The Strangest Mass Kidnapping in History... The 1976 Chowchilla Incident
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- Опубліковано 25 чер 2024
- In the summer of 1976, a man named Ed Ray drove a bus full of Dairyland Elementary School students home from a school-sponsored summer trip to the Chowchilla Fairgrounds swimming pool. The hot, California weather and the glow of the early evening had the entire group in good spirits. They couldn’t have known that evil was afoot and within 12 hours the entire bus full of children, and Ed himself, would be abducted and buried alive in a rock quarry 100 miles from their home. Now, 18 years after that terrifying day, we look back on the case and examine the harrowing aftermath of the largest kidnappings in US history.
Timestamps:
Trailer - 00:00
Intro - 00:56
Introduction to Case - 01:24
NCMEC Charity - 06:37
Start of Case - 07:49
The Kidnapping - 10:31
The Hole - 22:17
The Kids Escape - 28:08
The Immediate Aftermath - 40:07
Identifying The Suspects - 42:43
Smalls AD - 51:42
Identifying The Suspects Continued - 54:22
Executing The Search Warrant - 56:21
Beginning of The Trial - 01:01:43
Hello Fresh AD - 01:12:19
The Appeals - 01:14:55
The Death of Jodi Heffington - 01:18:46
The Prolonged Aftermath - 01:20:15
Apostrophe AD - 01:31:13
The Legacy of Ed Ray - 01:33:04
Final Thoughts - 01:38:55
Outro - 01:44:42
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The creator hosts a documentary series for educational purposes (EDSA). These include authoritative sources such as interviews, newspaper articles and TV news reporting meant to educate and memorialize notable cases in our history. Videos come with an editorial and artistic value.
1976 Bus Kidnapping | Chowchilla, CA. (n.d.). Www.cityofchowchilla.org. www.cityofchowchilla.org/300/...
1976 Chowchilla kidnapping. (2021, November 19). Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Ch...
After Children on School Bus Were Kidnapped and Buried Underground, 14-Year-Old Miraculously Led Escape. (n.d.). Peoplemag. Retrieved January 24, 2024, from people.com/chowchilla-cnn-doc... - Розваги
Michael is a true hero. Amazing bravery for only 14 years old :(
He had the courage and fortitude of someone three times his age and three times his size.
It pisses me off that the defense says "if the kidnapping actually did do traumatic injury..." Of course it caused traumatic injury the kids and bus driver were buried alive in a container! That really got to me, so glad all survived.
That poor bus driver looks traumatized during his press conference. How could they think the kids were ok? 😢
He was barely holding it together. It’s crazy how they downplayed the whole thing
Buried alive in the summer in the Valley! Im so thankful that they all made it out alive.
Exactly! Probably triple digits.
The kidnappers left those kids for over 12 hours with little food just to take a nap??? They slept while they had over 20 children buried underground???? Had Michael and Edd not busted them out, Im sure the ceiling would've fallen. The men should've gotten attempted mu rder charges for that in my opinion. Thats literally insane.
Right!? How tf could they sleep after kidnapping innocent children
I went to this school, but I wasn’t born at the time of the kidnapping. This kidnapping had a huge effect on the whole area for years. Growing up there in the 80s there was always a cloud hanging over the residents. Anytime my bus was even a few minutes late my mom would stand outside in the front yard and wait. She called the school and yelled at them when the bus route was changed because they didn’t notify parents that their kids would be late. Mr Ray was great. He was my bus driver for one year before he retired.
i can’t imagine the distrust that would cause for the civilians toward the community’s government. letting these criminals go must have had everyone looking over their shoulders so badly. :( it’s just a disappointment and a betrayal from the judge on every level
This was so beautifully told
Pi
I’m not one bit surprised by the lack of emotional support in the 70s. I was born in the late 70s and counseling and therapy didn’t become a priority until after I graduated from nursing school. I attempted self deletion when I was 13 and I distinctly remember being treated as defiant and selfish. I finally got the help I needed but it was a lot to unpack after 20 years.
I’m so sorry you were treated that way when you needed support and empathy. I’m glad you’re still here, and hope you’re healing and doing well ❤️
I understand you. I’m a 70’s baby too and emotional support wasn’t given back then. I’m in counseling today but as a child I just suffered with anxiety and depression. I’m happy that you’re getting help now. Sending love and positive vibes your way.❤
My parents were kids in the 70's, and boy did they turn into some mentally screwed-up adults. They both had PTSD, used drugs, had eating disorders, and my mom's ADHD wasn't diagnosed until she was in her 50's
The 14 year old kid, that busted them out of that hole, was smarter than the kidnappers!
