for a baby?
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Bottles, nipples, dextro soil, powder. You know all that stuff?
Was he sure the woman's description?
Speaker 9 (18:08):
He gave it to us before we'd even mention.
Speaker 13 (18:09):
What does missus Parks look like right down at the
collar of her coat, that she had the baby with
her when she bought this stuff? Now Druggers said no,
she even asked him she could buy can milk there?
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Where is it?
Speaker 6 (18:19):
Lee?
Speaker 8 (18:20):
How do you mean does he have any idea where
the woman came from where she went?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
No, but he said, or she came back in again.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
He called us right away.
Speaker 13 (18:27):
He's going to notify the other clerks too, you know,
keep us posted when he turns up.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And I got it.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
Homicide Friday.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
My name's missus Lucy. I'm calling about that missing baby
in the paper.
Speaker 12 (18:40):
Am I talking the right department?
Speaker 7 (18:41):
Yes, ma'am. Do you have any information on the case?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Well, I certainly have. I know where that strike a
baby is right now?
Speaker 9 (18:47):
Where's that man right next door?
Speaker 10 (18:48):
The sabicides have him?
Speaker 11 (18:50):
Well?
Speaker 7 (18:50):
What makes you so sure perfectly?
Speaker 10 (18:52):
Help me?
Speaker 11 (18:52):
It is?
Speaker 9 (18:53):
That's all?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
It's not their baby.
Speaker 15 (18:55):
Why do you say that that baby they had him?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
One looks like mister Salads, Missus Salads, idn't mind?
Speaker 7 (18:59):
Do how do you mean, missus Lucy, it's very simple.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
Mister Salli's eye doc quite dark dark head. Do guys,
Doc complection his wife the same way?
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Baby they have is a blonde.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
Before I hung up, I got the woman's name and
the address and told her that we'd check out our neighbors.
Mister and missus sallads Are. We weren't sure what it meant.
It could be the real thing, it could be like
a hundred other calls that we'd had in the last
twelve hours. Then and I got in the car and
drove out to the Salasar home on one Middland Avenue.
We noticed several cars parked in the driveway and in
front of the house. We went up the front stairs
and rang the doorbell. Yes, sir, come on in please,
(19:44):
we'd like to speak to mister saalas Ar.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
Yes, sir, that's me, Come on in. Thank you, come inside.
Let me fix you a drink.
Speaker 8 (19:51):
You're late, huh, well, thank you. We're police officers, mister
sallis Are. I'd like to ask you for your questions.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
Oh, once the matter.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
We're making too much noise for the neighbors.
Speaker 8 (19:59):
No, it's not that so just like to ask you
a few questions someplace we can talk.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Well, I have to take care of the guess.
Speaker 7 (20:04):
You know. We have this party here.
Speaker 9 (20:06):
My son was baptized today, my first son. That's why
we're having good bidy.
Speaker 7 (20:10):
Yes, sir, we're Sorday interrupted. It's pretty important. It won't
take it very long.
Speaker 9 (20:14):
All right. I guess they can get along for a
few minutes back here in the kitchen. It's probably the quietest.
Speaker 7 (20:18):
Nice fine this way, I say, friend, we're.
Speaker 9 (20:28):
There, pull up a couple of chairs.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Thank you, Uh missus sallis are This is my partner,
Sergeant Ramey. Her name is Friday Homicide.
Speaker 9 (20:37):
Yes, sir, what's the matter? What do you want to
ask me?
Speaker 7 (20:40):
We're investigating a case that involves a missing baby, sir.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Well, the one in the paper this morning.
Speaker 7 (20:45):
I read about that. It's a terrible thing, isn't it, Yes, sir,
it is. We've had a report that the missing baby
was seen in this neighborhood. We don't know how true
it is, but we have orders to check it out.
Speaker 9 (20:53):
Well, sure, anything I can do.
Speaker 13 (20:55):
I don't know how much I can help, but I
can understand how that mama pu up a few my
brand new son.
Speaker 9 (21:00):
I know how I feel.
Speaker 8 (21:02):
How old is your son, mister Selis.
Speaker 9 (21:03):
Huh, he's just one week old this afternoon.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Fine, boy, was the baby born here in Los Angeles?
Speaker 9 (21:09):
No, I said, my wife Roberta to Phoenix.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
To have a baby.
Speaker 8 (21:12):
We thought it'd be a lot healthier for her down there.
Speaker 9 (21:15):
She has a good friend of Virgin Phoenix.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
Oh, your wife had the baby in Phoenix and then
she brought him back here.
Speaker 9 (21:20):
Yes, that's right. Roberta came in early this morning. Big
surprise for me. I didn't know she was coming.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Right away.
Speaker 9 (21:27):
I called all our old friends.
Speaker 15 (21:28):
I called Father Desota for the baptism, and I got
things ready for the party, big baptism party.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
You say your wife got back early this morning.
Speaker 15 (21:36):
Yes, a few minutes after three o'clock. Roberta came in
on the plane. She said it was late, you know,
the big storm.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
I wonder if we could talk to your wife, mister Selish, Well,
Roberta's taking a little.
Speaker 9 (21:48):
Nap right now, or she got in late, you know
all the excitement. Do we have to wake up up.
Speaker 7 (21:53):
Well Wilson right away? I just wonder if we could
see the baby.
Speaker 9 (21:57):
Well, baby's sleeping too, said not to go in, but.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
Well, if you're real quiet, yes.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
There will be.
