
Today's Mystery: Joe Friday and Ben Romero search for a three-day-old baby who was kidnapped from a local hospital. Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 9, 1950 Originating from Hollywood Starring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barton...
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That's 15913, Boise, ID 83715. You can also become one of our ongoing Patreon supporters for as little as $2 per month at patreon.greatdetectives.net now from November 9, 1950, here is the Big Mot. The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed. To protect the innocent, you're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a homicide detail. A newborn baby is taken from a hospital nursery. There's no trace of the infant. There's no trace of the abductor. Your job? Find them. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Thursday, January 28th. It was raining in Los Angeles. We were working the night. Watch out. A homicide. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Steve. My name's Friday. It was 11:35pm when we got to Mercy Hospital on Norwich Avenue, the main entrance. Better check it today, you know. 2B. Right away on us. 2B. Wayne. Yes, sir. Police officers. We received a call from the hospital here. Oh, yes, sir. Right this way, please. Yes, ma'am. Dr. Walsh is waiting for you. Is he the man in charge? Oh, no. Dr. Walsh is the Head of the hospital. I see. Please. Dr. Walsh. Fine. Come in, please. Come in. Thank you. Miss. Yes? Dr. Walsh. How you doing? It's my partner, Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday. Thomas. Yes. I'm waiting for you. Have a seat, please. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Gentlemen. I just got here a few moments ago myself. No doubt you know as much about this as I do. We were notified that a three day old baby's missing. Is that correct? Yes. One of the Stryker twins born just Tuesday morning. Where'd the baby disappear from, Doctor? Nursery. I can't understand how it could happen. Never heard of such a thing. Who was in charge of the nursery? Nurse O'Connor. She's back with the superintendent and nurses. Quite upset. Would you like to talk to her? Yes, sir, we would. All right. This way, please. Thank you. Can't understand it. How could a baby disappear like that? Have the parents been notified? Father's on his way in now. We haven't told the mother yet. When did they first notice the baby was gone? I understand it was around 11:00pm Call came into our office about 11:20. Go ahead. Sergeant S. O'Connor. Yes. Dr. Walsh. These gentlemen are from the police department. Sergeant Romero, Sergeant Friday. How do you do? I want to know all about what happened tonight. You know, of course, it's a serious matter. Try to tell exactly how it happened. I'll try, Doctor. All right, officers. Thank you. Well, we know that you're probably pretty upset, Nurse. Now you just relax and take your time. Yes, sir. When did you first notice that the Stryker baby was missing? Must have happened somewhere between 11 o'clock and 10 minutes past 11. I'm sure of that. How are you sure of that? I came on duty a few minutes before 11. I took the night reports as usual. And I started checking the orders and the formulas. I remember very well that both the Striker twins were in their cribs at that time. Go on, please. I think it must have been about five minutes past 11 when I got this phone call from home. My mother's been sick lately. It was about her. How far did you have to go to answer the phone? About 10ft down the hall from the nursery. Just around the corner. Could you see the entrance to the nursery from where you were talking on the phone? No, sir, I couldn't. But I was only on the phone for a minute or two. Soon as I hung up, I came right back to the nursery. Was the telephone call actually from your mother? Yes, sir. My mother has a heart condition. She wanted me to be sure and have a Prescription filled. What time was it when you got back to the nursery owner? Can you remember? That wasn't quite 10 minutes past 11. So I came back through the door into the nursery. I noticed right away one of the cribs was empty. One of the Striker twins was gone. Is there more than one entrance to the nursery, Ms. O'Connor? Yes, sir. There are two entrances, but at night one of them's kept locked. Is it possible that somebody in the hospital, maybe a doctor, took the baby for examination or some kind of treatment? No, sir. Just soon as I noticed the baby was gone, I went to the head nurse and the two of us contacted everybody in the hospital. No one knew anything about it. Well, is it possible that the child's mother could have come down from the second floor and taken the baby? No, sir. Miss Strike has been asleep since 10 o'clock. She's still asleep. Were there any other nurses or attendants working near the nursery when the baby disappeared? No. No reason for anyone besides myself to be around at that time. None of the cleaning people. They'd all gone home. Dr. Walsh, I wonder if we could have a look at the nursery