There’s a photograph—a little boy in overalls, staring back at the camera with a shy, curious smile. For nearly a century, that boy has been at the center of one of the most perplexing mysteries in American history. His name was Bobby Dunbar... or was it?

On a hot summer day in 1912, four-year-old Bobby disappeared while on a family trip to Swayze Lake, Louisiana. His parents searched tirelessly, their anguish echoing through the deep bayou. Then, eight months later, a miracle—or so it seemed. A boy matching Bobby’s description was found in Mississippi. But as one family rejoiced, another claimed him as their own, casting doubt on his identity and splitting the small-town community in two.

Was this the joyous reunion it appeared to be? Or was it the start of a decades-long deception? Tonight, we’ll unravel the haunting tale of Bobby Dunbar, a story where love, loss, and lies blur the line between truth and illusion.

Haunted History is produced by SoundBite Studios and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown.

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Episode Reference Material

This American Life with Ira Glass

The Strange Case of Bobby Dunbar by Terry L. Jones

How Bobby Dunbar Disappeared — Then Returned As A Different Boy by Katie Serena

The Disappearance of Bobby Dunbar by Joe Donan