On December 25, 1945, a fire destroyed the Sodder family home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Parents George and Jennie Sodder and four of their children escaped, but five—Maurice (14), Martha (12), Louis (9), Jennie (8), and Betty (5)—were never found.

Despite official claims that the children perished in the blaze, no remains were recovered, and the fire exhibited suspicious signs of arson.

Over decades, the Sodders uncovered evidence suggesting kidnapping, organized crime involvement, and even government obstruction. To this day, the fate of the Sodder children remains one of America's most haunting unsolved mysteries.