Timmothy was 6 years old when, on May 11, 2011, his mother Amy Jacobs sister checked him out of kindergarten in Aurora, Illinois, without telling her husband and the boys father, Jim. The case of Timmothy Pitzens case is yet another tragic missing child case. Amish in the Centreville community have accepted phones to a greater degree, allowing them in phone booths and in some businesses. Then, while driving south on Interstate 39 and west on Interstate 88 toward Sterling, she finally started calling family members although not her husband. The Pitzen and Fry families believe that Timmothy is alive somewhere and hope he makes contact with them at some point. The question of why why, why, why would she do this, and where is he they just play in our heads over and over again, and sometimes you just have to turn it off., The only thing we keep thinking about is what can we do to make the best of this situation, she says. As well as do they have to meet all the same health and safety requirements as those who are NOT within the amish communities, when the products theyre doing are infact for the general public and not for their own use? Do you know if the Amish near Shipshewana sell to the tourist in St Josephs County Michigan? I give you a radio tower and you never talk about me you give me 450 miles away from an iOS device and I know everything wrong youve ever done and Im gonna start talking about you only to a schizo which means he communicates to the devil and then repeats with the devil tells him to which is me and then he hears before you do something and tells you to do the wrong thing he does not trust you ever you always will do the wrong thingHe tries to deal himself out of the same hand its like blackjack he asked to play I can be the guy telling everybody what to do Im not to blame hes not to blame he works for me hes the only schizo you guys cant control the only schedule I can I just told you hell, Looking for someone who can add on to my house room's, Im wanting to add on to my house . Shock Disappearance Chilling clues about Timmothy Pitzen from note and surveillance video could reveal where missing boy is now, family says. He gave Timmothy Pitzen as his name. We believe he is out there and we hope every day that he will make his way home., Police have not released many details over the years. Why did this happen? Timmothy Pitzen was not however in the room when his mothers body was recovered. Since 2008, an Amish settlement has existed in Mackinac County in the Upper Peninsula. Quincy is at present the second-largest Amish settlement in Michigan, and with 6 church districts has an Amish population of roughly 800. The family was alerted and came to Kentucky, while Timmothys identity was confirmed. However, Amish settlers saw positives in the extreme winters, Luthy reports. The pair were seen on security footage checking out of the resort on May 13, 2011, at 10:00am. Historic Mysteries provides captivating articles on archaeology, history, and unexplained mysteries. By the time Timmothy's father made his first call to check on him and his mother, they were already on their way to Brookfield Zoo. He also claimed to have been sexually and physically abused in captivity for years. Within hours, Amy's trip would veer from coherence. It was the one thing that I thought, 'Wow, Amy was meant to be a mom. I live just south of Lawton, Michigan. He'd now be 17-years-old Credit: True Crime Daily 12 Another tip earlier in the month also falsely claimed the boy had been spotted in Massachusetts. In the years following Timmothy Pitzens disappearance, police uncovered a slew of strange clues. Timmothy Pitzen Timmothy Pitzen was born in Aurora, Illinois, on October 18, 2004. Center for Missing and Exploited Children, I-55 Shut Down in Both Directions Due to Large Crash' Amid Dust Storm in South-Central Illinois, Blowing Dust Warning' Issued in Illinois After Dust Storm Causes Large I-55 Crash, Portillo's Adds New Menu Item to Restaurants Nationwide and It's Now Available, How Much Could You Get in New $725M Facebook Settlement? Shockingly, this was not the first time Rini had identified himself as a child sex trafficking victim; he had done it twice before. From the time Tim was born he was the absolute center of her life.. He was the only child of his parents, James Pitzen and Amy Fry-Pitzen. But theres one silver lining to this hoax that has gripped the country. Amys birthday is May 3. 2019. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children), A photo of 6-year-old Timmothy Pitzen not long before he disappeared in May 2011, at left, and an age-progressed image of how he would look at age 10, at right. | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. ABC News' Katie Conway contributed to this report. As a common reason for Amish migration is suitable farmland, harsher climates such as that found in the Upper Peninsula can particularly challenge unestablished, fledgling Amish settlements. Motel staff found his mothers body on May 14, 2011, and a note saying the boywas safe but thathe'd never be found. When Timmothy did not get off the bus after school that day, his father James panicked. 