An 8-year-old walked to Bible camp one August morning in 1975 and never arrived. Nearly five decades later, one of the men responsible for getting her there was charged with her murder.
The Disappearance
Gretchen Harrington, 8, vanished in August 1975 while walking to a summer Bible camp in Broomall, Pennsylvania. The camp operated out of two churches: the Reformed Presbyterian Church, where her father served as pastor, and Trinity Chapel Christian Reformed Church, where David Zandstra was pastor. Gretchen's schedule that day included a stop at Trinity before rejoining the group at her father's church, but she never arrived at the second location. Zandstra, who was among those responsible for transporting the children that day, later told her father she hadn't come to his church either.
The Discovery
On October 14, 1975, Gretchen's skeletal remains were found in a state park in Edgemont Township. The coroner ruled her death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head. The case went unsolved for decades.
The Arrest
In a case reopened decades later, investigators interviewed David Zandstra, then 83 and living in Georgia. According to a statement from the Delaware County District Attorney's Office, Zandstra was charged with Gretchen's kidnapping and murder following that interview. Authorities have also cited a separate allegation from a woman who told investigators that, as a child, she once woke to find Zandstra touching her inappropriately while staying at his home.
Zandstra was ordained in 1965 and served churches in New Jersey, California, Texas, and Pennsylvania before retiring. The Christian Reformed Church issued a statement expressing grief over the arrest of one of its former pastors. Gretchen's family said in a statement that they were hopeful the case was moving toward accountability, describing her loss as something that "forever altered" their family.
Where the Case Stands
As of the most recent available reporting reflected here, Zandstra had been charged but not yet tried. Editorial note: this case may have since gone to trial or been resolved — please verify the current status before publishing, and update this article accordingly.
FAQ
Who was charged with Gretchen Harrington's murder?
David Zandstra, a former pastor who was involved in transporting children to the Bible camp Gretchen attended in 1975.
When was Gretchen Harrington's body found?
Her skeletal remains were discovered in October 1975, about two months after she disappeared.
How was the case eventually solved?
Investigators reopened the case decades later and interviewed Zandstra directly, leading to his arrest.