Etan Patz was a six-year-old boy who went missing in New York City on May 25, 1979. He disappeared while walking to his school bus in the SoHo neighborhood, sparking a massive search and media coverage. His case became one of the first high-profile missing children cases in the United States. The disappearance of Etan Patz led to significant changes in how missing children cases were handled, including the establishment of National Missing Children's Day and the creation of the Amber Alert system. His story remains a poignant reminder of the importance of child safety and awareness.