APM REPORTS LAUNCHES “IN THE DARK” – A PODCAST ABOUT A CHILD ABDUCTION INVESTIGATION THAT CHANGED THE NATION

First two episodes of eight-part series available on Sept. 7

September 7, 2016 – St. Paul, Minn. – The 27-year investigation into the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling ended yesterday, but in the wake of the confession from a man who lived within 40 miles from where Jacob was taken, many are left asking, “why did this take so long?” In the most comprehensive reporting on this case, American Public Media’s investigative and documentary unit, APM Reports, reveals how law enforcement mishandled one of the most notorious child abductions and why it matters.The reporting, led by award-winning journalist Madeleine Baran and done over a period of nine months, will be shared in an eight-episode weekly podcast series, “In the Dark,” beginning Sept. 7. Originally slated to be released Sept. 13, due to the news of the past week, episodes 1 and 2 now will be released on Sept. 7, and episode 3 will be available Sept. 12. The remaining episodes will drop weekly.“In the Dark” takes a close look at the quality of the investigation that reveals a story that until now has not been told. The Jacob Wetterling case wasn’t just any child abduction. Not only did it fuel national anxiety about stranger danger, it also led to a federal law that requires all states to maintain registries of sex offenders.“While this case has been covered locally and nationally, no one has really gone in depth about the investigation itself,” said Chris Worthington, APM Reports’ editor-in-chief. “There is much to learn from this case – one that left Minnesota reeling and the nation watching.”The podcast will be released weekly starting on Sept. 7 and is available on iTunes.APM Reports, formed in November 2015, is a collection of investigative journalists and documentary producers, editors, researchers and digital producers dedicated to producing high quality reporting on issues that are often hidden from public view.

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