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Okay, he's right, we'll be here. Let me pull the
blanket down.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
There is big fellow.
Speaker 8 (22:28):
He's blonde.
Speaker 6 (22:29):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (22:30):
What do you think you know?
Speaker 7 (22:32):
I think he's got a twin. Five pm, Harlan Stall
from Laking Fingerprints arrived at the Salasar home. The footprint
of the missing child, taken at the time of birth,
was compared with the print from the child the Salasars had.
The princes were identical. The missing baby had been found.
Five twenty pm Ben and Night talked with Missus Salasar
(22:53):
in the kitchen of her home. The christening party went on.
Speaker 6 (22:56):
I don't think I understand what this is all about, officer.
What has my baby got to do with oly?
Speaker 8 (23:02):
You know as well as we do, miss Alisar, that
baby in there, it doesn't belong to you.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
It's not joy What do you mean it's not mine? Course,
it's my baby, my husband said mine. I just brought
him from Phoenix last night. That's where the baby was born.
What are you trying to do to me?
Speaker 7 (23:22):
That baby isn't yours, Missus Selizan. Now you know that
was taken from the hospital. How about the truth.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what
you're talking about.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
It's my baby.
Speaker 6 (23:33):
It was speptised today he went to Marcelisara. It's my baby.
Speaker 7 (23:39):
It's a pretty serious matter, man. The baby's footprint has
been checked out. The child belongs to a Missus Striker.
We want to know how you happen to have him.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Because he's my baby. That's why I have he. You
don't know what a mistake you're making. It's my baby.
I brought him from Phoenix last night. You can hit
my husband.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
He tell you.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
A woman checked in at the Blue Bird Hotel on
Eleventh Street about midnight last night, Missus Salazar. She had
a young baby with her.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
You fair description.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
I didn't go to a hotel last night. The plane
none did hear from Senis. I came right home.
Speaker 8 (24:10):
Hotel clerk remembers, you can identify you, so can I
drug it? When you bought the supplies wrong?
Speaker 6 (24:16):
I about nothing. The plain landed.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I came home.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
It's my baby, my baby.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
We found a baby's blanket in the hotel room you're rented.
We have your description from at least three people. Even
the color of the coach you wore last night.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
You can't take him away.
Speaker 12 (24:29):
He belongs to me.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Me on friend, you can't take him away.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
Please you come, miss Salisar. Why don't you put yourself
in the place of the real mother of that baby.
How do you think she feels about her baby being
taken away? How about it?
Speaker 8 (24:44):
Miss sels are.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
Have a drink off, please for the party.
Speaker 10 (24:54):
Have a drink.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 8 (24:56):
Tell us what man, I'm tired.
Speaker 6 (24:59):
I missed the.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
Yeah, m it's for a few minutes.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
I tell you how it happened. I know you, you understand. Yes, ma'am,
will be eleven years next month that.
Speaker 10 (25:16):
Frank and I were married. I don't have to tell
you we want a baby. Frank always wanted a baby,
but no more than I did. That's what we live for,
a baby of our own, Yes, ma'am, boy or girl,
we didn't care. But although we didn't have one for
(25:40):
eleven years, we didn't have one. The last day. Brother,
that's when the doctor told me. He said I was
going to have a baby.
Speaker 8 (25:51):
Yes, ma'am, I understand.
Speaker 6 (25:53):
Well.
Speaker 10 (25:54):
A month before the baby was born, we thought it
would be better if I went to my friend's place
in Phoenix, soons for the window. You know, it would
be warmer there. Frank thought it would be nicer for
me as a baby.
Speaker 8 (26:08):
Your husband was still in Los Angeles.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Yes, he tried to come to Phoenix, but he had
to work, so I had my baby alone. It was
a boy.
Speaker 10 (26:21):
My friend was with me.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
She'll tell you it was a boy. Mm. I'm I
kept calling imcording to bring my baby. It's a long time.
I kept calling.
Speaker 10 (26:32):
Then I finally came, and the doctor too.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
And here's the one that told me, yes, he looked
just like his father. I know that, but I told
me he was dead. I don't remember much after that.
Serge and I got out of the hospital and I
took the plane.
Speaker 10 (26:55):
And I came back here. It was dark and it
was raining, but I walked around. I walked up and
down the streets, thinking what could I tell Frank? Baby
was dead.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
That's all I could tell him. Then I walked past
the hospital.
Speaker 10 (27:15):
That was nursing hospital, man, and it was raining, and
I could see all those babies inside warm in their cribs,
and I wanted just one of them, just one for
Frank and me. So I went in the side door
(27:36):
and I found the nursery, and when the nurse was gone,
I took him and left my baby.
Speaker 6 (27:47):
I went to the hotel to keep him out of
the rain, and when it cleared a little, I took
him home.
Speaker 10 (27:53):
I took him home to Frank.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I took my baby home.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
That's why you want my baby, Isn't it?
Speaker 6 (28:05):
Because I took him? Because my baby died and I
too came.
Speaker 7 (28:13):
Everything be alright. Mysells are like, wouldn't strike it out?
Oh good?
Speaker 6 (28:22):
You talk to the officers, Frank.
Speaker 10 (28:25):
What do you want me to say?
Speaker 5 (28:28):
Be alright?
Speaker 7 (28:28):
Officers want everything be alright? Yes, sir, I think we
can work it out.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
What could I tell you, Frank? What was there to
say to you?
Speaker 9 (28:41):
It's alright, honey, it's alright. I want to tell the people.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
Now, and what can you say? What can you tell them?
