46 years later, family faces new trial in the case of missing 6-year-old

In 1979, the frantic search for 6-year-old Etan Patz stretched across the industrial blocks and shadowed alleys of Lower Manhattan after he vanished on his way to a nearby school bus stop. Longtime SoHo resident, artist and chef Susan Meisel recalled racing through the neighborhood asking, Did you see this little boy? as residents dug through dumpsters in desperation. At the time, SoHo bore little resemblance to the upscale district it is todayits cast-iron buildings largely vacant, its streets cluttered with abandoned car shells and shuttered storefronts.

Etan disappeared on the morning of May 25, the first day his mother allowed him to walk the short distance alone. His body was never discovered. The case gripped both New York City and the nation, marking a turning point that reshaped how Americans supervised their children and bringing unprecedented attention to missing child cases. We were a tight-knit community, Meisel said. Id even had my arm around him the day before. It was heartbreaking, and we still dont have answers.

On Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors announced plans to pursue a third trial after the previous conviction in the case was overturned in July. In a letter to a New York State Supreme Court justice, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Marquez wrote that the remaining admissible evidence supports charging the defendant with second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. A hearing in the renewed case against Pedro Hernandez, now 64, was scheduled for Monday. Hernandez, who worked at a bodega near Etans home in 1979, was convicted in 2017 during a second trial.

A federal appeals court ruled in July that the trial judge mishandled a jury inquiry regarding Hernandezs confessions. Defense attorney Harvey Fishbein expressed disappointment at the decision to retry the case again, insisting Hernandez is innocent but saying the defense is prepared if proceedings move forward. Etans parents, who relocated to Honolulu in 2019, declined to comment.

Journalist Lisa R. Cohen, author of After Etan: The Missing Child Case that Held America Captive, told CNN that many hoped the 2017 conviction would bring some measure of resolution. Hernandez was first arrested in 2012, more than thirty years after the boy disappeared. He confessed to investigators, though his attorney argued he fabricated the admission under pressure. Hernandez has long been described by his defense team as mentally impaired and diagnosed with schizophrenia, with a borderline-to-mild intellectual disability.

Prosecutors said Hernandez told police he enticed Etan into a basement with the promise of a soda, killed him, and disposed of the body in a plastic bag. He confessed after more than seven hours of questioning and before being read his Miranda rights. His first trial in 2015 ended in a hung jury; his second resulted in a sentence of 25 years to life. After that verdict, Etans father, Stanley Patz, said he finally felt he had seen the face of evil. The Patz family spent decades keeping the case in public view and raising awareness about missing children. May 25, the anniversary of Etans disappearance, is now National Missing Childrens Day.

Etans case was one of several highly publicized child disappearances that shifted national attitudes about safety. His photoand later those of other missing childrenwas widely shared, including on milk cartons. In 1984, federal efforts culminated in the Missing Childrens Assistance Act and the establishment of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Cohen noted that Etans disappearance fundamentally changed American parenting, sparking a gradual but enduring shift toward closer supervision.

Stanley Patz, a professional photographer, had taken numerous portraits of his son, images that became iconic during the extensive search for the blond, blue-eyed boy. According to Cohen, the emotional power of those photos helped rally the community and keep the case alive in the national consciousness.

Under recent federal court rulings, jury selection for Hernandezs retrial must begin by June 1 or he must be released. There still isnt true resolution, Cohen said. And now the case is entering yet another chapter.

Analysis: The Etan Patz Case and the Long Road to Justice

The search for Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy who vanished in 1979, remains one of the most emotionally charged and enduring missing persons cases in U.S. history. Despite the passage of decades, the case continues to captivate national attention as prosecutors plan for a third trial following the overturning of a 2017 conviction. The announcement by Manhattan prosecutors on Tuesday to pursue charges of second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping marks yet another chapter in a case that has already spanned more than 40 years.

The Patz family’s relentless pursuit of justice has had a profound impact, not only on the case itself but also on the national consciousness. The disappearance of Etan was a catalyst for a broader cultural shift regarding child safety and parental supervision. It led to legislative actions such as the Missing Children’s Assistance Act and the establishment of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Additionally, the image of Etan’s face, shared widely on milk cartons, became a symbol of the growing concern for missing children across the U.S.

However, despite the years of legal battles, questions surrounding the evidence against Pedro Hernandez, the man accused of kidnapping and killing Etan, continue to complicate the pursuit of justice. Hernandez, who was convicted in 2017 but had his conviction overturned, has repeatedly denied his guilt, with his defense arguing that his confession was coerced and that he suffers from mental health issues. As the legal process continues to unfold, the question remains: can the Patz family and the public ever truly achieve closure?

The tragic case of Etan Patz is a stark reminder of the lasting emotional and societal impacts of missing child cases, and the ongoing legal battles offer no easy answers. With the retrial scheduled for later this year, the search for justice continues, yet the resolution many hoped for may still be elusive.

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• After 46 years, a family thought they had closure in the disappearance of their 6-year-old. Now, they’ll face another trial