THE DISAPPEARANCE OF JOLENE LAKEY: ONE BLOCK FROM HOME

Send us Fan Mail An 11-year-old leaves Mercy Hospital in Scranton with a stuffed animal for her mom and starts the short walk home—broad daylight, one block to go. Witnesses see a girl matching Michelle “Jolene” Lakey get into a light yellow car near North Washington Ave. She is never seen again. This episode of CRIMERY traces the chilling threads that still haunt Northeast PA: the three-day ransom call that named Nay Aug Park, the unexplained purse found on Jolene’s dresser, and years of scrutiny around a familiar adult she called “Uncle Frank”—later convicted in a separate child-murder case. We follow renewed leads sparked by a 2020 anonymous letter about screams and fire along I-81, and the annual August 26th walk that retraces Jolene’s final route, feather and purple ribbon in hand. You’ll hear: Timeline: Mercy Hospital → Myrtle St. → North Washington Ave. → the light yellow car Why the “purse on the dresser” detail fractures the case narrative Known persons of interest and what’s confirmed vs. unresolved How modern re-checks (letters, searches, community memory) keep the case alive Content warning: missing child, potential child homicide. Know something? Tips can be anonymous. Scranton Police: 570-348-4139 • PA State Police: 570-963-3156 • NCMEC: 1-800-THE-LOST Reward: $5,000 Host: Jennifer Novotney • Show: CRIMERY – True Crime Uncovered Support the show CRIMERY Tip line & inquiries: [email protected] If you found this episode valuable, follow, rate, and review in your podcast app it really helps others find the show. Legal: Everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Content may include descriptions of violence. Listener discretion advised. ©2025 CRIMERY. All rights reserved.