Speaker 9 (28:52):
Party's over?
Speaker 7 (28:53):
It's just a mistake.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
The story you've just heard was true, only the names
were changed to protect the innocent in a moment. The
results of the trial now here is our star, Jack Webb.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Thank you. Last week I asked you to write me
if your cigarette dealer was out of fatimas you did,
and we've done something about it. Now if any more
of you find a dealer fresh out of fatimas, send
me his name and address.
Speaker 8 (29:26):
We'll take care of that too.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Write me Jack Webb, Post Office, Box nine five one, Hollywood,
twenty eight, and mister dealer, don't wait another day. Step
up your fatima order for Thanksgiving and the coming holidays.
Get in on the increasing demand for fatima. The quality
long cigarette.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
ROBERTA.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Salassar was examined by six psychiatrists and was ordered to
be placed in a statemental institution for treatment.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
You have just heard.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Dragnet, a series of authentic cases portions transcribed from official files.
Technical advice comes from.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
The Office of Chief of Police W. H.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Coming up, We the People
then screen Director's Playhouse on NBC
The story you're about to hear is true, only the
names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you dragnet.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. A
newborn baby is taken from a hospital nursery. There's no
trace of the infant. There's no trace of the abductor
Your job find them.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
You'll be amazed when you compare Fatima with other long cigarettes.
By a pack of Fatima, you find they now cost
the same light of Fatima.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Your first puff will tell you.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yes, what a difference in Fatima. The difference is quality.
You see, Fatima is the quality king size cigarette because
it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended,
and Fatima is extra mild with a much different, much
better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. Because
(01:17):
of its quality, it's extra mildness, it's better flavor and aroma.
Fatima has more than doubled its smoker's coast to coast.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Try comparing Fatima yourself. Fatima's now cost the same as
other long cigarettes.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
But your first poff will tell.
Speaker 6 (01:32):
You, ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yes, in Fatima. The difference is quality. Ask your dealer
for Fatima, the quality King size cigarette, best of all
long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. For the
next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step by step on the side of
the law through an actual case transcribed from official police bolence,
from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is
the story of your police force and action.
Speaker 7 (02:20):
It was Thursday, January twenty eighth. It was raining in
Los Angeles. We were working a night watch out of homicide.
My partner's Ben Romero. The boss's captain Steve. My name
is Friday. It was eleven thirty five pm when we
got to Mercy Hospital on Norwich Avenue, the main entrance.
Speaker 8 (02:39):
Better check it to death, you know, to be right
A walness.
Speaker 9 (02:47):
To b Wayne too, police officers.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
We received a call from the hospital here.
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Oh yes, you're right this way please, yes, ma'am. Dr
Walsh is waiting for him.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
Is he the man in charge?
Speaker 10 (02:58):
Oh no, Doctor Walsh is the head of Oh that's
a person.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
Please, Doctor Walsh alright.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
I mean please come in. Thank you? Miss Yes, doctor Walsh,
how do you do? It's my partner sides with Romero.
My name is Friday.
Speaker 11 (03:15):
Yeah, I's been waiting for him. You have a seat,
blieve and you can't. Thanks, gentlemen. I just got here
a few moments ago myself. No doubt you know as
much about this as I do.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
We were notified that a three day old baby's missing.
Is that correct?
Speaker 11 (03:26):
Yeah, it's one of the Striker twins Faun Tuesday money
boy'd the baby disappear from doctor nursery.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Can't understand how it could happen. Never heard of such
a thing.
Speaker 7 (03:35):
Who was in charge of the nursery.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Nurse O'Connor.
Speaker 11 (03:37):
She's back with the superintendent of the nurses is quite
upset'ld like to talk to her.
Speaker 7 (03:40):
Yes here, we.
Speaker 11 (03:41):
Would alight, that's why to please. You can't understand it.
How did the baby disappear like that? Have the parents
have been notified?
Speaker 5 (03:54):
Father's on his way in and now I haven't told
her mother yet.
Speaker 8 (03:58):
When did they first noticed the baby was gone?
Speaker 5 (04:00):
I understand what's around eleven per.
Speaker 7 (04:01):
Call came into our office about eleven twenty.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
Go ahead, Serge.
Speaker 9 (04:07):
That's O Connor. Yes, doctor Wilson, he's.
Speaker 11 (04:09):
A gentleman from the police department starting amount startten Friday.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
What do you do.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
I want to know all about what happened to night.
Speaker 11 (04:16):
You know, of course it's a serious matter to try
to tell exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
How it happens.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I'll try, doctor an officer.
Speaker 7 (04:21):
It's a thing. Well, we know that you're probably pretty
upsetven nurs Now you just relax and take your time.
Speaker 9 (04:26):
Yes, sir, when did.
Speaker 7 (04:28):
You first notice that the Striker baby was missing?
Speaker 12 (04:30):
Must have happened somewhere between eleven o'clock and ten minutes
past eleven.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I'm sure of that.
Speaker 8 (04:34):
How were you sure of that?
Speaker 4 (04:35):
I came on duty a few minutes before eleven.
Speaker 12 (04:37):
I took the night reports as usual, and I started
taking the orders in the formulas. I remember very well
that both the Striker twins were in their cribs at
that time. M Corn Please, I think it must have
been about five minutes past eleven when I got this
phone call from home.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
My mother's been sick late late, it's about her.
Speaker 7 (04:51):
How far did you have to go to answer the phone?
Speaker 4 (04:53):
About ten feet down the hole from the nursery, just
around the corner.
Speaker 8 (04:56):
Could you see the entrance to the nursery from where
you were talking on the form?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
No, so, I couldn't.
Speaker 12 (05:00):
I was only on the phone for a minute or two.
As soon as I hung up, I came right back
to the nursery.
Speaker 7 (05:04):
Was the telephone call actually from your mother?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yes, sir, my mother has a heart condition. She wanted
me to be sure and have a prescription filled.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
What time was it when you got back to the nursery, owner,
Can you remember that.
Speaker 12 (05:14):
It wasn't quite ten minutes past eleven? So I came
back through the door into the nursery. I noticed right
away one of the crips was empty. One of the
striker twins was gone.
Speaker 8 (05:22):
Is there more than one entrance to the nurserym or
so Kina.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yes, sir, there are two entrances, but at night, one
of 'ems get locked.
Speaker 7 (05:29):
Is it possible that somebody in the hospital, maybe a doctor,
took the baby for examination or some kind of treatment, No, sir.
Speaker 12 (05:35):
Just as soon as I noticed the baby was gone,
I went to the head nurse and the two of
us contacted everybody in the hospital.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
No one knew anything about it.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
Well, is it possible that the child's mother could have
come down from the second floor and taken the baby.
Speaker 12 (05:46):
No, so Miss Strike has been asleep since ten o'clock.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
She's still asleep.
Speaker 8 (05:49):
Are there any other nurses or at tenants working near
the nursery when the baby disappeared?
Speaker 12 (05:54):
No, no reason for anyone besides myself to be around
at that time.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
One of the cleaning people. They'd all gone home after watch.
Speaker 7 (06:00):
I wonder if we get to have a look at
the nursery.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You know, certainly certain want nurse the country to come along.
Speaker 7 (06:05):
Yes, would you please?
Speaker 11 (06:06):
Yes, that's where gentlemen stare down the hall.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
What are they?
Speaker 9 (06:17):
Hospital visiting?
Speaker 7 (06:18):
Eus? Doctor?
Speaker 5 (06:19):
Usual? Two ones were four in the afternoon, seven to
nine in the Evening's quite strict about that.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
Do you know if all the visitors had left the
hospital by nine o'clock? Tony?
Speaker 11 (06:27):
Of course I wasn't here, but the superintendent of nurses
told me they had all left by nine. She's compelling
our list of.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Every visitor we had this evening.
Speaker 7 (06:33):
It was great.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
They'll all have to be checked nurses.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
Right here uses.
Speaker 8 (06:40):
This empty crib just inside the window here.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Yes, sir, that's where the baby was. People say it's
right next to the.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Door here, and I noticed that there's no blanket in
the crib.
Speaker 12 (06:49):
Is that mission too, yes, sir Culbs, just the way
I found it when I came back in the telephone.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I hadn't touched it.
Speaker 7 (06:54):
Were there any marks of identification of the blanket or
the clothing?
Speaker 12 (06:57):
Each one Stencild Mercy Hospital, each be he where's an
ID bracelet?
Speaker 7 (07:01):
Doctor? I wonder if we could have that crib brought
out to have a check for possible fingerprints.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Certainly, of course?
Speaker 8 (07:06):
Is this the other door of the nursery thenks you,
miss o Connor.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
That's right, Sergeant. I checked it. It's locked.
Speaker 8 (07:11):
That dog's window on the other side of the nursery
had a station.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Any window, yes, sir it is. It faces onto a
small court.
Speaker 7 (07:16):
I wonder wherever took the baby had to use this door,
so whee.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
They could have gotten in?
Speaker 12 (07:20):
Oh excuse me a minute, I want to attend the
baby in there?
Speaker 5 (07:23):
Sure listen to that, Jim.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
Yeah, doctor. Are there any other entrances open at night
besides the main one?
Speaker 11 (07:33):
Not after ten pm? Or just the main entrance on
Alwich air Men? There's a nurse on Dutyser at all times.
Speaker 7 (07:39):
How about the appearance. Is there any unusual there?
Speaker 11 (07:41):
No father's working man, there's a housewife. Well, the baby's
perfectly normal, nothing unusual at all.
Speaker 8 (07:47):
Three day old baby. They usually take a lot of
careful handling, don't that's definitely first week is always critical.
And this thing taking a three day old infant out
in this weather, cool rain Fred the odds or against
the child were sure.
Speaker 7 (08:01):
The main entrance was the only one open after ten o'clock.
Speaker 11 (08:04):
Ash, I can't understand it. How could anyone get that
baby out of that hospital?
Speaker 5 (08:08):
How could they.
Speaker 7 (08:09):
Were not sure they did? Midnight, a three day old
twin boy was missing from his crib in the hospital nursery.
That's all we knew. We checked the list of possibilities.
The baby could have been taken for ransom. Somebody wanted
revenge in the Striker family and decided on the baby
as the best means. Maybe someone just wanted a child,
(08:32):
someone mentally unsound, a maniac, a pervert. Maybe an accident
had happened at the hospital, somebody wanted to cover up.
Possibly one of the parents or their families had emotive.
Perhaps somebody just wanted the child dead. We called the
office and got out an APB and the Striker baby
in a description of the blanket and the clothing details
of Officers were alerted that the bus depots, railroad terminals,
(08:53):
the airports, all public transportation facilities. Steps were taken to
notify doctors, hospital sanitariums, anybody in any point place where
a three day old baby might be taken. The entire
area around Mercy Hospital was canvass no information. The baby's
crib was dusted for prints, no leads, no physical evidence.
