Little Lord Fauntleroy (Murder Victim)
Unidentified Child Murder Case
CLASSIFICATION: Murder
LOCATION
Waukesha, Wisconsin
TIME PERIOD
Autumn 1920 to February 1921
VICTIMS
1 confirmed
On March 8, 1921, the remains of an unidentified boy, nicknamed "Little Lord Fauntleroy," were discovered floating in a pond near the O'Laughlin Stone Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The victim, estimated to be between five and seven years old, had suffered blunt-force trauma and was dressed in clothing indicative of an affluent background. Despite extensive efforts to identify him, including displaying his body at a local funeral home, no one came forward, leading to his burial on March 17, 1921, at Prairie Home Cemetery. A key lead in the investigation involved a couple seen near the pond weeks prior, with the woman reportedly in distress, but they were never located. The case remains unsolved, with the boy's identity still unknown after over a century, although there have been speculations linking him to a missing child named Homer Lemay.
Little Lord Fauntleroy may have been abducted from a wealthy family, leading to speculation that his murder was connected to a kidnapping gone wrong. Witnesses reported seeing a couple, with the woman in a red sweater appearing distressed, around the time of his disappearance, suggesting they could be involved in his abduction. The quality of the boy's clothing has led investigators to believe he came from an affluent background, which fuels theories about a targeted kidnapping.
The Mystery of Little Lord Fauntleroy
The Discovery
In the quiet town of Waukesha, Wisconsin, a chilling discovery unfolded on March 8, 1921. The stillness of the pond near the O'Laughlin Stone Company was disrupted when the lifeless body of a young boy was found floating in its waters. Authorities estimated the child to be between five and seven years old, with blond hair and brown eyes, and a tooth conspicuously missing from his lower jaw. His life was cruelly ended by blunt-force trauma, a homicide that suggested he had been submerged for several months before being found. The boy, dressed in a gray sweater, Munsing underwear, black stockings, a blouse, and patent leather shoes, appeared to belong to a family of affluence. Yet, despite the efforts of the local police, who displayed his body at a nearby funeral home, no one stepped forward to claim him. The boy was laid to rest on March 17, 1921, in Prairie Home Cemetery, still unidentified and shrouded in mystery.
The Investigation
As the investigation began, an employee of the O'Laughlin company recalled a peculiar encounter five weeks before the body was discovered. A couple had approached him; the woman, clad in a red sweater, was visibly distraught and tearful as she inquired if he had seen a young boy in the vicinity. The man with her, appearing more composed, surveyed the area where the child would eventually be found. They departed in a Ford vehicle, leaving no trace and never to be seen again.
A theory emerged that the boy, dubbed "Little Lord Fauntleroy," might have been abducted from a distant wealthy family and discarded in Waukesha to hinder his identification. As the investigation reached a dead end, a local woman named Minnie Conrad spearheaded fundraising efforts to ensure the boy received a proper burial in Prairie Home Cemetery. Years later, in 1940, she was laid to rest in the same cemetery at the age of seventy-three, her compassion remembered by those who followed the case. Mysteriously, sightings of a heavily veiled woman placing flowers on the boy's grave fueled speculation that she might have known his true identity.
The Homer Lemay Connection
In 1949, a new lead surfaced when a medical examiner from Milwaukee proposed a potential link between Little Lord Fauntleroy and another missing child, Homer Lemay. Homer, a six-year-old, had vanished around the same period, adding a layer of intrigue to the case. Edmond Lemay, Homer's father, claimed his son had perished in a car accident during a trip to South America, where he was supposedly in the care of family friends, known only as the "Nortons." Edmond asserted that he learned of the tragedy through a South American newspaper, which detailed the fatal accident. However, investigators found no record of such an event, nor could they verify the existence of the Nortons. Further complicating matters, Edmond faced accusations of falsifying his missing wife's signature, although he was ultimately acquitted of the charges.
Unsolved Mysteries
Despite the exhaustive efforts of law enforcement and the public's interest, Little Lord Fauntleroy's identity remains a mystery, as do the circumstances surrounding his death. The case continues to linger in the annals of unsolved murders, a somber reminder of a life cut tragically short and a puzzle that has yet to find its resolution.
Sources
- Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified
- The Doe Network
- Prairie Home Cemetery Records
- The Waukesha Daily Freeman
- Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
- Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Linda S. Godfrey
- Waukesha Daily Freeman Articles
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Body Discovered
The remains of a young boy, later nicknamed Little Lord Fauntleroy, were found in a pond in Waukesha.
Burial of Victim
The unidentified boy was buried at Prairie Home Cemetery after no one claimed his body.
Witness Report
An employee reported seeing a couple asking about a young boy five weeks before the body was found.
Connection to Homer Lemay
A medical examiner suggested a possible link between Little Lord Fauntleroy and missing boy Homer Lemay.
