The Story of Johnny Gosh

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Johnny Gosh was 13 when he disappeared. He would be the first face of a missing child ever printed on a milk carton. The campaign started out at one local dairy, but over the next few weeks, it spread to other Midwestern towns. Even though this image has stuck around for three decades, the actual milk carton campaign only lasted two years.

On a Sunday morning in 1982, in Des Moines, Iowa, Johnny Gosch left his house to begin his usual paper route. A short time later, his parents were awakened by a phone call – it was a neighbor — their paper hadn't come. His would be the first face of a missing child ever printed on a milk carton. This story comes to us from reporter Annie Brown and our friends at 99% Invisible. We're on the road reporting new stories this week, and will be back on June 2nd with a brand new Criminal episode.

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