On October 18th, 1989 in Reno Nevada, Classes got out of Anderson Elementary at 3:00 p.m.. 8 year old Charles Chia and his 6 year old sister Jennifer, had just finished school for the day. About 3:30 p.m., Jennifer, whose two front teeth were missing, grabbed her tote bag and "Miss Piggy" lunch pail and got off the bus. Charles, wearing his backpack, was in tow. They were headed home to the Timber Hills apartment complex in the 800 block of Redfield Parkway. After exiting the bus they walked across the street with a friend and were last seen walking toward their apartment. Their grandmother, who was staying with the family while the kid's mother, Ann Chang, visited her father in Taiwan, waited for them. When the kids didn't show up, their grandmother reported them missing.
At first, the police didn't think it was a stranger abduction case, but as more time went on, police changed their attitude and conducted one of the most extensive searches in the county. Detectives had gone door-to-door throughout apartment complexes and businesses in the area. The children's pictures were placed on billboards, fliers, buttons and a television reenactment was aired.
On October 25th, Grooms was arrested for extortion and becomes a suspect in the children's disappearance.
Among the many tips provided over the years, a married couple reported seeing a brown van back into the turnout next to Highway 70 in Plumas County, California, which is approximately 50 miles from Reno, Nevada. The only identifying information provided on the van was that it had a Miller gear shift knob.
On July 25th, 1990 in the skeletal remains of Charles and Jennifer were discovered in a shallow grave next to Highway 70 where the brown van was seen. Police think that the children were killed there. When the kids were found, Ann, the community and the police were devastated.
Shortly after the kids' funeral in 1990, a man deposited money to the children's trust fund and was crying and highly emotional. The teller turned on the surveillance camera and gave the footage to police. He has not yet been found.
In January 2000, A witness reported seeing a white Volkswagen near the children's grave site following their abduction. The car was registered to Grooms. Police believe case-breaking clues could be inside the car, which has never been found.
At the time of their disappearance, Charles was wearing a long-sleeve white shirt, a blue pullover, blue jeans and was carrying a dark blue and red backpack. Jennifer was wearing a white dress with black dots,white socks, light green shoes and was carrying both a blue tote bag and a Miss Piggy lunch pail.
Grooms' still remains a suspect in the children's abduction and murder. At the time of the abduction, Grooms' own children, a boy and girl, were about the same age as Charlie and Jennifer and looked similar. The police found evidence at his home that indicates he met the children before they were kidnapped. Grooms couldn't explain his whereabouts at the time of the murder. He once lived within two miles of where the bodies were buried, and has never said where police could find his Volkswagen. Grooms has felony convictions in California related to welfare fraud. Grooms has denied responsibility in the children's kidnapping and murders.
At the time of their disappearance, Charles was wearing a long-sleeve white shirt, a blue pullover, blue jeans and was carrying a dark blue and red backpack. Jennifer was wearing a white dress with black dots,white socks, light green shoes and was carrying both a blue tote bag and a Miss Piggy lunch pail.
Crimestoppers: 1 800 222 TIPS with any information no matter how small you think it is, it may solve this case.
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