When a Penn State University senior disappears without a trace on Halloween night, only one thing is clear: she didn’t vanish voluntarily. A heartbreaking mystery evolves into tales of real-life monsters in this episode of Last Seen Alive.
This police sketch illustrates a man a witness allegedly saw abducting a young woman in Philadelphia’s China Town neighborhood. Although the woman was reported to look like Cindy, the report was ultimately discounted after the witness changed her story numerous times.
Hyun Jong Song–who usually went by the nickname Cindy–moved to the US from South Korea during her teens to pursue educational opportunities. Her success in academics was cut short when she disappeared on Halloween night, 2001.
The Pennsylvania house of Hugo Selenski is pictured here, with excavation equipment being used to search the grounds. A dozen sets of charred human remains were discovered buried in Selenski’s yard after a criminal accomplice of his tipped off police.
Here, Cindy is pictured on Halloween night, a few hours before her disappearance. She dressed as a bunny rabbit and enjoyed a night of dancing and video games with two of her closest friends.
Pictured are a set of false lashes Cindy wore as part of her Halloween costume. Cindy returned to her apartment and left behind some belongings–including these lashes–before leaving again for an unknown purpose. She hasn’t been seen since.
Hugo Selenski is pictured between two deputies. Selenski, of Pennsylvania, is a convinced murderer and robber who–according to his close criminal accomplice Paul Weakley–may be responsible for the disappearance and death of Cindy Song. It’s unknown whether this is true, as no physical evidence has been located, but a lead investigator has stated that the Selenski lead is the only active lead in Cindy’s case.
Cindy Song’s mother (center) is pictured at a candlelight vigil held soon after Cindy’s disappearance. The Song family have endured terrible pain in the wake of Cindy’s disappearance.
Cindy Song’s mother (left) and an attorney representing the song family (front center) are pictured at a press conference, in which they pressed for a more thorough investigation of Cindy’s disappearance.
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With Journey into Darkness, Douglas provides more than a glimpse into the minds of serial killers; he demonstrates what a powerful weapon behavioral science has become. Profiling criminals helps not only to capture them, but also helps society understand how these predators work and what can be done to prevent them from striking again. Douglas focuses especially on pedophiles and child abductors, fully explaining what drives them and how to keep children away from them. As he points out, “The best way to protect your children is to know your enemy.” He includes eight rules for safety, a list of steps parents can take to prevent child abduction and exploitation, tips on how to detect sexual exploitation, basic rules of safety for children, and a chart, based on age, that details the safety skills children should have to protect themselves.
LAST SEEN ALIVE 