12 Timmothy Pitzen has been missing for the last 11 years. On Wednesday, what was then-thought to be a teenager allegedly told police that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who had been been reported missing in 2011, when he was last seen being checked out of his Aurora, Illinois, school by his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen. Why would someone claim to be a missing child? Police were unable to confirm she had any ties to the area. Available at: https://charleyproject.org/case/timmothy-james-pitzen, Sparling, H. Motsinger, Carol. Three days later, on May 14, an employee of the Rockford Inn motel found Amy dead in her room with self-inflicted slashes on her wrists and neck. After authoritiesrecovered Fry-Pitzen's SUV, they sent the vehicle for analysis. I believe [behind] whatever happened was a connection she made there," said Jacobs. Brian Michael Rini, the young man who told police he was missing teen Timmothy Pitzen has a history of lying to police about his identity, officials revealed on Friday.. Police reported Thursday . Forensic analysts couldn't verify the age of the blood stains, but Timmothy's father explained that it's possible the child simplyhad a nose bleed,as he suffered from them in the year leading up to his disappearance. Photo credits: Michigan Amish children-daBinsi; Amish boat launch-Sam Morrison; Camden Amish rugs-Katie Whitney; Mio Amish horses and barn-George Thomas; Amish buggies-Shannon Bromenschenkel; Amish steam engine pull-Joe Ross; Amish quilts-Mer Fuller. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. While that seemed damning, and it looked like Timmothy was killed in the vehicle, this was inconclusive. A man raised Amish in Michigan discussed Amish life in one news piece. His family members told police that the blood stains were from a month earlier and Timmothy was prone to frequent and messy nosebleeds. The boy's unexplained disappearanceshook the city of Aurora, Illinois, and has left investigators and family wondering why Fry-Pitzentook her son, and whom she may have given him to. So the next morning comes around and they're still not home so I call the police department and report Amy and Timmothy missing," he told Crime Watch Daily. My name Brandie, I can be reached by email. Soil, pieces of weeds, grass, and dirt were collected from underneath the cars rear bumper and were analyzed. James called Amy immediately, but she failed to return any of his calls. Rini told police when he was confronted about his true identity that he watched a story about the child on 20/20 and wanted to get away from his own family. Rini has a history of mental illness and was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and bipolar disorder. Fry-Pitzen drove to the area in which Timmothy disappeared at least twice before he went missing, indicating she planned his abduction in advance. Surveillance cameras later caught Amy alone at a grocery store in Winnebago, west of Rockford, around 8 p.m. May 14, 2011 Amy was found dead in a hotel room at the Rockford Inn at about 12:30 p.m., having slit her wrists. ", First published on April 4, 2019 / 3:48 PM. "We are not done. Hes not living the life that we think he should be living because I think he should be with his father," Jacobs added. The boy was dirty, had bruises on his face, and said he just wanted to go home. The person claiming to be Timmothy Pitzen said he was 14 years old and had just escaped from a hotel room where two men had been holding him for a long time. It is also a state that has attracted new Amish settlement, with a net gain of nearly a dozen new communities over the past 2 decades (see Young Center Amish Studies Amish Population Trends 1991-2010). Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. As Mio is located in the upper latitudes of Michigan, the settlements farmers dealt with a shorter growing season. Todays community is comprised of descendants from these two distinct Amish ethnic groups. The last time James Pitzen saw his son Timmothy Pitzen was when he dropped him off at Greenman Elementary School in Aurora, Illinois on May 11, 2011. James contacted her nearby family members, but nobody had seen or heard from her or Timmothy. Timmothy's relatives say they're heartbroken again. "To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Missing boy in Iowa: Residents in Iowa small town have stepped up to find their missing boy. He called her several times, but she did not answer or return his calls. Today Michigan's Amish population numbers approximately 11,000. "I think that I believed what she presented to us, and I believed she was better than she was," said Jacobs. His mother took him on a trip but what happened on that trip remains a mystery. Rockford is approximately 53 miles from the Pitzen