Johnny Gosch Abducted 30 Years Ago Sept. 5th - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA
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By Ron Marasco
@ron_marasco
Wednesday marks 30 years since Johnny Gosch vanished from the streets of West Des Moines.
His mother Noreen has never given up hope she'll unlock the mystery that's haunted her for three decades.
On September 5th, 1982 Johnny Gosch set out on his paper route never to come home.
"The thirty years have been like a living nightmare," said Gosch. Life was normal before Johnny was kidnapped. After he was kidnapped just the opposite of normal. So then what it becomes is your new normal to live within."
That new normal has included hundreds of theories, an equal number of setbacks, but hope Johnny will finally come marching home for good.
"The information and evidence that we've had over the past, oh let's say 10 years, does indicate that he is still alive...living elsewhere under another name," said Gosch. "And since he doesn't look like he did when he was 12, he can hide in plain sight."
Noreen believes Johnny was sold into an elaborate underground sex ring.
Reports say she claimed he paid a late night visit to her in 1997 to detail parts of the operation, but left as quickly as he came.
"He can't go public," said Gosch. "They'll kill him."
Recently, photos have been released showing what Gosch might look like today.
We asked Gosch if Johnny showed up today, knocked on her door and said, "Mom, I'm home." What would she say to him?
"First of all I'd bring him inside as quickly as possible," said Gosch. "And then I'd immediately call a detective that has been helping me for many, many years and has worked with trafficking victims before. Kids that have been taken off the street and put into an industry that none of us even thought was there."
An industry Noreen Gosch reviles. An industry she tries very hard from reaching other kids.
"There is a great deal of peace when you know that you've been a part of something greater than yourself," said Gosch. "And that you know that is going to save lives..."
Gosch says West Des Moines police stopped working on her case 15 to 20 years ago. However, she says she'll never give up looking for him or his abductors.
She also says a film project about Johnny may be released later this year.
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