PARK PREDATORS: "The Pair"
Host: Delia D’Ambra
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode of Park Predators, investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra takes listeners through the chilling, decades-old mystery of the “Babes in the Woods” case from Vancouver’s Stanley Park. What begins as the 1953 discovery of two children’s remains beneath a lush northern forest unspools into a 70-year investigation, marked by misidentification, heartbreak, and finally—thanks to advances in forensic science and genealogy—a long-awaited breakthrough. Delia recounts how determination, new technology, and the persistence of family led to the identification of the victims in 2022, though their killer remains officially unidentified.
Setting the Scene: Discovery in Stanley Park
- Stanley Park is Vancouver’s sprawling urban forest, home to old-growth trees, winding trails, and dramatic contrasts between city and nature.
- On January 13, 1953, park worker Albert Tong noticed something odd as he cleared brush near Beaver Lake—he stepped on what he thought was a pile of leaves, but a strange crack caught his attention.
- January 15, 1953 (01:50): Curious, Tong returned and unearthed a badly deteriorated fur coat. Beneath it, he found the skeletal remains of two small children, arranged side by side, feet-to-head, with matching aviator helmets, Oxford shoes, leather belts, and a mysterious woman’s penny loafer nearby.
- Also found at the scene: a blue lunchbox and a distinctive lathing hatchet (07:17).
“The skeletons also had matching Oxford shoes in two different sizes, as well as identical leather belts.” (06:55, Delia)
The Initial Investigation (1953–1960)
Early Theories and Evidence
- Early news reports struggled to agree on the children’s ages and sexes; estimates ranged from boy/girl, to two boys, to two girls; ages from 6–12.
- The coroner ultimately declared one set of remains was a boy (age 6–7), the other a girl (age 8–9) (12:42).
- The children had been deceased for 5–6 years (likely killed in 1948–1949).
- Police scoured missing persons reports and approached news outlets for help, even reconstructing the children’s clothing and faces to jog memories (15:04).
Main Police Theory
- Lead detective Don McKay theorized the children’s mother or a female guardian killed them with the found hatchet and then possibly drowned herself in the inlet. This was based on wound analysis, as well as the woman's fur coat and shoe (17:59).
"I think she then carried on down to the inlet and jumped in." (19:40, Det. McKay)
- The infamous “Babes in the Woods” moniker came from an English folktale about lost children in the forest, casting the case in folklore-like shadow (10:53).
Witness Accounts
- A witness recalled seeing a woman with two children, a fur coat, and a hatchet near the scene in October 1947; when seen leaving the park, the woman was frantic, missing her coat and a shoe, and alone (26:00).
- Other potential connections, like a missing father and sons from New Jersey, fell through (31:02).
Investigation Stalls
- By 1960, after reviewing 72 pairs of missing children, authorities ran into dead ends and lost hope (33:21).
"He didn’t have much hope that they’d ever identify the two children or their killer." (33:45, Delia—referring to Det. McKay)
Cold Case Revival & Forensic Breakthroughs (1990s–2022)
Renewed Efforts
- 1996–1997: Sgt. Brian Honeybourne reopened the case, focusing on extracting DNA from the children’s teeth. The children’s remains had been partly on display at the Vancouver Police Museum (36:00).
- 1998 DNA results: Bombshell discovery: Both children were boys, not a boy and girl. They were half-brothers—same mother, different fathers (39:09).
“Had we known at the time that they were both boys, it might have made a world of difference.” (40:00, Sgt. Honeybourne)
- Old witness reports about a mother/daughter no longer matched the true victim profiles; the team rebooted their search for pairs of missing boys.
New Witness Details
- 1953 statement from high school teacher Lawrence Smith described seeing a woman with two boys near the site—one striking a fence with a hatchet, later the woman was seen “distraught, missing a shoe, and spattered with something red” (42:40).
- However, Lawrence was dead by the time his statement was reconsidered in the late 1990s.
Case Goes Cold Again
- With the identification error corrected but no further leads, the case lost momentum. Sgt. Honeybourne stressed the limitations of 1950s forensics (46:05).
21st-Century Identifications: Genetic Genealogy
Breakthrough via DNA (2021–2022)
- In 2022, genealogy and police interest converged:
- Cindy Brady, living near Vancouver, had long wondered what happened to her uncles Derek and David D’Alton, who vanished as children.
- She and her mother had submitted DNA samples to a genealogy database, as had relatives of the boys.
- Police used GEDmatch and Redgrave Research Forensic Services to match DNA from the Stanley Park remains to living family members (57:30).
- Victims were definitively identified as Derek (b. 1940) and David D’Alton (b. 1941), half-brothers and maternal uncles to Cindy.
- The boys were last seen in 1947, aligning with the original estimated time of death.
Family Accounts and Implications
- Cindy’s mother—the boys’ sister—recalled a sad family legend that they’d been “taken by social services.” The family survived poverty and periods of homelessness in postwar Vancouver.
- Their mother, Eileen (sometimes listed as D’Alton, later Bosquet), was raised in an orphanage, worked menial jobs, and died in 1996.
- Police—when pressed in 2022—continued to consider a close relative, possibly Eileen, as the likely killer, though their primary goal was no longer prosecution, but giving names to the lost boys (59:49).
“After seven decades as a cold case, we presume that the person who killed Derek and David had likely passed away. But at this stage in the investigation, it was never about seeing someone charged for these crimes. It was always about giving these boys a name and finally telling their story.” (1:00:00, Vancouver Police Inspector)
A Family's Response
- Cindy and her daughter expressed a mix of devastation and relief at learning the truth:
"Even though it came to a devastating resolution, at least we know what happened." (1:02:05, Allie, Cindy’s daughter)
- Both are adamant that Eileen was not capable of murder, and urge against baseless speculation.
Analysis, Historical Context & Reflection
- Delia notes that maternal infanticide/murder-suicide, while rare, did occur in the fraught postwar period due to poverty and social isolation.
- She emphasizes that no direct evidence links Eileen to the crime; the historical context is crucial but not definitive.
"We could speculate for days...but I don't think that's appropriate." (1:04:13, Delia)
- Derek and David’s short lives, now restored to the public record, are honored with a small memorial.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "In the photos that are available of them, they're doing handstands, going on outings and making cute faces at the camera operator." (1:05:41, Delia)
- “Above all, they were innocent and deserved so much more than what happened to them.” (1:06:05, Delia)
Key Timestamps
- [03:02] Discovery of the remains in Stanley Park
- [12:42] Coroner’s sex and age determination
- [17:59–19:40] Detective McKay’s original theory
- [26:00] Eyewitness account, woman in fur coat, missing child
- [36:00–39:09] DNA analysis, revelation both victims were boys
- [42:40] Lawrence Smith’s witness account
- [57:30–1:00:27] Genetic genealogy breakthrough; identification of the boys
- [1:02:05] Family reaction
- [1:05:41–1:06:05] Host’s reflection on the boys’ lives
Conclusion
Delia D’Ambra’s deep-dive into the Babes in the Woods case showcases the power of perseverance, family, and modern science in unraveling history’s darkest mysteries. While Derek and David’s killer is likely gone, their story is finally known. The quest, Delia reminds us, was always to restore their names and stories to the world—reminders that the dark shadows of the past can sometimes be lifted.
If you have information about the case, contact the Vancouver Police Department (604-717-3321) or Vancouver Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477).
For source materials and more details, visit parkpredators.com.