The haunting tale of the Chowchilla Kidnapping still sends shivers down the spines of students and bus drivers alike.
Back in 1976, a group of students were enjoying a sunny day at their local swimming pool. Their bus driver, Frank Ray, affectionately known as Ed after his middle name, had no inkling that their journey home would take a horrifying turn.
The 26 innocent children from Dairyland Elementary School, along with Ed himself, were taken hostage in what would become a chilling chapter in history. The story of the Chowchilla Kidnapping serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols for students. Three men orchestrated this terrifying incident, risking the lives of the children in a twisted ransom plot.
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But what exactly is the Chowchilla Kidnapping?
The bus driver was stopped by a van blocking the road (No credit)Ed was driving the students home when a van suddenly blocked their path. Forced to stop, three masked men armed with guns seized control of the bus.
Ed could only watch helplessly as one man kept a gun trained on him while another drove the bus to Brenda Slough, a tributary of the Chowchilla River.
The kidnappers abandoned the bus and herded the students into two specially modified vans, designed to maintain a low profile and fully soundproofed. The level of coordination was evident when they reached the quarry, where the children were forced into a buried truck trailer.
The criminals used a Jack in the Box hamburger wrapper to keep track of each child. Their plan was to demand a ransom for the safe return of the victims.
Did the Chowchilla Kidnapping victims survive?
They managed to escape (No credit)Fortunately, all the victims survived. However, the kidnappers made escape difficult by removing the ladder, sealing the bunker with a heavy metal plate, and then burying it.
The bus driver and children collaborated on their escape. They stacked mattresses to reach the entrance, where the bus driver lifted the hatch and a student wedged wood into it to move the heavy metal.
From there, they dug their way out. The students and driver managed to climb out and find help.
Although they survived, the students later experienced symptoms of PTSD, including substance abuse and depression. Some also faced legal issues themselves.
Were the Chowchilla Kidnapping kidnappers arrested?
The three men were sentenced to life (No credit)The culprits, identified as James Schoenfeld, Richard Schoenfeld, and Frederick Newhall Woods IV, all hailed from affluent families but were in debt, leading them to concoct a ransom scheme. Each of the offenders was handed a life sentence, but they all gained parole within 36-46 years.
Moreover, a civil lawsuit was filed by the students. The bus driver had sadly passed away by this time, but the students did receive a settlement.
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