Mystery Haunts Wichita Falls, Texas 47 Years After Andy Sims Disappears

From a suburban area of Wichita Falls, a little over two weeks before Christmas 1961, Andy Sims vanished into thin air. It was the 60s and neighborhoods were safe. People left their doors unlocked. Children didn't disappear. But Andy did and 47 years later, no one knows what happened.

Andy lived in a quiet neighborhood with his mother, step-father and brother, Donald who was a year older than Andy. Andy was a fifth grader at Jefferson Elementary School.

On that Saturday afternoon, Andy dressed for winter and went out to play. Andy's brother was home, his mother was at work at her job as a nurse and his step-father was in Fort Polk, LA where he was serving in the National Guard.

It is known that Andy was home when his mother called to talk to Donald between 12 and 12:30. The last time Andy was seen was when he left the house to play right after his mother had called. The estimated time was between 12:45 and 1:00 p.m.

Andy's mother, Ellen Sims got home around 2:30 p.m. after getting off from work and doing a little shopping. When Andy could not be found, Ellen sent Donald to look for his brother. Other members of the family looked to no avail. The police were called around 8 p.m.

The first of many searches was started. It was bitter cold and freezing but volunteers searched for days. Many were those who had heard the pleas for help to search for Andy from their television sets. There were searches of the cemetery near Andy's home. Someone remembered seeing a boy that looked like Andy near Lake Wichita at the Boy Scout Hut around 3 p.m. The lake was searched and dragged. Not a sign of Andy Sims was found.

Because the neighborhoods were being developed, there were many places that a boy could hide. The volunteers and the police searched and helicopters flew over looking for signs of Andy. Fairway Boulevard was searched; there were caves nearby where Andy liked to play.

Sightings were reported in Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas. Every lead was followed and the FBI joined the search. Still no sign of Andy Sims was to be found anywhere.

Andy and Donald's birth father had moved to California after he and the children's mother divorced. Donald Douglass, Sr. and Ellen Sims were married when they were both in their teens but the marriage did not last. They were divorced when the boys were quite young. Douglass, Sr. had remarried and had another son, Steve.

On the very day that Andy disappeared, Steve was celebrating his second birthday. Completely oblivious at that age that he even had a stepbrother, it would be many years before he knew about Andy or his disappearance. It would not be until after his father died in 2001 that Steve would find out about Andy. While exploring family history, Steve found out about the brother he would never know.

Steve, being a retired police officer himself decided to travel to Wichita Falls to see what he could find out about his brother. He said he found it quite unbelievable that Andy could just wander off and never be found. Even had he fell victim to the weather, a body should have been found. At this point Steve says he just wants to give Andy a proper burial as he does not hold out hope for Andy to be alive.

What happened to the little boy who lived in Wichita Falls and was in Mrs. Beasley's fifth grade class, Room 6 at Jefferson Elementary School?

Sources:

JESSICA LANGDON Wichita Falls Times Record News © 2008 The Associated Press