Decades-Long Search Continues for Medford's Missing Person

More details are coming to light about the three women in Ohio who were kidnapped when they were teens, then found alive a decade later.

Now Medford Police have renewed hope for a break in a local abduction case.

“We had a six year old girl named Christie Farni that was abducted on her way to school in 1978,” began Lt. Mike Budreau with the Medford Police Department.

“It’s still an open case. We have a cold case detective actively working the case,” he continued.

But police say a situation where years later an abducted child is found alive is rare.

“Usually, the unfortunate reality is when it comes to stranger abductions it’s been proven that the children are usually killed within even the first day,” Lt. Budreau said.

That’s why officials are still telling parents to teach children to yell, scream, kick and fight…in the hopes it will foil the predator’s plans.

However, in the terrible event an abductor succeeds…

“Usually compliance is best, then if there’s an opportunity to escape, take that.”

Police also said if there’s any way to call 911 from a cell phone…do it. According to Lt. Budreau, when someone calls 911 from a cell phone, the location is tracked by GPS.

In the end, police want to stress prevention.

“The more a victim can fight […] hopefully the abductor will give up, forget about it and abort the whole mission,” said Budreau.

Meantime authorities are still working on Medford’s own unsolved missing person case. Fingers are crossed, hoping that maybe Farni will turn up at some point alive, like the three women in Ohio.

Police want to caution that oftentimes abductors will try to lure victims toward cars.

So, tell kids to be aware of their surroundings and if something feels like it’s not right, get away.