Charles was last seen in Santa Ana, California on April 9, 1979. He had gone to work that day with his father, Dennis. After Dennis finished work, he left Charles at the corner of Chestnut Avenue and Lyon Street while he went to unload his truck. He didn't want his boss to find out he'd taken Charles along with him, because children were not allowed to ride in the trucks. Dennis told his son to walk to an address in the 300 block of south Lyon Street and wait to be picked up. When Dennis went to the designated location ten minutes later, Charles was gone. Convicted child killer James Crummel is the prime suspect in Charles's disappearance.