MARIA RIDULPH

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Sycamore Police Department (IL)

Offense Location:

Sycamore Illinois

Summary:

On Dec 3, 1957, 7-year-old Maria Ridulph was abducted from a street corner in Sycamore, IL, while playing with a friend. A man calling himself "Johnny" had approached them, offering piggyback rides. While her friend was gone for only minutes, Maria vanished. Her remains were found April 26, 1958, in a wooded area 100 miles away.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

Maria and her friend Kathy were playing "Duck-the-Cars" at a neighborhood street corner under a single streetlamp. They were approached by a male in his late teens/early 20s who introduced himself as "Johnny." He engaged the girls in play for approximately 15–20 minutes, giving them piggyback rides and talking to them. The abduction occurred in a very narrow window (approx. 5–10 minutes) when Kathy ran to her nearby home to retrieve mittens. When Kathy returned, both Maria and the man were gone. No struggle was heard by neighbors, and Maria’s doll was found abandoned in a nearby alleyway shortly after.

Case Last Updated:

Feb 25, 2026