Carmen Burhans, her husband Diego Garcia, and their 8-year-old daughter Barbara Burhans were last seen on March 15, 1982, when they left their Los Angeles home in a brown 1977 Toyota Corolla and never returned. Carmen’s mother, who lived upstairs, saw them at breakfast that morning and noticed Carmen appeared visibly upset. The family left without personal belongings, and their dog, luggage, and clothing were left behind.

On April 25, 1982, the Corolla was found at the bottom of a gorge in the San Gabriel Mountains, buried under about five feet of snow. No trace of the three was located and investigators reported no evidence of foul play inside the vehicle. The road where the car was discovered had been closed since March 16, giving rise to questions whether the car had been deliberately concealed or accidentally pushed off the road by a snowplow. Unconfirmed sightings of Carmen were reported after the disappearance and rumors have circulated about cult involvement and possible criminal entanglements, but none of those leads has been confirmed.

What did readers in Los Angeles in March 1982 remember about this family or the road closures near the San Gabriel Mountains?