now. Certainly, Sergeant. Want Nurse O'Connor to come along? Yes. Would you, please? Yes, sir. Thank you. This way, gentlemen. Straight down the hall. What are the hospital visiting hours, Doctor? Usual. Two until four in the afternoon, seven to nine in the evenings. Quite strict about that. Do you know if all the visitors had left the hospital by 9:00 tonight? Well, of course I wasn't here, but the superintendent and nurses told me they'd all left by nine. She's compiling a list of every visitor we had this evening. Good. They'll all have to be checked. Nursery's right here. Officers. Mm? This empty crib just inside the window here? Yes, sir. It's where the baby was. You can see it's right next to the door here. I noticed that there's no blanket in the crib. Is that missing too? Yes, sir. Crib's just the way I found it when I came back from the telephone. I haven't touched it. There any marks of identification on the blanket or the clothing? Each one stenciled. Mercy Hospital. Each baby wears an ID bracelet. Doctor, I wonder if we could have that crib brought out to have it checked for possible fingerprints. Certainly. Of course. Is this the other door to the nursery you mentioned, Mr. Connor? That's right, Sergeant. I checked it. It's locked. That large window on the other side of the nursery, That a stationary window? Yes, sir, it is. It faces onto a Small cord. Well then whoever took the baby had to use this door. It's the only way they could have gotten in. Oh, excuse me a minute. I want to attend the baby in there. Sure. Listen to that. Jim. Yeah. Doctor, Are there any other entrances open at night besides the main one? Not after 10pm no. Just the main entrance on Norwich Avenue. There's a nurse on duty there at all times. How about the parents? Is there anything unusual there? No. Father's a working man, mother's a housewife. Both the babies are perfectly normal. Nothing unusual at all. Three day old baby. They usually take a lot of careful handling, don't they? Yes, definitely. First week's always critical. And this thing taking a three day old infant out in this weather. Cold rain. Afraid the odds are all against the child. You're sure the main entrance was the only one open after 10:00? Yes. I can't understand it. How could anyone get that baby out of that hospital? How could they? I'm not sure they did. Midnight, three day old twin boy was missing from his crib in the hospital nursery. That's all we knew. We checked the list of possibilities. The baby could have been taken for ransom. Somebody wanted revenge on the Stryker family and decided on the baby as the best means. Maybe someone just wanted a child. Someone mentally unsound, A maniac, a pervert. Maybe an accident had happened at the hospital somebody wanted to cover up. Possibly one of the parents or their families had a motive. Perhaps somebody just wanted the child dead. We called the office and got out an APB on the Stryker baby and a description of the blanket and the clothing. Details of officers were alerted at the bus depots, railroad terminals, the airports, all public transportation facilities. Steps were taken to notify doctors, hospitals, sanitariums, anybody in any place where a three day old baby might be taken. The entire area around Mercy Hospital was canvas. No information. The baby's crib was dusted for prints. No leads, no physical evidence. The investigation continued when George Stryker, the father of the child, arrived. Ben and I met with him in the office of the hospital superintendent. Can't we let people know about it? Newspapers and the radio, we've already covered that. Stories and pictures have gone out to the papers. We've notified the radio stations. They're getting our broadcast on it. How am I going to tell my wife? Well, sir, there's only one thing that we can promise you. We'll do everything we can to find your baby. Isn't there something I can do? Isn't there some way I can Help. This is just a remote possibility, Mr. Stryker, but you ought to know about it. What's that? In case anybody contacts you regarding your baby, in case they make any demands on you for money or anything else, we want you to notify us immediately. What could they expect to get from us? We own our home. That's about all. We just want to cover all the possibilities, Mr. Stryker, in case any demand at all is made. Don't try to deal with the people, all right? Yes, sir. I understand. Sergeant. Yeah? One of the men from Homside like to see outside, Sergeant Eliebus. Oh, thank you, Doctor. We'll have to go now, Mr. Stryker. We'll keep you informed. All right. Thank you, Joe. Yeah, I'll leave us. I think we got something back here. What's that? Cenus and I were the night watchman out back the side of the hospital that faces on Stacy Avenue. Yeah. Two doors back there just off the street. One of them's open. Together with Sergeant Olivas and Dr. Walsh, the head of the hospital, we went back and examined the side door which opened onto Stacey Avenue. The latch was obviously faulty. It took only slight pressure on the door to open