48 Hours “What Ever Happened to Mary Day?” December 23 2023 Recap & Preview
In 1981, Mary Day, a 13-year-old girl, mysteriously disappeared from her family’s home in Seaside, California. Astonishingly, her parents never officially reported her missing. Years later, prompted by her sister, the police began to suspect that Mary had been murdered. However, the story took an unexpected twist that left everyone baffled.
Join Maureen Maher and the team from “48 Hours” as they delve into the perplexing case of Mary Day, the initial police investigation, and a startling development in Arizona. A woman in Arizona came forward claiming to be Mary Day. This shocking revelation raises questions about her true identity and what really happened to the missing teenager.
Tune in to the encore presentation of “What Ever Happened to Mary Day?” on Saturday, December 23, from 10:00 to 11:00 PM, both in Eastern Time and Pacific Time, airing on the CBS Television Network and available for streaming on Paramount+.
What Happened to Mary Day?
Mary Louise Day, born on February 19, 1968, mysteriously disappeared from her home in Seaside, California, in 1981 when she was just 13 years old. Her parents, Charlotte Day and her husband Charles Day, did not report her missing at the time. Mary had a difficult childhood, moving in and out of foster homes with her sisters, Kathy and Sherrie, due to her mother’s inability to care for them. After Charlotte divorced Charles and remarried William Houle, the family moved to various locations due to William’s military service.
In December 1980, Mary was placed in protective custody due to physical abuse by William. The family later moved to Seaside, California. On or around July 15, 1981, Mary disappeared from their home. Her parents never reported her missing, and her sisters were told she had run away. Sherrie reported Mary missing in 1994, but the case didn’t receive a full investigation until 2002 when the Ft. Ord Military base was being shut down.
Investigation led authorities to suspect foul play in Mary’s disappearance. Kathy, her sister, described a violent incident the night Mary disappeared, which involved her stepfather, William, accusing Mary of poisoning his dog and then physically abusing her. The next morning, Mary was gone, and when questioned, Charlotte, her mother, said that Mary had run away. Cadaver dogs detected the scent of human remains in the family’s backyard in Seaside.
In 2003, an unrelated traffic stop led to the discovery of a woman in Arizona claiming to be Mary. DNA tests confirmed her as Mary’s biological daughter. However, detectives had doubts about her identity. They pointed out inconsistencies, including her thick southern accent, which Mary didn’t have, and her lack of knowledge about her childhood, inheritance, or the dog incident.
Facial recognition analysis of a photo from a year after Mary’s disappearance suggested a 99 percent probability that the woman in Arizona was the real Mary. Despite the doubts, the investigation was closed in 2017, and the woman was accepted as Mary Day.
The case remains mysterious, with questions surrounding Mary’s true fate, her identity, and the events that transpired during her disappearance, including suspicions about her stepfather’s involvement in her disappearance.