Fun fact: trauma actually does physical damage to your brain
I was about to comment and say the same thing. Not enough people know that. The amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex can be GREATLY damaged by emotional trauma and PTSD.
Welp I'm screwed 🥲
@@Lilacs4 it’s not all the time to everyone who goes through trauma but it is very possible, especially in C-PTSD cases
@@Lilacs4hopefully not and I hope you have someone to talk to. I'm unfortunately not tech savy, I wanted to start a website for children who've been abducted and survived, they're not always comfortable talking to doctors, nurses or cop's and I could help them through it but I wouldn't know how to start 😔
@@TayTay-pu8ge Yeah, the fact it's emotional abuse cptsd is what made me feel screwed because my parents never beat me but there was lots of yelling, arguing, gaslighting, manipulating, and emotional blackmail type of stuff. I was an only child and grew up in what my counselor described as "triangulation". 😔
Maybe we could all, as Mile Higher viewers, contact someone from Chowchilla and see how we can now get something in effect that would show thanks to Michael for his bravery. Who is with me? Let's figure this out together
yes!!!
Yaaass!
There are children and grandchildren who are alive today because of this one man's action as a child. I can't believe he wasn't recognized. 😢
I have seen this story covered by several different media outlets, but your delivery of it was the best!
Thank you for giving Mike the credit he deserves. That kid saved everyone's life.
Thank you for always keeping your channel so respectful. Your compassion for the victims is always so incredible.❤️
I get why you guys can't believe how no one worried about the Trauma. But I see things differently as I was 16 years old and remember this event well. in the 70's and earlier there was absolutely NO support for Mental Health for middle or lower class people. Only the rich had that privilege and the funds to allow for it - and they would NEVER admit to having some kind of help with their mental health - it was seen as a weakness at that time in our history - still is at times now. I honestly believe that everyone - the entire nation - wanted the best for the children. They were trying hard to help - the trip to Disney says it all - they wanted them to be happy again. But no one at the time knew how to truly help. Times have changed and are still changing - I believe for the best. But we still do not offer enough help to everyone for their mental health. We have to normalize that and cover it with insurance for everyone. Thank you for covering this event and for shining a light on the mental health aspect of this tragedy. ❤❤❤
This makes a lot of sense. Thanks for bringing some perspective
I think back then adults didn’t give kids credit. He was a kid to everyone. Nowadays we celebrate kids being so smart and mature.
Also....knowing Mr. Ray's reputation ALONE....he could well have been ahead of his time in wanting to keep the names of Michael and the other boys who helped unbury the group OUT of the press as much as possible.
I was on summer vacation visiting my father and grandparents in Chowchilla when they caught the kidnappers. Everyone in town was at the police station when they brought them in. I was seven. It was crazy there, people were so angry. Even though I wasn't involved in the kidnapping, I wouldn't get on a school bus until high school.
It angers me too that they released the kidnappers. I agree, I don't think they learned their lesson. The kids and Ed definitely could've died, so the 3 kidnappers should've never had the charge appealed🙄
Yes, attempted murder at least!
I know it was a different time but them poor children being bombarded before even seeing their parents is heartbreaking. Some of them so young and all so frightened all they wanted was to be home not in front of cameras asking questions.
Such a brave bunch. Horrifying how wrong it could've gone ❤
Petition for JULIA to come back ❤️
Yes
Where’d she go?
I second this!
Yes yes yes!!
yes!
I was 15 when this happened. I vividly remember my parents being more cautious even with me but especially my little sister. We lived in Kansas too. I remember my dad saying “ Crazies are everywhere.” The whole country celebrated when they escaped.
The parents also would have been mentally scarred.This would make you terrified of letting your child out of your sight. You would have constant anxiety for years .
Imagine being so unaffected by kidnapping a bus full of children and burying them alive that you could then "catch some Zs." Unbelievable. What complete psychopaths.
After listening to this I think that I need to deal with loosing my family and being the only surviving person that day when I was 15. My heart is touched by this. Thank you for your heartfelt words for these children and their families. I know part of who they are never grew past that time. That child is still in there and frightened needing to be comforted. I've lived with this 52 years. I know it changed me. Part of me is frozen in time.
