Police Seeking to Solve Michael Allen Daum’s Cold Case Offering $5k Reward
On the night of June 26, four-year-old Michael Allen Daum was found lifeless.
The Tragic Case of Michael Allen Daum: A 1972 Child Homicide That Still Begs for Justice
In the summer of 1972, a heartbreaking tragedy shook the peaceful community of Buckingham Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. On the night of June 26, four-year-old Michael Allen Daum was found lifeless on the front lawn of a neighbor’s home along Route 413. What should have been another quiet evening in a rural neighborhood instead became the beginning of a decades-long mystery — one that still haunts investigators, community members, and anyone who learns this child’s story.
Today, more than half a century later, the Pennsylvania State Police have renewed their efforts to solve the case. They are now offering a $5,000 reward for credible information that could finally bring justice for Michael and answers for his family.
This is the story of what happened, why the case remains unsolved, and why finding the truth still matters.
The Night Everything Changed
On June 26, 1972, around 10:30 p.m., two teenage boys walking in the neighborhood discovered what appeared at first to be a doll lying in a yard. As they got closer, their shock turned into horror. It wasn’t a toy. It was the body of four-year-old Michael Daum.
State police arrived quickly, and Sgt. Elmer Leopold attempted resuscitation before Michael was rushed to a hospital in Doylestown. Tragically, the child was pronounced dead on arrival.
An autopsy revealed that Michael died from suffocation caused by aspirated vomitus. However, investigators also noted visible injuries to his neck and face — trauma that raised immediate alarms. The medical details suggested that his death was not a natural event. Something had happened to Michael, something violent enough to leave marks on his small body.
But despite the injuries, a definitive ruling of homicide was not made at the time. That ambiguity, combined with the limitations of 1970s forensic science, became a barrier that would ultimately leave this case cold for decades.
What Investigators Found — and What They Didn’t
From the earliest hours of the investigation, state troopers made one thing clear: Michael did not die where he was found. There were no signs suggesting he had collapsed on the lawn. Instead, they believed that “another party” had to have been involved and that the child’s body was placed there.
Yet despite involving local police, county detectives, and state police, the case quickly stalled.
In 1972, investigators didn’t have the tools we do today. There was no DNA testing, no genealogical databases, no advanced crime-scene technology. Physical evidence that might now crack a case wide open simply couldn’t be analyzed in meaningful ways at the time.
Conflicting medical findings also complicated matters. While the external trauma strongly hinted at foul play, the aspirated vomit caused uncertainty. The mixed findings made it harder for investigators to declare the case a homicide — and without that classification, the urgency of the investigation faltered.
Compounding the problem, no suspects were ever identified. No solid leads emerged. No motive was discovered. As weeks became months and memories faded, the case sank deeper into the realm of the unsolved.
Why This Case Is Harder — and Why It Still Matters
Michael’s case embodies many of the challenges faced by cold-case investigators:
Forensic limitations of the era
In 1972, investigators lacked the forensic advances that solve cold cases today. Key evidence may have been lost, degraded, or simply unanalyzed.Witness memory deterioration
Over five decades have passed. Witnesses moved away, passed away, or forgot critical details.Ambiguous cause of death
While signs of trauma existed, medical uncertainty left the case in a gray area that prevented stronger investigative action.No identified suspect or clear motive
Without a foundation for prosecution, the case slowly faded from public consciousness.
Yet despite these obstacles, the case absolutely still matters — for one reason above all others:
Michael Allen Daum was a child whose life was stolen. He deserves justice.
His family — whether living or long since passed on — deserved answers. Buckingham Township, too, deserves closure for what remains one of the most disturbing unsolved crimes in its history.
The 2025 Breakthrough: A Renewed Effort
In 2025, the Pennsylvania State Police revived the case by offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to a resolution.
Their message is clear:
Someone knows something.
After so many decades, even the smallest detail — a memory, a rumor, a comment made years later — could be the missing link investigators need.
Tips can be submitted directly to Pennsylvania State Police Troop M’s Criminal Investigation Assessment Unit, or anonymously through their online system. The hope is that a renewed spotlight on the case will stir memories or consciences and encourage those who have stayed silent to finally come forward.
What Information Could Solve the Case?
While the crime occurred more than 50 years ago, there are still several avenues that could lead to a breakthrough:
Witness recollections
People who lived in the area at the time may recall strange behavior, suspicious individuals, or unusual activity around the Daum residence.Secondhand accounts
Sometimes the truth is passed down quietly. Families may have heard stories or comments that didn’t make sense at the time.Behavioral clues
A sudden move, job change, or shift in behavior after the incident may point toward involvement.Old evidence re-examined
If any physical evidence still exists, it could potentially be tested or reviewed with modern forensic tools.
In cold-case investigations, it only takes one lead — one piece of information — to restart everything.
Why It’s Important to Tell Michael’s Story
Every cold case carries a weight, but cases involving children are especially painful. They touch communities, investigators, and readers in deeply emotional ways. A four-year-old should never become a mystery. A small child should never become an unsolved crime.
Telling Michael’s story is not just about revisiting the past. It is about honoring him. It is about recognizing his humanity, refusing to let him be forgotten, and reminding the public that justice delayed does not have to mean justice denied.
Cold cases are solved every year — some even older than this one. With new technology and renewed interest, answers are possible. Closure is possible. Justice is possible.
A Call to Action
Michael’s story deserves to be told. It deserves to be heard. And it deserves to be solved.
Anyone with information — no matter how insignificant it may seem — is urged to come forward. Many cold cases have been solved because someone remembered a small detail decades later.
Michael Allen Daum was a child whose life ended far too soon. He deserves truth, accountability, and justice. The renewed reward and investigative push mean hope is still alive.
And sometimes, hope is exactly what a case like this needs.