The Lost Child: Unraveling the Shocking James Bulger Mystery
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There is an unimaginable grief when parents lose a child. Ralph and Denise Bulger lived in Liverpool, England, and they started a family.

They lost their son James in 1993 when he was two years old. While this was a tragic loss for the Bulger family, it was more heartbreaking that their son was murdered in cold blood. Ralph, Denise, and the rest of the world were shocked to discover that those responsible for James' murder were children. The killers were John Venables and Robert Thompson. Both were 10 years old.

To this day, the murder of James Bulger remains one of the most haunting and upsetting cases in history. Part 1: James Denise Fergus was born and raised in Liverpool, England, and she dreamed of one day being a mother. She remembered the Liverpool of her youth as one big family. She gave birth to James Bulger in March of 1990. James was remembered as a wonderful child by Denise.

James was full of energy and loved to make people laugh. Denise would remember her son as a little character. It was Friday, February 12th, 1993, when Denise was invited by a friend to go on a trip with James to the Strand Shopping Center in Boodle, which is located outside of Liverpool. Denise and James put on their coats and went out for a day of shopping.

Denise would later tell 60 Minutes Australia in an interview that it was the biggest mistake of her life. Part 2: February 12th Denise and James were about to leave the Strand around 1:45 PM when Denise decided to stop by a butcher's shop. While they were at the shop, Denise decided to hold James' hand to prevent him from running around.

He was almost three years old, and Denise was not comfortable allowing her son to roam freely in a store. Denise picked out some food and recalled James was at her side while paying. She let go of his hand to get money from her purse. After paying, Denise went to see what her son was up to, but he was nowhere to be found. It was a very tense moment for Denise because her son was missing.

She went to a reception desk at the Strand and asked that an announcement be made regarding James being lost in the shopping center. Denise also went around the neighboring shops looking for her son. She was unsuccessful. When it comes to cases of missing children, the first hour is very important. The police arrived at the Strand some 40 minutes after James disappeared. They had lost precious time.

It was an emotional time for Denise, and investigators did their best to get information from her about her son. Denise was worried that her son wandered out of the building. It was a cold day, and she was concerned about her son's safety. Four hours passed, and there was still no sign of James. The case was handed over to the Merseyside Criminal Investigation Division.

One of the detectives was Jim Fitzsimmons. He recalled that every officer available was involved in the search for James. The police wanted to speak with Denise at the station, but she was still at the Strand. She was reluctant to leave the building because it didn't feel right leaving, knowing her son was missing. She walked into the Strand with her son, and she wanted to leave the building with her son.

Denise didn't know if investigators wanted to talk to her to get important information or to blame her for James going missing. At some point during the evening hours of February 12th, a witness came forward saying they saw a little boy outside of the Strand crying. This worried Denise and Detective Jim Fitzsimmons because the Strand was located near a canal. There was a fear that James could have fallen into the water. If this was the case, then they would be searching for a body.

It was a terrible and tense situation for everyone involved. Some nine hours after James went missing, the Merseyside Criminal Investigation Division accessed the CCTV system at the Strand. Jim Fitzsimmons was asked by a colleague to review something they discovered from the footage. They saw something that caught their attention. James was walking in the Strand while holding someone's hand.

One person was holding James' hand, but another was in front leading the way. Fitzsimmons theorized that the two were possibly teens. The film quality was not the best, but what they did know was that it took the two suspects a minute and a half to lead James from one end of the Strand to the exit. Fitzsimmons saw on the video that the two were leading James out of the Strand at a brisk pace. What was their plan? Where were they going?

Since the suspects are young, it was theorized they took James because they thought he was lost, or maybe they wanted to play with him. Perhaps the two didn't know any better and had James at their home. It was just a matter of time before they would hear from these youths. Also at the time, it was a relief that those with James were youths rather than adults. Jim Fitzsimmons hoped at the time it was nothing more than a prank gone wrong.

Denise and her husband appealed to the public for assistance. There were plenty of people at the Strand the day James went missing. Someone had to have seen something. Someone had to have witnessed James being led out by the two unknown suspects. Any information was valuable. Less than 24 hours after James was taken from the Strand, law enforcement had not located the missing child.

posters and flyers were printed, handed out and placed around Liverpool. Denise was worried that the two youths from the CCTV footage might have been apprehensive to return James because they were afraid of getting into trouble. Less than 48 hours since James was reported missing, the Merseyside Criminal Investigation Division received word that a body had been discovered by law enforcement while combing the area.

