Thursday, August 18, 2011

Caroline Evanovich Murdered Her Stepdaughter Using a Club - 1928


FULL TEXT (Article 1 of 2): Mrs. Caroline Evanovich, 30, who is charged with first degree murder in the death of her step-daughter, Dorothy, eight, will be taken to Elton by Stark county authorities this afternoon to go over the scene of the crime, and show just how she pushed the child into the pool of water in which the girl’s body was found last Sunday morning. She will be accompanied on the trip by Chief Deputy Sheriff George Daily, a representative of the prosecutor’s office and probably Dr. T. C. McQuate, coroner.

In a partial confession which Mrs. Evanovich made to Dr. McQuate Wednesday, she admitted that she pushed Dorothy into the ditch, but denied striking the girl with a club. The officers declare that the girl did not die from drowning as a result of being pushed into the water but say that the child was struck over the head with some kind of a blunt instrument that caused hemorrhages of the brain and her death. The fact that no water was found in the girls lungs also discounts the theory that she was drowned. The officers during their investigation at Elton today will drain the ditch effort to find the club with which it is believed Dorothy was struck. They also will make a close inspection of the bank to ascertain whether or not Dorothy could have struck her head on any hard object when “pushed” into the ditch.

Mrs. Evanovich has admitted striking the girl with a stick, the night before the murder but declares it was too small to cause any injury.

When Mrs. Evanovich is taken to Elton this afternoon, she will be asked to repeat every action she went through on the morning of the murder from the time she left the house to follow Dorothy to the field in the search of lost cattle, until the child’s body was found. She will be asked to retrace her steps through the field and to show the officers the exact spot where she pushed Dorothy into the water.

Arrangements also were going forward today for arraignment of Mrs. Evanovich on a charge of first degree murder as filed against her by Dr. McQuate. She will be taken either today or Monday before Justice of the Peace Donald Smyth to enter a plea to the affidavit. If she pleads not guilty, she will be bound over to the grand jury.

[“Held As Slayer of Step-Daughter - Step-Mother To Co Over Crime Scene Will Drain Ditch - Mrs. Evanovich to Repeat Actions During Morning of Murder Before Officials in Elton Today,” The Evening Independent (Massillon, Oh.), Sep. 8, 1928, p. 1]

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FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 2): Canton, Nov. 27.—Mrs. Caroline Evanovich, Elton, was taken to the reformatory for women at Marysville, Tuesday to begin a life term for the murder of her step-daughter, Dorothy. She was accompanied to the institution by Deputy Sheriff Al Ball, Mrs.. Ball and Mrs. Gibson, wife of Sheriff. Gibson.

Mrs. Evanovich was indicted on a first degree murder charge, but was permitted to enter a plea of guilty to second degree murder before Common Pleas Judge E, W. Diehl.

[“Mrs. Evanovich Taken To Prison,” Evening Independent, (Massillon, Oh.),  Nov. 27, 1928, p. 2]

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For more examples, see Step-Mothers from Hell.

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