Case description
On the night of October 16–17, 1973, Pat Roach was at home with her children in Lehi, Utah. Near midnight she awoke to her cat yowling, a child screaming and a neighbor's dog barking. Believing a reported prowler might be nearby, she gathered the children and went to a friend's house to telephone police. Officers searched but found no intruder. Two daughters subsequently described spacemen in the house.
Roughly two years later, after reading about similar experiences in Saga magazine, Roach contacted investigators. James Harder interviewed the family and conducted hypnotic regressions. The account was also published under the name Patty Price.
During hypnosis, Roach described two figures standing over her and communicating without moving their lips. She recalled resisting as they took her outside to a nearby craft. Inside, she remembered being placed on a table and examined, including seeing a needle approaching her head. Several children also described being taken aboard and returned to bed during their own sessions.
The household disturbance and police visit were remembered before those sessions; the detailed onboard account emerged later. Published versions differ over how many children participated, so their individual involvement remains uncertain. Roach later discussed the experience publicly, including in television interviews.