A trip to the grocery store dramatically altered a girl’s life. The seven-year-old noticed something unusual on a milk carton and begged her stepfather to buy it for her—little did they realize what would happen next.

Bonnie Lohman had an unusual background, spending much of her formative years in places like Saipan, Hawaii, and Colorado. She was inside the house with her mother and stepfather while other youngsters were outside playing and learning to read.

Lohman’s parents gave her greater independence as she grew older, allowing her to play with their neighbors. She was pleased to accompany her stepfather to the grocery shop and was piqued when he pointed to a milk carton.

Etan Patz became the first milk carton child, with 300,000 posters of him plastered throughout the city. If you grew up in the 1980s, you’ll recall the ubiquitous “milk carton kids.” However, the milk carton program died away, partly because the Amber Alert system was created in 1996, but also because Dr. Spock (the world-famous pediatrician, not Mr. Spock from Star Trek) thought, “This seems like a great way to traumatize children.”