Sykesville, PA – A 2007 house fire that left a six-week-old baby dead and his mother missing remains one of Pennsylvania’s most haunting cold cases. Now, state police are offering a $5,000 reward for information that helps solve it.
According to Pennsylvania State Police Troop C, 33-year-old Joey Lynn Offutt was last seen on July 4, 2007, at her home on Fugate Drive in Sykesville, Jefferson County. Days later, at 4:00 a.m. on July 12, a loud explosion woke neighbors as Offutt’s home erupted in flames. Fire crews discovered the body of her infant son in the bathtub. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set, and the child had died before it began.
Offutt was not found at the scene. Her purse and ID were in the rubble, but her red 1994 Saturn—with visible hood damage—vanished from the residence. On July 15, the car was found parked at an apartment complex in State College, where she once lived.
Authorities suspect foul play. Offutt was declared legally dead in 2016, though her case remains open.
Anyone with tips is urged to contact PSP Punxsutawney at 814-371-4652 or submit information anonymously at p3tips.com. Reward remains active until the case is resolved.
