MD MD - Woodstock, WhtFem 35-60, UP11923, found alive/injured in a field, died Sep'71, Jul'71 (Sarah Sharkey)

[iamshadow21]

I really thought it was going to be a match. I am just glad they looked into it at least.

If they hadn't ruled her out, we would have probably always been thinking it was possibly her, and been attached to that possibility. Now, we know for sure it can't be Shirley, so we can look elsewhere for her.

MOO

 

[Bit of hope]

I just heard back from the Howard County Major Crimes Bureau about the possible match between this Jane Doe and Shirley Frew

Good Morning:



FBI issued an exclusion in NamUs today. No match!



Thank you for reaching out to us and providing us that information.

Thank you for this. I think it's positive that thanks to you we know now that this poor woman isn't Shirley Frew. The FBI must have taken this potential match serious (FWIW I did too) and that's a good thing.

 

[chaddylex]

This new reconstruction was just added to NamUs yesterday, 10/9/24

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[azure]

This new reconstruction was just added to NamUs yesterday, 10/9/24

View attachment 536755

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The recon makes her age even more cryptic to me. I can see the woman in the postmortem being 35-60 when you factor in weight loss from an extended time in the hospital (and possibly from a long term illness/disability before she was found). The recon looks anywhere from 35-55 to me.

 

[Caring1]

 

[Caring1]

Shirley is still the only exclusion.

 

[chaddylex]

Finally Identified!!! Thanks Othram!​

After 54 Years, Howard County Jane Doe (1971) is Identified

Howard County Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1971 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

​

Howard County Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1971 Homicide Victim​

After 54 years, an unidentified woman who was found in a field in Howard County, Maryland has been identified as 47-year-old Sarah Sharkey.​

Summary​

In July 1971, an unresponsive woman who could not be identified was found lying in a field in Woodstock, Maryland in Howard County. There was evidence that the woman, who was alive, had been assaulted. The woman was hospitalized and underwent brain surgery in an attempt to save her life. The woman never regained consciousness and two months later, and she died two months later. With no information about her identity, the woman became known as Howard County Jane Doe.

Investigators estimated that the woman was between 35 and 60 years old at her time of death. She stood about 5 foot tall and weighed 86 pounds. In January 2014, case details were entered into NamUs as UP11923. An artist rendering of the woman's likeness was developed and released to the public. Despite a years-long investigation, the Howard County Police Department could not identify the woman and the case sat cold for more than five decades.

In October 2024, Howard County Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the unknown woman. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for her. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. Reference DNA samples were collected from potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown woman using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the woman, who is now known to be Sarah Sharkey. Born in Pennsylvania in September of 1924, Sharkey was named Sadie Belle Murray. After she married in 1943, she assumed the name Sarah Sharkey. She died in the hospital at the age of 47.

As a result of Sarah Sharkey's identification, two of her biological children were connected. Sarah Sharkey's son, who is now 79 years old and lives in Ohio, was connected to his sister, who is now 81 years old. Both children lived in an orphanage from a young age. The investigators and staff at the Howard County Police Department are working to arrange for Sharkey's children to meet in person in the coming months.

The investigation into this homicide is still pending and anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Howard County Police Department in Maryland. This case illustrates the power of mending families and providing answers to victims, their families, and law enforcement when it may have seemed impossible.

Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the number of available DNA profiles increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unanswered for years.

The identification of Sadie Murray represents the 6th case in the State of Maryland where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Maryland cases, where your support can help bring long-awaited answers to families.

 

[Melt71]

So... married in 1943 and children born around 1944 and 1946 and raised in an orphanage. Where was the husband/father?

(Edited - to add WELL DONE @othram yet again!)

 

[victoriarobinson642]

She and her husband both basically dropped off public records after the early 1950s. He died in 1968 and was in the military, so maybe he was serving overseas/out of state and couldn't care for the children.

Gabriel Stanley Sharkey (1917-1968) - Find a...

www.findagrave.com

 

[dotr]

DNA evidence identifies 54-year-old cold case victim as Pennsylvania woman

(WHTM) — New DNA evidence helped identify the remains of a Pennsylvania woman and reunite her children. In July 1971, police located an unconscious woman in a Howard County, Maryland, field. The victim of an apparent assault, she was transported to the hospital and underwent brain surgery. She...

www.yahoo.com

'The woman had a name, Sarah Sharkey (born Sadie Belle Murray), and she had two living children.'

''Howard County Police identified its oldest cold case as Sadie Belle Sharkey, from Brownsville, Pennsylvania. | Howard County Police
Cold case detectives reunited the siblings — Charles Leroy Sharkey, 79 of Cleveland, and Mildred Marie Cantwell, 81, of Springfield, Illinois — in July this year. Both lived in an orphanage from a young age.''

 

[chaddylex]

DNA evidence identifies 54-year-old cold case victim as Pennsylvania woman

(WHTM) — New DNA evidence helped identify the remains of a Pennsylvania woman and reunite her children. In July 1971, police located an unconscious woman in a Howard County, Maryland, field. The victim of an apparent assault, she was transported to the hospital and underwent brain surgery. She...

www.yahoo.com

'The woman had a name, Sarah Sharkey (born Sadie Belle Murray), and she had two living children.'

''Howard County Police identified its oldest cold case as Sadie Belle Sharkey, from Brownsville, Pennsylvania. | Howard County Police
Cold case detectives reunited the siblings — Charles Leroy Sharkey, 79 of Cleveland, and Mildred Marie Cantwell, 81, of Springfield, Illinois — in July this year. Both lived in an orphanage from a young age.''