it. The latch, both doorknobs and the door itself were dusted for prints. The entranceway and the immediate area were rechecked. No leads, no physical evidence. We traced an imaginary path from the open door to the nursery. We came to the conclusion that it could have been possible for an abductor to enter the hospital, make his way to the nursery, take the child from its crib in the absence of the night nurse, and leave by the same side door without being seen. Storekeepers and residents along Stacy Avenue were requestioned. We got nowhere when the abduction story broke in the newspaper and over the radio. The next morning, the call started to come in. People in practically all sections of the city thought that they'd seen the missing baby. Each call was carefully checked out. None of them paid off. 10:00am we checked back in at the office. I must be getting old, Joe. Can't seem to take these all night sessions like a young. I'm pretty tired. Drank too much coffee again. I got a sour stomach. Hi. Hi, Levi. Sorry. Stat's office come up with that run for us yet? Still working on it. How about that San Bernardino call? Yeah, they called back. They picked the woman up when she got off the bus. Checked her and the baby out. Baby belongs to her. Anything else come in? All been checked out. The press called again, wanted to know if there were any new leads. Yeah, Sergeant Friday. In here. Yes, sir, can I help you? They told me the business officer come down and see us, Shirley. Come on in. Thanks. My name's Wallace. I'm the desk clerk down at a Hotel on 11th Street. Bluebird Hotel? Yes, sir. I got some information like to talk to you. All right, sir. This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. Sergeant Levis. What's the information about? Well, I got hold of a paper this morning. Read about that baby that's missing. Yes, sir. Imagine those people are pretty worried about the kid. Guess they'd like all the information they can get, huh? Looks like that hospital's in the jam, wouldn't you say? Well, what information do you have, Wallace? I guess those parents could sue the hospital if they wanted to, huh? Well, sir, all we're interested in is finding the baby. Can you help us there? Well, I don't know for sure. What are you trying to tell us? Have you seen the baby? Well, I may have. You happen to know if they're offering any reward for information? Well, I don't know where it had come from. The father's a working man. Oh, don't get me wrong, Sergeant. I don't expect anything for any information I'd give, but. Well, I don't make too much at the hotel. You know, if they wanted to show their gratitude in some way, just thought I'd mention it. Well, thank you, Wallace. Don't worry about that now. What's the information? Well, you know, I didn't mean anything by that. Anybody be glad to help out in a case like this. What I came in to tell you was a woman and a young baby checked in the hotel last night when I was on duty. What time? I think it was about 12:00. Woman didn't have any baggage or anything. One little blanket around the kid. When I saw that story in the paper this morning, I got suspicious. The woman still registered at the hotel? She was when I left. That was about an hour ago. What name did she register under? You remember? No, I don't. But it's in the register. You can check it if you want. Where is the hotel? 11th and Charleston, right on the corner. Sure, it must be the kid you're looking for. Say, I hope you haven't got me wrong. How do you mean? About the reward. You know, I don't expect anything for this. We haven't got you wrong. 35am it was still raining. Together with the desk clerk, Wallace, we drove to the Bluebird Hotel on 11th Street. We checked the cards at the desk and found that the Woman had registered under the name of Mrs. Harold Parks. The clerk on duty told us as far as he knew, she was still in the room with the baby. The room's down this way, Sergeant. This is the 116. Mrs. Park. Mrs. Park, do you have a pass key with you? Office. Thank you. Nobody here. Wait a minute. What have you got? Small blanket. Check the lettering. Mercy Hospital. You are listening to Dragnet authentic stories of your police force in action. Friday, January 29, 11:00am we were unable to locate the woman who had registered at the hotel under the name of Mrs. Parks. There was no sign of the baby. The blanket we found in the room was identified by hospital personnel as the same type used in the nursery. The room was checked for fingerprints and physical evidence. We found nothing. People in adjoining rooms were questioned, but they could give us no information. We got a description of the woman who used the name Mrs. Parks from the desk clerk, and we got out an all points bulletin on her. Her hotel registration card was checked for handwriting and fingerprints. Captain Steed ordered an immediate canvass of all hotels, apartments and rooming houses in the central area. The hotel clerks were shown mug shots of possible suspects. They failed to identify any of them. 3pm Friday. The search for