The investigation continued. When George Striker, the father of the child, arrived,
(09:16):
Ben and I met with him in the office of
the hospital superintendent.
Speaker 9 (09:20):
Can we let people know about it? Newspapers and the radio.
Speaker 8 (09:23):
They've already covered that. Stories and pictures have gone out
to the papers with not a fight. At radio stations,
they're getting.
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Out broadcasts on AM.
Speaker 9 (09:31):
I gonna tell my wife.
Speaker 7 (09:33):
Well, so there's only one thing that we can promise you.
We'll do everything we can to find your baby.
Speaker 9 (09:37):
Isn't there something I can do? Isn't there some way
I can help?
Speaker 7 (09:41):
This is just a remote possibility, mister Striker, but you
ought to know about it. What's that in case anybody
contacts you? Regarding your baby. In case they make any
demands on you for money or anything else, we want
you to notify us immediately.
Speaker 9 (09:52):
What could they expect to get from us? We own
our home, That's about all.
Speaker 8 (09:56):
We just want to cover all the possibilities, Missus Striker,
in case any demand at all is made. Don't try
to deal with the people.
Speaker 11 (10:03):
All right, Yes, I understand, sergeant Yes, one of the
menical homsh I'd like to see out, signed Sargeant to
leave us all thank you.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
Doctor.
Speaker 8 (10:11):
We don't have to go down, Missus Dragon.
Speaker 9 (10:13):
We'll keep you in fom all right, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Joe.
Speaker 13 (10:19):
Yeah, I think we got something back here and seen
us and I were the night watchman out back the
side of the hospital.
Speaker 7 (10:25):
The faces on Stacy Avenue. Yeah, two doors back there,
just off the street.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
One of them is open.
Speaker 7 (10:34):
Together with sergeants believe us, and doctor Walsh, the head
of the hospital, we went back and examined the side
door which opened on the Stacy Avenue. The latch was
obviously fawlly. It took only slight pressure on the door
to open it. The latch, both door knobs, and the
door itself were dusted for prints. The entranceway in the
immediate area were rechecked. No leads, no physical evidence. We
(10:55):
traced an imaginary path from the open door to the nursery.
We came to the conclusion it could have been possible
for an abductor to enter the hospital, make his way
to the nursery, take the child from its crib in
the absence of the night nurse, and leave with the
same side door without being seen. Storekeepers and residents along
Stacey Avenue were requestioned. We got nowhere when the abduction
(11:17):
story broke in the newspaper and over the radio. The
next morning, the call started to come in. People and
practically all sections of the city thought that they'd seen
the missing baby. Each call was carefully checked out. None
of them paid off. Ten am, he checked back in.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
At the office. I must be getting old, Joe. I
can't seem to take these all night stations like he
used to.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
I'm pretty tired. Drank too much coffee again, I got
a sour stomach. All right, all right, lavis all right?
The Stat's office come up with that run.
Speaker 9 (11:49):
For us, yet working on it.
Speaker 8 (11:51):
How about that sam Berndino call?
Speaker 5 (11:53):
Yeah, they called back.
Speaker 9 (11:54):
They picked the woman up when she got off the bus.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
Checked her and the baby out. Baby belongs to her?
Speaker 7 (11:59):
Anything else? Can all ben checked out?
Speaker 6 (12:01):
Uh?
Speaker 9 (12:01):
The press called again.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
I want to know if there are any new leads.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
Yeah, side to side to him here desert, I help you.
Speaker 14 (12:08):
They told me the business office to come down and
see it.
Speaker 7 (12:11):
Surely money nice.
Speaker 14 (12:16):
My name's Wallace. I'm a desk clerk down to the
hotel on eleventh Street, Bluebird Hotel. Yes see, you got
some information like to talk to.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
You might see this is my partner started with the
Maryland started to leave us.
Speaker 7 (12:31):
What's the information about?
Speaker 14 (12:32):
Well, I got hold of a paper this morning, read
about that baby that's missing.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
I see.
Speaker 14 (12:36):
Imagine those people are pretty worried about the kid. I
guess they like all the information they can get. Huh,
looks like that hospital's in the gym. What do you
say or.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
What information do you have?
Speaker 9 (12:45):
Wallace?
Speaker 14 (12:46):
I guess those parents could sue the hospital if they
wanted to.
Speaker 9 (12:48):
Huh.
Speaker 7 (12:49):
Well, they're all we're interested in is finding the baby.
Can you help us there?
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Well? I do know for sure?
Speaker 8 (12:54):
What are you trying to tell us? If you've seen them?
Speaker 11 (12:56):
They?
Speaker 14 (12:56):
Well, I may have. Do you happen to know if
they're offering any rewards or into Well.
Speaker 7 (13:01):
I don't know where they'd come from. My father's a
working man who, don't.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
Get me wrong.
Speaker 14 (13:04):
Start, and I don't expect anything for any information i'd
give me. Well, I don't make too too much at
the hotel. You know, if they wanted to show their
gratitude in some way, just thought i'd mention it.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
Oh thank you. Well, I just don't worry about that.
What's the information?
Speaker 14 (13:17):
Well, you know, I didn't mean anything by that. Anybody
be glad to help out in the chase like this
what I came in to tell you. It was a
woman and a young baby checked in the hotel last
night when I was on duty, but I think it
was about twelve o'clock. Women didn't have any baggage or anything,
one little blanket around the kid. And I saw that
story in the paper this morning. I got suspicious. A
woman still registered at the hotel.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
She was when I left.
