The morning of August 7, 1954, the nuns of the Barbara Givernaud Orphanage discovered a child had gone missing. This girl was Sharon Yacko. The disappearance of Sharon Yacko became a front-page sensation across the United States, even appearing in Fairbanks, Alaska. How did a crime that captured nationwide media attention fall from the public consciousness and remain unsolved?

The Barbara Givernaud Orphanage

The Barbara Givernaud Orphanage was a Catholic establishment administered by St. John’s parish in North Bergen, New Jersey, across the Hackensack River from New York City. The parish acquired the orphanage as a gift from the late Barbara Givernaud, the wife of a wealthy man who owned the local silk factory. Mrs. Givernaud’s childless status and recollection of her hard life as a “working girl” inspired her to gift the substantial estate valued between $200,000 – $250,000 in 1916. Adjusted for inflation, the value today would equal $6,039,790 – $7,549,736. At the time of Sharon Yacko’s disappearance, Father Vincent Frahlich and several nuns ran the orphanage for St. John’s parish.

The Disappearance

At 6:30 a.m. on the morning of August 7, 1954, the nuns discovered Sharon missing. Days prior, Sharon Yacko’s foster parents dropped off the blonde-haired three-year-old girl for respite while they went on vacation. Sharon’s dormitory companion said that a man appeared in the room the night of August 6, 1954, after everyone retired for the evening. The girl told police that a “big man” claimed he planned to take Sharon to the hospital because she was sick.

Authorities first attempt to identify a suspect led to the arrest of the orphanage cook for disorderly conduct the night after the disappearance. However, he had an alibi at the time of Sharon’s disappearance.

Unable to identify the man as anyone affiliated with the orphanage, authorities contacted Sharon’s biological mother, Ann Yacko, and treated her as the primary suspect. Ann lived in New Jersey after she and Sharon’s father separated. Devastated by her daughter’s disappearance, Ann Yacko cooperated fully with authorities, though she provided no leads.

As the days progressed, hope for the safe recovery of Sharon waned. Scent-trained dogs failed to trace the little girl’s smell beyond the orphanage. Leads came in from across the country and authorities scoured the west side of the Hackensack River, to no avail.

Safe Return Leaves Unanswered Questions

On the evening of August 10, 1954, Father Rahlich heard five quick rings on his doorbell at the orphanage door late at night. He opened the door to young Sharon, alone, dressed fully in brand-new clothes. Upon examination, authorities found Sharon unharmed, sick with a mild case of measles. However, Sharon provided no information on her whereabouts or who took her. Investigators failed to trace the new clothes, including patent leather shoes, to any local New Jersey department stores. Without answers and thankful for her safe return, Sharon’s biological relatives from the Midwest reclaimed her.

To this day, authorities have no answers to this mysterious kidnapping. Fast forward to today: Sharon Yacko is 71 years old. Attempts to locate her have failed, leaving this cold case unlikely to be solved.

If you want to learn more, please watch the New Bergen, New Jersey Public Library YouTube presentation on the curious kidnapping of Sharon Yacko.