Death of Mary Jane Barker

Mary Jane Barker
Born (1953-02-28)February 28, 1953
Bellmawr, New Jersey
Disappeared February 25, 1957
Bellmawr, New Jersey
Died March 3, 1957(1957-03-03) (aged 4)
Bellmawr, New Jersey
Cause of death Starvation
Known for Mysterious circumstances of death

The body of Mary Jane Barker (February 28, 1953 – March 3, 1957) a 4-year-old from Bellmawr, New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia,[1] was recovered from the 3' x 5' bedroom closet of a nearby vacant ranch house 2 blocks away from her home.[2][3] Her disappearance "touched off an intensive search for a kidnapper or murderer".[2] Despite the initial suspicion of foul play,[4] the death was ruled an accident due to starvation and exposure from Barker's inability to escape the closet.[5][6] The dog of another neighborhood girl had also gone missing, bounding out of the closet alive upon the discovery of the body.[4][7][8]

It was the press surrounding the Barker case which led to the first calls about the Boy in the Box.[1][9][10]

Birth and siblings

Mary Jane Barker was born in Bellmawr, New Jersey on February 28, 1953 to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Barker. She had two older siblings, Carol Ann, 8 years older, and Frank Jr., 6 years older.[8]

Disappearance and discovery of body

Barker disappeared along with a four month old black spaniel puppy at 10:30 AM on February 25, 1957.[11][6] She was last seen playing in a nearby yard. She was presumed kidnapped, and footprints along a nearby stream bank seemed those of a man, child, and dog.[11] It was called the largest search in South Jersey.[2] Her fourth birthday came and went with no sign of her.[2]

On March 3, 1957, Barker's neighbor, 6-year-old Maria Freitta, the owner of the dog, went with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Vecchia, to the vacant, newly built ranch house on 433 2nd Ave owned by the Vecchias. While playing with her pet, Freitta discovered the body of Barker.[8] Barker was found in a bedroom closet, dead, in a seated position, the hood of her blue coat partially covering her blonde hair.[2][8] The house had been searched three times before as it was the last place Barker was seen alive, but the bedroom closet where her body was found was not searched.[6] Police Chief Edward Garrity stated he believed that Barker had recently been placed in the closet as the puppy had been fed recently, there was no animal waste in the closet and that during previous searches, no dog was heard.[4] Although the door was unlocked, a thumb screw inside apparently made it difficult for a child to open.[4][6] Barker may have been too frightened to cry out.[12]

Autopsy

The autopsy indicated Barker had nothing in her system since some chocolate milk the morning of her disappearance,[2][5] and had not eaten since she vanished.[3] A cursory examination gave no indication of foul play.[3] It was found she must have lived in the closet for three days. An inspection of the closet showed marks from her attempt to escape.[6] The dog was euthanized in order to examine its stomach contents and establish why the dog outlived Barker and if it had been without food or drink for as long.[6][12][13] It was found the dog was with her the whole time.[14]

Her death was ruled a case of starvation with exposure as a contributing factor. Due to a hole in the closet, she could not have suffocated.[15]

Aftermath

Mayor Cornelius Devennel ordered all closet doors to open easily from both inside and outside.[16] Radio Station WPEN presented Fraietta with a new puppy, an English Setter.[13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Capuzzo, Michael (2010-08-10). The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Ca ses. Penguin. ISBN 9781101458952.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Missing Girl Found Dead In Closet Of Vacant House Near Her Home" (PDF). The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 4, 1957.
  3. 1 2 3 "Closet Yields Body of Child, Missing 5 Days" (PDF). Amsterdam Evening Recorder. March 4, 1957.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Missing Youngster Found Starved To Death In Closet of New Home". The Times Standard. March 4, 1957. p. 21. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 "Mary Jane Barker Died of "Starvation and Exposure"". Gettysburg Times. March 5, 1957.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rule Girl Died of Starvation and Exposure in Closet". The News-Herald. March 5, 1957. p. 12. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Girl Dies, Puppy Lives". The Times. March 4, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Missing Girl, 4, Found Dead". Chicago Daily Tribune. March 4, 1957.
  9. ↑ David Stout. Boy in the Box. p. 62.
  10. ↑ Bruce McIntyre (November 1957). "Who Is The Boy In The Box?". Front Page Detective Magazine.
  11. 1 2 "Girl Missing May Be Case of Kidnaping" (PDF). The Daily Iowan.
  12. 1 2 "Pet Dog Is Liquidated To Probe Little Girl's Death". The Daily Times. March 5, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 "1957 Bellmawr NJ Marie Fraietta & William Caskey GM of Radio Press Photo ner6299".
  14. ↑ "No Foul Play Found In Death of Mary Jane Barker". Altoona Tribune. March 5, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "1957 Chief Edward Garrity Detective Mary Jane Barker Closet Search Wire Photo".
  16. ↑ "Pay Last Respects To Mary Jane Barker". Gettysburg Times. March 8, 1957.
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