On July 27, 1981, six-year-old Adam Walsh disappeared from a shopping mall in Hollywood, Florida, while shopping with his mother. The case was highly publicized, with Adam's father, TV host John Walsh, pleading for his son's safe return on national television. The investigation into Adam's disappearance was one of the largest in Florida's history, with hundreds of leads and tips being followed up on. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, Adam's body was not found until 16 days after his disappearance, in a canal in rural Indian River County. The case went cold, but in 2006, police announced that they had finally identified Adam's killer as Ottis Toole, a serial killer who had died in prison in 1996. Toole had confessed to the crime while in prison, but his confession was not made public until after his death. The case of Adam Walsh's disappearance and murder is a sobering reminder of the dangers that children face and the importance of vigilance and awareness.