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1981 · Hollywood, Florida

Adam Walsh

A family’s loss and a national child-protection campaign

Six-year-old Adam Walsh disappeared from a department store in Hollywood, Florida, in 1981 and was found murdered. His parents, John and Revé Walsh, became advocates for missing children. The case became the subject of the television drama Adam and John Walsh’s memoir.

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The Story

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When1981
WhereHollywood, Florida
In this collection5 resources

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Nicknames & media names

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Family Tree

People & Relationships

The family relationships behind the story, gathered in one place.

Selected relationships only—not a complete genealogy. A family connection does not imply involvement in a crime.

About These Family Trees

These original diagrams summarize relationships reported by the linked sources. Community genealogy sites can contain errors and are not proof of identity or parentage. Full trees or record images may require an account. We omit speculative relationships, private contact details and unrelated living descendants.

Sources reviewed September 15, 2026. Suggest a sourced correction.

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Blogs & Essays

The Journal

Read our articles here and explore outside perspectives, credited to their writers and publications. See this case in the Journal →

From the journal

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Blogs & essays

1 items
About these sources

Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.

FBI · The FBI Story 2017

Missing-children investigations and the Walsh legacy

The FBI’s annual publication discusses the missing-children response and the origins of NCMEC following Adam’s abduction. This is an agency publication, not Adam’s investigative file.

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Books

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Books

1 items

John Walsh

Tears of Rage

Walsh’s account of his son’s abduction, murder and the family’s transformation into advocates.

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Movies & TV

Documentaries & Adaptations

Movies

1 items
About these sources

Watch links, previews and title listings are identified below. Rentals or subscriptions may be required.

1983 · television drama

Adam

A dramatization starring Daniel J. Travanti and JoBeth Williams. IMDb is a film-information link, not a full-film stream.

Fiction / DramatizationTitle Details · Not Playback

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TV & documentaries

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Audiobooks

Listen To The Books

An audiobook edition has not been confirmed for this case yet. You can check the audiobook catalog or explore the case’s podcasts.

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Fiction Work

Adaptations & Inspirations

Fiction Work

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Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.

1983 · television drama

Adam

A dramatization starring Daniel J. Travanti and JoBeth Williams. IMDb is a film-information link, not a full-film stream.

Fiction / DramatizationTitle Details · Not Playback

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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb

Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.

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Links marked “Search” show retailer results. Check the edition, current availability and US region before buying. An Audible link does not guarantee inclusion in a membership. How affiliate links work.

1983 · dramatized television film

Adam

A screen retelling of the Walsh family’s experience. Dialogue and scenes are dramatized; compare with nonfiction sources.

Fiction / DramatizationTitle Details · Not Playback

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Search Amazon · paid linkCredits & title details on IMDb

Title search; Amazon availability is not confirmed. Check the edition, format, and viewing region.

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Choose how you want to read or watch. These are optional paid links.

Links marked “Search” show retailer results. Check the edition, current availability and US region before buying. An Audible link does not guarantee inclusion in a membership. How affiliate links work.

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Podcasts

Episodes & Audio Stories

Podcasts

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Social Media

Videos & Conversations

BRING YOUR PERSPECTIVE

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Social Media

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News & Reading

Reporting, Clippings & Archives

More Reading & Audio

3 sources

Explore book records, previews, library audiobooks and selected documents. Access labels distinguish free material from library loans and paid subscriptions.

OverDrive · Library Access

Tears of Rage — Ebook

John Walsh. Related reading for Adam Walsh. Check participating libraries for this edition. Borrowing requires an eligible library card; availability and waits vary.

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Google Books · Catalog / Availability

Tears of Rage

John Walsh. Related reading for Adam Walsh. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access.

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Everand · Subscription Access

Tears of Rage — Ebook

John Walsh. Related reading for Adam Walsh. Check the current subscription terms and available sample; trial offers are not permanent free access.

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Reading Access Notes

Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.

A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.

News & reporting

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Newspaper clippings

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Featured newspaper clipping

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Internet Archive

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Court & Files

Explore The Documents

Court records & documents

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About these sources

Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.

No accessible court document has been verified for this case yet.

New material will appear here after editorial review.

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Positive Outcome

Laws, Advocacy & Change

Positive Outcome

1 items
About these sources

Documented laws, advocacy and reforms. Listing a change does not claim it is effective or universally supported.

Federal · enacted 2006

Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

Title I established SORNA, revising federal sex-offender registration and notification standards. The act was named for Adam; the linked legislative history explains the broader legal framework.

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