jonathan blake reports. his disappearance captivated america. etan patz left home to walk to the bus stop on his own for the first time and was never seen again. the case sparked a national campaign to raise awareness about missing children, but despite huge publicity, police found only false leads. until now, more than three decades on, a breakthrough. detectives say a man who worked in a convenience store near etan's home has confessed. >> hernandez described to detectives how he lured young etan from the school bus stop at west broadway and prince street. with the promise of a soda. he then led him into the basement of the body egg a -- the basement of the bodega, choked him, and disposed of the body by putting it in a plastic bag and placing it into the trash. >> the first arrest over etan's disappearance comes amid renewed interest in the case after police dug up a basement flat near the boy's home last month. now, along with caution, there is hope of solving a case which haunted new york. >> if you remember 33 years ago, this was a tragedy