Speaker 9 (13:39):
That was about an hour ago.
Speaker 8 (13:40):
I'm not namedly she registering? You remember, No, I.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
Don't, but it's in the register.
Speaker 14 (13:44):
You can check it if you want. Where is it
out there, eleventh and Charleston, right in the corner. I'm
sure it must be the kid you're looking for to say,
I hope you haven't got me wrong. I mean about
the reward, you know, I don't expect anything for this.
Speaker 7 (13:56):
We haven't got you wrong. Thirty five am it was
still raining. Together with the desk clerk Wallace, we drove
to the Blueberry Hotel on Eleventh Street. We checked the
cards at the desk and found that the woman had
registered under the name of Missus Harold Parks. The clerk
on duty told us, as far as he knew, she
was still in the room with a baby.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
The rule was down this wayside.
Speaker 8 (14:20):
But no, say.
Speaker 9 (14:24):
This is abound sixty Missus Park, Missus Park.
Speaker 7 (14:32):
Do you have a pask you with your watch?
Speaker 9 (14:34):
Huh, thank you? There's nobody here.
Speaker 7 (14:45):
Wait a minute, what have you got a small blanket?
Speaker 8 (14:53):
Check the lettering Mercy Hospital.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
How you are listening to dragnet authentic stories of your
police force in action?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Oh no.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Yes, what a difference.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
There's a difference you can hear.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
There's a difference you can see.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
But the difference in fatima is quality.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yes, friends, when you compare long cigarettes, you'll find that
in fatima the difference is quality, quality of tobaccos, the
finest Turkish and domestic.
Speaker 9 (15:39):
Varieties, extra mild and superbly.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Blended to give you a much different, much better flavor
and aroma than any other long cigarette.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Quality of manufacture, smooth, plump cigarettes rolled in the finest
paper money can buy.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Quality even to the appearance of the bright, clean yellow package,
carefully wrapped and sealed to bring you Fatima's rich, fresh,
extra mild flavor.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Fatima's now cost the same as other long cigarettes, but
your first puff will tell you, ah, that's different.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yes, in Fatima, the difference is quality. Ask your dealer
for Fatima, the quality king size cigarette, best of all
long cigarettes. Start enjoying Fatima tomorrow.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Friday, January twenty ninth, eleven am. We were unable to
locate the woman who had registered at the hotel under
the name of Missus Parks. There was no sign of
the baby. The blanket we found in the room was
identified by hospital personnel as the same type used in
the nursery. The room was checked for fingerprints and physical evidence.
We found nothing. People in the joining rooms were questioned,
but they could give us no information. We got a
(16:59):
description of the woman who used the name Missus Parks
from the desk clerk and we got out on all
points bullet and on her Her hotel registration card was
checked for handwriting and fingerprints. Captain Steed ordered an immediate
canvas of all hotels, apartments and rooming houses in the
central area. The hotel clerks were showing mugshots of possible suspects.
They failed to identify any of them. Three pm Friday,
(17:21):
the search for the striker baby went on.
Speaker 8 (17:23):
Yeah, checked out, all right, okay, he thinks anything gil
insane is checked that lulship costs another phone my nation.
Speaker 13 (17:32):
Yeah, Lewis and I were making the rounds of hotels
out along people stopped at drug store for a cup
of coffee.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
We talked to druggists while we were there.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
Had a pretty good story for us.
Speaker 8 (17:42):
You gotta like, yeah, there you go.
Speaker 7 (17:47):
Nice.
Speaker 13 (17:49):
This drug store is two blocks in a hotel where
the woman stayed. It's open all night and the druggist
told us. A woman answering this missus Parks description came
in about one thirty am.
Speaker 8 (17:59):
Bought a whole the stuff, how do you mean what
kind of stuff or everything for a baby?
Speaker 7 (18:03):
Bottles, nipples, dextro soil, powder. You know all that stuff?
Was he sure the woman's description?
Speaker 9 (18:08):
He gave it to us before we'd even mention.
Speaker 13 (18:09):
What does missus Parks look like right down at the
collar of her coat, that she had the baby with
her when she bought this stuff? Now Druggers said no,
she even asked him she could buy can milk there?
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Where is it?
Speaker 6 (18:19):
Lee?
Speaker 8 (18:20):
How do you mean does he have any idea where
the woman came from where she went?
Speaker 7 (18:24):
No, but he said, or she came back in again.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
He called us right away.
Speaker 13 (18:27):
He's going to notify the other clerks too, you know,
keep us posted when he turns up.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And I got it.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
Homicide Friday.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
My name's missus Lucy. I'm calling about that missing baby
in the paper.
Speaker 12 (18:40):
Am I talking the right department?
Speaker 7 (18:41):
Yes, ma'am. Do you have any information on the case?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Well, I certainly have. I know where that strike a
baby is right now?
Speaker 9 (18:47):
Where's that man right next door?
Speaker 10 (18:48):
The sabicides have him?
Speaker 11 (18:50):
Well?
Speaker 7 (18:50):
What makes you so sure perfectly?
Speaker 10 (18:52):
Help me?
Speaker 11 (18:52):
It is?
Speaker 9 (18:53):
That's all?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
It's not their baby.
Speaker 15 (18:55):
Why do you say that that baby they had him?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
One looks like mister Salads, Missus Salads, idn't mind?
