In 1979, 6-year-old Etan Patz vanished while walking to his school bus stop in New York City, becoming one of the most influential missing-person cases in modern history. His disappearance not only sparked national media attention, but also redefined how America tracks, investigates, and responds to missing children.

Tonight, we examine the events surrounding Etan’s disappearance, the decades-long investigation, and how the case reshaped the national approach to child safety.