The Murder of Evelyn Boswell
According to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Children Protective Services received a call regarding 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell on February 18, 2020. A family member told CPS they had not seen Evelyn in about two months. Two weeks later, Evelyn’s remains were found. Police have since charged her mother with her murder.
Evelyn Boswell
In an interview with WCYB, Megan Boswell told a reporter her daughter’s favorite food was sweet potatoes, and she was allergic to carrots. Her favorite song was baby shark, and her favorite toy was a baby shark puppet. She continued to say Evelyn loved to take baths and was a sweet baby who loved kisses.
Background
Evelyn’s parents, Megan Boswell and Ethan Perry, had her while they were casually dating. Megan was granted full custody of their daughter. Ethan, who is an active member of the military, had been stationed in Louisiana. It is not clear why the couple broke up.
Missing
Evelyn Boswell’s grandfather reported her missing on February 18, 2020, after not seeing her since December 2019. Her grandfather called Child Protection Services, who then made a referral to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office about the possibility of a missing child.
On February 19, 2020, the state of Tennessee issued an Amber Alert hoping someone who had information about Evelyn’s whereabouts would come forward. After the Amber Alter was issued, police received over 870 tips throughout their investigation.
Evelyn was described as 2 feet tall and weighing 28 pounds. She was wearing a pink tracksuit, pink shoes, and a pink bow when she was last seen.
Investigation Begins
Evelyn’s mother, Megan Boswell, told police she had last seen her daughter on December 26, 2019. Though police say Boswell’s statements are conflicting, so they are not completely sure the last time Evelyn was seen. According to a press conference, the babysitter told investigators she had last seen Evelyn on December 10 or December 11, which is more than likely the most accurate estimate.
In a press conference, police stated that there had been many inconsistencies in Megan Boswell’s story. Each time she spoke with them, her details would change.
Police believed that the occupants of a gray BMW would have information about the whereabouts of Evelyn and asked the public for help in locating them early in the day on February 21, 2020.
The Gray BMW
Early in the investigation, Boswell led police to believe that the occupants of a gray BMW had information that would lead to finding Evelyn. In the evening on February 21, 2020, police located the car and the occupants, Angela Boswell (Megan’s mother) and William McCloud. Both were arrested for being in a vehicle that was reported stolen.
Megan Boswell
In an interview with WCYB that took place on February 21, 2020, Boswell told reporters she had not reported her daughter missing because she knew the person who had taken her. She did not want to report her daughter missing and make her the individual run away with her daughter. Boswell told reporters she began to worry when the person had stopped answering the phone.
On February 24, 2022, Boswell gave an interview with Channel 11, and revealed that it was her mother who had taken her daughter. Boswell told a reporter that her mother had picked up Evelyn after they had gone out to eat because she had to go to work. According to the interview, Boswell stated her mother took Evelyn to a campground in Mendota, Virginia. Police have stated they asked agencies in Mendota to check out this claim. They searched three campgrounds in Mendota and found nothing.
Boswell made a claim to Channel 11, that it would not be possible for her to take a polygraph test because she was pregnant. Though investigators have not confirmed nor denied if this claim was true, they did state, after police arrested Boswell for filing false police reports, the number of pregnant women in the Sullivan County Jail increased by 1.
In the evening of February 25, 2020, Boswell was arrested for making a false report. A judge gave her $25,000 bond and sent her to the Sullivan County Jail.
The Search for Evelyn Continued
On February 26, 2020, police searched a pond on William McCloud’s property, in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Investigators used a remote operated vehicle to search the pond, but they did not locate any evidence.
Two days later, investigators searched a trailer home in Sullivan County. Investigators stated that Boswell and Evelyn had occupied the home. They had taken an item, believed to be evidence, during the search. According to WVLT, the home is owned by Boswell’s brother, Tommy Boswell Jr.
Evelyn is Found
On March 6, 2020, a tip came in that lead investigators to search a property in the 500 block of Muddy Creek Road, owned by Boswell’s father, grandmother, and brother. While searching the property, the remains of a young child were found, along with clothing and toys. The remains were identified to be Evelyn Boswell on March 11, 2020.
Details about Evelyn’s death came out in court proceedings. Evelyn’s head was wrapped in tin foil and a blanket. She was then placed in a garbage bag and put upside down in a trash can. Her cause of death was asphyxiation
Additional Charges & Court Proceedings
Boswell had been in jail for 11 counts of false reporting when more charges were filed against her. On August 19, 2020, investigators announced Boswell was facing an addition 8 counts, bringing the total charges to 19 counts regarding Evelyn, including two counts of felony murder.
Court proceedings have been ongoing, mainly to determine what photos and evidence will be admissible for Boswell’s trial that is scheduled for February 2023. Her next pretrial court date is scheduled for December 16, 2022.