Speaker 7 (18:59):
Do how do you mean, missus Lucy, it's very simple.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
Mister Salli's eye doc quite dark dark head. Do guys,
Doc complection his wife the same way?
Speaker 7 (19:08):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Baby they have is a blonde.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
Before I hung up, I got the woman's name and
the address and told her that we'd check out our neighbors.
Mister and missus sallads Are. We weren't sure what it meant.
It could be the real thing, it could be like
a hundred other calls that we'd had in the last
twelve hours. Then and I got in the car and
drove out to the Salasar home on one Middland Avenue.
We noticed several cars parked in the driveway and in
front of the house. We went up the front stairs
and rang the doorbell. Yes, sir, come on in please,
(19:44):
we'd like to speak to mister saalas Ar.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
Yes, sir, that's me, Come on in. Thank you, come inside.
Let me fix you a drink.
Speaker 8 (19:51):
You're late, huh, well, thank you. We're police officers, mister
sallis Are. I'd like to ask you for your questions.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
Oh, once the matter.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
We're making too much noise for the neighbors.
Speaker 8 (19:59):
No, it's not that so just like to ask you
a few questions someplace we can talk.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Well, I have to take care of the guess.
Speaker 7 (20:04):
You know. We have this party here.
Speaker 9 (20:06):
My son was baptized today, my first son. That's why
we're having good bidy.
Speaker 7 (20:10):
Yes, sir, we're Sorday interrupted. It's pretty important. It won't
take it very long.
Speaker 9 (20:14):
All right. I guess they can get along for a
few minutes back here in the kitchen. It's probably the quietest.
Speaker 7 (20:18):
Nice fine this way, I say, friend, we're.
Speaker 9 (20:28):
There, pull up a couple of chairs.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
Thank you, Uh missus sallis are This is my partner,
Sergeant Ramey. Her name is Friday Homicide.
Speaker 9 (20:37):
Yes, sir, what's the matter? What do you want to
ask me?
Speaker 7 (20:40):
We're investigating a case that involves a missing baby, sir.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Well, the one in the paper this morning.
Speaker 7 (20:45):
I read about that. It's a terrible thing, isn't it, Yes, sir,
it is. We've had a report that the missing baby
was seen in this neighborhood. We don't know how true
it is, but we have orders to check it out.
Speaker 9 (20:53):
Well, sure, anything I can do.
Speaker 13 (20:55):
I don't know how much I can help, but I
can understand how that mama pu up a few my
brand new son.
Speaker 9 (21:00):
I know how I feel.
Speaker 8 (21:02):
How old is your son, mister Selis.
Speaker 9 (21:03):
Huh, he's just one week old this afternoon.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Fine, boy, was the baby born here in Los Angeles?
Speaker 9 (21:09):
No, I said, my wife Roberta to Phoenix.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
To have a baby.
Speaker 8 (21:12):
We thought it'd be a lot healthier for her down there.
Speaker 9 (21:15):
She has a good friend of Virgin Phoenix.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
Oh, your wife had the baby in Phoenix and then
she brought him back here.
Speaker 9 (21:20):
Yes, that's right. Roberta came in early this morning. Big
surprise for me. I didn't know she was coming.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Right away.
Speaker 9 (21:27):
I called all our old friends.
Speaker 15 (21:28):
I called Father Desota for the baptism, and I got
things ready for the party, big baptism party.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
You say your wife got back early this morning.
Speaker 15 (21:36):
Yes, a few minutes after three o'clock. Roberta came in
on the plane. She said it was late, you know,
the big storm.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
I wonder if we could talk to your wife, mister Selish, Well,
Roberta's taking a little.
Speaker 9 (21:48):
Nap right now, or she got in late, you know
all the excitement. Do we have to wake up up.
Speaker 7 (21:53):
Well Wilson right away? I just wonder if we could
see the baby.
Speaker 9 (21:57):
Well, baby's sleeping too, said not to go in, but.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
Well, if you're real quiet, yes.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
There will be.
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Okay, he's right, we'll be here. Let me pull the
blanket down.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
There is big fellow.
Speaker 8 (22:28):
He's blonde.
Speaker 6 (22:29):
Wow.
Speaker 8 (22:30):
What do you think you know?
Speaker 7 (22:32):
I think he's got a twin. Five pm, Harlan Stall
from Laking Fingerprints arrived at the Salasar home. The footprint
of the missing child, taken at the time of birth,
was compared with the print from the child the Salasars had.
The princes were identical. The missing baby had been found.
Five twenty pm Ben and Night talked with Missus Salasar
(22:53):
in the kitchen of her home. The christening party went on.
Speaker 6 (22:56):
I don't think I understand what this is all about, officer.
What has my baby got to do with oly?
Speaker 8 (23:02):
You know as well as we do, miss Alisar, that
baby in there, it doesn't belong to you.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
It's not joy What do you mean it's not mine? Course,
it's my baby, my husband said mine. I just brought
him from Phoenix last night. That's where the baby was born.
What are you trying to do to me?
Speaker 7 (23:22):
That baby isn't yours, Missus Selizan. Now you know that
was taken from the hospital. How about the truth.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what
you're talking about.
Speaker 8 (23:30):
It's my baby.
Speaker 6 (23:33):
It was speptised today he went to Marcelisara. It's my baby.
Speaker 7 (23:39):
It's a pretty serious matter, man. The baby's footprint has
been checked out. The child belongs to a Missus Striker.