family home in Aurora. May 9, 2014 The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released an age-progressed image of Timmothy, showing what he would look like at age 9. But of course, Amy and Timmothy Pitzen never did return home. "It never occurred to me. Jim and the two families of Timmothys parents retreated to their prior heartbreak. And when I did, it was like a lightbulb went off and I'm like, now I get it. The images have helped solveabout 50 missing children casesa year since then, including the 2012 break in the Steve Carter case. Good, M. 2022. Authorities in the Cincinnati area contacted Aurora police, who sent two detectives to interview the boy, and conduct a DNA test to confirm if the boy is Timmothy. Someone who would worry when their son went missing, unlike his father, who would just keep drinking. On May 12, 2011, Timmothy Pitzen drove with his mother to the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; like KeyLime, Kalahari was a waterpark resort. This is why James assumed that Amy was mad at him and decided to ditch school with their son, and things were fine. Jacobs and Timmothy's father Jim emphatically reject the theory that the situation may have been a murder-suicide. In Timmothys hometown of Aurora, Illinois, a brief rush of excitement gave way to disappointment and resolve. Timmothy belongs to me. Timmothy James Pitzen. The day she took Timmothy is May 11. Dr. Timothy Izzo, DO, is a Family Medicine specialist practicing in Grand Ledge, MI with 32 years of experience. It was May 14, 2011, when Kara learned her sister Fry-Pitzen, 43, had died by suicide in a Rockford motel and that her son Timmothy Pitzen was missing. Police say the individual was actually a 23-year-old man from Ohio. "Someone out there knows something, so it's just a matter of getting the right person to view the right image at the right time.". Please contact me regarding how I may reach the contractors/carpenters in Cornell Michigan. Rini has a history of using other peoples identities, his brother Jonathon said. She had died by suicide, leaving behind a note that said her son was with people who love him. 2023 Cable News Network. Police did not issue an Amber Alert, because Amy had yet to commit a crime, and Timmothy was not believed to be in danger. April 3, 2019 A woman in Newport, Kentucky, spotted a boy wandering alone. James was confused because there was no family emergency, and he had no clue that Amy had picked Timmothy Pitzen up early, and he hadnt been at school all day. For instance the Michigan Food Code laws? Ie. Then, read up on Etan Patz, the original missing milk carton kid. CNNs Faith Karimi, Dave Cera and Dave Alsup contributed to this report. No, no,'" Jacobs recalled. But police did find a cryptic suicide note in which Amy wrote that Timmothy was safe, but that you will never find him.. But after resisting the urge to become a parent, she became pregnant by Jim, who hadnt expected to be a father after being told that treatment for a bout with lymphoma likely made him sterile. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Childrenis hoping to change that with last months release of an age-progressedimage of what Timmothy might look like today. He had been missing for five years. But one thing I am very curious about, but do not want to ask and come off as judgemental or against their ways so I am here to find out. The two fought, and according to James, he said something to Amy along the lines of It is either him or me, pick one. However, she says that in the calls there was no hint of trouble. On May 11, 2011, Amy Fry-Pitzen signed her son, six-year-old Timmothy Pitzen, out of his kindergarten class. Three days later after the disappearance, authorities found Fry-Pitzen in a motel room in Rockford, Illinois, with Timmothy nowhere in sight. ", "It's devastating," Timmothy's aunt, Kara Jacobs, said. Dec. 28, 2011 Police investigate reports Timmothy was sighted at a Denny's restaurant in North Aurora, but after police tracked down the car in which the boy was seen, it turned out the boy was not Timmothy, but the son of the car's owner. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Authorities compared DNA samples of this man to Pitzen's, and the results were shocking. She then backed into a grassy field with oak and birch trees in the vicinity. "I was like, 'OK, she's upset at me for some reason so she'll need to cool down.' For various reasons, Michigan has been a state that has attracted Amish settlement. The U.S. Sun. Her death was ruled a suicide. "But one day, we are going to see him and youre gonna see the other side of the story. Top Image: Timmothy Pitzen vanished with his mother in 2011, and has never been seen since. Age progression rendering of what Timmothy Pitzen may look like in 2021. And then he was gone, James Pitzen recalled. Is Timmothy Pitzen dead or being cared for by another family in secret? The hoax that briefly elevated the familys hopes unfolded on April 