MAN REMAINS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF HIS PAST UNTIL THE COPS SHOW UP AT HIS DOORSTEPS AFTER 2 DECADES

No matter how much the civilians respect the cops for protecting and saving them from enormous troubles, none would have a positive feeling when you see a cop knocking on the door. After all, nobody wants to be a part of anything illegal.

Michael was no different than the rest of us and he too freaked out for a moment when he saw a cop waiting for him to open the doors. He took a second and waited if the cop would realize that he wasn’t at the right address but he kept still. As Michael opened the door, he realized the police officer was, in fact, looking for him. But Michael didn’t do anything then why would a cop want to talk to him?

A Simple Life

Michael Landers was living a happy life in Long Praire, a small rural town in Minnesota. He grew up and started earning for himself in the same city where the population of localities is just 3,500. The life was easy and slow, all the faces were little familiar with each other and Michael was used to this lifestyle. 

A Peaceful Guy

Unlike the majority of people who prefer running an endless race of wanting more, Michael has always been one of those rare people who felt satisfied with what they’ve got from life. Yes, there were good and bad times both in his life as well but he chose not to allow any of it to affect his inner peace. Little did he know that the arrival of a cop on his door will change the whole course of things for him.

Auto Parts Shop

Michael worked at an auto parts shop and he enjoyed his work. Fixing cars was his forte and half of the regular customers of the shop asked for Michael to service their car. He was a permanent employee at the shop and was getting paid enough to fulfill the basic necessities of his family. 

Cops Looking For Him

While Michael’s life was going perfectly, a cop was in search of him in a different state. Although the name of the guy on their search list was different their search was somehow going to end at Michael’s doorstep. And that’s where this story gets unbelievable, Michael never did anything that will bring him under police attention, not even a simple mischievous act.

What Could Be The Reason?

Then why were these cops looking for Michael? Was he hiding something from the entire world? Or was he equally unaware about it? Was someone trying to get him into a trap or was it just a huge misunderstanding? Well, when all these questions were answered, Michael had to take a few moments to get a hold of the situation.

GrandParent’s Kid

As far as Michael’s memory could go, he was brought up by his grandparents who were his ideal couple. They defined love for him and taught him to always do the right thing and think for the betterment of his family. Michael grew up to be exactly what his grandparents expected from him. He not only listened to his grandparents’ teachings but also learned them by heart.

A Life Full Of Love

Michael’s grandparents made sure to never out a bad example in front of him. They looked after him all the time, took him to the park each day. While his granddad helped him in his studies, his grandma made sure to cook the food he liked on a usual basis. They took him out for movie and pizza.

Growing Up

The old couple prioritized Michael in their lives be it his fishing trips with his granddad or grocery shopping with grandmom, the growing kid never felt left out. They were present in his every school function and allowed him to participate in various summer camps as well. They were the best couple he had come across and wished to share the same kind of love with his better half. 

More To Life

A few years before, Michael was out for a guys night out when he met a wonderful lady named Bobbie. She was this beauty with brains who won his heart right away and Michael, a charming guy, succeeded in getting her number that night. It might sound like the beginning of just another short-term relationship but it wasn’t.

Compatibility

From their first date, Michael and Bobbie knew each other pretty well. They went out for late night walks, holding ice creams and having fun around the streets. It was a pleasing night and a perfect first date. They started to see each other more often and loved it more every time. After a few months of dating, Michael decided to introduce Bobbie to his grandparents.

A Dinner Night

Michael introduced his new girlfriend to his parents and they completely liked her. Bobbie, a cheerful lady, surely got full grades from Michael’s grandparents. She had two sons from her ex-partner but Michael didn’t take much to gel up with the kids.

Like Father And Son

No matter how young the kids are, their opinion about stuff like dating, marriage, and divorce matters a lot. After all, it will directly affect them and Bobbie knew that she won’t take her relationship further with Michael if it will have any sort of adverse effect on them. Luckily, Bobbie’s kids like Michael and they seemed to have no issues with their mom dating him.

The Next Big Step

Michael’s grandparents liked Bobbie and Bobbie’s kids liked Michael as well. The next big step was to propose. A relationship that started from exchanging numbers at the bar was actually about to take a serious turn. When Michael asked the big question, Bobbie was taken aback by surprise. Never had she expected anyone to propose a mother of two school going kids. 

Simple Ceremony

It was a simple wedding ceremony, conducted in their backyard with their close friends and family. That’s how they like enjoying their good days, in the company of the people they love. It was a happening day that ended well and instead of a honeymoon trip, Michael and Bobbie took their kids and grandparents out for an amazing family picnic. 