We want to know how you happen to have him.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Because he's my baby. That's why I have he. You
don't know what a mistake you're making. It's my baby.
I brought him from Phoenix last night. You can hit
my husband.
Speaker 12 (23:57):
He tell you.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
A woman checked in at the Blue Bird Hotel on
Eleventh Street about midnight last night, Missus Salazar. She had
a young baby with her.
Speaker 7 (24:05):
You fair description.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
I didn't go to a hotel last night. The plane
none did hear from Senis. I came right home.
Speaker 8 (24:10):
Hotel clerk remembers, you can identify you, so can I
drug it? When you bought the supplies wrong?
Speaker 6 (24:16):
I about nothing. The plain landed.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I came home.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
It's my baby, my baby.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
We found a baby's blanket in the hotel room you're rented.
We have your description from at least three people. Even
the color of the coach you wore last night.
Speaker 6 (24:27):
You can't take him away.
Speaker 12 (24:29):
He belongs to me.
Speaker 5 (24:30):
Me on friend, you can't take him away.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
Please you come, miss Salisar. Why don't you put yourself
in the place of the real mother of that baby.
How do you think she feels about her baby being
taken away? How about it?
Speaker 8 (24:44):
Miss sels are.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
Have a drink off, please for the party.
Speaker 10 (24:54):
Have a drink.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
I'll tell you.
Speaker 8 (24:56):
Tell us what man, I'm tired.
Speaker 6 (24:59):
I missed the.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
Yeah, m it's for a few minutes.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
I tell you how it happened. I know you, you understand. Yes, ma'am,
will be eleven years next month that.
Speaker 10 (25:16):
Frank and I were married. I don't have to tell
you we want a baby. Frank always wanted a baby,
but no more than I did. That's what we live for,
a baby of our own, Yes, ma'am, boy or girl,
we didn't care. But although we didn't have one for
(25:40):
eleven years, we didn't have one. The last day. Brother,
that's when the doctor told me. He said I was
going to have a baby.
Speaker 8 (25:51):
Yes, ma'am, I understand.
Speaker 6 (25:53):
Well.
Speaker 10 (25:54):
A month before the baby was born, we thought it
would be better if I went to my friend's place
in Phoenix, soons for the window. You know, it would
be warmer there. Frank thought it would be nicer for
me as a baby.
Speaker 8 (26:08):
Your husband was still in Los Angeles.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Yes, he tried to come to Phoenix, but he had
to work, so I had my baby alone. It was
a boy.
Speaker 10 (26:21):
My friend was with me.
Speaker 6 (26:22):
She'll tell you it was a boy. Mm. I'm I
kept calling imcording to bring my baby. It's a long time.
I kept calling.
Speaker 10 (26:32):
Then I finally came, and the doctor too.
Speaker 6 (26:37):
And here's the one that told me, yes, he looked
just like his father. I know that, but I told
me he was dead. I don't remember much after that.
Serge and I got out of the hospital and I
took the plane.
Speaker 10 (26:55):
And I came back here. It was dark and it
was raining, but I walked around. I walked up and
down the streets, thinking what could I tell Frank? Baby
was dead.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
That's all I could tell him. Then I walked past
the hospital.
Speaker 10 (27:15):
That was nursing hospital, man, and it was raining, and
I could see all those babies inside warm in their cribs,
and I wanted just one of them, just one for
Frank and me. So I went in the side door
(27:36):
and I found the nursery, and when the nurse was gone,
I took him and left my baby.
Speaker 6 (27:47):
I went to the hotel to keep him out of
the rain, and when it cleared a little, I took
him home.
Speaker 10 (27:53):
I took him home to Frank.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I took my baby home.
Speaker 10 (28:02):
That's why you want my baby, Isn't it?
Speaker 6 (28:05):
Because I took him? Because my baby died and I
too came.
Speaker 7 (28:13):
Everything be alright. Mysells are like, wouldn't strike it out?
Oh good?
Speaker 6 (28:22):
You talk to the officers, Frank.
Speaker 10 (28:25):
What do you want me to say?
Speaker 5 (28:28):
Be alright?
Speaker 7 (28:28):
Officers want everything be alright? Yes, sir, I think we
can work it out.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
What could I tell you, Frank? What was there to
say to you?
Speaker 9 (28:41):
It's alright, honey, it's alright. I want to tell the people.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
Now, and what can you say? What can you tell them?
Speaker 9 (28:52):
Party's over?
Speaker 7 (28:53):
It's just a mistake.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
The story you've just heard was true, only the names
were changed to protect the innocent in a moment. The
results of the trial now here is our star, Jack Webb.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Thank you. Last week I asked you to write me
if your cigarette dealer was out of fatimas you did,
and we've done something about it. Now if any more
of you find a dealer fresh out of fatimas, send
me his name and address.
Speaker 8 (29:26):
We'll take care of that too.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Write me Jack Webb, Post Office, Box nine five one, Hollywood,
twenty eight, and mister dealer, don't wait another day. Step
up your fatima order for Thanksgiving and the coming holidays.
Get in on the increasing demand for fatima. The quality
long cigarette.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
ROBERTA.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Salassar was examined by six psychiatrists and was ordered to
be placed in a statemental institution for treatment.
Speaker 5 (30:04):
You have just heard.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Dragnet, a series of authentic cases portions transcribed from official files.
Technical advice comes from.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
The Office of Chief of Police W. H.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Coming up, We the People
then screen Director's Playhouse on NBC
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