I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a missing child. Perhaps even worse is spending the rest of your life not knowing the child’s fate. But that is exactly what happened to Los Angeles resident Christine Collins.
On March 10, 1928, Christine’s son, nine-year-old Walter, went to a movie in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mount Washington. He never returned home.
Christine reported her son missing. The case received nationwide attention, and tips of apparent sightings came from as far away as San Francisco and Oakland. Police unsuccessfully searched for months.
In August of that year, state police in DeKalb, Illinois picked up a runaway boy who matched Walter’s description. The boy told authorities he was Walter Collins and gave a hazy description of his abduction. He spoke to Christine over the phone, and she paid $70.00 to have her son sent back to Los Angeles.
But upon his arrival, Collins realized the boy wasn’t Walter. Under public pressure to solve the case, Captain J. J. Jones convinced Christine to “try the boy out” by taking him home. Three weeks later, she returned to Captain Jones and emphatically denied the boy was her son.
Although she had dental records and the backing of friends, Collins said Jones accused her of being a bad mother and bringing ridicule to the police. He had Christine committed to the psychiatric ward at Los Angeles County Hospital under a “Code 12” internment. This was a code used to commit someone who was deemed difficult or an inconvenience.
Jones questioned the boy, who admitted his name was Arthur Hutchins, Jr. and had run away from his home in Iowa. He admitted to hearing about the Collins story and thought his deception would provide a way for him to meet his favorite actor, Tom Mix.
Christine Collins was released from the hospital ten days after Arthur’s confession. She filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department and was awarded a sum of $10,800, the equivalent of approximately $180,000 in 2022. Jones never paid the money.
In 1929, a man named Gordon Northcutt was found guilty of abducting, molesting, and killing young boys in the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. Northcutt’s mother, Sarah, confessed to assisting her son in the killing of Walter. Northcutt denied the murder. Sarah Northcutt was sentenced to life in prison for her role in the crime. She later attempted to rescind her confession.
Christine Collins, who continued to believe her son was still alive, received permission to interview Gordon Northcutt, who promised to explain the true account of her son’s fate. He recanted at the last minute and professed his innocence in Walter’s disappearance.
Collins continued to search for her son until her death in 1964. She never learned his fate and his disappearance is still unsolved.
Her story is the subject of the 2008 Clint Eastwood film, Changeling starring Angelina Jolie in the role of Christine.
Joan Hall 
This truly is an awful case. I’ve heard it before, but learned more details from you. It’s a great share. I couldn’t imagine what that poor mama went through.
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I can’t imagine either, Mar. This case intrigued me when I first heard of it. Digging into the details was interesting.
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I cannot imagine anything worse than to have a child disappear and never know if they are dead or alive. This made me think of Harmony Kent’s book “The Vanished Boy.” What a tortured life Christine must have had. Now I want to go find the movie! Thanks for sharing, Joan!
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I also thought of Harmony’s book when I read this story. Like you, I can’t imagine not knowing. I plan to watch the movie soon. I’ve already checked and it’s available on Prime. Probably other sites as well.
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Wow, heartbreaking. I can’t get past they commited her for knowing it wasn’t her son.
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You’d almost think the police captain had something to do with the real Walter’s disappearance.
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It makes you wonder about that, Joan.
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“Try the boy out”?!!! What a traumatic thing to say to a mother whose real son is missing.
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For real, Priscilla. I can’t believe the man had the nerve to say that.
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I can’t imagine never knowing what happened to your child. And how the mother was treated is maddening – thinking she wouldn’t know her own son? She deserved every penny of that money – too bad she never received it.
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She did deserve it, Teri, and then some. I can’t imagine what that police captain was thinking.
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How chilling, Joan. I can’t imagine anything worse than losing a child and not ever knowing what happened. And the actions of the police were bizarre. I remember the movie. It was very well done (the fact that I remember it speaks volumes). So tragic. And probably something that happens more than we care to admit.
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I’m making it a point to watch that movie, Diana. Not knowing would be devastating, I think more than learning Walter had died. At least the poor woman would have some closure. Thanks for visiting today!
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I think so too, Joan. You’ll enjoy the movie.
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Hard to believe what happened to that poor mother. Losing a son, being committed, finding out someone killed him, but the murderer denied it. And after all that she learned he the convicted killer would talk to her but he recanted. No one should go through that.
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I agree, Michele. And who knows if the man really killed Walter. He undoubtedly killed others, but who knows. This mother went through a lot, that’s for sure.
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What a horrible story! Thank you for sharing. I will watch the movie now.
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Watching the movie is on my list of things to do. Thanks for visiting today.
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That is heartbreaking.
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it is, Jacqui. As I told someone else, I think not knowing what happened would be worse than knowing.
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A sad story for sure, Joan. You have to wonder what happened to poor Walter.
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I can’t help but suspect Gordon Northcutt, but who knows. Christine never believed her son was dead and often a mother’s intuition is right. it is a sad case.
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I thought it sounded familiar, then you mentioned the film. It’s a double tragedy for sure.
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I haven’t seen the movie, but I plan to. This story intrigued me.
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What a sad and tragic tale. And that Jones had her committed because he found her to be a nuisance? That’s unforgivable. Thanks for sharing her story, Joan.
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Exactly. He didn’t deserve to keep his job. I can’t imagine what this woman went through all those years.
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It’s heartbreaking.
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I thought this case sounded familiar! I’ve seen “The Changling.” I can’t begin to imagine the horror that Christine went through.
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I haven’t seen the movie, but it’s on my “To Be Watched” list. I agree, Liz. I can’t imagine what this woman went through. I think not knowing is often worse than knowing.
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I was shocked about this story when I watched the film and saw it was based on true events. That poor woman. Thank goodness for things like the DNA testing we have these days. 💕🙂
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This is one of the most bizarre cases I’ve heard about regarding missing children. I haven’t seen the film, but naturally, my curiosity is piqued. I agree about DNA testing. Thanks for visiting, Harmony.
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