About this episode
The episode explores the Jill Rosenthal case, beginning with the story of Paul Joseph Fronczak and a shocking hospital kidnapping.
What if the story you were told about who you are was only part of the truth? In Part 1 of our coverage of the Jill Rosenthal case, we begin not with Jill, but with a little boy named Paul Joseph Fronczak—a child connected to one of the most shocking hospital kidnappings in American history. In 1964, a newborn was taken from Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago by a woman dressed as a nurse. Nearly two years later, a young boy was found abandoned outside a store in Newark, New Jersey. Was he the missing baby everyone had been searching for? Or had one mystery simply been mistaken for another? This episode is about identity, family secrets, impossible choices, and the kind of truth that waits for decades before cracking everything open. And trust me—this is only the beginning. Listen now to Part 1 of our coverage of the case of Jill Rosenthal. Please check out Paul and Tracy's podcast, The Fronczak Files to support their efforts to help others and to hear even more about Paul's life story and where it has led them today. Check out their website at https://www.thefronczakfiles.com/ to listen to their podcast, for information on Paul's books, and to help support their search for Jill…
People in this episode
Host: Coffee and Cases
Topics covered
- identity
- family secrets
- hospital kidnapping
- mystery
- truth
- Jill Rosenthal case
Keywords
- Jill Rosenthal
- Paul Joseph Fronczak
- hospital kidnapping
- identity
- family secrets
- truth
- mystery
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Michael Reese Hospital, The Fronczak Files
Places: Chicago, Newark, New Jersey
More episodes of Coffee and Cases Podcast
- FROM THE VAULT: Ann Gotlib · June 11, 2026 · 1h 1m
- Jill Rosenthal Part 3 · June 5, 2026 · 1h 8m
- FROM THE VAULT: Bill and Peggy Stephenson (2021) · June 3, 2026 · 1h 8m
- Jill Rosenthal Part 2 · May 29, 2026 · 56 min
- FROM THE VAULT: Dottie Caylor · May 27, 2026 · 52 min
- FROM THE VAULT: Monique Michelle Figueroa · May 20, 2026 · 51 min
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