A girl’s life was dramatically altered by a trip to the grocery store. Little did they know the repercussions when the seven-year-old asked her stepfather to purchase her something after spotting something unexpected on a milk box.
Bonnie Lohman had a peculiar upbringing, travelling frequently between Saipan, Hawaii, and Colorado throughout her early years. She was inside the house with her mother and stepfather while the other kids were playing and learning to read.
Lohman’s parents gave her greater independence as she grew older and permitted her to play with their neighbors. She was eager to go to the grocery store with her stepdad, so when he pointed to a milk carton, she was curious.
A PICTURE ON A MILK CARTON
On the side of a milk container, Lohman’s stepfather emphasized the image of her face.
Although she was perplexed, the small girl pleaded with him to let her keep the box and cut out the picture.
Nevertheless, he cautioned her to keep it a secret. “I remember ripping it out and marveling at the picture,” Lohman recalled. She didn’t know what the picture hinted at and put it in her toy box because she couldn’t read.
POLICE RUSHED TO HER HOME
When Lohman left her toy box at the neighbor’s house one day, they discovered the picture and took swift action. She was identified as a lost child by the family.
Before Lohman was reunited with her biological father, police swarmed her home and arrested her parents. The young boy, who was seven at the time and didn’t really comprehend what had happened, was going through a difficult period.
SHE WAS AFRAID.
Her biological father’s presence was not received with pleasure and love at the reunion. Because she was abducted by her mother and stepfather when she was three, she had no memory of him.
“I remember being afraid because I didn’t know my dad,” a sobbing Lohman said. It was awful. Lohman spent a long time missing her mother, but she finally grew close to her father.
THANKFUL FOR SURVIVING
Throughout her absence, Lohman was denied access to many fundamental requirements, including education. Thankfully, having her father by her side gave her access to a lot of new options.
“I think I am who I am,” she continued, “because I was discovered because I was on a milk box. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to lead a wonderful life.
An additional “MILK CARTON CHILD”
One of the many children who appeared on milk cartons was Lohman. Johnny Gosch was one of the children who tragically was never located.
The Iowan citizen, who was the first face to appear on a milk carton, vanished in 1982.
Authorities weren’t convinced that he had vanished at first, but as similar cases emerged nearby, they began to take notice.
A PARENT KIDNAPPED ANOTHER CHILD
Unexpectedly frequently, kids disappear, and the culprit isn’t always a stranger. Similar to Lohman, Valentin Hernandez, the kidnapper’s father, also kidnapped a child.
In 1995, Steve Hernandez’s mother was taken away from him; the two wouldn’t see one other again until more than two decades later. Maria Mancia never gave up hunting for her son, and in 2016 she was finally able to embrace him once more.
Family members are inspired to continue hunting for their loved ones by tales like Lohman and Steve’s because