3, when a young man on the street in Newport, Kentucky, allegedly told strangers hed been kidnapped and held for years by two men from whom hed escaped. That helps give experts hope but no answers yet. Michigan has a long history of Amish settlement, with the first Amish settling in the Great Lakes State in 1895. Along with the security tapes of Timmothy Pitzen and his mother, the police recovered the knife Amy Fry-Pitzen used to kill herself, but it only had her blood on it. The note maintained that the boy "would never be found." Timmothy and I will be fine. At the same time, for various reasons Michigan has seen a net loss of Amish households in recent years, according to the Young Center at Elizabethtown College. This is the only Amish settlement located in the UP. There was likely a small body of water, such as a stream or pond, nearby. In May 2011, when Timmothy was 6, his mother Amy Fry-Pitzen checked him out of his elementary school. Timmothy Pitzen, 6, of Aurora, was last seen at a Wisconsin Dells Resort with his 43-year-old mother. The investigation into the disappearance of Timmothy Pitzen is now in its eleventh year, and the case remains cold to this day. But theres a possible silver lining, said Angeline Hartmann, spokeswoman for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Security cameras captured footage of Amy, alone, buying stationary at a Family Dollar store in Winnebago, Illinois, before 7:30pm the evening of May 13. She loves history, true crime, mythology, and anything strange and unusual. His brother claimed that during the call, he could hear Timmothy in the background playing or hanging out., But one part of that relayed phone conversation will ring in James ears for a long while. Family heard Timmothy in the background, and at one point he got on the phone. The three-year-old William Tyrrell disappeared from his grandmothers yard in Kendall, New South Wales, in 2014. https://charleyproject.org/case/timmothy-james-pitzen, https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/04/04/timmothy-pitzen-bizarre-backstory-his-disappearance/3364096002/, https://www.the-sun.com/news/5322375/chilling-clues-timmothy-pitzen-disappearance-anniversary-missing/. Now he would be 18. Amy would never ask for help. Source: mtkang / Adobe Stock. Still, he should have the rational thinking to not do something like this, he said. Did you encounter any technical issues? Pick one. Nov. 18, 2011 - Police release surveillance video of Timmothy and Amy at Key Lime Cove Resort in Gurnee, and at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. His name was actually Michael Rini, and when confronted with DNA results proving he wasnt who he claimed, Rini admitted the truth. A note that Timmothy would never be found is all that remains from his case. appreciated. These settlers, coincidentally, also came from Geauga County, Ohio, and later included Amish from northern Indiana. Authorities discovered AmyFry-Pitzen dead inside of a Rockford, Illinois, motel room. James called in a missing person report to Aurora police, who immediately entered Timmothy's name into a national database of missing children. She left a note indicating Timmothy was safe, and she had left him in the care of unnamed people, but that no one would find him. At 8:00pm, Amy was seen shopping at a local grocery store, and again, Timmothy Pitzen was nowhere to be seen. Three days later, the mothers body was found in a hotel room in Rockford, Illinois, about 73 miles northwest of Aurora. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Russian & Eastern European Studies in 2017 from Florida State University. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) released an age progression image of what Timmothy would look like back in 2021. Discovery Company. I am taking a group of seniors on a mystery trip to the Coldwater/Quincey area. Beneath the unclean SUV, authorities found natural debris. Around 8:30 amthat same morning, Timmothy's mother signed him out of school, claiminga family emergency. (Credit: Aurora Police Department), Timmothy Pitzen, left; an age-progressed picture, showing what he might look like today. He told police he is Timmothy Pitzen, and had escaped from two kidnappers who had held him for seven years. "Any public engagement in any of these cases will drive additional tips and leads on cases across the board," he said. One of the older Michigan Amish settlements is found at Mio in Oscoda County. In 2019, a person called the police in Newport, Kentucky, about a young man who approached her and said his name was Timmothy Pitzen. Do you know what a thermal image of filtered four times can reveal from 450 miles away one iCloud device iOS device? Pitzen said he heard from police three days later that Amy Pitzen was found dead in a motel room without Timmothy, but with a suicide note. Those phone calls were to family members saying Timmothy was fine. Here, a surveillance camera captured Amy and Timmothy Pitzen checking out