Under The Same Roof

As the couple didn’t have any bigger place to move in to, they were all living together in their Grandparents’ house happily. With marriage, the responsibilities of Michael increased too. The couple was doing their best to make it work.

Paying His Part

Michael contributed not only in the family expenses but also in the expenses of his grandparents. He had this habit from the very beginning, Even though he made sure to pay his part to help his grandparents as well. 

Bobbie, His Wife

After being together for quite some time, Bobbie and Michael were planning to take their happily married life to the next level. Yes, they didn’t have much savings but they knew it will be easy to figure it out.

The Good News

Michael and his wife Bobbie were expecting a child together and Bobbie’s due date was just around the corner. They were expecting it to be the start of an exciting chapter of their lives but they weren’t aware of the cops who were searching for Michael on the other side of the state.

Helping Hand

That afternoon, Michael returned home early to help his granddad with the household chores. That’s when a cop named John Russell knocked on his door. Michael opened the door and the cop had a straight question for him. He wanted to know if he was talking to Richard. But who is Richard?

Michael Is Richard

Michael Richard Landers is his full name. Apparently, Richard changed his name to Michael after school was over. he didn’t say there was any specific reason behind this change of name than his own will. The cop was already expecting this from the 24-year-old but Michael couldn’t understand anything.

A Woman At The Church

Officer Russell started explaining to Michael the reason behind his visit. He told Michael about a woman who belonged to the same community church as the cop himself. This woman shared the details of her missing son with the officer. The cop started to check into this missing case at a personal level. 

The Strange Moment

So far, Michael was listening to everything quietly but he wasn’t able to understand how he fits in this whole scenario. That’s when officer Russell decided to keep everything aside and tell him the bitter truth.

Officer John Russell

Officer Russell warned Michael that it will be a piece of extremely unsettling news for him. And the officer was correct, this news actually changed Michael’s life. There was a strong connection between this woman at the church and Michael which he was unaware of. Also, his grandparents have kept some secrets from him.

19 Years Old Incident

Michael couldn’t believe the words he had just heard from the officer that this woman from the church was Michael’s mother. He has been living in the same house for 19 years with his grandparents. How can all of a sudden a random lady claim him to be her boy? And what about his grandparents? He could have never thought that they had any part in it when actually they made it all happen.

Who Is the Culprit?

According to the police officer, it was Michael’s grandparents who kidnapped him when he was 5 years old and never contacted his parents again. He even told him that his parents have been looking for him ever since. Michael turned to his grandparents for answers or at least a sign.

For Breakfast

Michael’s biological mother explained to officer Russell that her 5-year-old son was playing in the living room when his grandparents took him out for breakfast. According to her, it was the last time she saw them as well as her son. But why would Michael’s grandparents’ do such a thing?

Living In A Car

So there’s a significant backstory that will justify each and every action of Michaels grandparents. Let’s start with Michael’s parents’ financial status who were living in a car 19 years back.  They were not stable enough to take care of their son and that is the reason why the government gave the kid’s temporary custody to their parents.

Not The Only Reason

Michael’s father filed a case in a hope to get his son’s custody back, however, the homeless couple’s financial instability wasn’t all that bothered the old couple. It was his mother who was the biggest reason behind the grandparents’ conduct.

Developmental Disabilities

Michael’s mother, Lisa, was suffering from mild developmental disabilities. She was moved to a group home where kids weren’t allowed. After staying in there for a couple of months when Lisa was eventually released, she immediately tried to gain her kid’s custody back. When Michael’s grandparents received a legal notice to appear in the court for the hearing, they knew it was high time to act.

Rediscussing The Case

19 years after this incident, Michael’s biological mom was discussing her son’s missing case with officer Russell, an Indiana State Police detective who decided to relook in the case. He started with the F.I.R. and the photos of the young boy. He then noticed the SSN card that gave him the breakthrough in this case.

Same SSN

The detective did some research and finally found out that someone was still using the same social security number in Long Prairie. The birthday too was the same just the names were different and instead of letting his suspicions go, officer Russell decided to go and check on this Michael once. 

The Lawyer Remembers

Richard Muntz, Lisa’s lawyer recalled, “we had a number of hearings, and during the last one, the judge said, ‘I don’t know if the mother can handle the situation, but we have to give it a try,’ The judge ordered the child returned to the mother for a trial period.” After this, the old couple just did one act that brought the suspicion on them.

$5,000 Home Equity Line

“The grandparents went to the bank, drew $5,000 out of a home equity line and stopped for breakfast at a local restaurant. The judge gave her custody on a trial basis, and before she could get him, that’s when they left,” said the lawyer Muntz.

What Took So Long?

Michael’s grandparents took on new identities, and they stopped using their Social Security numbers, which authorities could have used to track them down. “When they left, there was nothing. I would run their numbers every year through all 50 states and never get anything back,” explained Boyd.

