After 18 years, a father who forgot to pick up his children from their babysitter in 2003 has been discovered dead.
On December 4, 2003, James Amabile went missing while on his way to pick up his two children from their babysitter’s house.
After James Amabile went missing, Adventures With Purpose, a group of search and recovery divers who help families find their loved ones, posted on Facebook: “We discovered that Mr. Amabile left his home late in the afternoon, after oversleeping and rushing out to pick up his two daughters (ages 5 and 8) from the babysitter.
“Mr. Amabile dialed the babysitter’s number and said he’d be there in 5 minutes.
“Mr. Amabile did not show up, and he was never seen again.
Adventures With Purpose assisted in the search for Amabile’s remains.
“After searching several waterways, our investigation led us to Stingers waterfront, where 18 years later, using technology not available at the time of his disappearance, we were able to uncover a submerged vehicle in Darby creek 200 yards away, 24 feet beneath the surface,” the organization wrote on Facebook on March 20.
They phoned the Ridley Township Police Department, who assisted them in identifying human remains found in the truck.
The Delaware County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the remains were those of Amabile, according to WTXF. Police confirmed the vehicle’s registration plate matched the 2003 missing person cold case.
Captain James Dougherty of the Ridley Township Police Department told KYW that this discovery gives closure.
According to Adventures With Purpose: “Ridley Township PD’s assistance was crucial to the recovery’s success at every stage, and we salute their professionalism and faith in our ability to undertake this forensics investigation.
“At this time, we’d want to convey our heartfelt condolences to the entire Amabile family as they deal with the devastating end to an 18-year nightmare.”