Podcast Summary: 20/20 – Bridge of Lies: The Search

Episode date: March 18, 2026
Host: ABC News / Juju Chang
Episode Focus: The disappearance of 19-year-old Sarah Stern on the Jersey Shore, detailing the early investigation, search efforts, and the conflicting theories that gripped her community.

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode dives deeply into the immediate aftermath of Sarah Stern’s disappearance after her car was found abandoned on the Belmar Bridge in December 2016. It chronicles the large-scale search, initial police interviews with friends and family, and the swirl of rumors and possible motives—ranging from suicide to a planned flight to Canada—against the emotionally charged backdrop of a devastated community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Search Begins (00:57 – 04:44)

• Timeline of events:

  • Franny Hines, head of the Belmar first aid squad, is called in at 4:50am on Dec 3, 2016, to mobilize water rescue teams after Sarah’s car is found abandoned on the bridge.
  • Search covers the river, under docks, out to the Ocean Avenue Bridge.
  • Water temperature was near freezing (38°F), drastically reducing survival chances.

• Personal Connection:

  • Franny realizes mid-search that the missing person is his neighbor Sarah, someone he’s known since childhood. The stakes become personal:
    • “It kind of tingled down my spine because Sarah was our neighbor for her entire life.” – Franny Hines (03:35)

• Survivability:

  • While jumping from the bridge might be survivable, the danger of hypothermia is severe.
    • “We’re pretty sure that after a little while... if someone’s in the water, we’re probably not going to find them alive.” – Franny Hines (04:18)

Police Interviews: Constructing a Timeline (05:44 – 14:28)

Interview with Liam McAtasney (Sarah’s Friend) (05:44 – 14:28)

• Liam’s Account:

  • Last saw Sarah midday, went to Taco Bell, helped her drop belongings at a neighbor’s house.
  • Describes her relationship with her father as tense, mentions her intent to move out (possibly to Canada), and claims she struggled with trust and mental health issues.
    • “She’s been telling me how bad her relationship with her father is and how she just needs to get out of here.” – Liam McAtasney (08:23)
    • “In the past, she has had a tendency to have self-destructive suicidal behavior.” – Liam McAtasney (12:13)

• Police Reaction:

  • Officers are skeptical but take note of details—YouTube conventions, her fandom for Grace Helbig, and her alleged plans to escape.
  • Push for accuracy and warn Liam about the seriousness of the situation.

• Two Theories Begin to Form:

  1. Sarah ran away to Canada to start over.
  2. She died by suicide by jumping from the bridge.

Digital Trails and Expanding the Search (19:27 – 22:19)

• CCTV Investigation:

  • Cameras on the bridge nonfunctional; police canvass nearby businesses and homes for footage.
  • Surveillance from a neighbor confirms Sarah and Liam together earlier in the day; last nighttime footage shows Sarah’s car backing out around midnight, heading south (an unusual route).

• Significance:

  • Was the route chosen to avoid security cameras, or purely coincidence?

Interviewing Friends: Preston Taylor (23:36 – 29:18)

Preston Taylor’s Perspective

• Background:

  • Liam’s roommate and long-time friend of Sarah.
  • Describes day of disappearance: working on a job site, returning home after Liam left for work, normal night of drinking and video games.
  • Version of events consistent with Liam’s but adds few emotional details.

• Preston’s Belief:

  • When asked what he thinks happened, Preston tears up, suggesting suicide due to the stress of taking care of family and unresolved grief after her mother’s death.
    • “What do you think’s happened?” – Detective Weisbrot (28:42)
    • Preston: “Just from stories that I’ve heard about what goes on with her and her dad… taking care of her grandma.” (29:01)

Community Response: Search and Contradictory Narratives (32:13 – 38:29)

• Community Search:

  • Hundreds join the effort. Sarah’s father, Michael, and her friends (including Liam and Preston) participate.
  • Police instruct citizens to look for Sarah’s red sweatshirt, green iPhone, and driver’s license.

• Carly Draper’s Account:

  • Sarah’s childhood friend and neighbor. Describes Sarah as happy and making plans during her last conversation—a stark contrast to claims of suicidality.
    • “She asked me to hang out that night. Like, if you know you’re going to commit suicide, you don’t ask someone to hang out with you. And she seemed really happy.” – Carly Draper (38:29)

• The Secret Money Theory:

  • Sarah had recently found a significant amount of money stashed at the family’s beach house (“the Avon house”), possibly enough to start a new life in Canada.
  • Carly recounts Sarah telling her she wasn’t to tell anyone, but word eventually spreads.

Shifting Theories: Money as a Motive (39:24 – 40:13)

• Investigators’ Realization:
  • Sarah’s find wasn’t as secret as she thought – many friends and family knew. Police question if someone else could have had a motive to harm her for the money, introducing a possible foul play angle:
    • “Could someone else have been interested in Sarah's money and taken it?” – Juju Chang (39:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It kind of tingled down my spine because Sarah was our neighbor for her entire life.”
  — Franny Hines (03:35)

• “We’re pretty sure that after a little while... if someone’s in the water, we’re probably not going to find them alive.”
  — Franny Hines (04:18)

• “She’s been telling me how bad her relationship with her father is and how she just needs to get out of here.”
  — Liam McAtasney (08:23)

• “Like, if you know you’re going to commit suicide, you don’t ask someone to hang out with you. And she seemed really happy.”
  — Carly Draper (38:29)

Important Timestamps

• 00:57 – 04:44: Launch of the river search and Franny's personal connection to Sarah
• 05:56 – 14:28: Liam’s interview, last known activities, police pressing for details
• 19:27 – 22:19: Investigation into security footage around bridge and Sarah’s neighborhood
• 23:36 – 29:18: Preston Taylor’s interview, emotional moment when discussing suicide theory
• 32:13 – 38:29: Community search, Carly Draper’s recollection of last conversation with Sarah
• 39:24 – 40:13: Emergence of the “secret money” theory as a potential motive for foul play

Episode Takeaways

• The initial investigation oscillated between runaway and suicide theories.
• The discovery of “secret” money by Sarah provides both a new lead and potential motive for foul play.
• Conflicting accounts about Sarah’s mental health and relationship with her father surfaced, but close friends like Carly reported she was upbeat and actively planning for the future.
• The case grows beyond a missing person search—the potential for more sinister motives begins to take center stage, hinting at evolving investigative focus in upcoming episodes.

Listeners are left with the haunting question: Was Sarah’s disappearance her own choice, an act of despair, or the result of foul play rooted in jealousy or greed?