Keeping hope alive, Milo woman hopes DNA will find sibling
11/20/09 | 26 comments

Keeping hope alive, Milo woman hopes DNA will find sibling


By Diana Bowley
BDN Staff
TIMES HERALD-RECORD PHOTO MIKE RICE
Janet Haiss looks over her parents’ old farmhouse on Denman Mountain in Grahamsville, N.Y., where on May 25, 1955, her brother Freddie Holmes vanished.

MILO, Maine — Dorothy Brown sees her little brother Freddie Holmes in her mind every day. In the vision, his tiny arms are outstretched as he cries “tookie,” his way of asking her to take him because he wanted to be held.

No one knows for sure, but the 22-month-old boy may have said “tookie” to the person his family believes abducted the blue-eyed, blond-haired tot 54 years ago. Holmes disappeared from his family’s secluded home on Denman Mountain in Grahamsville, N.Y., on May 25, 1955. The thousands of searchers who scoured the area for weeks on the ground and from the air found no clues or clothing.

Haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her brother, Brown, 68, of Milo, firmly believes Freddie was taken by someone who wanted a handsome child. Although the case went cold and was shelved, the retired nurse never gave up looking for her sibling.

“I think of it all the time. I mean, there’s not a day goes by that you don’t give it some thought. You just can’t help it — it has become my pattern of being,” Brown said.

It was Brown’s inquiries this summer about a small boy whose beaten body was found in a box in Philadelphia in 1957 that prompted the cold case to become a little warmer. She had been searching the Internet for missing persons organizations when she happened upon the story about the “Boy in the Box.” Her inquiries about the boy, who had the same characteristics as her brother, caught the attention of Todd Matthews, a representative of NamUs, a national missing persons organization.

Matthews said Tuesday he was able to connect Brown and her sister Janet Haiss of Grahamsville, N.Y., Freddie’s sole surviving siblings, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In late October, Brown and Haiss submitted DNA samples to NCMEC in the hope that someday they can again embrace Freddie or at least find closure. The samples will be tested against those from the boy found in the box. Brown did not know how long it would take for results to come back.

On the morning Freddie disappeared, Brown recalled, she had dressed him for the day and then left for school with her brothers and sisters. Her father, Roderick Holmes, had left for his job at the town highway department.

Brown’s stay-at-home mother, Gertrude Holmes, had taken Freddie outside to play while she worked in the garden, according to Brown. Gertrude Holmes told police, after reporting her son’s disappearance, that when she last checked on Freddie, he had been talking with the landlord.

The landlord, a cobbler in his 50s who had immigrated from Italy to Brooklyn, N.Y., owned the farmhouse and occasionally would stop in to work in a shed he kept locked on the property, according to Brown. “He would come and go, check on us and then return home,” she recalled.

When Brown was told by the school principal that her brother was missing, she boarded a bus with older students to join in the search, even though she figured her brother would be found quickly because he couldn’t walk very far, and when he did, he would sit down and cry.

Thousands turned out for the search, which continued for weeks. Police first thought an animal might have taken the boy, but no clothing was found. Even though the family lived in a remote area, Brown said the only animal she recalled seeing was a woodchuck.

When no clues were found, police zeroed in on Brown’s father and mother. They dug up her mother’s garden, pumped out a small farm pond, and ripped open floors and walls in their home, looking for the tot’s body.

“I was furious — I was only 14 — to think they would accuse my mother and my father,” Brown said. “I never got spanked in my entire life. That they would hurt their baby was just beyond my comprehension.” She said her parents were given lie detector tests, which they passed.

When police searched the landlord’s garage, they found stolen items — from chain saws to tools that had been hidden beneath the floorboards, Brown recalled. They also found communist literature, which incited some of the searchers, who wanted to lynch him on the spot, she said. The landlord, who was questioned about the missing child and the stolen items, was taken to jail, according to Brown. She said she never learned what happened to him afterward.

“We all feel that he had something to do with it,” Brown said of Freddie’s disappearance. Her sister remembers the landlord saying once that “‘somebody would pay a lot of money for that baby.’ Freddie has such long blond hair, you could put a dress on him; people were looking for a lost boy, not a girl. He was the cutest little bugger you can imagine.”

