July 15, 1976 — A quiet farming town in California was shattered when a school bus carrying 26 children and their driver vanished without a trace. Hours later, the unimaginable truth emerged: they had been hijacked at gunpoint, driven into the night, and buried alive in a moving van deep underground.

In this chilling episode of Dark Side Diaries, we unravel the harrowing 16-hour ordeal, the courage of bus driver Ed Ray, and the resilience of children who refused to give up hope. We’ll explore the twisted minds behind the plot, the decades-long legal battles, and the lasting scars left on the survivors.

Because some nightmares… you never wake up from.

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• 988 Lifeline – Available 24/7 for confidential emotional support. Call, text, or chat with a counselor any time.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to 741-741.

• Crisis Text Line – Confidential support via text, available globally.

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – Offers hotlines and tools for victims of violent crime, including missing or abduction trauma.

• Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) – Provides a directory of victim compensation, state-specific services, and support programs.

• Team HOPE (NCMEC) – Peer-support volunteers who understand the unique trauma of missing or exploited children, offering heartfelt guidance and connection.

• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) – Hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST, as well as resources for families seeking support and guidance.

• Safe Horizon – The largest U.S. organization supporting victims of crime and abuse, offering hotlines and multilingual assistance.

• Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC) – In NYC, provides trauma-focused therapy, psychiatric care, and advocacy for violence survivors.

• 988 Lifeline — 24/7 crisis counseling via call, text, chat

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — 1-800-273-TALK (8255) / Text HOME to 741-741

• Crisis Text Line — Global text-based emotional support

• NCTSN — Trauma-specific resources and hotlines

• OVC Directory — Crime victim compensation & services

• VictimConnect — Survivor help & safety planning

• Team HOPE (NCMEC) — Peer support for families of missing/exploited kids

• NCMEC Hotline — 1-800-THE-LOST

• Trauma Therapy Platforms — BetterHelp, Talkspace, Inclusive Therapists, Reclamation Collective

• Self-care Guidance — Therapy search tips and alternatives

References:

A&E True Crime. (n.d.). The Chowchilla bus kidnapping: A survivor’s story. A&E. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/chowchilla-bus-kidnapping

Baron, J. (2022, July 21). Chowchilla kidnapping survivor recounts terrifying 1976 ordeal. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/21/1112846925/chowchilla-kidnapping-survivor-1976-ed-ray

CNN. (2022, March 28). The last of 3 men who kidnapped 26 California children in 1976 has been released from prison. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/us/chowchilla-kidnapper-paroled/index.html

History.com Editors. (2010, June 3). 26 children kidnapped in Chowchilla, California. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/26-children-kidnapped-in-chowchilla-california

Los Angeles Times. (2022, March 25). Frederick Woods, last of Chowchilla kidnapping trio, granted parole. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-25/chowchilla-kidnapping-last-of-three-men-granted-parole

Montalván, L. (2022, July 20). What happened to the Chowchilla kidnapping survivors? Blurred Bylines. https://blurredbylines.com/articles/chowchilla-kidnapping-survivors/

SFGate. (2022, March 25). Last Chowchilla school bus kidnapper granted parole after 46 years in prison. https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/chowchilla-school-bus-kidnapper-freed-17030396.php