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Skeptoid

Skeptoid #992: The Case of the Missing Beaumont Children

Skeptoid

Brian Dunning

Skeptic, Social Sciences, Skepticism, Paranormal, Conspiracy Theories, Urban Legends, Science, History

4.63K Ratings

🗓️ 10 June 2025

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Since psychic abilities do not exist outside the delusions of true believers, involving psychics in searches for missing persons is worse than useless.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

In the sweltering summer of 1966, the city of Adelaide was basking in the carefree warmth of the season.

0:10.6

Yet a seemingly ordinary day would give rise to one of Australia's most haunting cold cases,

0:16.9

one that remains unresolved to this day.

0:21.0

It also stands as the most prominent instance in Australian history of a so-called

0:25.9

psychic detective being enlisted to aid an investigation despite ongoing police efforts.

0:33.3

Today, we delve into the disappearance of the Beaumont children, the involvement of a Dutch clairvoyant,

0:39.3

and the far-reaching consequences that have lingered for decades.

0:47.8

You're listening to Skeptoid. I'm Richard Saunders, guest hosting for Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com.

0:56.5

The Case of the Missing Beaumont Children

1:00.0

Welcome to the show that separates fact from fiction, science from pseudoscience,

1:06.7

real history from fake history, and helps us all make better life decisions by knowing what's

1:11.6

real and what's not. Adelaide is the capital city of the state of South Australia and is known

1:18.4

for its beauty being labelled the city of churches. But the events of early 1966 have left an

1:25.0

indelible mark on this city, and indeed all of Australia.

1:31.2

Around 10 a.m. on January the 26th, the three Beaumont siblings, Jane, nine years old,

1:38.9

Anna, seven, and Grant four, set off from their family home on Harding Street in the suburb of Suburton Park

1:46.7

to spend some time at nearby Glenelg Beach, just a five-minute bus right away.

1:52.4

Their mother, Nancy, had given them some coins for lunch and expected them to return on their own

1:57.9

a couple of hours later.

2:00.3

This was not the first time the children had made the trip,

2:03.4

so there was no particular cause for concern.

2:06.4

It was 1966, after all, an Australian society reflected a more innocent time.

...

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