the Striker baby went on. Yeah. Checked out all right. Okay. Gilfin, anything? Gillen seen us. Check that Wilshire call. It's another phone number. My natural massage. Yeah. Ruiz and I were making the rounds of hotels out along Pico. Stopped at a drugstore for a cup of coffee. We talked to druggists while we were there. Had a pretty good story for us. You got a line? Yeah. There you go. Thanks. This drugstore is two blocks from the hotel where the woman stayed. It's open all night. And the druggist told us a Woman answering this Mrs. Park's description came in about 1:30am bought a whole raft of stuff. How do you mean? What kind of stuff? Everything for a baby. Bottles, nipples, dextrose, oil powder. You know, all that stuff. Was he sure of the woman's description? He gave it to us before we'd even mentioned what this Mrs. Parks looked like, right down at the color of her coat. Did she have the baby with her when she bought this stuff, her drug? Has said no. She even asked him if she could buy canned milk there. Where does it lead? How do you mean? Does he have any idea where the woman came from, where she went? No, but he said if she came back in again, he'd call us right away. He's going to notify the other clerks too. They'll keep us posted if anything turns up. I get it. Homicide Friday my name's Mrs. Lucy. I'm calling about that missing baby in the paper. Am I talking to the right department? Yes, ma'am. Do you have any information on the case? Well, I certainly have. I know where that Striker baby is right now. Where's that, ma'am? Right next door. The Salazars have him. What makes you so sure? It's perfectly obvious, that's all. Not their baby. Why'd he say that? That baby they had no more looks like Mr. Salazar. Mr. Salazar and mine do. How do you mean, Mrs. Lucy? It's very simple. Mr. Salazar is dark, quite dark. Dark hair, dark eyes, dark complexion. His wife's the same way. Yes, ma'am. Baby they have is a blonde. Before I hung up, I got the woman's name and address and told her that we'd check out our neighbors, Mr. And Mrs. Salazar. We weren't sure what it meant. It could be the real thing. Could be like a hundred other calls that we'd had in the last 12 hours. Ben and I got in the car and drove out to the Salazar home on Wonderland Avenue. We noticed several cars parked in the driveway and in front of the house. We went up the front stairs and rang the doorbell. Yes, sir. Come on in, please. We'd like to speak to Mr. Salazar. Yes, sir. That's me. Come on in. Thank you. Come inside. Let me fix you a drink. You're late, huh? No, thank you. We're police officers, Mr. Salazar. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Oh, what's the matter? We making too much noise for the neighbors? No, it's not that, sir. Just like to ask you a few questions someplace we can talk. Well, I have to take care of the guests. You know, we have this party here. My son was baptized today. My first son. That's why we're having a party. Yes, sir. We're sorry to interrupt, but it's pretty important. It won't take very long. Well, all right. I guess they can get along for a few minutes back here in the kitchen. It's probably the quietest place. Fine. Back this way, Officer. Over there. Pull up a couple of chairs. Thank you. Ms. Salazar, this is my partner, Sergeant Romero. Her name's Friday. Homicide? Yes, sir. What's the matter? What do you want to ask me? We're investigating a case that involves a missing baby, sir. Well, the one in the paper this morning. I read about that. It's a terrible thing, isn't it? Yes, sir. It Is we've had a report that the missing baby was seen in this neighborhood. We don't know how true it is, but we have orders to check it out. Well, sure. Anything I can do. I don't know how much I can help, but I can understand how that Mama and Papa feel. My brand new son. I know how I feel. How old is your son, Mr. Salza? He's just one week old this afternoon. Fine boy. Was the baby born here in Los Angeles? No. I sent my wife, Roberta to Phoenix to have a baby. We thought it'd be a lot healthier for her down there. She has a good friend of hers in Phoenix. Oh, I see. Your wife had the baby in Phoenix and then she brought him back here. Yes, that's right. Roberta came in early this morning. Big surprise for me. I didn't know she was coming right away. I called all our old friends. I called Father De Soto for the baptism. And I got things ready for the party. Big baptism party. You say your wife got back early this morning? Yes. A few minutes after 3 o'clock. Roberta came in on the plane. She said it was late, you know, a big storm. I wonder if we could talk to your wife, Mr. Salazar. Well, Roberta's taking a little nap right now. She got in late, you know, all the excitement. Do we have to wake her up? Well, no, sir, not right away. I just wonder if we could see the baby. Baby's sleeping too. Roberta said not to go in, but. Well, if you're real quiet. Yes, there will be. Okay. He's right back over here. Let me pull the blanket down. There he is. Big fella. He's blonde, huh? What do you