The Foundling: A Story of Wretchedness, Survival, and a Courageous Little Girl

In 1978, a mysterious nine-year-old girl turns up in a small, Midwestern farming town. Malnourished and weak, Sunny claims she has no last name, no family, and that she doesn’t attend school. With limited resources, the local police try in earnest to uncover the child’s identity, but with no national database for missing children, the investigation quickly hits a dead end.Sunny ran away to flee a sick and deranged woman whom she refers to as “the witch.” Her background is complicated, and she is terrified of being sent back to where she came from. Her reluctance to discuss her past creates a shroud of mystery that both fascinates and puzzles the townspeople. It seems everyone wants to know the enigmatic little girl, but Sunny is interested in only one thing: finding the father she never met.Sunny leaves the hospital with the Petersons, a local couple who agree to take her in. Her foster parents are eager to provide love, security, and stability, and for the first time in her life, Sunny has a real family. However, when the topic of adoption comes up, she panics.Unfortunately, things soon become even more complicated. Due to media coverage, Sunny’s location is revealed. The police receive a credible tip, alerting them that the little girl’s safety is in jeopardy. With the witch scrambling to find her, Sunny realizes she has no choice but to tell her new friends and family who she really is before it’s too late.