The Lost Boy

Police intensify their search as concerns about the wellbeing of John and Mike grow. The discovery of a swiftly abandoned campsite and a string of troubling text messages provide crucial leads. Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we’re asking you to subscribe to Stuff Extra. To support our gutsy independent journalism and access ad-free episodes, you can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-lost-boy/id1746641389?ign-itscg=80085&ign-itsct=pod_shw_stuff409_thelostboy620]. Just hit “Subscribe” on the show page. You can also Subscribe on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5z2t0qzAome4b9PdWCqhPp?si=bcbdfac62294429d], or Click Here [https://listen.stuff.co.nz/subscribe?sid=ep1]to listen on other platforms. Warning: The Lost Boy podcast contains strong language, content that may be distressing and references to self-harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, call or text 1737 for free assistance, 24 hours a day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Separated by a court, John and Mike assign each other code names as they swap secret messages. With Mike’s frustrations about his new life growing, John plots his next, shocking move. Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we’re asking you to subscribe to Stuff Extra. To support our gutsy independent journalism and access ad-free episodes, you can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-lost-boy/id1746641389?ign-itscg=80085&ign-itsct=pod_shw_stuff409_thelostboy620]. Just hit “Subscribe” on the show page. You can also Subscribe on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5z2t0qzAome4b9PdWCqhPp?si=bcbdfac62294429d], or Click Here [https://listen.stuff.co.nz/subscribe?sid=ep1]to listen on other platforms. Warning: The Lost Boy podcast contains strong language, content that may be distressing and references to self-harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, call or text 1737 for free assistance, 24 hours a day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

When Fiona Lu leaves her husband - and a relationship that began in war-torn Afghanistan - she has to leave her son too. Her departure prompts a furious note on a calendar and kickstarts a bitter custody dispute. Podcasts like this take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we’re asking you to subscribe to Stuff Extra. To support our gutsy independent journalism and access ad-free episodes, you can subscribe to Stuff Extra directly in Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-lost-boy/id1746641389?ign-itscg=80085&ign-itsct=pod_shw_stuff409_thelostboy620]. Just hit “Subscribe” on the show page. You can also Subscribe on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5z2t0qzAome4b9PdWCqhPp?si=bcbdfac62294429d], or Click Here [https://listen.stuff.co.nz/subscribe?sid=ep1]to listen on other platforms. Warning: The Lost Boy podcast contains strong language, content that may be distressing and references to self-harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, call or text 1737 for free assistance, 24 hours a day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

One ordinary day almost a decade ago, John Beckenridge abducted his stepson, Mike, from school and vanished. With no proof of what happened, police asked a court to make sense of the crime. That court heard dozens of hours of evidence, and tried to determine how a marriage breakdown became a manhunt and then a mystery. As well as a kidnapping, the story includes cryptic phone messages, a car plunging from an 80-metre cliff and allegations of secret bank accounts, criminal accomplices and illegal border crossings. We'll take you inside the courtroom as two opposing theories are put to the test. Are John and Mike alive or dead? From Stuff Audio, New Zealand’s leader in true crime podcasts, and The Press newspaper, this is the story of a calculating man with a dark past, the 11-year-old boy he controlled and the distraught mother left behind. Podcasts like The Lost Boy take lots of time and resources to produce, which is why we’re asking you to subscribe. Subscribe to Stuff Extra on Apple podcasts or by Clicking here [https://listen.stuff.co.nz/subscribe?sid=ep1]. You'll get exclusive ad-free access to the remaining episodes instantly, for about the price of a cup of coffee, and in doing so you'll be supporting our gutsy, independent journalism. Warning: The Lost Boy podcast contains strong language, content that may be distressing and references to self-harm and suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, call or text 1737 for free assistance, 24 hours a day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]