Thank you ❤️
sending love and peace to you
You deserve peace and love my friend 🩷
Never heard of this case super interesting and wow a 14 yr old to be as brave and strong to help everyone is amazing
Just about to start cleaning the apartment and got the notification this was uploaded 😮💨🙏🏻 bless
REALLLL
I always clean along to these podcasts too !!
Maybe in a way Ed was protecting Michael from the media. On one hand, what Michael did was amazing and heroic. On the other hand, he was still a child. Being in the media and paraded around might have added to the trauma and made it more difficult for him to live his life as a teenager who still needed to complete school and find his way in the world. I have no idea how it went down but without hearing from Michael himself we can't rule out whether or not he asked Ed to downplay his role to the media or not mention his name. Maybe he wanted credit and didn't get it, maybe he did not want credit at all.
I'm with Kendal. As a Family Support Worker with Children's social services UK. Working with children who have experienced childhood trauma. We see the long lasting impact this has on children and their offspring!
The opening to these videos bring me so much peace. Thank you guys for getting me through last summer.
Crazy how different we view trauma nowadays vs back then. The PTSD this must have caused them all is awful!
Thank you for covering this case!
This documentary was crazy, as soon as I watched this, about a month ago, I was so confused why more people hadn’t heard about it! Thanks for covering it!
So glad you covered this one, and really well done job. I first saw this case on 48 hours and my heart breaks for what it did to these victims and their families💔
My kid takes the bus and he’s only 5 and also autistic 😢 I get sooooo scared thinking of these things. Just gotta remember we are safe and he’s safe and keep positive thoughts. Ugh this story makes me so upset for those babies 😢
1:07:18 had the victims not managed to dig themselves out when they did, they would’ve all died. The case doesn’t seem as grave because no life was lost but dang, it could’ve easily ended in absolute mayhem.
Agreed. They should’ve been charged with attempted murder.
Not only that, but there was no way for them to even know that everyone was alive when they were in complete darkness.
The human will to survive never ceases to amaze me!
I grew up about an hour from Chowchilla and definitely am aware of this case. Our highschool teams would travel to Chowchilla all the time for away game. It's wild to fathom such horrid things happening so to home. Stay safe out there everyone 🙏
What a story! I had never heard of it before until now.
I was wondering maybe was Ed in the 1st few year's trying to protect Michael by not mentioning name and keeping them safe from press in his own way but I think years later it should have been acknowledged after Michael turned 18
I vaguely remember this happening. What the hell with the defense attorney saying the children were not harmed obviously! His arrogance made my blood boil!
They spent a lot of time and money. These poor kids. 70’s did nothing for trauma. I won’t specify. I wasn’t diagnosed w PTSD till 2002.
Right?
I’ve been dying for you to cover this case!!!!
I saw the docu, this story is insane... left me speachless..
I always hope to see Julia be announced on a episode 💔 hope you come back to us, girly🩷
THIS!!! I hope she knows we love her and want her back!!
@@tiffanyodowd9096 Or if she doesn't want to feel ready too that she finds content-happiness with whatever she's doing behind the scenes or alternativley.
What happened to Julia?? I watched an episode with her and I thought she added to the discussion well.
Did she leave, or is just absent for now?
Exactly! as long as she is happy. But I want her to know we miss her! And she can see the people that enjoyed her addition to the show too :)
@@AnnaC130
Same. I actually caught myself thinking "hope Julia's doing well, and hope we'll see more of her" while listening to the Sesh yesterday.
beautiful sentiment Janell well said...
This was an incredible video! 😭😭😭❤❤❤
Thank you for covering this case. I cannot even fathom what all the children and families went through and are still going through. I was always taught as a Roman Catholic, that when you are told to forgive it is for your benefit not necessarily for
the people that harmed you. It is more of a release on your end. And with saying that, I do not think I would physically go and
tell these awful men that I forgave them in person. It would be more of an inner sense of forgiveness so that I could try and move on with my life in a way that I wouldn't torture myself with all of these awful memories. God Bless them all
It's really sad to hear some of the roads the victims took to cope from this nightmare.
So glad you did this one! I live near hear. Very scary. Thank you!
I remember when this happened. It seemed inconceivable at the time. But then, we hadn’t been exposed to school massacres.
Please Julia come back we love you and your contributions. We miss you ❤️
I hope Julia is doing ok. I anxiously wait to see if she's back. I know some people are bullies, but we miss her.
Whose a bully?
What happened?
