15 Minute Mysteries with Stacy Lee

On a sunny day in 1973, two children were walking near Lake Common in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. Suddenly, a strange creature appeared before them. It had only three fingers, was dressed like a colorful clown and had a face made of paper with a mouth that looked like a mechanical grill. The clown invited the children into a small hut where it built a fire before sending them home. The children's parents listened but as the story grew, the girl's father went back to the location of the sighting and found proof that something very strange had taken place that day.

Christmas Eve 1945 was an exciting time for the Sodder Children. Their parents, George and Jennie went off to bed taking the baby, Sylvia with them. Their oldest son was away in the military and the other Sodder children stayed up to wait for Santa. Just after midnight, the phone rang and Jennie picked up. A woman was on the line laughing. Jennie figured it was a wrong number and she hung up. Hours later, the house was engulfed in flames. George, Jennie and four of their children escaped the fire and had to stand and watch their house burn. But when the flames were put out, the bodies of their five children were not found. Who took the Sodder children on Christmas Eve all those years ago and what happened to them?

For hundreds of years, unfortunate patients all around the world have developed a rare and terrifying condition: they believe that they are dead. They won't eat, won't sleep and feel frustration when other people will not believe they are no longer living. What causes this condition and why do some recover while others do not?

Bear Lake sits on the Utah and Idaho border. For generations there have been stories of a monster living in the lake. The early Mormon pioneers were convinced that something terrifying was lurking nearby. Sightings continued into the 1980s and 1990s and there are people to this day that swear, a monster inhabits the deep blue waters of this beautiful mountain lake.

Bobby, Sherilynn and Madyson Jamison were a family experiencing a time of change. Bobby and Sherilynn decided they wanted to move away and live off the grid. In October of 2009, they loaded their truck and began driving into the forest. They were never seen again. As investigators looked at the home camera footage, they noticed something very disturbing. As the Jamisons were loading the truck, they were moving in a very robotic fashion, not speaking, not making eye contact. For years, the investigation continued and to this day, no one knows what happened to the Jamison Family.

Utah's Petrified Forest stands near Escalante. The land is ancient and draws thousands of tourists each year. People are not supposed to take anything from the area, but some do. And many of those who take what they should not report that their lives change and not for the better. Is this land cursed? Why do people return petrified wood and rocks taken from this ancient land?

Gloria Ramirez was suffering with cancer. In 1994, she went to the emergency room suffering with terrible pain. As the hospital staff began to treat Gloria, something very bizarre occurred. The doctors and nurses began to feel sick. Some were light headed, some vomited, and some fainted. There was a strange odor coming from Gloria Ramirez' body but to this day, no one is sure what caused this phenomenon.

Brian Shaffer was a med student at Ohio State University. He was about to get engaged and had a bright future. His mother passed away from cancer and although Brian was struggling, he seemed to be handling it well. Then, on April 1, 2006, he went out to a bar, the Ugly Tuna Saloona with friends. One minute Brian was speaking to his friends and the next he was gone. He was not seen on the bar's surveillance leaving the bar and he has never been heard from again. Did this young man choose to vanish or did something sinister happen to him?

One day in 1977, Mary Gillespie went to her mailbox. Inside was an anonymous threatening letter accusing her of having an affair with a school official, Gordon Massie. Mary kept it to herself but soon, other residents of Circleville, Ohio were getting similar letters. Then someone began placing threatening signs on the road and attached to one was an explosive device. As the community was terrorized, Ronald Gillespie, Mary's husband died in his pickup truck. Was this murder or an accident? And who was sending the letters?

Macin Smith was a quiet teen. He and his family moved to Utah from Canada just months before Macin vanished. He had an argument with his parents and then left for school. He never came home. The search for Macin has gone on for years. All avenues of investigation have been exhausted. What happened to this shy kid and where is he now?