of the resort. The test revealed that the man was not Timmothy Pitzen but a 23-year-old man from Ohio named Brian Michael Rini. The six-year-old vanished without a trace in May 2011 shortly after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, picked him up early from school in Aurora, Illinois, to embark on a spontaneous road trip. Based on Fry-Pitzen's cellphone and I-PASS records, Jacobs said that she believes Fry-Pitzen headed west on I-88 and took exit 44 into Sterling, Illinois. Reportedly, Fry-Pitzen had made contact with her mother and brother-in-law, but not with her husband. "It's been awful. The Mio community went extinct as an Old Order Amish settlement with the death of the last remaining bishop in 1954. Authorities discovered a mineral calledanhydrite on the vehicle. her 6-year-old son, Timmothy Pitzen, missing, Timmothy Pitzen's family relives loss again, determined to keep looking for him, Residents in Iowa small town have stepped up to find their missing boy. Carter was reunited with his family after 30 years when he recognized himself in an age-progressed photograph. There is something so tragic but captivating about unsolved missing children cases. Timmothy Pitzens mother had said there was a family emergency, and he was allowed to leave with his mother. Although Fry-Pitzen had taken some of her son's toys and clothes along for the ride, there was no evidence of the boy's possessions in the motel room. Aurora Illinois Police Department/FacebookAge progression rendering of what Timmothy Pitzen may look like in 2021. News of the hoax spawned another wave of agony for Timmothys family. The Charley Project. She left a suicide note stating that Timmothy was safe with others who would care for him, adding, You will never find him.. Timmothy and I will be fine. On Saturday, May 14, staff at a Rockford, Illinois motel 80 miles away from Timmothys home found Amys lifeless body. YouTubeA still from surveillance footage of Amy and Timmothy Pitzen that surfaced shortly after the disappearance. The FBI announced today that DNA testing confirms that the person found in Kentucky on Wednesday who claimed to be a missing child is not him. Please contact me asap 248-960-6505. Timmothy Pitzen was born in Aurora, Illinois, on October 18, 2004, as the only child of James Pitzen and Amy Joan Marie Fry-Pitzen. Timmothy is seen holding his mother's hand and checking the child's backpack she's carrying. When James told her It is either him or me. Daily MailAmy Pitzen and her son, Timmothy Pitzen. 2. Indeed, this man was making up his story. The man reportedly told authorities that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who was last seen when he was 6 years old and his mother took him out of school early in 2011, days before dying by suicide. Shes worked with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children and retraced her sisters steps, searching each stop along a 500-mile route. My son is still out there somewhere needing to come home to his family, Jim told PEOPLE. But those that did were rewarded, and the inexpensive land prices ($2-5/acre) tempted many to migrate to this heretofore little-settled area of north-central Michigan. When James Pitzen, Amy's husband and Timmothy's father, didn't hear back from his wife for nearly 24 hours, he reported the pair missing. said Jacobs. Jacobs believes that Timmothy was handed off to another family in Iowa. On May 14, 2011, a housekeeper at the Rockford Inn in Rockford, Illinois, entered the Pitzens room and found her body with a note. According to the chief of police of Newport, Kentucky, the individual has been identified as Brian Michael Rini, who is a 23-year-old from Ohio. Not a place but a person, a little boy who would now be a man. Investigators are now awaiting DNA tests to confirm if the boy is Timmothy. Her phone was recovered along a road on Route 78 north of Mount Carroll, Illinois, in 2013. As the competing Mennonite church grew, Old Order Amish moved away or adopted more technological innovations, such as tractors. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Timmothy Pitzen is asked to call the Aurora Polices Timmothy Pitzen Tip Line at 630-256-5516 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). "FBI Louisville, FBI Cincinnati, Aurora Police Department, Newport Police Department, Cincinnati Police Department, and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office have been conducting an investigation into an alleged missing person," the FBI said in a statement. Timmothy was nowhere to be found, and there was no evidence that hed ever been in the motel room to begin with. I am looking for a reputable Amish builder for a small metal home in Paradise up in the UP in the spring 2022. Amish farmers rely on old-fashioned horsepower. Hillsdale for its part has an additional two Amish communities, at Osseo and Pittsford (1997, 2 districts), and the Swiss-roots settlement at Camden (1956, 4 districts). Six-year-old Timmothy