We use cookies and other tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. If you continue to use our site, you agree to the use of such cookies. For more info, see our privacy policy.
Skip to main content

Hi. We love you. Be our Life Partner.

Support the show to get ad-free listening, bonus content, and our new Greatest Hits Archive.

Learn more
This American Life Partners logo
00:00
00:00
  • Transcript
  • Share
This American Life
  • Life Partners
  • How to Listen
  • Episodes
  • Recommended
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Announcements
    • Fellowships
    • Jobs
    • Music
    • Make Radio
    • On The Road
    • FAQ
    • Submissions
    • Merch
    • Contact Us
    • Our Other Shows
  • Merch
  • Follow Us
  • Life Partners
657
September 21, 2018

The Runaways

A bunch of teenagers go missing from a town in Long Island. For months, the police treat them as runaways, ignoring the kids' parents, who keep trying to tell them otherwise. They keep trying to tell them that something much worse might have happened.

  • Download
    Control-click (or right-click) Tap and hold to download
  • Subscribe on Spotify Subscribe in Apple Podcasts Subscribe
  • Transcript

Natalie Keyssar

Update

Suffolk County Police Will Look Into Treatment of Immigrant Families

"To hear it out of the detectives' mouths, the complete disrespect...gut-wrenching.” 
Prologue

Prologue

Ira takes us through a couple of occasions in which President Trump has evoked the brutal street gang MS-13. The President has lauded local law enforcement on Long Island on its efforts to stop the gang. But reporter Hannah Dreier has turned up evidence suggesting otherwise. (2 minutes)

This episode is a collaboration with Pro Publica, where Hannah is a reporter. You can read her print version on their website.

Act One

Act One

Hannah Dreier with ProPublica spent a year reporting in Brentwood, Long Island where three teenagers mysteriously disappeared. All three were considered runaways by the Suffolk County Police. The families of the teens suspected otherwise but couldn’t get police detectives to take them seriously. (29 minutes)

By

Hannah Dreier
Act Two

Act Two

Hannah Dreier’s story continues. She confronts former Suffolk County Police Commissioner Timothy Sini with her findings. And gets to the bottom of what may have happened to the first boy who was murdered, Miguel Garcia Moran. (25 minutes)

By

Hannah Dreier

Song:

“Desaparecido” by Manu Chao

Related

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these
175: Babysitting
Jan. 5, 2001

Act Three: Yes There Is A Baby

Myron Jones and his sister Carol Bove explain what happened when they were teenagers, and they ended up babysitting children who didn't exist.
284: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Mar. 11, 2005

Act One: The Karachi Kid

When Muhammad Kamran's Pakistani parents sent him off to college in Philadelphia, it was understood that he'd come back to Karachi after four years.
179: Cicero
Mar. 16, 2001

Act One: Untouchables

To understand how Cicero reacted when Hispanics started flooding into town, you have to understand how it dealt with conflict in the past.

Staff Recommendations

View all
84
Nov. 21, 1997

Harold

The story of Harold Washington and the white backlash that was set off when he became Chicago's first black mayor.

419
Nov. 12, 2010

Petty Tyrant

The rise and fall of a school maintenance man in Schenectady, New York who terrorized his staff and got away with it for decades.

This American Life

This American Life is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago and delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange.

  • How to Listen
  • Episodes
  • Recommended
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Announcements
    • Fellowships
    • Jobs
    • Music
    • Make Radio
    • On The Road
    • FAQ
    • Submissions
    • Merch
    • Contact Us
    • Our Other Shows
  • Merch
  • Contact
  • Life Partners
  • Serial
  • S-Town
© 1995 - 2025 This American Life Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Subscribe

  • on Spotify
  • in Apple Podcasts

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email