Bally Sente missing children files

[ThunderFist]

Years ago, I remember seeing a Mini Golf arcade game in a gas station near me. I wasn't able to play it, but I remember watching the demo and seeing the screen with the two missing boys pop up. That was the only time I have ever seen that done in an arcade game, although I have read suggestions that other Bally Sente games, perhaps Gimme A Break being of them, also did this. I always wondered what became of the two boys shows in Mini Golf and recently decided to look into the cases. Downloading and playing set 2 of Mini Golf in MAME, I took a screenshot of that particular screen and took down information on the two boys. Tahj Allen Merriman's fate was easily found. It seems his was a family abduction and he was found safe about July 12, 1985 in Georgia. That was the date the mother was arrested for the abduction according to the Beaver County Times. I haven't been able to find anything on the other boy, though. His name is Steven Phillip Curtis, and according to the screen in the game showing the two boys, he was born March 3, 1977 (thus being 7 or 8 when the game was released), had brown hair and green eyes, and was last seen in Hoquiam, WA 10-81. I'm curious if anyone knows of another other Bally Sente games that posted missing children ads or if anyone is able to find anything out about Steven Phillip Curtis.

[retrorussell]

On 9/21/2013 at 7:02 PM, ThunderFist said:

Years ago, I remember seeing a Mini Golf arcade game in a gas station near me. I wasn't able to play it, but I remember watching the demo and seeing the screen with the two missing boys pop up. That was the only time I have ever seen that done in an arcade game, although I have read suggestions that other Bally Sente games, perhaps Gimme A Break being of them, also did this. I always wondered what became of the two boys shows in Mini Golf and recently decided to look into the cases. Downloading and playing set 2 of Mini Golf in MAME, I took a screenshot of that particular screen and took down information on the two boys. Tahj Allen Merriman's fate was easily found. It seems his was a family abduction and he was found safe about July 12, 1985 in Georgia. That was the date the mother was arrested for the abduction according to the Beaver County Times. I haven't been able to find anything on the other boy, though. His name is Steven Phillip Curtis, and according to the screen in the game showing the two boys, he was born March 3, 1977 (thus being 7 or 8 when the game was released), had brown hair and green eyes, and was last seen in Hoquiam, WA 10-81. I'm curious if anyone knows of another other Bally Sente games that posted missing children ads or if anyone is able to find anything out about Steven Phillip Curtis.

Wow, I just got working on making a video for Mini Golf and I found a different pair of missing kids-- girls named Malinda Marie Smith and April Rose Yates.  I don't know the nature of their disappearance or the case file or anything, but it seems like the latter is okay these days.  The former I don't know.

[scotty]

I have always enjoyed trying to track people down.  Not to stalk or anything like that, but I enjoy the challenge.  That being said, I flat out refuse to pay any of the professional services on the net.   I only go by public records that are free, and open to the public.  That being said, I can say that I am fairly certain (not 100%), but pretty close that I have found Mr. Curtis alive and well and living a short distance from the city he was last seen in back in the mid 80s.  The age is 100%, however I was not able to verify the birth date which would have made it a 100% match.   Anyways, here is what I found.   Address(es) have been blocked for privacy.

 

[Ellierosepie]

I was at an arcade/bar today and they had this exact ad on the golf game. I was confused if it was real or not considering it’s October and near Halloween…. Turns out it is real. I’m trying to find out if they were ever found but nothing comes up..

[Joshua Clark]

I found him and the dates and age match up and I blocked the address for obvious reasons