Brown believes Freddie might be alive. “I think somebody wanted him and took him and raised him as a child,” she said.

She noted that the same year Freddie went missing, another 2-year-old blond-haired, blue-eyed boy went missing from Long Island, N.Y., leading her mother and father to believe the children were being sold.

The family never stopped looking for Freddie, but the years took a toll, Brown said. “I guess for a long time I did think we’d get him back, but then after a couple of years, I knew,” she said. “They used to bring pictures to my mother of dead kids that they found and it would bring it all back again. My mother, poor thing. She was a simple country woman, and to be shown something like that was a constant reminder.”

Although the couple had an eighth child, a girl, four years later, their grief over the loss of their son consumed them, according to Brown. At 52, her father committed suicide not far from where his son disappeared. Her mother died on her 61st birthday of cardiac arrest. “She always said she has a hole in her heart,” Brown noted.

As she grew older, Brown chose a path where she would have contact with lots of people. She would examine the faces of men who were in college with her and in the emergency room where she later worked. When traveling, Brown said, she would arrive very early so she could watch the faces, hoping for a hint of resemblance.

When she learned of the “Boy in the Box,” Brown wrote to New York state officials to get copies of Freddie’s case, but was told there were no records. Brown was incredulous that with such a massive search for a child there were no records. “It’s just like he was an old pair of shoes. They just tossed it away,” she said.

Brown became more determined. She joined Peace4theMissing.com, working to follow up leads for the organization, which helps find missing persons.

“There’s hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people in this country that have been missing for years and years on end; it just boggles my mind that this could happen,” she said.

Some searches have happy endings, while others only bring more grief. In one sense, Brown is praying that her DNA won’t find a match, because she knows it would mean her brother is dead. Instead, she hopes Freddie will walk into her life at some point. When and if he does, Brown said she’ll hug him tightly and will tell him that she never gave up looking for him.

dianabdn@myfairpoint.net

876-4579

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Comments
26 comments on this item
On 11/19/09 at 9:55 PM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What a sad story. I hope Dorothy Brown gets some answers one of these days soon. How great it would be if they found that her brother was still alive!

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On 11/19/09 at 9:59 PM, tysmom wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I also hope that the DNA is not a match and that Dorothy and her family may be reunited with her long lost brother very soon, maybe he is also looking for you and may this story help with reuniting you both! It is just awful to think that someone could take a child that belongs to someone else, either to keep and raise as their own, to sell, or even worse kill a innocent young life. What is wrong with this world???? Dorothy may you have great luck with your search!!!

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On 11/19/09 at 10:26 PM, acadiashores wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My prayers go out to Dorothy. I hope you find your brother alive and well.

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On 11/19/09 at 10:56 PM, ACOdowneast wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

good luck

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On 11/20/09 at 1:36 AM, Hunter334 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

i hope someday that all lost children find there way home. It is unfortunate that we live in such a cruel place where the innocence is always first to be taken and the grief of the pain is forever lived on. Good Luck with all in your findings may you someday feel the solitude and grace for which you have carried such a heavy burden on your shoulders.

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On 11/20/09 at 4:33 AM, noreasternelly wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

i guess i,d want some answers from the landlord, and i,d want to know what, and why and how he went to jail, somewhere in maine is a higher up, that should help this nice lady get her answers. open files, police reports, ect..... how this could hapen, and this women knows nothing of what the police pumped out of the landlord is beyond me. HELP THIS WOMEN GET HER ANSWERS!!!!

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On 11/20/09 at 4:49 AM, nwoods wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My heart goes out to Dorothy. What an awful thing to have to live through. I can't imagine the pain that her parents must have endured. I pray that someday soon she will be able to find closure. God bless her and her family.

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On 11/20/09 at 6:54 AM, pammclain wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

This story touched my heart <3 I soooo hope she finds Freddie, and the ending is a happy one for all. If I can help in any way I will. Pam M.

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On 11/20/09 at 7:42 AM, Amazed wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Pam McLain 6:54 AM~ If anyone knows the pain of losing a child, you certainly do. God bless you for wanting to help another person who has lost her baby brother. Most cannot imagine, nor do we want to even begin to imagine, losing a child. I commend you for wanting to help this woman find her brother Pam, you are truly a wonderful woman.