The discovery was made along a railway line just a few miles from the Strand. Denise had been traveling with a member of the police department. The officer was told to come back to the station and to turn off their radio. Denise knew immediately that they had found her son and the news was not going to be good. It was beyond horrific what the police had discovered. James had been hit by a train.

Sadly, his remains were found some 200 yards from the police station. Investigators knew that James had not walked away from the Strand and accidentally stepped in front of a train. Jim Fitzsimmons recalled that the injuries were devastating and they were trying to figure out what happened to James during his final moments. The police knew they were now working a murder case and they needed answers. Meanwhile, James's uncle was asked to do the impossible.

He had to identify the remains of his nephew. A member of the police department noted that the uncle looked like all life had been sucked out of him after he identified James. The residents of Liverpool paid their respects to James and his family. They left flowers and paid their respects. Investigators knew they had to find the two who had taken James from the Strand. James and the two suspects walked from the Strand to the tracks where he was found.

This meant there were witnesses and there was possible CCTV footage from the walk. One business located on the route from the Strand to the tracks shared footage of James and the two boys walking in front of his business. Another plan the authorities had was to get a list of juveniles from ages 10 to 18 that lived in the area who had committed a series of crimes. They would be rounded up and brought in for questioning.

In all, there was an estimated 60 boys that were questioned by police at their homes or at the police station. While the police were reviewing the footage of the boys walking with James, they noticed the two were walking alongside a wall. The police had an idea how high the wall was and realized that the two could not be older than 10 or 12 years old.

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Paid non-client endorsement. Compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns. Investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. View important disclosures at acorns.com/crimeob. Part four, the suspects. Four days after James went missing, the police had the break they wanted. Someone stopped by the police station to share some information. The day James went missing, they saw a young boy returning home that looked like a complete mess.

He was dirty and his coat was covered in paint. Something wasn't right and it really bothered this person for days. This person knew the boy and another boy from the neighborhood had skipped school on that Friday. Their names were John Venables and Robert Thompson. They were both 10 years old. When the person informed the police that John Venables had paint on his coat, it caught their attention. When James's remains were found, blue paint was on his body.

The police learned where the two attended school and they learned that John Venables and Robert Thompson had skipped school on Friday. Most importantly, both Venables and Thompson lived close to where the body of James Bulger was discovered. On day five of the investigation, the police made their move and visited the homes of John Venables and Robert Thompson. They spoke with the families to explain that they wanted to question the boys about their whereabouts on February 12th.

The investigators informed the boys and their families that they would be sent to a police station for questioning. Some members of the police were shocked that the suspects were so young. They didn't expect two little boys to be behind one of the worst crimes in British history. Venables and Thompson were sent to separate police stations for questioning.

When Robert Thompson was interviewed, a solicitor was there for the boy as a legal representative. One detective interviewed by 60 Minutes Australia said, Thompson knew what was going on and showed no signs of concern. He was also forthcoming and claimed he not only was at the Strand, but saw James with his mother. Thompson admitted that Venables went up to James in the butcher shop, took his hand, and walked him out of the building.

Thompson also admitted during his interview that he told John Venables to take James back to his mother. While explaining this, Thompson was crying, but investigators realized that he was not genuinely crying, but conning them with an act. Those questioning Thompson handed him a candy bar and some pop when he began crying. Thompson also said he had nothing to do with the murder of James, but said if he wanted to kill a child, he'd kill his younger sibling. This shocked the detectives.

While Thompson admitted to being at the Strand, Venables claimed that wasn't true. He was being questioned in a room with detectives and his mother. Venables claimed Thompson was a liar and began crying. One officer that interviewed the two boys recalled one of them asked if you could get fingerprints off of skin. While the police were questioning the two boys, they learned from a shop owner near the Strand that two boys were hanging out near his store on February 12th.

The owner was certain it was the boys that abducted and murdered James. Investigators learned from the owner that the boys had their hands on shop windows, so the windows were removed and dusted for fingerprints. On the glass were the fingerprints of John Venables. This confirmed that they were near the Strand, and police wanted to know what they did on February 12th to James Bulger. Part 5: What Happened?

Progress was made during the interviews with Thompson and Venables. Thompson told investigators that after they walked James out of the Strand, he was crying for his mother. Thomas mocked the way he cried in his interview with the police. Venables eventually admitted to being at the Strand with Thompson, but he denied having anything to do with the disappearance of James Bulger. Venables said Thompson was lying, but when questioned further, he admitted that he was with James that day.

Venables then admitted it was Thompson's idea to kill James Bulger. Venables then had a private conversation with his mother, and he agreed to tell the whole story. His mother told Venables to tell the truth because she wanted him to know that she loved him no matter what he did. Venables said, "I killed James." Venables explained that they initially tried to toss James into the canal next to the Strand and watch him drown.