hopped out of the car with his Spider-Man backpack. Anthonette Christine Cayedito, the kind-hearted little girl was snatched from her doorstep by someone claiming to be the childs uncle. Couple Who Doesn't Believe in Doctors Allegedly Used Oils, Herbs Instead of Calling 911 for Dying Baby, Woman Who Killed 2 Miss. Timmothy is safe. The suicide note found with Amys body and a second letter she sent to her mother said that Timmothy Pitzen was safe and cared for but would never be found. Jim Pitzen later spoke to Crime Watch Daily in 2017, where he talked about the last time he said he saw his son. I just need some time to figure out and try to think about how to approach this,' she reportedly said. Why Did Patty Hearst Side With her Kidnappers? I just want him to come home to his family," Pitzen said. Investigators now believe that as soon as Amy picked up Timmothy from school, the two went to a car repair shop. Check to be notified of comments on this post, Michigan is home to the sixth-largest Amish population, The 5 Hardest Things About Living With The Amish. Investigators from Aurora traveled to Kentucky to verify the man'sidentity. Michigans 86 Amish church districts are scattered over 35 settlements, from Hillsdale and Branch Counties in the south, to Mackinac County in the Upper Peninsula. In the school logbook,Pitzensaw that his wifechecked Timmothyout of class. Aurora Illinois Police Department/Facebook. He's still missing and would be 14 years old now. The original Amish community at Mio was founded in 1900 by Amish from Geauga County, Ohio. Timmothy Pitzens parents were experiencing some marital troubles that stemmed from James learning that Amy was still speaking to one of her ex-husbands, and James thought she was still in love with her ex. Timmothy belongs to me. Looking for An Amish builder In Paradise Mi. (Credit: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children), caught Amy and Timmothy checking out of the Kalahari Resort. Timmothy is safe.'". Public boat launch in Centreville, MI. On Thursday, in the wake of the DNA test results, Pitzen's maternal grandmother, Alana Anderson, spoke about the devastation that their family is feeling. On May 11, 2011, James Pitzen dropped his 6-year-old son Timmothy off at his elementary school, like any other day. Authorities said leads and sightings continued to trickle from across the country in at a rate of about five a month, but nothing panned out. The mystery surrounding Pitzen's case started on May 11, 2011. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and shes designed several book covers in her career as a graphic artist. No one has reported seeing Timmothy after his disappearance, but Jacobs sees her search for answers as a long road with one destination. Amy actually lived with my grandparents for a period of time in the '90s. Kara Jacobs vividly remembers the day she got the news about her sister Amy Fry-Pitzen from her mother. He was the only child of his parents, James Pitzen and Amy Fry-Pitzen. Under Amys vehicles rear bumper there were pieces of long weeds; Queen Annes lace, and black mustard weed. But I want to purchase from a Amish community, to support their family. All rights reserved, Multiple People Killed, At Least 30 Injured in Large Crashes on I-55 in Illinois During Dust Storm. 'Devastated': Timmothy Pitzen's family relives loss again, determined to keep looking for him, This is the face that we ask everybody to look at closely because we know that its one way he can be found.. I am happy to send pictures of what I have in mind (nothing fancy or complicated; just a box with a glass door to put books in for my neighbors). She went on to earn her Masters Degree in Museum Studies in 2019 from the University of San Francisco. There are none in that county Mark, unless one has been started in the past half-year or so. Days after his disappearance, Timmothy's father, Jim Pitzen, told ABC News he was convinced his son was still alive. Now he faces charges of making false statements to federal agents and could face up to eight years in prison. Michigan Amish Tourism and Business-Looking for a Michigan Amish business? I drive for the Amish in over a dozen Michigan counties that are not listed in this article. When Timmothy Pitzen and his mother did not return the following day, the police were called. Within days, shed turn up dead but Timmothy Pitzen has been missing ever since. "I said 'I love you buddy,' and he said 'I love you too, Dad, and I'll see you later,' and I'm like 'OK,' and I watched him run off to class," Pitzen told the channel about the last morning he dropped his son off at school. Amy had been having difficulties in her marriage and was suffering from depression. Police say she took the boy to Brookfield Zoo and KeyLime Cove water park in Gurnee and that the mother and son spent the night in Gurnee before they headed toanother water park in Wisconsin the next day. They saw something that was off, and they reported it..