I would think that the police would want to talk to the landlord again, to try and get more information from him. It sounds as though he may have the answers. His statement: "somebody would pay a lot of money for that baby.", speaks volumes, in my opinion. Who in the world would even think such a thing?!!

Perhaps if Dorthy Brown has a picture of her brother which would be very helpful. Maybe her brother would see the photo of himself as a child, recognize it and finally solve this case.

I'll keep you in my prayers Dorothy. God Bless you.

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On 11/20/09 at 7:58 AM, tysmom wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Pam McLain- You are an amazing lady!! You understand what Dorothy is going through and are willing to help her in anyway you can, You are just a wonderful caring person, I hope that both you and Doroty get the answers you need and deserve very very soon!

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On 11/20/09 at 8:09 AM, muguet wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My heart goes out to you and your family -- may you find Freddie, and peace...

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On 11/20/09 at 8:57 AM, RedHandOfUlster wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Wow! What a heart-wrenching story!

As I immersed myself in the article, I was filled with a tremendous amount of sadness and helplessness for the Holmes family as well as an intense anger and disgust for the person who took their precious Freddie.

The pain that Dorothy and her family has and will continue to endure is unfathomable. I pray that the DNA results prove the soul in the box not to be Freddie, so that hope may endure.

As a mother of a 22-month-old, this story will remain with me for a long time to come.

God Bless the Holmes/Brown family in their search.

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On 11/20/09 at 10:31 AM, woozie13 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

We all need closure in our lives when such a tragedy happens. My prayers are with you and I hope and pray closure is in the near future for you. The things that happen to our precious little ones are unspeakable, in this society we live in. Jesus said "What you do unto the least of these you have done to me". He was speaking of the little children for even then the elders wanted to push the little ones back so they could be close to Jesus. May God be with you in your search and may this article bring your brother back to you....safe and again with arms outstretched and tears in his eyes say "Tookie".....

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On 11/20/09 at 11:13 AM, Estelle wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am feeling so sad about Freddie and hope with all my heart that you find your brother alive. It would be wonderful if AP would pick up this story.

This would be the type of thing that Mr. Walsh would have on his program. That would be good as they would probably di an in-depth investigation about what happened at the time. Where there newspaper clippings? Are there others in that town who would remember details.

I hope and pray for you, Dorothy. God Bless.

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On 11/20/09 at 12:00 PM, dmbrownholmes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My family and I wish to thank those who wrote good wishes to us. It is greatly appreciated. It has been a sorrowful journey for all of us. And, yes there are many questions and I do believe that the times are different now and maybe these questions would have produced answers had they occured in this year rather than 1955. Our questions cannot be answered by the man who leased the proerty to my parents as I am sure he is long deceased as he was 50 ish when I remember him last and that was 54 years ago! I would post a picture of Freddie on this site if I could, but apparently not available to upload from this site. Google Frederick Andrew Holmes and he can be located on PEACE4THE MISSING.com, DOE network and others.

There were mnay old Newspaper clippings and they were recently published by The Times Herald Record in Middletown, NY. that story was available online.

National exposure would be helpful, but, alas, there are hundreds of missing children and adults. Why would they choose our Freddie to bring to the front? I believe there are so many wasted words printed about Hollywood, perhaps I could implore the AP to provide a good public service and help the missing and the families of the missing instead of following the morally impoverished Hollywood folks!

Again, my thanks!!!!!! (dmbrownholmes@yahoo.com)

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On 11/20/09 at 12:09 PM, Amanda1982 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OMG this is such a sad story! I hope she finds her brother, after all the turmoil she had gone thru, as well as her parents. I couldnt imagine how I would feel if anything ever happened to my two boys, I would never stop searching as Dorothy hasent. If he was sold to another family, maybe one day he will figure out the truth, and come searching for his real family. You never know..keep up the hope!

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On 11/20/09 at 1:08 PM, JoeDoe wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

i don't know if there is anything more gut-wrenching then the disappearance of a child.

