Four-year-old George Barksdale, known as Sputnik, disappeared from the steps of the United Church House of Prayer for All People at Preston Street and Argyle Avenue in Baltimore between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. on April 21, 1969. He lived across the street in the 1000 block of Argyle Avenue. At the time he was 2 feet 6 inches tall, about 35 pounds, and wore a red, white, and blue pullover polo shirt, corduroy pants (reports differ on red or blue), and black sneakers with red stripes on the bottom. He had a birthmark on his left calf and was described as bright for his age, able to speak well and give his address and family names.

Investigators believe George was likely abducted by a non-family member. Police searched more than 60 homes, trash cans, alleys, and abandoned buildings and questioned nearly 200 people without finding him. A possible sighting at St. Martins Church involved an elderly African American woman who brought a little boy claiming to be George; she gave the name Williams and a false address and left. Follow-up checks of welfare rolls did not identify her.

The case remains unsolved; George’s brother successfully pushed for the file to be reopened in 2006. Does anyone remember the neighborhood that night or have information about the woman who used the name Williams?