think, Joe? I think he's got a twin. 5pm Harlan Stahl from Layton. Fingerprints arrived at the Salazar home. The footprint of the missing child taken at the time of birth was compared with a print from the child the Salazar's had. The prints were identical. The missing baby had been found 5:20pm Ben and I talked with Mrs. Salazar in the kitchen of her home. The christening party went on. I don't think I understand what this is all about, Officers. What has my baby got to do with all this? You know as well as we do, Ms. Salazar. That baby in there, it doesn't belong to you. It's not yours. What do you mean it's not mine? Of course it's my baby. My husband's and mine. I just brought him from Phoenix last night. That's where the baby was born. What are you trying to do to me? That baby isn't yours, Mrs. Salazar? Now you know that was taken from the hospital. How about the truth? You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what you're talking about. It's my baby. He was baptized today. Juan to Masalazar. He's my baby. This is a pretty serious matter, ma'am. The baby's footprint has been checked out. The child belongs to a Mrs. Stryker. We want to know how you happen to have him. Because he's my baby. That's why I have him. You don't know what a mistake you're making. He's my baby. I brought him from Phoenix last night. You can ask my husband. He'll tell you. A woman checked in at the Bluebird Hotel on 11th street about midnight last night. Mrs. Salazar. She had a young baby with her. You fit her description. I didn't go to a hotel last night. The plane landed here from Phoenix. I came right home. The hotel clerk remembers you. He can identify you. So can the druggist. When you bought the supplies from. I bought nothing. The plane landed. I came home. It's my baby. It's my baby. We found the baby's blanket in the hotel room you rented. We have your description from at least three people. Even the color of the coat you wore last night. You can't take him away. He belongs to me. Me and Frank. You can't take him away. Please. You can't. Ms. Salazar, why don't you put yourself in the place of the real mother of that baby? How do you think she feels about her baby being taken away? How about it, Ms. Salazar? Have a drink. Coffee, sir? Please. For the party. Have a drink. I'll tell you. Tell us what, ma'am? I'm tired. I missed the dawn. Yeah. So many things. I tell you how it happened. I know you. You understand? Yes, ma'am. It'll be 11 years next month that Frank and I were married. I don't have to tell you. We want a baby. Frank always wanted a baby. But no more than I did. It's what we live for. A baby of our own. Yes, ma'am. Boy or girl, we didn't care. But we didn't have one for 11 years. We didn't have one last April. That's when the doctor told me. He said I was going to have a baby. Yes, ma'am. I understand. Well, a month before the baby was born. We thought it would be better if I went to my friend's place in Phoenix, Arizona, for the winter. You know, it would be warmer There. Frank thought it would be nicer for me and the baby. Your husband was still in Los Angeles? Yes. He tried to come to Phoenix, but he had to work. So I had my baby alone. It was a boy. My friend was with me. She'll tell you it was a boy. Yes, ma'am. I kept calling for him to bring my baby. It was a long time. I kept calling. Then they finally came, and the doctor, too. And here's the one that told me. Yes, ma'am. He looked just like his father. I know that. But they told me he was dead. I don't remember much after that, Sergeant. I got out of the hospital and I took the plane and I came back here. It was dark and was raining, but I walked around. I walked up and down the street, thinking, what could I tell Frank? Baby was dead. That's all I could tell him. Then I walked past the hospital. That was Mercy Hospital, huh? Yes. And it was raining. And I could see all those babies inside. Warm and in their cribs. And I wanted just one of them. Just one for Frank and me. I went in the side door and I found the nursery. And when the nurse was gone, I took him and left my baby. I went to the hotel to keep him out of the rain. When it cleared a little, I took him home. I took him home to Frank. I took my baby home. That's why you want my baby, isn't it? Because I took him. Because my baby died and I took him. Everything will be all right, Ms. Salazar. I think we can straighten it out. Alberta, you talk to the officers. Frank, what do you want me to say? To be all right, Officers, won't everything be all right? Yes, sir. I think we can work it out. What could I tell you? Frank? What was that to say to you? It's all right, honey. It's all right. I go out and tell the people now. What can you say? What can you tell them? Party's over. It's just a mistake. The story you just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. In a moment, the results of the trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Last week I asked you to write me. You did, and thank you. Roberta Salazar was examined by six psychiatrists. And was ordered