@@chelsea5595people bullied her so she stopped coming on the show
A bunch of people took exception to her talking too much in an episode and basically ran her off. It was completely ridiculous, I hope Julia is doing ok.
@@lilliawright3771 oh okay thank you for lmk
One of the biggest things to happen to this area. So many heroes. RIP Ed Ray. Poor kids must have been traumatized for life.
Great coverage, as always! Sidenote: we miss you Julia!
fun fact ( i’m a nerd in this bc im in school for the psychology of trauma)-you can rewire your brain to reverse the damaged caused by trauma. this is called neuroplasticity. for example, trauma shrinks your frontal lobe which deals with rational thinking and memories, enlarges your amygdala (fear and anxiety, fight or flight), shrinks your hippocampus (this causes memory issues and flashbacks). every time you think, speak, or observe anything you’re making neural connections, making that part of your brain stronger. you can see just from impact of those 3 major areas of the brain how trauma can be a cycle. but! there’s a HUGE silver lining because this also means that we can rewire our brain to strengthen and heal what trauma damaged. whatever you’re struggling with, it will get better. mindset and perspective is everything and neuroplasticity is an excellent tool in maintaining a healthy mindset and reverse the damage from trauma
Okay. So.....how does one go about reversing this damage? How is this "rewiring" done?
@@RaeCarson when you feel your fight or flight response being activated, going to write in a journal or listing the events chronologically would activate your frontal lobe. each time you do this, you’re essentially building more connections in that part of your brain & making it stronger, and because of that eventually the rational thinking part will instinctively activate instead of just the fear and anxiety part. conversely every time you catastrophize or spiral you are building the parts of your brain that make you more prone to paranoia, anxiety, flashbacks, etc. if you’re interested, the channel ‘Therapy in a Nutshell’ breaks it down so well and has really helped in my understanding!
@@RaeCarson another example is the broca’s area which deals with speech & language production, that’s why it’s often difficult for victims to speak about their trauma especially right after a traumatic event to police. you can strengthen neurons in this area by connecting it to the frontal lobe with rational thought + verbally communicating in therapy or day to day
Makes sense as to why I have ADHD! My memories from a childhood are so few... people tell me so much and I can't remember anything :( thank you for your comment!!
I can't imagine this as a mother and then the total lack of mental health care is infuriating. I watch the Chowcilla doc and the ending was hard to see the outcome of some of the kidnapped kids. Thanks for covering this case.
I drive through Chowchilla a lot on my way to Sacramento, and I think of this case every time!!
so funny you guys are covering this! i had never ever heard of it before the last few weeks when i watched the documentary on it!
Nice to see you back Julia ❤️🐈🦘
Just watched the documentary and it is crazy that this happened! So glad they made it out.
That would be so awesome to have here Mike as a guest💙Real Hero but all of them are💙Thanks so much for covering this story💜sending hugs from Poland:)
Back then, kids were seen but not heard. Taught not to speak unless spoken to. I hope this helps with your understanding of why Michael was not given the acknowledgment he deserves. 😢❤
Please make the mile higher triangle and pyramid in the centre of the table line up 😂 I can’t stop seeing that it’s so nearly perfectly lined up
Dude I have two elementary aged kids and I cannot but also do not want to imagine them in such a horror scenario.
Did the victims and families get some major money from the perps rich families? Or the one in prison running businesses? All that money should go to the victims for their suffering. Very least
Please cover the Claudia Lawrence case! An unsolved case from York, UK. 🙏🏻
I often think about Claudia and what happened to her
When I was a kid there was a movie based on this but changed the details. It bothered me so bad as a kid
Yes!! I remember this. So sad and bothersome as a kid.
OH How scary this Had to Be For Every one
I was just thinking of this case last week! It’s absolutely insane
Oh my goodness this case was any parents and children’s worst nightmare!! Those poor children I can’t imagine the terror they must of felt!!
Bravo 👏🏽 bravo to the young man who literally was so strong mentally and physically to break everyone out!!
Everyone’s guardian angels were working overtime that July day!!
Thanks to everyone at Mike Higher for such an amazing commentary 😊love you guy’s!! ❤
Total side note, but every time i watch you guys, I focus on the pyramid and neon sign and just want the triangle points to line up so badly! 🤣
I’m surprised y’all haven’t covered this already but I’m happy you’re doing it now and also there is a movie it was made in the late 80s early 90s so you know it looks kind of funny but it’s still a good movie about this case
do u know the name of the movie from 80’s/90’s? i wana watchhh
Yes! The movie was so good.
