Remarks by President Biden at the 154th National Memorial Day Observance

Finding Evan Carpenter

Evan Carpenter is the son of our CEO and founder, Lucy Carpenter. He and his mom are both English in genetics and citizenship, and by now, if Evan were/is still alive, he would probably look something like his distant cousin, Joseph Kennedy. Because Evan's coloring, hair, and facial shape was quite similar. And genetically, Evan would probably be tall and thin like both biological parents. It doesn't do much good to advertise for a missing child after a few years, because people are busy and have their own famlies, and strangers are not going to be out looking for English-looking young adults. But there is always the chance, the US Treasury told Evan's mom, that keeping him posted as missing may one day bring Evan home. Or trigger a lead to give his family closure, after so many years.

Evan was kidnapped from northern Virginia, between CIA offices and Dulles (IAD) airport, age 8, at Christmas 2005, and is still officially missing.  His kidnap was unusual in that it followed extended harassment of his family and extended family over his mother's private and classified Federal Government work and testimony following September 11, 2001. If his mother was supporting US National Defense and National Security - who were these males bothering her, wanting "tips" and trying to scare them? (And why weren't they apprehended the first time this happened?)

Evan and his mother held dual US-UK citizenship, so federal agents from both countries, as well as the EU Justice Commission and the International Red Cross in Switzerland, all looked for Evan initially; and sporadically over the years, without success. Even US Treasury agents, in 2015-2017, worked with his mom to search again, and found nothing.

No matter how long a kidnap victim is missing, he's not 'not missing' until he is found by the family searching for him. A child does not magically stop being missing just because he would have turned 16. Sometimes police, or even relatives, say this to get out of looking further. Or to clear cold cases off of their rolls. And to the child's family, it doesn't matter how many years have passed. They still miss and worry for their child as if they just walked out the door that very day.