This Day in History May 12, 1932

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Today's feature is a great tragedy, and it involved the child in the picture above.  This is a picture of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.  He was kidnapped on March 1, 1932, and it was a horrific story in U.S. history.  A ransom note demanding $50,000 was discovered, and a hunt for the child ensued.  But five days later, a second ransom note demanding $70,000 was discovered as well.

More ransom notes followed, and arrangements were even made to pay the ransom.  But then on this date in 1932, the body of the baby was accidentally found.  The gruesome discovery was made by a truck driver, and it was partially buried by the side of the road about four and a half miles from the Lindbergh estate.  Death was caused by a blow to the head, and the body was in horrible condition--no details here.  

After a two year investigation, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of the baby.  In 1935, he was convicted of first degree murder, and then he died in the electric chair in 1936.  The good that came out of the tragedy was that the "Lindbergh Law" came about which made transporting a kidnapped child over state lines a federal crime. 

For more information, please check out:

http://www.charleslindbergh.com/kidnap/index.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Lindbergh_baby_kidnapping

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/the-lindbergh-kidnapping/the-lindbergh-kidnapping