Oh my, Sadie was from not far from me (Brownsville PA) she passed away before I was born, but I wonder what she was doing in Woodstock MD? I saw her husband was born in Canonsburg PA and was buried in Louisiana in 1968 at the age of 51. Then having two kids growing up in an orphanage - what a sad story.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

FindAGrave shows that her father (who had passed away a year prior) was buried in South/Central Virginia. I wonder if she was on her way back from visiting his grave.

Charles L Miller (1905-1970) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Susikatze]

She and her husband both basically dropped off public records after the early 1950s. He died in 1968 and was in the military, so maybe he was serving overseas/out of state and couldn't care for the children.

Gabriel Stanley Sharkey (1917-1968) - Find a...

www.findagrave.com

Looks they had 3 more kids in rapid succession, all who passed in infancy. I wonder what happened? Illness? Lack of access to medical care? Birth defects? Addicted parents? Maybe that was the reason the two older kids were removed from the family.
Sadie looks like she had a very rough life. I feel sorry for her but happy her kids found her.

jmoo

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Looks they had 3 more kids in rapid succession, all who passed in infancy. I wonder what happened? Illness? Lack of access to medical care? Birth defects? Addicted parents? Maybe that was the reason the two older kids were removed from the family.
Sadie looks like she had a very rough life. I feel sorry for her but happy her kids found her.

jmoo

Their death certificates are public. It seems like two of their children never left the hospital and had birth defects. I can't read the handwriting on the other baby's death certificate.

 

[Mfleish]

Their death certificates are public. It seems like two of their children never left the hospital and had birth defects. I can't read the handwriting on the other baby's death certificate. View attachment 612957

I believe it says acute infectious gastro-enteritis attended by (name I can't read). You can view the 1948 revised ICD death codes here. 571 is gastro-enteritis and colitis.

 

[sunnynz]

Finally Identified!!! Thanks Othram!​

After 54 Years, Howard County Jane Doe (1971) is Identified

Howard County Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1971 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

​

Howard County Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a 1971 Homicide Victim​

After 54 years, an unidentified woman who was found in a field in Howard County, Maryland has been identified as 47-year-old Sarah Sharkey.​

Summary​

In July 1971, an unresponsive woman who could not be identified was found lying in a field in Woodstock, Maryland in Howard County. There was evidence that the woman, who was alive, had been assaulted. The woman was hospitalized and underwent brain surgery in an attempt to save her life. The woman never regained consciousness and two months later, and she died two months later. With no information about her identity, the woman became known as Howard County Jane Doe.

Investigators estimated that the woman was between 35 and 60 years old at her time of death. She stood about 5 foot tall and weighed 86 pounds. In January 2014, case details were entered into NamUs as UP11923. An artist rendering of the woman's likeness was developed and released to the public. Despite a years-long investigation, the Howard County Police Department could not identify the woman and the case sat cold for more than five decades.

In October 2024, Howard County Police Department submitted forensic evidence to Othram in The Woodlands, Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the unknown woman. Othram scientists successfully developed a DNA extract from the provided evidence and then used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive DNA profile for her. Othram's in-house forensic genetic genealogy team then used the profile in a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads that were returned to law enforcement.

Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the woman. Reference DNA samples were collected from potential relatives and compared to the DNA profile of the unknown woman using KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing. This investigation led to the positive identification of the woman, who is now known to be Sarah Sharkey. Born in Pennsylvania in September of 1924, Sharkey was named Sadie Belle Murray. After she married in 1943, she assumed the name Sarah Sharkey. She died in the hospital at the age of 47.

As a result of Sarah Sharkey's identification, two of her biological children were connected. Sarah Sharkey's son, who is now 79 years old and lives in Ohio, was connected to his sister, who is now 81 years old. Both children lived in an orphanage from a young age. The investigators and staff at the Howard County Police Department are working to arrange for Sharkey's children to meet in person in the coming months.

The investigation into this homicide is still pending and anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Howard County Police Department in Maryland. This case illustrates the power of mending families and providing answers to victims, their families, and law enforcement when it may have seemed impossible.

Individuals who have taken a consumer DNA test can aid ongoing forensic investigations by joining the DNASolves database. Expanding the number of available DNA profiles increases the likelihood of successful identifications, helping to reunite families with their missing loved ones and resolve cases that have remained unanswered for years.

The identification of Sadie Murray represents the 6th case in the State of Maryland where officials have publicly identified an individual using technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves to learn about other Maryland cases, where your support can help bring long-awaited answers to families.

I’ve reported the post so admins can updated the thread as Identified. Amazing work from Othram

 

[Vern]

I believe it says acute infectious gastro-enteritis attended by (name I can't read). You can view the 1948 revised ICD death codes here. 571 is gastro-enteritis and colitis.

I believe it reads: "Attended by E Karl MD".

 

[Blurgle]

To add, it would be unusual for a baby in the developed world in 2025 to die of acute infectious gastroenteritis. (About 300 infants die of it every year in the US, about 10 a year in Canada.) Rates were however far higher in the past and still are outside the developed world; it's long been one of the top killers of infants worldwide. There's nothing shady about a family losing a child to it in 1950, even in the US.

 

[Susikatze]

To add, it would be unusual for a baby in the developed world in 2025 to die of acute infectious gastroenteritis. (About 300 infants die of it every year in the US, about 10 a year in Canada.) Rates were however far higher in the past and still are outside the developed world; it's long been one of the top killers of infants worldwide. There's nothing shady about a family losing a child to it in 1950, even in the US.

Yes, infantile diarrhea was a huge cause of death before vaccines and heightened awareness of hygiene re bottle feeding. In 1950, not uncommon in underprivileged communities in the US.