Missing 7-year-old sees her face on a milk carton but doesn’t understand what it means

For 7-year-old Bonnie Lohman, her childhood was a lonely affair. She could only watch while children played outside as her parents kept her inside the house.

She wasn’t allowed to go to school and moved a lot including to Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands and Hawaii before her parents eventually settled in Colorado, where Bonnie was allowed more freedom.

On a trip to the grocery store with her stepdad, Bonnie was shown a milk carton with her picture on it, but didn’t recognize that it was related to her being a missing child because she couldn’t read.

Milk cartons featuring images of missing children became popular in the 1980s. Images of Johnny Gosch and Eugene Martin who went missing while delivering newspapers were the first to appear on the cartons and by 1985, 700 of 1,600 independent dairies in the U.S. had adopted this practice.

Sadly, most of the children were never found but the case of Bonnie Lohman was a success story.

As the youngster had been taken from her dad by her mom and stepdad and not a stranger, the case wasn’t given as much attention, but thanks to her father’s persistence her image was featured on the side of a milk carton.

When her stepdad showed her the picture in a store she didn’t understand what it meant but wanted to hold onto the image.

He agreed but told her to keep it a secret. Lohman shared: “I remember cutting it out and staring at the picture.”

She kept it among her toys, but when Bonnie accidentally left it at her neighbor’s house along with her bag of toys, the neighbors found it and knew exactly what it meant. They called the police upon discovering the photo and Bonnie was reunited with her father.

It was a tough time for the then 7-year-old who didn’t understand what was going on and ultimately missed her mother.

A tearful Lohman stated: “I remember being scared because I didn’t know my dad. It sucked.”

Eventually she formed a bond with her dad and was able to access an education with the support of her father.

“I believe I am who I am because I was on a milk carton, and I was found. I was able to live a great life, and I am grateful for it,” she added.

By the late 1980s, featuring missing children on milk cartons started to fade and by 1996 the practice had disappeared altogether with the creation of the AMBER alert system in 1996 where a message is distributed asking the public for help.

While so many parents lived through the horrors of never finding their missing children, the scheme had some successes. I’m glad that Bonnie was reunited with her father and allowed access to a proper education and a stable home environment.

Related Posts

Trump’s Press Secretary Leaves the White House and Makes a Big Announcement.

In a bold move, the Trump administration offered nearly 2 million federal workers a choice: return to the office or resign by February 6 with full pay…

Kai Trump spills tea on her relationship with grandpa Donald

Kai Trump, the 17-year-old granddaughter of Donald Trump, has been gaining attention for both her close relationship with her famous grandfather and her growing career in golf….

Sleeping On Your Left Side Affects Your Health In Ways You Would Have Never Thought.

Prevents Nighttime Heartburn: For those with acid reflux or GERD, “sleeping on their left side helps maintain the stomach below the esophagus,” reducing acid flow back into…

‘Wow’: Users React to Melania Trump’s New Official Portrait – Photo

Melania Trump’s newly unveiled official White House portrait, released on January 28, 2025, sparked mixed reactions. The black-and-white image showed her in a black suit and high-waisted…

Country Singer Jelly Roll Shed 100 Pounds: Wait Till You See How He Looks Now

Jelly Roll, the 39-year-old singer and rapper known for hits like “Somebody Save Me,” is making waves, not only with his music but also with his impressive…

Bikers found an ABANDONED DOG holding a plastic BAG in his mouth. When they looked inside they were shocked and RAN immediately for help. Here’s what the dog PROTECTED:

A 58-year-old man named Paul Skinner went for a bike ride with some of his friends. As they walked on a more secluded road they saw something…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *