CT CT - Connie Smith, 10, Salisbury, 16 July 1952

[Joanie]

What if Connie was being bullied or beaten up by the other girls? That would explain why she had a bruise and a bloody nose, and maybe why she headed out to get away from her tormentors. It would also explain why no one from the camp is talking... what if they knew, and did nothing?

 

[Stella]

Just finished reading "Clueless in New England". I'm convinced she left camp because of bullying. A fall from her tent that was probably a push/shove from another camper, a bloody nose and her glasses broken were more than enough reason for her to want to leave. I don't know if she told camp counselors about her problems but I do know that campers were NOT allowed to use the telephone to call their parents or anyone else unless it was an "emergency". I think maybe she left to find the nearest pay phone in order to call her Mom or Dad to come and get her.

 

[Stella]

Do we need a separate thread for the Katherine Hull case?

Maybe even a thread called "Clueless in New England" whereby discussion can be brought to surface.

Of course, Michael Doolings book, Clueless in New England might just answer a lot of these things already. What say you?

No need to start a thread on Katherine Hull. All case file info on her was lost long ago and there was not much written in the newspapers about her being missing or the finding of her body years later. After reading the book, I'm not even convinced the body they found was her. But now I know why I couldn't find anything online about her. Frustrating.

 

[talelights]

A discussion, while it is true the information is lost, might bring out other information on missing young women or even attempted abductions which I know of at least two around that time. We might be able to pick up pieces of the puzzles and begin building a data base of sorts.

Since this website brings people from around the world together, life experiences could helps shape the pictures.

 

[talelights]

I have often thought about this, as Connie was a young girl from the rural West, but she was also well traveled and had experiences in life that other girls her age may not.

We know how cruel children can be, and being the girls in Connie's tent were from the New York metropolitan area, they just may have thought since Connie was not one of them, she was a easy mark.

There was one girl who as s friend tried to help. As far as I can find, she was the only one mentioned by name, the others may have questioned but no information seems to be available on them.

I think we need to see if we can find any of these tent mates, perhaps they have a story to share from that time.

 

[talelights]

July 11th 1942 was the date Connie Smith was born in Newcastle, WY. Ten years later, while at a summer camp in NW Connecticut she celebrated her birthday with her mother and grandparents while she was at that camp.

Five days later she walks away from camp heading east along Route 44 and has never been seen or heard of again.

Is there anyone out there with information about that day that has not come forward, for any number of reasons? But now is the time. Her family is still searching, the hurt never goes away. Just when you think you have handled it, put the memory to rest, something pops up and it's active again.

With Connie's Birthday coming up in a few days, maybe someone will muster the courage to come forth with information that has been hidden. Let us hope so...

 

[amber1]

I really do think that someone just picked her up off the highway or coaxed her with something to get her to go with them. Maybe they even promised her a ride home.
I wonder if there are other cases like Connie Smith's out there?
If so, they could easily be connected because whoever took her must have while they were passing through and traveling.
Have any truckers been investigated? Or any carnival workers, as they travel as well?

 

[talelights]

You might want to read the new book by Michael Dooling called "Clueless in New England" where he outlines two other cases that have similar method of going missing?

So far no one has been able to locate any information to show that there was any carnival in the area, as far as truckers, from what I have read truckers were questioned but...

 

[amber1]

Have police ever found suspects in Connie's case?

 

[talelights]

There have been a few people who have come forth and claimed to have murdered Connie, but none of them were the truth. As far as suspects, I would say probability may exist, but no there has not been any one person or persons identified as a suspect. Speculation of course...

One thing to remember is in that day and age, it was not unusual for LE to not get involved, in saying that it is not that they did not believe it but their training was such that until they could find a crime, which running away was not, and it happened often people would take off and make their own way in the world. What was unusual about this case, at least as I see it was that the police commissioner took an involved interest in this case, he did everything he could to help the family in searching for their missing daughter. The family had the means to continue the search themselves as well nationwide, and Connie's father did.

As in cases of missing children, not only does the family suffer forever with the not knowing, every time something or someone comes up it opens the hurt all over again.

