Stuff You Should Know Selects: The Unsolved Mystery Disappearance of the Sodder Children
Apr 10, 2021
In a gripping tale from 1945, a house fire tragically takes the lives of five Sodder children, yet their bodies are never found. The podcast delves into the eerie circumstances surrounding their disappearance, weaving in family dynamics and societal tensions of the time. It recounts the mother's panic and the father's desperate attempts to save his children, while unpacking the lingering doubts and bizarre theories that haunt the family's quest for answers. The haunting mystery remains, leaving listeners captivated by the unresolved fate of the Sodder children.
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Sodder Family Background
- George Sodder immigrated to the US from Sardinia in 1908 at 13 years old.
- He worked on the railroad, became a truck driver, and eventually started his own coal-hauling business in Fayetteville, West Virginia.
Political Tensions
- George Sodder was outspoken against Mussolini, causing friction within the Italian-American community.
- Some locals held different views about Mussolini.
Christmas Eve Fire
- On Christmas Eve 1945, five Sodder children asked to stay up late.
- Their mother allowed them to, but later that night, a fire engulfed the house, and the children disappeared.