This is such a wild story and what an incredible group of kids to endure such a horrific experience and then have to face those responsible over and over throughout their lives in court. As someone who felt traumatised by having a head MRI, I can only imagine the depth of trauma these people have experienced.
The trauma of having to be naked too!! Around your classmates. Think about that trauma.
Exactly. Children have that nightmare even if they’ve never experienced trauma.
I just got the chills.
Damn! Boy, sometimes I realize how my generation was told to suck it up or assumed we would. We went through a lot of fucking trauma and our parents had no idea wtf to do so they brushed stuff under the rug and told us it will be fine!
Walker Texas Ranger did an episode about this. At the time I saw it I didn’t know it had actually happened in real life before until I got older.
I’m really close to this area and I’ve been hearing the story since I was a kid. It’s so crazy but so glad they found those kids
My significant other pulled focus for an interview here, the crew was definitely shaken by this case/story…
136 hostages are still held underground by Hamas, including young children and teenagers 💔
Thanks!
My husband grew up here and this happened in the orchards by his house wayyy before he was born but this is one of the things people mention when I say he’s from here
Kendall always does such a great job, I can do without the other commentary
I graduated hs in 1976 and there was some crazy stuff happening.
Wow, I vaguely remember this, in the summer of ‘76 I was 11, so crazy scary.
I was a child of about 10 when this happened. My parents were glued to the nightly news for updates.
Im so relieved they all survived i was expecting things to get alot worse. I hope they all continue to heal and live life as best as they can ❤❤
Crazy I lived in Livermore with my ex, graduated from high school in Tracy ca! & am very familiar with Livermore worked in the Livermore/dublin area for years I’ve never heard of this case
I live 20min away from chowchilla, I remember learning about this incident in school. It’s such a small town, crazy that it happened
Merced, cowchilla, dos palos, Los banos, Atwater, gustine, were all less than an hour from each other. All in the valley, all little towns.
So many thoughts...resentment is allowing someone to live in your heart rent free. You must forgive to get healing. To take power back....must let it go and learn from the experience. They are all heroes. God bless them all.
rich people committing crimes? whattttt???? preposterous!
I’m so sorry Josh - but as a Spokanite, I cringed SO hard at how you said “Spo-KANE,” it’s Spo-CAN my guy! 😂
I yelled at the screen. xD Have friends and family in Spokane, Yakima, Seattle, and I live in the intermountain west myself. It's fun watching the YTers get all tongue-tied with all of the local French and Native American place-names out here. xD
Thank you! I didn't know either 😅
Have a great day eveeyone ❤😊
I adore you Julia sending hugs your way ❤
My mom got worried once when she couldn’t find me at the pick up spot where the school bus would drop me off. She reached out to my dad and they both stressed as time passed thinking I must’ve been kidnapped. This was in the 80s. The school only got word an hour later that there had been an accident and the school bus was stuck in traffic. I came home perfectly safe after two hours going about my evening as though nothing had happened. I think I was too young to understand time. I’m so relieved that they were able to escape. I can’t even begin to imagine the trauma for both the children, Michael, the bus driver, and the parents.
My grandpa used to tell my mom that ask me my name it putantang. When you mentioned that I had to run and tell her, I have never heard anyone say it but her.
I just watched the movie in this. I think it was from back in the ‘80s. So interesting. That bus driver was an Angel, and the kids were lucky they had someone so strong, loving, and steady there with them. He honestly kept everyone from losing it. I need to watch the Documentary now.
I hadn’t heard of this case before yet I remember clearly a movie I saw so many times as a kid… Fortress it’s a similar story and based on the 1972 Faraday teacher and student kidnapping. That movie terrified me. Still does.
I was hoping someone would mention this movie. It was way too real.
Yes!!! OMG I remember that.
Love this channel!! Love you guys!! I miss Julia also! Julia, you are awesome, screw the haters!!
Can only imagine how scared they would be .
I watched Hawaii Five-0 episode and in the episode it was about a bus with children on the bus being kidnapped. I didn’t know it was about a true story. Of course the show had to change a few things.
It's amazing to me how different this would be, "reaction" wise", if it happened now. However, I also truly believe that these parents probably didn't know how to process this either. It's just so dramatically different.
It would be great if you could cover the Los Andes Tragedy/Plane crash. The survivors went through a lot too