Exhumation Consideration
Investigators considered exhuming the body of Little Lord Fauntleroy for further examination.
On March 8, 1921, the remains of an unidentified boy, nicknamed "Little Lord Fauntleroy," were discovered floating in a pond near the O'Laughlin Stone Company in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The victim, estimated to be between five and seven years old, had suffered blunt-force trauma and was dressed in clothing indicative of an affluent background. Despite extensive efforts to identify him, including displaying his body at a local funeral home, no one came forward, leading to his burial on March 17, 1921, at Prairie Home Cemetery. A key lead in the investigation involved a couple seen near the pond weeks prior, with the woman reportedly in distress, but they were never located. The case remains unsolved, with the boy's identity still unknown after over a century, although there have been speculations linking him to a missing child named Homer Lemay.
Little Lord Fauntleroy may have been abducted from a wealthy family, leading to speculation that his murder was connected to a kidnapping gone wrong. Witnesses reported seeing a couple, with the woman in a red sweater appearing distressed, around the time of his disappearance, suggesting they could be involved in his abduction. The quality of the boy's clothing has led investigators to believe he came from an affluent background, which fuels theories about a targeted kidnapping.
The Mystery of Little Lord Fauntleroy
The Discovery
In the quiet town of Waukesha, Wisconsin, a chilling discovery unfolded on March 8, 1921. The stillness of the pond near the O'Laughlin Stone Company was disrupted when the lifeless body of a young boy was found floating in its waters. Authorities estimated the child to be between five and seven years old, with blond hair and brown eyes, and a tooth conspicuously missing from his lower jaw. His life was cruelly ended by blunt-force trauma, a homicide that suggested he had been submerged for several months before being found. The boy, dressed in a gray sweater, Munsing underwear, black stockings, a blouse, and patent leather shoes, appeared to belong to a family of affluence. Yet, despite the efforts of the local police, who displayed his body at a nearby funeral home, no one stepped forward to claim him. The boy was laid to rest on March 17, 1921, in Prairie Home Cemetery, still unidentified and shrouded in mystery.
The Investigation
As the investigation began, an employee of the O'Laughlin company recalled a peculiar encounter five weeks before the body was discovered. A couple had approached him; the woman, clad in a red sweater, was visibly distraught and tearful as she inquired if he had seen a young boy in the vicinity. The man with her, appearing more composed, surveyed the area where the child would eventually be found. They departed in a Ford vehicle, leaving no trace and never to be seen again.
A theory emerged that the boy, dubbed "Little Lord Fauntleroy," might have been abducted from a distant wealthy family and discarded in Waukesha to hinder his identification. As the investigation reached a dead end, a local woman named Minnie Conrad spearheaded fundraising efforts to ensure the boy received a proper burial in Prairie Home Cemetery. Years later, in 1940, she was laid to rest in the same cemetery at the age of seventy-three, her compassion remembered by those who followed the case. Mysteriously, sightings of a heavily veiled woman placing flowers on the boy's grave fueled speculation that she might have known his true identity.
The Homer Lemay Connection
In 1949, a new lead surfaced when a medical examiner from Milwaukee proposed a potential link between Little Lord Fauntleroy and another missing child, Homer Lemay. Homer, a six-year-old, had vanished around the same period, adding a layer of intrigue to the case. Edmond Lemay, Homer's father, claimed his son had perished in a car accident during a trip to South America, where he was supposedly in the care of family friends, known only as the "Nortons." Edmond asserted that he learned of the tragedy through a South American newspaper, which detailed the fatal accident. However, investigators found no record of such an event, nor could they verify the existence of the Nortons. Further complicating matters, Edmond faced accusations of falsifying his missing wife's signature, although he was ultimately acquitted of the charges.
Unsolved Mysteries
Despite the exhaustive efforts of law enforcement and the public's interest, Little Lord Fauntleroy's identity remains a mystery, as do the circumstances surrounding his death. The case continues to linger in the annals of unsolved murders, a somber reminder of a life cut tragically short and a puzzle that has yet to find its resolution.
Sources
- Porchlight International for the Missing & Unidentified
- The Doe Network
- Prairie Home Cemetery Records
- The Waukesha Daily Freeman
- Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
- Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Linda S. Godfrey
- Waukesha Daily Freeman Articles
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Body Discovered
The remains of a young boy, later nicknamed Little Lord Fauntleroy, were found in a pond in Waukesha.
Burial of Victim
The unidentified boy was buried at Prairie Home Cemetery after no one claimed his body.
Witness Report
An employee reported seeing a couple asking about a young boy five weeks before the body was found.
Connection to Homer Lemay
A medical examiner suggested a possible link between Little Lord Fauntleroy and missing boy Homer Lemay.
Exhumation Consideration
Investigators considered exhuming the body of Little Lord Fauntleroy for further examination.