They asked James to kneel with them near the canal and look at the water. James was too upset and wouldn't listen to the boys. Robert Thompson grew angry, picked up James and dropped him on his head, causing an injury. Something that was admitted in the interviews surprised investigators. It was discovered that the boys attempted to kidnap another child at the Strand earlier in the day, but the child's mother stopped the two in the process.

During the interviews, it was vital for investigators to get enough information about the murder. Having two 10-year-olds explaining these actions were shocking and upsetting to those involved in the case. If they were going to court with the charges, then no stone could be unturned. Venable said since the canal plan didn't work, they took a walk towards the train tracks. He said they didn't have a plan but just walked that way.

Once they got there, Venables admitted the two boys took bricks and rocks and threw them at James. However, Venables said he did not throw any rocks or bricks at James, and it was solely Thompson that hit James with the rocks. Also, Venables said Thompson was yelling at James during the attack. Thompson was told about these allegations made by Venables. Thompson said it was Venables who threw the stones and not him.

At some point, one of the two boys clubbed James with the bar and it knocked him out on the railway track. Due to the evidence, both Venables and Thompson were arrested and they were sent to court on murder charges. According to a report by 60 Minutes Australia, the two were the youngest at the time to face murder charges in the UK in over 100 years. The police reported to the public that two 10-year-olds were arrested for the abduction and murder of James Bulger.

The end result was an absolute media circus. Denise was happy that the two were arrested. She knew the two would have killed again if given the chance. Denise and her husband finally had the opportunity to bury their son one month after his murder. A large crowd turned out for his funeral. Liverpool mourned with the Bulgers. Part 6: The Case

Mobs formed outside of the courthouse where the boys were arraigned. People threw objects at the vans transporting the boys, and some tried running up to the vans. Some in the crowds asked for the boys to be handed over to the mob so they could deliver proper justice. A trial by jury was scheduled, and the two had their day in court. It was up to the prosecution to prove guilt, but according to British law, they had to prove that the two boys understood right from wrong.

During the trial, some 38 people were called to stand. Footage was played in court of the walk from the Strand to the railroad tracks. Some of the witnesses saw the boys walk James through town. They were upset because they did not do anything to question the boys or did anything to stop them. Some believed the two were his brothers and that they were bullying the little boy. However, Denise told 60 Minutes Australia that she wasn't mad at the witnesses.

She believed the witnesses did not expect the two boys to kill James. Also in court, some of the details of James' death were revealed. One bit of evidence revealed that a shoe worn by one of the boys was used to kick James in the face. The details were overwhelming and absolutely disturbing. Nine months after the murder, Venables and Thompson were found guilty.

They were both 11 years old at the time and had been charged with murder. They were scheduled for sentencing. The question for the courts was how long would Venables and Thompson be sentenced. They were very young and at first, the two were told by the judge that they would spend a long time in prison for their crimes. The only time Denise Bulger attended the trial was for the verdict. She was pleased with the verdict and what the judge told the two boys. She believed justice was served.

A few weeks later, Venables and Thompson were sentenced to eight years in a detention facility. Denise felt blindsided by the sentencing because it was not what she expected. Both Venables and Thompson served time at a children's home until their release in 2001. At no point were the two behind bars. Denise told 60 Minutes Australia that the sentence was too light and they did not learn their lesson. The boys were sent to separate detention facilities.

It was reported that progress was made with Thompson, but there were major issues with Venables. Both had difficult and traumatic childhoods. Part 7: The Aftermath When they were 18 years old, John Venables and Robert Thompson were released. A High Court judge in London ruled that the media were not allowed to reveal where Venables and Thompson would be living once they were released.

It was reported they were living under new identities and those names could not be published along with any images of the two from 1993 to the present. It was also forbidden that their addresses be revealed to the public in any manner. Robert Thompson took on a new life with a new identity. He has never been arrested. The same cannot be said about John Venables. Venables was arrested for various charges including drug possession and served time in prison.

Venables was sentenced to two years in prison in 2010 for making and distributing indecent images of children. It was 2017 when he was arrested again for possession of indecent images. He was denied parole in 2020. Denise and Ralph divorced, both remarried and started new families. Denise has been interviewed for documentaries about the case and has spoken with the press about its legacy.

She wrote a book about the case titled "I Let Him Go". Ralph too has spoken to the press about the case and has asked the anonymity of Venables be lifted due to his arrests. The James Bulger case shocked the world. There was little in the way of positive outcomes. James Bulger's parents moved on in life without their son and Britton is still haunted by this murder.