Identified! DE - Bear, WhtFem 16-25, UP7097, pregnant, in laundry bag, Mar'67 - NamUs removed

[MadMcGoo]

Janis went missing in 1968, after the UID was discovered.

 

[Ginger21]

Here's Ms. X's current NAMUS rule-outs.:
MP34024 Henrietta Avila 08/10/1960 Los Angeles, CA
MP20169 Alice Reeves 05/25/1967 Calcasieu, LA
MP19076 Sandra Breed 05/22/1964 Madison, NY
MP10759 Patricia Blough 07/02/1966 Porter, IN
MP9699 Audrey Backeberg 07/01/1962 Marion, IN
MP10968 Linda Britton 06/11/1963 Guernsey, OH
MP7036 Mary Ann Verdecchia 06/07/1962 Allegheny, PA
MP4642 Mary Ann Switalski 07/15/1963 Cook, IL
MP12580 Johanna de Haas 02/08/1960 New Castle, DE
MP5669 Lynn Luray 08/17/1964 Los Angeles, CA
MP4626 Brenda Howell 08/06/1956 Los Angeles, CA
MP10237 Pamela Nater 10/02/1966 Lake, FL
MP1475 Donnis Redman 03/01/1958 Los Angeles, CA
MP2485 Ida Anderson 09/18/1958 Washtenaw, MI
MP5639 Peggy Byars-Baisden 04/02/1965 Polk, FL

 

[Eman317]

Didnt DNA say that she was Italian, at least on her maternal side? Would that match Janice?

I don't know if it said that on her maternal side, but its also theorized that she may have been Greek and Jewish as well.

 

[Susikatze]

I don't know if it said that on her maternal side, but its also theorized that she may have been Greek and Jewish as well.

Because a few years back, when the autosomal DNA testing was pretty new, the algorithms could not distinguish between Greek, Italian and Ashkenazi Jewish (factually also because those groups share some genetic similarities). Nowadays, most testing companies have a wider database at least for Ashkenazi Jewish (FtDNA has an excellent reference base, for example), so I assume that possibility is ruled out by now.
I think the statement her maternal lineage is Italian is pretty recent and I think also partially based on genealogy. Like back then with Mary Silvani. They also found she was of partial Italian descent - and it was correct.

 

[Sweetluv]

March 18, 1967...

RIP...you and your unborn baby are not forgotten!!

 

[Susikatze]

Any updates? Have you been able to reach out @othram ?

I am quite sure the DNA profile that was done in 2011 was a MtDNA sequencing. Gold standard 10 years back and before commercial nuc/autosomal DNA tests. But fairly ineffective for identification if you do not know a female line family member.
We need nuc/autosomal DNA testing.

 

[Sweetluv]

I agree...I hope othram can take on this case!

 

[Sweetluv]

I would think there would be tissue sample from the fetus to compare? The red ribbon and blue panties?

 

[Sweetluv]

I am a native of Delaware....and I have never heard of anyone from here talking about this case. So sad...I really want her identified. She is buried in a local potters field....50 some years now!!

 

[Adrian_Almost_Sleuth]

This would be a PERFECT case for @othram to take on.

 

[Deenie1963]

The laundry bag is important in my opinion. It was stamped NJ, a state which borders DE.....straight drive off the delaware memorial bridge...to route 13....which runs into Bear, where the body was found. Remote area though, so the person was possibly familiar with that area. Why did they dump her body...what were they scared of? Why not seek medical trmt....unless (scared) because of the attempted abortion?

I was just looking to see if I could find anything further on this case and I found this 1967 article and clipped it. As the laundry bag and how LE tried to identify it are discussed. (I haven’t posted in this type of forum in so long so I hope I’m sharing this link correctly. I might not be so please let me know).


https://img.newspapers.com/img/img?...laware. March 1967 Still unidentified in 2021

 

[Sweetluv]

I have often thought about the laundry bag being key....who would use them....hospitals, motels, correctional facilities?
Trenton (NJ) was stamped on the bag...
Wish we knew what businesses used that laundry bag manufacturer. Could have been taken from wherever our victim was at during time of death or where her murdered worked...maybe it was in the transport vehicle.

