MA MA - Mary Ann Teresa Waite, 25, Brockton, June 1, 1971

[alb1on]

Deaths are recorded when someone is declared dead. A death record doesn't necessarily mean the person has been found, though the different last name on the death record is odd...

I appreciate a death record is made when someone is declared dead. But the existence of a record does not mean it is accessible to a researcher unless they know where to look. In 2006 accessing a new death record may have meant chasing paper records (or microfiche) and may even have required some knowledge such as place and time of death to narrow the search. But since those days many more records are online and searches can be made on much less information. Hence it is quite possible that a death could have occurred in 2006 (or been recorded due to a declaration) but not been found by a researcher for some years. Today a researcher would expect to find a record more quickly.

I take the point that a death record could be due to a declaration of death rather than a person being found. However, in this case, the minimum that the Social Security record supports is that she was alive after her disappearance in 1971, since it records the name changes and the change to O'Neil is recorded as 1976 (3 years after a supporting marriage record to Leslie O'neil). I have also learnt my lesson that it is worth noting all records in my posts (!) as there is also an entry in the US Public Records Index showing Mary Ann Oneil living in Florida.

I remain as surprised and cautious as others about this case and developments, but cannot see a good alternative explanation for the Social Security record than that she left voluntarily. The other records are just supporting and no detail can be wholly relied upon. But ever since the Horrell case I have accepted that such cases do happen. What is very odd is that LE retain an interest as you would expect them to check government records as a first step. Either they have not done so or there is something wrong with the record.

 

[brenda.stearman]

Ancestry is very informative, if correct. According to a tree she remarried in Florida in 1973 and died in Lake City, Florida in 2006 as Mary Ann O'Neil. The tree is supported by an entry from the US Social Security and Claims Index which gives her birthdate of 15/5/1946, her birthplace as Brockton, Mass. and her various surnames as MacLeod, Waite and O'Neil. She married Leslie Edward O'Neil, who divorced his first wife in Florida in 1971 - so perhaps this all hangs together. The school picture of her on the tree at least matches hair colour (see attached).

Back in 2008 the owner of the tree posted the following;
" This is a very difficult story to tell. While living in Brockton, Mary Ann left her husband and young children and disappeared. SHe was found in Ithica, New York and brought back home. A few months later, she left again and was not heard from again. We do not know if she is alive. After seven years her husband went to court and shortly after re-married."
I assume they found the Social Security entry subsequently and updated the tree.

I cannot confirm all of this and am always reluctant to rely on family trees, but in this case the owner seems to have details of events around 1971, and official records back the tree. On balance I am inclined to think this case is as recorded, but further proof is needed.

 

[brenda.stearman]

Deaths are recorded when someone is declared dead. A death record doesn't necessarily mean the person has been found, though the different last name on the death record is

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Mary Ann Waite was last seen on June 1, 1971 in Brockton, Massachusetts.

Mary was just recently added to NamUs, please help find a photo and more info on Mary.

The Baltimore County Police are investigating this case, so i assume Mary might be from there.

Mary Ann Waite was my mother. She was from Massachusetts. A few years ago I was contacted by a detective from Baltimore investigating an unsolved murder. A relative had contacted them in reference to a picture they had seen somewhere online of a Jane Doe they thought resembled my Mother. The local police department did a swab of my mouth, and that was the end of it. I never heard from the detective again or heard back from the local police department. The morning of her disappearance a note was found saying she was going to the store for bread and milk. She never returned. She had a husband and 4 children. I was the oldest at 10.

 

[Murkywaters]

Mary Ann Waite was my mother. She was from Massachusetts. A few years ago I was contacted by a detective from Baltimore investigating an unsolved murder. A relative had contacted them in reference to a picture they had seen somewhere online of a Jane Doe they thought resembled my Mother. The local police department did a swab of my mouth, and that was the end of it. I never heard from the detective again or heard back from the local police department. The morning of her disappearance a note was found saying she was going to the store for bread and milk. She never returned. She had a husband and 4 children. I was the oldest at 10.

Hi, Brenda, Sorry to hear about your mother, we are however glad to have you here at Websleuths. do you recall whether or not they ruled out the Jane Doe in question? being that they did take a DNA swab from you, do you know if the detectives had it submitted to CODIS or NamUs to cross-reference against any other unidentified remains?

 

[alb1on]

Welcome Brenda. Are you able to say anything about the records on Ancestry identifying your mother with Mary Ann O'Neil in Florida? I appreciate this may be sensitive and understand if you do not want to comment. If you want to look more closely, the original tree on Ancestry which makes this connection belongs to a user with the username of TandemMB. The tree (they have several) is The Badmington Family Tree. Looking at the final generation on that tree, it seems that the owner/user may be a child or grandchild of Mary Annie MacLeod who was a sister of your grandfather, Angus D MacLeod. All of the records previously mentioned in this thread are attached to the person listed as your mother on that tree and can be viewed by clicking on them. In the tree MacLeod is rendered as Mac Leod. I am not sure whether it is correct with or without the space, but it may help to know when on Ancestry. As previously mentioned the records seem to line up with specifics such as date of birth. If you do not have an Ancestry subscription it is usually possible to get a free trial.

If these records are incorrect it would be useful in refocusing matters and your relative would be able to correct her tree. But it is for you to decide whether or how you want to handle this line.

 

[jgfitzge]

Looks Like the daughter, Brenda came online one or two times in April of this year but has never returned.

 

[Andreee]

Looks Like the daughter, Brenda came online one or two times in April of this year but has never returned.

Yes, I really don't know how the family would want to pursue this case. It sounds complicated and difficult to put together for sure.

 

[alb1on]

Yes, I really don't know how the family would want to pursue this case. It sounds complicated and difficult to put together for sure.

I would assume that the family would, in the first instance, have made contact with the cousin who is the owner of the family tree on Ancestry which contains the story of Mary Ann post 1971. Either they will have validated or refuted that account, but in either case it would be understandable if they then chose to keep any developments in the family. What I can confirm is that the details as previously reported remain on the 2 family trees on Ancestry despite their owners having been active on the site as recently as yesterday.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Mary Ann is still listed as missing- no photo though

Missing Person / NamUs #MP42106

View NamUs missing person case MP42106 for Mary Ann Teresa Waite missing from Brockton, Massachusetts. Date of last contact: Jun 01, 1971. NCMEC case number: --.

namus.nij.ojp.gov