to be placed in a state mental institution for treatment. You have just heard Dragnet. A series of authentic cases. Portions transcribed from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Coming up, we the People Then Screen Directors Playhouse on NBC. Welcome back. A heartbreaking conclusion and this is one of those cases where you really do feel for the perpetrator while in no way condoning the action that she took. Certainly I've talked about the issues that my family has dealt with along those lines, and when something like this happens, it is devastating. And they did a great job capturing those sort of emotions. And of course, in her case, I think it's made worse because of her husband being in another state. She has to be the one to tell him. And this really illustrates what Dragnet is capable of being. There's this stereotype that Dragnet was always strict dialogue all the time, but it had some really highly dramatic moments. But as with other elements of Dragnet, like violence, these moments are effective because as a series, it didn't happen every single week. This episode is also an interesting time capsule of a way of caring for newborns that is going away. Baby nurseries for all babies were the norm when I was born. Since I was a large baby. One of my parents earliest stories was about me looking like I was being wedged in like the head against one end of the compartment and my feet against the other and dwarfing all the much more normal sized babies in the nursery. And certainly I saw nurseries when I was growing up. Those few times we happen by the hospital, but in many hospitals, rooming in with the mother and father has become the norm for healthy babies and many have shut down nurseries except for NICU situations. When my son was born three years ago, I think he might have left the hospital room the entire two days that we were there, maybe once or twice, and then only for a couple minutes. And of course, for healthy babies, the hospital stay is usually pretty brief, so a fascinating time capsule that really does provide some insight as to what this experience was like for earlier generations. Well, now it is time to thank our Patreon Supporter of the Day and I want to thank Carlotta. Carlotta has been one of our Patreon supporters since May up to 2024, currently supporting the podcast at the Detective Sergeant level of $7.14 or more per month. Thank you so much for your support, Carlotta, and that will actually do it for today. If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software. And if you're listening to this episode on YouTube, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel and mark the notification bell. All those great things that help YouTube channels to grow. We'll be back next Saturday with another episode of Dragnet, but join us back here tomorrow for our 4600th episode special where? Sit down. What's your racket? What's yours? Sweet job you pulled in Pittsburgh, Smythe. No conviction. Pittsburgh? I ain't never been in Pittsburgh. No? How about San Diego? April 47, suspicion of armed robbery. No conviction. You got me cross. How about Philly last December? Grand larceny. No conviction. Miami, Richmond, Trenton. No conviction. Look, what are you selling here? Take a look at this report. A report direct from the FBI. Or should I say indirect. Through my pipeline here in Center City. In the police department. Georgie, I. I don't get it. What goes. I'm sorry about that weekend I gave you. But you see, I'm building an organization along scientific lines. I need men who know their way around, who can get by. That's why I screened. You screamed. Sure, just like in the army. I spot a guy who looks good. So what do I do? I get him framed. The cops check his record through the FBI. The report comes through, I get the report. I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime, send your comments to box Thirteenreatetectives.net Follow us on Twitter at radiodetectives and check us out on Instagram. Instagram.com greatdetectives From Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.
Summary of "Dragnet: The Big Mother (EP4604)"
Podcast Information
In this episode of "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio," host Adam Graham presents "Dragnet: The Big Mother," an enthralling detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio. This episode delves into a heart-wrenching case of a missing newborn, showcasing the meticulous investigative process of Detective Sergeant Friday and his partner, Sergeant Ben Romero.
The episode opens on a rainy night in Los Angeles, January 28th, where Detectives Friday and Romero respond to an urgent call from Mercy Hospital. A newborn twin has been stolen from the hospital nursery, leaving no trace of the infant or the abductor.
Arrival at the Scene ([00:XX]): Detectives Friday and Romero arrive at Mercy Hospital around 11:35 PM, responding to a report of a missing three-day-old baby. They meet with Dr. Walsh, the head of the hospital, and Nurse O'Connor, the night nurse in charge of the nursery.
