Douglas John Legg

Douglas, circa 1971

  • Missing Since 07/10/1971
  • Missing From Essex County, New York
  • Classification Lost/Injured Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 08/11/1962 (61)
  • Age 8 years old
  • Height and Weight 4'6, 76 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A white short-sleeved polo shirt with navy blue stripes on the collar, navy blue shorts and black sneakers with a circular sole pattern.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Blond hair, blue eyes. Douglas's nicknames are Doug and Dougie. He has a slight speech impediment.

Details of Disappearance

Douglas was last seen on July 10, 1971 in Essex County, New York. He was visiting his uncle at the family's 12,500-acre estate in the Santanoni Preserve in Newcomb at the time. On the day of his disappearance, Douglas went on a family hike in the Adirondack wilderness.

His uncle sent him back home at 3:30 p.m. to change into long pants, as his shorts wouldn't protect him against the poison ivy on the trail. Douglas had gone hiking many times in the local area and was very familiar with it, and it was only a short distance back to camp. He never arrived there, however, and has never been heard from again.

An extensive search, lasting six weeks and largely financed by Douglas's wealthy family, turned up no indication of his whereabouts. He was in the third grade at the time of his disappearance, and resided in Baldwinsville, New York. His loved ones describe him as a happy, healthy, normal child.

Although there were rumors that foul play was involved in his case, most investigators believe Douglas became lost or died in an accident in the wilderness. His case remains unsolved.

Updated 5 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 9, 2016; height added, clothing/jewelry description and details of disappearance updated.