 

[Melt71]

This would be a PERFECT case for @othram to take on.

Upthread there is reference - they already reached out to LE in Sept and Oct last year.

 

[Sweetluv]

Also, traveling around with a dead body...maybe thats why she was placed in a laundry bag...to give the illusion of transporting clothes/linens. I dont think they traveled far. Trenton, NJ and DE are not too far...
However, our victim could be from anywhere and maybe traveled to NJ for the abortion. Assuming that's where this took place..since it was stamped on the laundry bag.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

traveled to NJ for the abortion

Don't think we know with absolute certainty that this was an attempted abortion.

 

[Susikatze]

Don't think we know with absolute certainty that this was an attempted abortion.

Agree, she died from sepsis, which you can get from virtually anything from bacterial infection to an inflamed injury. She had a weird soapy substance inside of her though, which would point to an abortion attempt. But in the 1960s they were unable to check the chemicals used, it may have been some sort of feminine hygiene product (hey, ladies back then used to douche with Lysol every day fir hygiene...).

 

[carbuff]

Agree, she died from sepsis, which you can get from virtually anything from bacterial infection to an inflamed injury. She had a weird soapy substance inside of her though, which would point to an abortion attempt. But in the 1960s they were unable to check the chemicals used, it may have been some sort of feminine hygiene product (hey, ladies back then used to douche with Lysol every day fir hygiene...).

And soap is known to have been used to induce abortions, so it's entirely possible.

 

[Susikatze]

TW: discussing abortion. Scroll on if you cant read it.


Also it would explain why nobody sought medical help for her. She must have suffered a very high fever and convulsions. Yes, sepsis kills rapidly, but still enough time to at least see a doctor or hospital.
Only if something illegal (e.g. a backalley abortion attempt) took place, medical help is not sought.
Id like to see her autopsy report, supposedly there was still a fetus? Sepsis through uterine infection after a chemically induced abortion (sorry to be graphic, added a trigger warning) come usually after the cervix has opened up with fetus expelled or almost expelled. Usually takes a while. Bacteria gets up into the uterus or a retained placenta or not fully expelled fetus would also cause that.
If everything is closed, there is hardly an infection risk that would lead to sepsis and the sepsis and the substance inside of her may be unrelated. Thats why i would love to see the autopsy report.

 

[Springrain]

Bringing this back from 2010:

The incomplete death certificate is available on NamUs. It indicates COD as follows:

Immediate Cause (a): "Fat Embolism"
Due to (b): "Introduction of foreign material in uterine cavity"
Due to (c): "Criminal attempt of abortion"

In layman's terms "Fat Embolism" is when pieces of fat enter the bloodstream and obstruct the flow of blood.

Wikipedia says her vaginal cavity had what appeared to be abortion chemicals in it (soapy substance I assume) but she died of an infection which I assume was the fat embolism.

 

[Springrain]

Also it would explain why nobody sought medical help for her. She must have suffered a very high fever and convulsions. Yes, sepsis kills rapidly, but still enough time to at least see a doctor or hospital.
Only if something illegal (e.g. a backalley abortion attempt) took place, medical help is not sought.

I'm confused on if she died of sepsis or a fat embolism. The post I quoted up thread says fat embolism, but I have seen both.

If she was not attempting one or having a backalley abortion done, it's possible it was forced on her against her will, and the aggressors didn't seek her medical care because they didn't want to go to prison.

My boyfriend's great uncle (I think...some relative like that) was a legitimate medical doctor and in the 50s/60s he would perform back-alley abortions on women, and then rape and murder them. From what I've read that was not terribly uncommon then. Either way it's possible a doctor did this and that's why she received no medical care.