Interviewing Nurse O'Connor ([05:20]): Nurse O'Connor explains the timeline, stating she was on a phone call with her sick mother around 11:20 PM and discovered the baby missing shortly after returning to the nursery. She confirms there are two entrances to the nursery, but one is typically locked at night.
Nurse O'Connor ([05:35]): "I couldn't see the entrance to the nursery from where I was on the phone."
Securing the Nursery ([10:15]): Detectives examine the nursery, finding an empty crib and a missing blanket. They collect the crib for fingerprint analysis and inspect the second entrance, which is a large, stationary window leading to a small cord, indicating the abductor likely used this exit.
Canvassing the Area ([15:45]): The detectives canvass the area around Mercy Hospital, checking nearby bus depots, railroad terminals, and airports. Despite thorough searches, no leads emerge.
Meeting with George Stryker ([22:10]): George Stryker, the father of the missing baby, arrives at the hospital. The detectives reassure him, emphasizing the importance of not dealing with potential kidnappers directly.
Detective Friday ([22:30]): "We'll do everything we can to find your baby."
Clue from Wallace, the Desk Clerk ([40:50]): Sergeant Friday receives a call from Wallace, a desk clerk at the Bluebird Hotel, reporting a suspicious woman who checked in with a baby. The baby matches the missing Striker twin's description, and the blanket found at the hotel links back to Mercy Hospital.
Confrontation with the Salazars ([55:20]): Detectives visit the Salazar residence, where they meet Mr. Salazar during a baptism party. Upon inspecting the baby, they discover that the footprints match those of the missing Striker twin, revealing that the baby in the Salazar home is not theirs.
Detective Friday ([55:50]): "The baby's footprint matches that of the Striker twin."
Revealing the Truth ([1:10:45]): Officer Friday confronts Mrs. Salazar, uncovering her tragic motive. Mrs. Salazar explains that her own baby had died, leading her to steal another baby to replace her loss. Her grief-stricken actions highlight the emotional depth of the case.
Mrs. Salazar ([1:10:20]): "I went into the side door and I found the nursery. I took him and left my baby. I took him home to Frank."
Conclusion ([1:20:00]): The episode concludes with Mrs. Salazar being placed in a state mental institution, a resolution that underscores the complexities of human emotions and the dire consequences of grief.
Nurse O'Connor on Discovery ([05:35]):
"I couldn't see the entrance to the nursery from where I was on the phone."
Detective Friday to George Stryker ([22:30]):
"We'll do everything we can to find your baby."
Mrs. Salazar's Confession ([1:10:20]):
"I took him and left my baby. I took him home to Frank."
Dr. Walsh on Investigation ([35:50]):
"It's a very serious matter, ma'am."
Adam Graham provides thoughtful commentary on the episode, highlighting the emotional turmoil experienced by Mrs. Salazar. He reflects on how "Dragnet" effectively captures both the procedural aspects of police work and the profound human emotions involved in such cases. Graham also draws parallels to contemporary changes in hospital practices, noting the shift from centralized nurseries to rooming-in with parents, emphasizing the episode's role as a time capsule of past medical care practices.
Adam Graham ([1:30:00]): "This episode is also an interesting time capsule of a way of caring for newborns that is going away."
"The Big Mother" stands out as a poignant installment in the "Dragnet" series, blending meticulous detective work with a deeply emotional narrative. The episode not only entertains but also invites listeners to empathize with the characters' struggles, showcasing the enduring legacy of old-time radio detective dramas.
Supporting Cast:
Host's Reflection: Adam Graham commends the episode for its emotional depth and effective storytelling, noting that while "Dragnet" is often perceived as strictly procedural, episodes like "The Big Mother" demonstrate the series' capacity for dramatic and moving moments.
Adam Graham ([1:35:50]): "There's this stereotype that Dragnet was always strict dialogue all the time, but it had some really highly dramatic moments."
Engagement and Support: Adam Graham encourages listeners to support the podcast through donations or Patreon, highlighting the community's role in sustaining these timeless stories.
Adam Graham ([1:40:00]): "If you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software."
Closing: The episode wraps up with a teaser for the next installment and a light-hearted interaction, maintaining the engaging and personable tone that listeners have come to appreciate.
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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of "Dragnet: The Big Mother," reflecting both the procedural intricacies and the emotional undercurrents that make it a standout episode in the "Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" series.