I would love for someone to come out with "I am sorry I did it and now that I am dying myself I want the family to know what happened to their little girl." I wonder if that person has died and we'll never know what happened. My hope is that her remains are uncovered somehow someplace, and I would not be surprised if they are found not far from where she was taken.

I think the author Michale Dooling has an understanding of where to look, but it would take more than one or two people to do that, and of course it might be on private land, and without the use of cadaver dogs, looking for clandestine graves in a reforested part of the country... well I would say that is really a needle in a haystack kind of thing.

I am still positive in this case, and keep in touch with LE and others that something might come of it...

Thanks to everyone who keeps tabs on Connie Smith's case and posts questions, answers and ponders. It helps...

 

[talelights]

Bumping it up for interests. Anyone?

 

[amber1]

bumping...I feel like whoever took Connie, most likely struck again somewhere else or has done the same thing before...

 

[PFF]

Message of 2-20-2010
Doe Network http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/122ufny.html

 

[talelights]

Message of 2-20-2010
Doe Network http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/122ufny.html

This is one case that has been checked out law enforcement for comparison to Connie Smith. She is not a match.

 

[talelights]

bumping...I feel like whoever took Connie, most likely struck again somewhere else or has done the same thing before...

I would have to agree with you, however, if she was murdered by accident, could it be that she is the only one?

I can not help but wonder if she was taken and somehow she was injured and died, then the person who took her would have to hide the body.

Question is, was it someone at the camp or someone she met while walking to town?

I would really like to find out who her tent mates where and contact them, there must be some information we are missing in why she walk away from camp. Was she being bullied? Or abused by someone at the camp?

 

[talelights]

bumping...I feel like whoever took Connie, most likely struck again somewhere else or has done the same thing before...

It is possible that the person who took Connie has done it again and again and again, but perhaps not with the end result of death. Might it be that someone traveled through the area and took advantage on a sudden urge when they spotted this young girl walking? Or was she snatched by someone who worked at summer camps and moved on to other parts of the country and other summer camps?

It would be good to gather information from anyone who has a story to tell. There must be others who were abused in summer camps across the country but have no place to put their stories without others knowing their names. It might be a good thing to have a safe place to put these stories not to judge, but to allow others to learn they are not alone. And we might be able to piece together information that could solve some of these missing people cases. Wow...

 

[Snick1946]

I do not claim to be psychic. I have for some reason kept returning to this thread at intervals and over the past year or so, have formed the strong impression that the adbuctor/killer in this case was a well intentioned person who was overcome by some impulse resulting in Connie's death perhaps a trucker or passing motorist who saw this girl walking alone and offered her a ride. A lot of things could have happened; maybe she suddenly felt he was a threat to her and tried to jump out of the car, maybe starting making noise and he tried to cover her mouth- do you see where I am going? Once he realized she was dead he made sure to cover the whole thing up.
If so he'd possibly be in his 80's by now, having lived with this secret all his life. In this scnerio a deathbed confession might be unlikely as he probably has children and grand children whose lives this would shatter.
Just one of many possibilities...

 

[talelights]

You are correct, anything could have happened, Connie may have just gotten fed up with the girls at camp and the last altercation was enough to push her to leave. She was tall for her age and looked older, with that being said, there is a newspaper article of a man who turned himself in to police in Ohio a few years after Connie went missing. He confessed to the murder of his friend who he said murdered Connie. He also said it happened in AZ, but with the alcohol/mental problems this person suffered it could have happened anywhere or not at all. The descriptions he gave of the are did not match the location he claimed to have left his friends body.

There was reported to have been three persons in the car, two men and a women. Connie might have felt safe with the women and climbed in only later to be murdered. I suspect these three may no long be among us and her case may never be solved.

On the other hand, it could be that a deathbed confession might be found, maybe something written to be read later. It would certainly end the not knowing that the family has endured. The perp could still be alive in an advanced age, there is always hope someone might come forward.

 

[talelights]

Thinking of Connie as both her birthday and day of going missing nears.

Who took you? Is there anyone out there that knows anything about this very cold case.

 

[talelights]

Another sad birthday for the Smith family.

If we could locate the plot in Citizens Cemetery in Flagstaff, AZ, where LMX is suppose to be, we could get some answers for at least one family. Is there anyone out there who is interested in taking on the search for the plot number?