Transferred Case

The case was transferred to Indiana State Police detective Jeff Boyd around 10 years ago from the initially assigned detective who was retiring soon. He said, “I had kind of taken an interest in it because we’re a small rural community and I said, ‘Hey, we still have somebody missing here,’ I thought we needed some closure. … At times I thought it was a lost cause.”

No Trace Left Behind

“The trail on this case went cold the day they disappeared. There was no trace of them after they left the restaurant,” said Boyd who explained how cleverly the old coupled vanished within a days time. Before anyone could sense it, they were gone.

Nice People?

John R. Russell, who investigated this missing case for several months said, “these people (the grandparents) were nice people. It was wrong for them to do it, but I can understand why. But I also didn’t think the child would be in any danger at all with them.” he explained that Michael’s parents were unemployed and homeless.

GrandParent’s Home

When the news of Michael’s discovery was given to Richard and Lisa, his biological parents, they were relieved that their son was alive and lived with the right people. The couple was overwhelmed with emotions but weren’t yet ready to meet him. 

A Relieved Father

Richard showed his regret for not giving Michael’s SSN to the police before. He recalled, “I was at church and talked to a state policeman about running his number again, I gave him the Social Security card. We just kept hoping.”

Not Yet Ready

Richard Landers Sr., his father said, “we always just kept it in the back of our minds that we believed we were going to see him again. Until I get to actually walk up and say hello to him again, I don’t know if it’s going to be real.” He still waits to reunite with his parents and his son.

Wife Taking Stand

“His ‘grandparents’ didn’t follow the law, but they did what was right. Sometimes, our US laws don’t help or protect the people they should. He was 5. He remembers his birth parents and what they were like, He had been living under his grandparents’ care since he was a 6-month-old baby. It’s kind of like now, my emotions are torn between wanting to see him and not wanting to wreck his life,” the couple told in an interview with a news channel.

The Man He Is Today

“He had been living under his grandparents care since he was a 6-month-old baby. He was where he wanted and needed to be safe and become the man he is today, my husband and best friend,” she further added.

Supporting Grandparents

“For you people who jump to conclusions, you should find out the whole story. I was where I needed to be. My ‘grandparents’ were in the right, I don’t care what anyone else thinks,’” said Michael in an interview. So, did he ever meet his parents?

Unknown Parents

“I don’t know him like everyone else knows their son, but that don’t stop the love. I have to forgive them. My faith won’t let me do anything else,” explained Michael, who said it will be a time-taking process to get used to the fact that his parents love him and they want him back.

Tough Times

Lisa and Richard Sr. also understand that it was no one’s fault. “Times were tough and [Michael and his wife] needed to straighten out their lives, so they gave guardianship of their son for a year to [the boy’s grandparents], Richard E. and Ruth Landers. They knew even if I got custody, that he would have to spend time around her. But why didn’t they get us parenting classes or offer to take us in and help us out instead of just running and hiding?” he questioned.

Just A Hint

Lisa and Richard Sr. later made a revelation that the grandparents did leave a hint that they will be taking Michael away. As per him, they “dropped a hint about their plan shortly before they disappeared,” Richard further added that the old couple even made a videotape of the 5-year-old and said, “he’d always know who I was. It didn’t strike me then. It didn’t hit me until after they left what they were actually doing or planning.”

Knowing From The Beginning

“There was no indication that the child was in any danger. He was with grandma and grandpa,” told Richard Sr. who never revealed all this information when he went missing in the first place. 

Cop’s Regret

Officer Boyd regretted not asking for the kid’s SSN before, he said, “I just wish we had done it years ago when he was a small child, but it sounds like he was raised and life was all right for him. Any time these things end and you find out they’re alive and well, I think it’s a great thing. … But a lot of years were lost for the family here that wanted to be a part of his life and couldn’t be.”

Understanding The Seriousness

Bobbies once posted: “Mike does understand that it must have been hard for his mom. He doesn’t discount that at all. He doesn’t know how he feels about her and his parents (grandparents) have never said or told him anything negative about her… We’re trying to keep our privacy and figure things out on our own.”

Mom’s Emotions Overflowed

Michael’s mom still hesitates to meet her boy, she expressed her feeling: “It’s such a relief that he’s been found and that he’s alive and that he’s healthy. I found this out two days ago, and I’m so excited. I’m pretty happy. I know he’s married and he has a child on the way. I’ve seen pictures of him. He looks like a man. I last saw him when he was a boy. He looks so different. I’m a little nervous because I haven’t seen him for a long time, “I want to tell him I want to see [him]. I want to talk to [him.] But I might cry.”