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On 11/20/09 at 2:23 PM, Bobby54 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

It is so very said that we have such sick people in this world.

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On 11/21/09 at 12:43 AM, Amazed wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

dmbrownholmes 11/20/09 12:00 PM~ I check the website you suggested; Peace4Themissing.com and the photo of your baby brother was obviously taken of him while he was in the hospital right after he was born. Do you have an older one of him at age 22 months? I would think that it would be very important to have the updated one of him, as I would imagine his "adoptive" family would have wanted to take many photos of him when they got him.

I would think that Freddie would be a great case to bring to the forefront for many reasons. Without a doubt, your brother was not the only child who probably was abducted and sold. Awareness is key in finding these missing-children whether they are still young or they are adults now. These people still have families who love them and want to find them and age has nothing to do with giving up on them.

I'm still praying that he is alive and turns up soon Dorothy. God Bless you and your family.

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On 11/21/09 at 3:47 AM, Amazed wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

A link to The Times Herald Record and the story about the toddler: Freddie Holmes

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091108/NEWS/911080326

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On 11/21/09 at 9:38 AM, dmbrownholmes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Amazed: Thanking you for your kind words of encouragement! We never give up hope. Freddie is still a part of our family no matter how long it has been since we last had him in our arms and in our life.

See www.doenetwork.org............. Case file 4109DMNY for picture and information. Peace4THEMISSING.com does have a toddler picture of Freddie. There are many pages to that website!

Grateful again for your kindness.

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On 11/21/09 at 10:24 AM, unlockautism wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

This is what the newspapers are for !! Very well written article....please cont. to write more real story like this...seems like news papers are too TMZ lately.. Very good choice.....I hope this family gets some answers or better yet ....has their loved one back . Good job BDN !

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On 11/21/09 at 7:33 PM, cinday wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My 4 month old passed away last April from what we believe was sids.I know the feeling way to well to have a child there and gone .(nothing worse ! )I would love to help here if I can , I did alittle research and came across this site about a " Michigan man claims he was N.Y. boy who vanished in 1955 " If hes not who he thinks he is Steven Damman ....maybe he is Freddie .there is also a photo of this child at about age 2 just before he was missing .please look into this ....... http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/16/ny.missing.boy.mystery/index.html good luck and I will keep you in my prayers

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On 11/21/09 at 8:00 PM, chersully2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

cinday: It is people like you who are so inspiring and give one faith in humanity. I was sorry to hear of your great loss, and think you are really admirable to want to reach out and help out someone else who is hurting. Bravo to you. I , too, hope that this woman finds her brother. I hope we hear someday soon that she did.

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On 11/21/09 at 11:54 PM, dmbrownholmes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Message for cinday: Thanks so much for thinking of our Freddie and his family. People have been so kind and I greatly appreciate it!

I was told by Todd Matthews from NamUs that the DNA obtained from my sister and myself would be used to compare the DNA of the " boy in the box", the sad story of a child found dead over 50 years ago and never identified. There are articles of the "boy in the box on You Tube and if you Google it you will also see additional information. The DNA may be used to rule out the story of the man from the Midwest, John Barnes, who thought he might not belong to the family he grew up with. His age is appropriate and colorings also match. Several people in our family think there is a physical resemblance, but for me I just don't know. I have stared at those pictures so much you loose perspective!

I will keep you in prayer as you grieve for the loss of your infant. My sister, who you saw in the newspaper aricle, lost her first child, Allison, at 3 months to SIDS. It was a terribly sad loss, of course, and an awful shock. Blessings.

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On 11/22/09 at 10:59 AM, Amazed wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Cinday 112109 7:33 PM~ I am so sorry for the loss of your child. I too, had a baby that had SIDS, however, the outcome was very different for us. I found her in her crib and was able to resuscitate her in time to save her; thank the good Lord for my medical background. She had just been seen by her pediatrician 3 days earlier, had her vaccines, and was given a clean bill of health. Again, I am so sorry for your loss... I truly believe there is nothing worse than losing a child. You are a wonderful person for wanting to help Dorothy and her family, find Freddie, Cinday. I believe that these types of experiences that we endure, make us want to help others when they need help.

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