She asked to play in the backyard. Ten minutes of quiet later, she was gone.
On January 16, 1973, 5-year-old Anna Waters disappeared from her family's rural home near Half Moon Bay, California, while playing in the backyard. More than 50 years later, she has never been found.
An Ordinary Afternoon
Anna had just returned home from kindergarten and asked her mother, Michaele, if she could play outside. She pulled on rubber boots and went out to the backyard around 1:15 p.m., playing with the family's cats. When Michaele checked on her around 2:15 p.m., Anna was gone. After a roughly 40-minute search of the property turned up nothing, Michaele called police, who initially feared Anna had fallen into a nearby creek swollen from recent rain. An extensive search of the waterway found no trace of her.
A Suspicious Sighting
A family friend reported seeing two men, one notably older than the other, in a white panel truck on the rural road near the Waters home shortly before Anna vanished. The men were never identified. The road saw little traffic, making the sighting one of the case's more significant leads.
Her Father's Unusual Life
Investigators also looked into Anna's biological father, George Henry Waters, who had schizophrenia and had divorced Anna's mother after forming an intense, controlling relationship with a man who went by the name George Brody — believed by the family to be an alias, since his 1981 death certificate listed no verifiable birthdate, social security number, or known relatives. Brody reportedly believed Anna was the reincarnation of a woman he'd once lived with, and pushed George's mother to alter Anna's middle name to suit his numerological beliefs. Investigators considered whether George and Brody might have been the two men seen in the truck, given their age difference, though no evidence ever confirmed this.
George never contacted his ex-wife after Anna's disappearance. When Brody died of cancer in 1981, George destroyed a stack of papers related to himself and Anna, then died by suicide roughly two weeks later. Police and a private investigator both looked into a possible connection between the two men and Anna's disappearance but found no supporting evidence.
A Mother's Search Continues
Anna's mother later wrote a book, "Searching for Anna," detailing her decades-long search for her daughter. The case remains open with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, which continues to seek any information from the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Anna Waters ever been found?
No. She has never been located, and her case remains officially unsolved.
Was Anna's father ever charged in her disappearance?
No. Despite investigative interest in his relationship with George Brody, no charges were ever filed, and no evidence was found directly connecting either man to her disappearance.
Is there a book about this case?
Yes. Anna's mother, Michaele Benedict, wrote "Searching for Anna" about her search for her daughter.
Is the case still active?
Yes, it remains open with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.