Case study 1 Lindbergh

Unit 1 Case Study:  The Lindbergh Kidnapping

You will need to research the kidnapping of the child of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  In doing so, you will need to answer the following questions IN YOUR OWN WORDS and thoroughly.

1. Describe the crime, including a timeline of events, people involved, evidence collected and its importance.

Charles Jr. Lindbergh, son of famous aviator Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was kidnapped around 9:00 pm on March 1st, 1932 from the nursery of the Lindbergh home near Hopewell, New Jersey.  Betty Gow, the child’s nurse, discovered that the child was missing and reported to the parents at about 10:00 pm.  A ransom note was found demanding for 50,000 dollars.  New Jersey state police took charge of the investigation soon after local police was notified.  On March 6th a note was received by the Lindbergh’s saying the money has raised to 70,000 dollars.  The letter was postmarked Brooklyn, New York March 4th.  Kidnapper went by the name of John when in contact with Lindbergh to get the ransom money.

1. What information did police have that kept them connected to the case after the body was found?

The pajamas that was on the corpse was the investigators information that kept them connected the case.

1. What importance did the ladder hold?

The ladder led to even more evidence against Hauptmann as there was tool marks on the ladder that matched tools that he owned.

1. What other evidence pointed specifically to Hauptmann?

Handwriting was extremely similar to the handwriting on the ransom notes is one of the evidence that points specifically to Hauptmann in this case.  The police also carefully recorded the money that was given in the ransom.  The gas station attendant received one of theses marked bills and wrote down the cars license plate because he was suspicious of the customer, then notified the police.  The police did a quick investigation and found that the car belonged to Hauptmann.

1. How did the case end: was anybody found guilty of the crime? What was the sentence for the crime?  Hauptmann was found guilty for murder in the first degree and was sentenced to death by electrocution.