Man convicted of 1914 kidnapping cleared by DNA

[TellMeI_mNotCrazy]

From this CNN article:

RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) – In 1914, William Cantwell Walters was convicted of kidnapping a 4-year-old boy. Nine decades later, science has cleared his name.

A DNA test indicates that the child police found with Walters years ago was not the missing boy, Bobby Dunbar. More than likely, he was the illegitimate son of Walters’ brother and a servant living with Walters’ parents.

<snip>
Walters was convicted of kidnapping in a sensational trial, but the verdict was overturned on appeal. He was never retried, and the boy grew up as Bobby Dunbar.

I can’t even imagine how this could happen? Who convinced a 4 year old kid that he was someone else? How did his parents not recognize that it wasn’t the same kid - unless they were doppelgangers (and even if they were), it’s pretty hard to convince someone that a child is theirs if he isn’t! We’re not talking the difference between a 9 month old and a 10 year old - based on the dates, he was found not too long after the other kid was kidnapped.

At least the guy didn’t sit in jail for years because of it.

[TellMeI_mNotCrazy]

Oops, forgot the link.

(and, by the way, it was 8 months after the kidnapping that they “caught” this guy.)

[lieu]

Boy, this gets the Witch’s Tit award for cold case files.