
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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Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com Arts, just go to Indeed.com Arts right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you. Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. Before we do, I want to encourage you, if you enjoy the podcast, to follow us using your favorite podcast software. Today's program is brought to you in part by the financial support of our listeners. You can support the show on a one time basis by mailing a donation to Adam Graham, P.O. box 15913. 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 Mother. Lowes knows how to help make your Super Bowl LIX party a touchdown. Let us help you prep your home to host with top brands like Char Broil, Blackstone and LG so you can be the MVP of Game Day. Plus, use the Lowes app to find what you need for a seamless shopping run or huddle up with our Lowes Redvest Associates to help make all Your game time hosting decision. 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 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 Steed. My name's Frieden. It was 11:35pm when we got to Mercy Hospital on Norwich Avenue. The main entrance. Better check it today. Yeah, 2B. Right away on this 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 do? This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday. Yes, sir. I'm waiting for you. 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 an hour. 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. Oh, man. What 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? Then 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. 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 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 as 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. Ms. Strike has been asleep since 10:00. 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? Of course I wasn't here, but the superintendent nurses told me they'd all left by nine. She's compiling a list of every visitor we had this evening. 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? We're not sure they did. Midnight, a 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 Striker 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, hospital, sanitariums, anybody in any place where a three day old baby might be taken. The entire area around Mercy Hospital was canvassed. 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 hospital superintendent. Can 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 gonna 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 can 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 Homs I'd like to see outside. Sergeant Olivas. Oh, thank you, Doctor. We'll have to go now, Mr. Stryker. I'll keep you informed. All right. Thank you, Joe. Yeah, I'll leave us. Think we got something back here. What's that? Sinus 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 Believe Us, and Dr. Walsh, the head of the hospital. We went back and examined the side door which opened onto Stacy 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 we used to. I'm pretty tired. Drank too much coffee again. I got a sour stomach. Hi. Hi. Leaving? 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 office to come down and see him. 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. This is Sergeant Olivas. How you doing, Wallace? 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 in 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. S OK. This is a lunt 16. Mrs. Park. Mrs. Park? You have a pass key with you, Watson? 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 on 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, Gil. Thanks. Anything Gillen seen us Check that Wilshire call. It's another phone. My natural sauce. 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. Here 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. Parks description came in about 1:30am bought a whole raft of stuff. What 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 brother 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 do you say that? That baby they have no more Looks like Mr. Salazar and Mrs. 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 as a blonde. Before I hung up, I got the woman's name and address and told her that we'd check out her 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? Are 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. Mellow 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. Fine. Over there. Pull up couple of chairs. Thank you. Ms. Salazar? This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. My name is 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. With 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 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, Gilbert? 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, Officer. 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 Marcelazar. 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. He'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? Entirely, Mr. Don. Yeah, sort of. Many times 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. And 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 he'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 him out. Roberta, you talk to the officers. Frank, what do you want me to say? It'll 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 you 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've 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's capable of being. There's this stereotype that Dragnet was always strict Cato 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 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 of 2020 24, 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. Smart. 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 crossed. 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 screen. 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 Great. Detectives from Boise, Idaho, this is your host, Adam Graham, signing off.
Summary of "Dragnet: The Big Mother (EP4604)"
Released on January 18, 2025, "The Great Detectives Present Dragnet (Old Time Radio)" hosted by Adam Graham delves into the intricacies of classic radio dramas. In Episode EP4604, titled "Dragnet: The Big Mother," Graham revisits a compelling Dragnet episode that explores the emotional and procedural facets of a heartbreaking abduction case.
Adam Graham welcomes listeners to another installment of his podcast, setting the stage for an immersive journey into the world of "Dragnet." He emphasizes the authenticity of the stories, highlighting their basis in real police cases, which adds a layer of depth and realism to the narrative.
“The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.” — Narrator (00:00)
The episode begins on a rainy Thursday night in Los Angeles, where Detective Sergeant Friday and his partner Sergeant Ben Romero respond to a distressing call from Mercy Hospital. A three-day-old baby, one of the Stryker twins, has vanished from the hospital nursery.
Key Characters Introduced:
“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.” — Narrator (00:00)
Investigation Details:
“There any marks of identification on the blanket or the clothing? Each one stenciled. Mercy Hospital. Each baby wears an ID bracelet.” — Sergeant Friday (12:45)
The detectives explore various possibilities, including ransom, personal vendettas, or accidental removal. Despite canvassing the area and checking public transportation hubs, initial leads prove fruitless.
Notable Quote: “We're not sure how anyone could get that baby out of that hospital.” — Sergeant Friday (25:30)
A significant breakthrough occurs when Sergeant Friday and Sergeant Romero receive information about a woman named Mrs. Harold Parks checking into the Bluebird Hotel with a baby matching the description of the missing child.
Key Developments:
“Well, you know I didn't mean anything by that. Anybody be glad to help out in a case like this.” — Hotel Clerk Wallace (45:50)
The detectives trace the woman to the Salazar residence. Upon confrontation, Mrs. Salazar vehemently denies any wrongdoing, asserting that the baby belongs to her family. However, fingerprint comparisons reveal that the baby is indeed the Stryker child.
Dramatic Interaction: “He belongs to me. Me and Frank.” — Mrs. Salazar (58:20) “He belongs to me. My husband's and mine.” — Mrs. Salazar (58:25) “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.” — Sergeant Friday (59:10)
Mrs. Salazar reveals her tragic motive: her own baby had died, and in her despair, she took solace in adopting another infant. Her loneliness and desire for a child led her to commit the abduction.
Emotional Insight: “It's a terrible thing, isn't it. Yes, sir, it is.” — Mr. Salazar (1:02:15) “He was baptized today. Juan to Marcelazar. He's my baby.” — Mrs. Salazar (1:02:35) “I took him and left my baby. I took my baby home that's why you want my baby, isn't it?” — Mrs. Salazar (1:03:10)
Recognizing the mental anguish that led to her actions, the authorities decide to place Mrs. Salazar in a state mental institution for treatment rather than pursue further legal action. This compassionate resolution underscores the complex interplay between mental health and criminal responsibility.
“Roberta Salazar was examined by six psychiatrists and was ordered to be placed in a state mental institution for treatment.” — Narrator (1:05:00)
Adam Graham offers a poignant reflection on the episode, expressing empathy for Mrs. Salazar while acknowledging the gravity of her actions. He discusses the evolution of newborn care practices, contrasting the hospital nursery system depicted in the episode with modern rooming-in practices.
Personal Insights: “This is one of those cases where you really do feel for the perpetrator while in no way condoning the action that she took.” — Adam Graham (1:06:30)
“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...” — Adam Graham (1:07:15)
Graham shares personal anecdotes about his own experiences with nursery practices, emphasizing how societal changes have impacted parental involvement in newborn care.
"The Big Mother" episode of Dragnet serves as a gripping portrayal of a mother's desperation intersecting with law enforcement. Through meticulous police work and emotional storytelling, the narrative underscores themes of loss, mental health, and the lengths to which individuals might go to restore their sense of family.
Adam Graham effectively captures the essence of classic radio dramas, enriching listeners' understanding of historical contexts and the enduring human emotions that drive such compelling stories.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps:
Final Thoughts
"The Big Mother" not only entertains but also prompts reflection on the societal and personal factors influencing criminal behavior. Adam Graham's insightful commentary bridges the gap between past and present, offering listeners both an engaging story and a lens through which to examine evolving practices in childcare and mental health.