Katharina Buczek
In 1949, Ricky Jean Bryant was just four years old. The toddler lived with her grandmother, who was her primary caretaker, as well as her two siblings in Mauston, Wisconsin.
But on December 19 that year– less than a week before Christmas– the Bryant family suffered two grave tragedies.
That afternoon, a horrific fire broke out inside Ricky’s home. But, amidst a battle with the flames, the four-year-old mysteriously disappeared.
According to Ricky’s older brother, who was five years old at the time, he and his two siblings had made it out of the home safely.
Then, while standing in the front yard and watching the fire rage on, he claims that a woman driving an expensive-looking vehicle rolled up in front of the Bryant family property.
At that point, Ricky’s brother claims the woman instructed him to go to a neighbor’s house for help. Instead of running over to the nearest home, though, the woman reportedly told him to go to a neighbor’s house that was a bit further down the block.
Ricky’s brother did oblige and ran to that further house. Once he returned to his own home with help, though, he claimed that both Ricky and the unknown woman had disappeared.
Now, Ricky’s grandmother actually recalls an entirely different chain of events. The grandmother detailed how, after the fire broke out, she grabbed Ricky’s sister and brother to take them outside.
Then, the grandmother ran back inside the home to locate Ricky and claimed she was unable to find the four-year-old.
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