CrimeCon 2026

Two missing toddlers, six people gone, a mysterious group called the “University of Cosmic Intelligence,” and families still desperately searching for answers: this is one of the most unusual and troubling missing persons cases investigators have faced in years.

When children vanish under suspicious circumstances, investigators race against the clock. But in this case, detectives believe secrecy, coercive control, and extreme beliefs are standing in the way of finding the truth.

Go behind the headlines with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for a closer look at the disappearance of Missouri toddlers Malaiyah Wickerson and Ashton Mitchell, their mothers, and others believed to be connected to the “University of Cosmic Intelligence.”

Moderated by Angeline Hartmann, NCMEC’s Director of Communications, this powerful session brings together the people closest to the case: Cartisha Morgan, Malaiyah’s grandmother, who continues living this nightmare every day; Det. Sgt. George Ervin, the investigator trying to unravel the disappearances; and Mike King, a respected expert on cult behavior, coercive control, and religious criminality.

You’ll hear firsthand how investigators are navigating unpredictable behavior and complex belief systems while trying to locate missing children and what it’s like for families left searching for loved ones who seem to have disappeared into another world.

This is more than a case overview. It’s a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how missing child investigations can collide with fringe groups and manipulation tactics investigators don’t often encounter. If you’re drawn to the cases that leave even experienced detectives struggling for answers, this is a session you won’t want to miss.