Post by Scumhunter on Feb 19, 2015 9:36:25 GMT -5
(Photos credit: Find Zaharias Children Facebook page, Missingkids.com)
Admin Note: Anyone having any information should contact the Orange County Sheriff's Office (California) 1-714-647-7000
Susan Zaharis allegedly abducted her children nearly 30 years ago. The case was on the AMW website as a web-exclusive. Below is a description of the case:
Where Did She Go?
Louis and Susan Zaharias had trouble from the very start of their marriage. They met when Louis was 22-years-old and Susan was just 17, sparking a feud between her family and the man they claimed had taken their daughter. Despite Susan's pleas to change her parents' minds, they would not accept Louis. But the young couple got married and started a family anyway.
After six years of marriage, the family had different problems, despite the happy facade. Louis had started working at a law firm that took up a lot of his time. Susan stayed at home with Chris, nearly four years old, and his sister, Lisa Mae, who was 15 months old. Cops say Susan and Louis were fighting often.
By the summer of 1987, the tension at the house was at an all time high. Chris's grandmother came from New York to help sort everything out for the family.
Morning of Fury
On the morning of Nov. 20, 1987, Susan and Louis had a major argument. Cops say Louis left their home to cool off, but when he returned, Susan, Christopher and Lisa Mae had vanished.
That was almost 20 years ago and Louis hasn't seen his family since. Louis says he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to find Chris and Lisa. And even after all this time, he still cannot rest, knowing that somewhere out there his children are growing up with out him.
Sleepless Nights
Susan has been sighted in the Midwest, in Michigan and Oklahoma, where her family lives. Shortly after they disappeared, Susan, Christopher, and Lisa stayed with family in Pennsylvania. This is the last known whereabouts of the two children.
Thoughts? Obviously the relationship got off on the wrong foot which was a sign for doom. I'm not sure what the age of consent laws were in California back when Louis and Susan first met as it varies to state to state and also probably sometimes changes. Even if it was legally fine, I can understand why a family would be uncomfortable morally speaking. But it's also no excuse to abduct your children, especially when you married their father.
It should also be of note according to the "Help Find The Zaharias Children" Facebook page, Susan was struggling with an addiction.
What I find interesting is if Christopher and Lisa are still out there, they're now adults, and it's likely they may now be living on their own, and no longer abducted and still have no idea. Christopher, the oldest, was 3, not that old to remember a father. They could be having a conversation about their parents with a co-worker or at a bar and telling people about how their father passed away or left them because that's what Susan told them.
Also because the family did not seem to like Louis in the first place, while I'm not accusing them, I think it is a fair question to ask about the possibility of if they helped Susan in any way in the past 27 plus years. Even the Charley Project seems to speculate this is the case.
The sad part to me is even if the children are located, it's still a positive but partially sad ending. Louis never got to raise the kids, part of what every father looks forward to. But at least locating them will take away the not knowing and give peace of mind that they wound up safe even after all these years.
web.archive.org/web/20070811114916/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=36925
www.charleyproject.org/cases/z/zaharias_christopher.html
www.charleyproject.org/cases/z/zaharias_lisa.html
www.facebook.com/HelpFindtheZahariasChildren?fref=photo
UPDATE: As of July 26th, 2018, Christopher and Lisa Zaharias are still listed as missing and Susan Zaharias is still listed as their suspected abductor on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's missingkids.org website: api.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/703577
Admin Note: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
