A supportive audience stood in unison Saturday during CrimeCon Denver, and gave air hugs to a distraught mother who continues to search for her son, who was kidnapped 45 years ago.
Saturday’s session, hosted by the Director of Communications for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Angeline Hartmann, centered around the 1980 disappearance of Kevin Verville Jr.
On June 14, 1980, Kevin was born to parents Kevin Verville Sr., 21, a U.S. Marine corporal, and his wife, Angelina, 22.
After spending a week in the hospital with jaundice, Kevin Jr. arrived home to his family at the Sterling Homes, an off-base apartment complex near Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.
The couple had recently relocated to the area after Verville Sr. spent a few years stationed in the Philippines.
On July 1, 1980, as the family arrived home from a grocery store, a woman who called herself “Sheila,” presented herself as a social worker from HELP, a service that assisted low-income military families with a stipend and infant supplies.
“The kidnapper showed up just as we was bringing groceries up,” Verville Sr. told the audience. “We were both in agreement tbat we would like to sign up for this program.”
Kevin Verville Jr. was taken from his mother in broad daylight by a woman posing as a social worker 45 years ago.
Today, Kevin could be anywhere, unaware of who he truly is. @NCMEC released an age progression photo of what Kevin may look like today. https://t.co/7fPGbYwQaE pic.twitter.com/uwf6IItEIp
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) June 10, 2025
Verville Sr. said the woman agreed to give Angelina and the baby a ride to her social services office, explaining that they would need to weigh Kevin for the program.
“Sometimes they pose as people who can help your family,” Hartmann told the audience. “She was basically offering diapers, milk, whatever you need for a newborn.”
Verville Sr., who agreed to stay hone and put away the groceries, said the woman appeared to be pregnant, and “said she had to pick up another lady signing up [for the program].”
The kidnapper, with Angelina and Kevin Jr. in the car, drove away with promises to take them to the social services’ office.
The woman then made a stop at a remote area near the base, and asked Angelina to knock on the door of the other person signing up for the program.
As Angelina got out of the car, “Sheila” drove away with the infant.
Stranded, Angelina began flailing her arms as she helplessly watched the vehicle flee.
A local truck driver spotted Angelina and took her to a nearby police station. Police then began questioning residents at the family’s apartment complex, and learned that the kidnapper had knocked on many doors before the incident, asking specific questions.
“She was looking or a baby who was half-white, half-Filipino, and male,” Hartmann said.
Angelina is Filipino descent, and Verville Sr. is white.
Witnesses then helped police create a sketch of “Sheila,” described as appearing to be around 20 years old, standing about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds.
She also had a circle tattoo with a cross inside it, between her thumb and index finger on her left hand.
Since the incident, Angelina has suffered from several strokes and is unable to talk or walk. She also endured the disintegration of her marriage to Verville Sr., as the stress of the incident took its toll on the couple.
Angelina sat quietly in a wheelchair as her daughter, Angelica Ramsey, spoke on her behalf, and thanked the community for listening to their story.
“Welcome home,” an audience member said, welcoming them to the CrimeCon family.
Hartmann added that the kidnapper may have taken Kevin to raise as her own, possibly as a replacement baby she presented as her son.
Anyone with information is urged to contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI and tips.fbi.gov.
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[Feature Photo via NCMEC]
