Twilight of Innocence: The Disappearance of Beverly Potts

One of the nation’s first highly publicized missing child cases

Ten-year-old Beverly Potts was last seen at 9:00 p.m. the evening of August 24, 1951, at Halloran Park on Cleveland’s West Side. She and her neighbor and friend Patricia Swing had gone to see the Showagon—a troupe of singers, dancers, magicians, and other performers that traveled around Cleveland’s neighborhood parks during the summer, giving free performances. Patricia had to be home before dark, but Beverly’s parents told her ...