lois jurgens' death

The electric streetcar with overhead power lines, running as a spur off the main railroad tracks along Highway 61, would stop just three doors down. Years later, Dr. Lynn Solem, the present director of the burn center at St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital, would explain that though this type of burn is now regarded as a sign of child abuse, in 1963 it would have been accepted as accidental. Because they were Catholic and there were very few Catholic babies on the register, it was likely that they would have to wait quite a long time, she explained. Try again later. Lois Jurgens | Photos | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers You consider how well you can sell this to 12 people in the jury box. GREAT NEWS! Murder of Dennis Jurgens | Detailed Pedia Tragically, just a few years after the adoption, Dennis died from peritonitis. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The case drew widespread publicity and was the subject of a book and a made-for-television movie. The welfare department case work was very limited.   so its not unusual.. Jurgens was the only fatal victim of Lois Jurgens, his adoptive mother and a prolific child abuser, who abused a total of six adopted children from 1960 to 1975.The trial of Lois Jurgens for the murder of 3-year-old Dennis made national . They beat my baby to death, Sherwood told Buzz Harvey. Years later, the attorney representing Roberts interests at the 1965 custody hearing would still remember those photos. Notes [ edit] ^ "ANGELIZD's Place - Child Abuse Pages - Dennis Craig Jurgens". Still it is fair to say that the story Lois Jurgens told required a considerable imagination to embrace. Resend Activation Email. Lois Jurgens, it turns out, was from the start a poor parental bet. At the hearing a month later, Peterson was asked whether he saw anything unusual as he viewed the body in the crib. At first, that seemed to be the conclusion that the official inquiry would also reach. He was an outgoing child, as happy and adjusted as could be expected under the circumstances. Petersons house sat precisely on the site of the old Wildwood Amusement Park.

 

Lois is survived by her husband, Floyd Jurgens; children Gary Jurgens and Caron Klein (Bruce);. Dennis nose was blood-red--VanderWyst thought it looked as if you just wiped it once more youd probably take the rest of the skin away. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. She died aged 87 on May 7, 2013. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Active children that bruise easily . . The autopsy report mentioned bruises head to toe. He attended Olney Rural Elementary School and graduated from Filley High School in 1959. The White Bear Lake police log for the morning of April 11, 1965--Palm Sunday--included the sort of events to be expected in such a town. A Death in White Bear Lake: The True Chronicle of an All-American Town The Jurgens' adoption of Robert seemed successful in the eyes of authorities, who began to consider the possibility that they might adopt more children through official channels. There is a problem with your email/password. Dennis' birth mother, Jerry Sherwood.

If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Sherwood also told D'Angelo that Dana Ivey's interpretation of Lois Jurgens is eerily accurate. Villains also abound, but they remain less noticed. There was also talk years earlier of her having started the fire at her in-laws' home which killed her mother-in-law, with whom she never got along. He returned to the Jurgens home in time to meet the coroners investigator, Saveiro Pitera. .
So Robert, on a temporary but semiannually renewed basis, remained in county custody, living in foster homes. The boy was obviously dead. Dennis Craig Jurgens (December 6, 1961 - April 11, 1965) was an American 3-year-old boy who was murdered in White Bear Lake, Minnesota in April 1965. In 1992 A made-for-TV movie was made based on both Jerry's story and this case called, ' A Child Lost Forever ' w/ the remarkable Beverly D'Angelo as Jerry Sherwood and Judith Ivey as Lois Jurgens. The Lineup's Most Disturbing True Crime Bestsellers Lois Jurgens Obituary (1930 - 2012) - Elkhorn, Wi, IA - the Des Moines
child abuse law.

. Published by Bantam Books, 1990. And it was not my position to do anything other than to pronounce him dead.. . VanderWyst climbed into his patrol car and backed down the Jurgens driveway at 11:48 A.M. VanderWysts departure did not go unnoticed. She had not noticed anything was wrong until sometime later, when Dennis began holding himself and saying, Owie! It was then she saw that his genitals were burned and called the doctor. In the decade preceding the adoption of Dennis, Lois Jurgens had suffered bouts of depression and psychosis, including an extended stay at a psychiatric institution where electroconvulsive therapy was administered. En dd i White Bear Lake - A Death in White Bear Lake Sadly, the mother-son reunion was not meant to be; Jerry's child had died just before his fourth birthday. According to Rekdahls written log, that was the sum of what Peterson said to her. Lois Jurgens Biography | HowOld.co Lois Jurgens. How in the heck could that happen? He couldnt comprehend anyone torturing a kid, Peterson would explain many years later. How a Group of Desperate Comics Creators Hatched Doomsday - Vulture Peterson did not give us any conclusive answers about the condition of Dennis or about his death, VanderWyst wrote in his report for that night. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast | a podcast by murdershelfbookclub There were at least a dozen bruises on the face alone, some large and others small. On Feb. 11, 1964, the commissioner of public welfare, as legal guardian for Dennis, consented to his formal adoption by Harold and Lois Jurgens. Its kind of hard to believe., ``How can you take a babys life like that and beat it for two years and then walk free? she said. When Dennis Jurgens died at the age of 3 in 1965, authorities here never ruled whether his death was an accident, a homicide or the result of natural causes. After seeing newspaper reports about the death, she was convinced that he had been beaten to death and demanded the case be re-opened.

 

In her effort to make Dennis "right" in her eyes, Lois embarked on a series of sadistic and corporal punishments: Angered at Dennis for rejecting certain foods, she responded by placing horseradish on the food and then force-fed it to him. After seeing newspaper reports about the death, she was convinced that he had been beaten to death and demanded the case be re-opened. Want more true crime books? And her release from the states prison for women in Shakopee only angered the biological mother whose search for her child led to the discovery of the crime. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter and get terrifying tales delivered straight to your inbox. In her effort to make Dennis "right" in her eyes, Lois embarked on a series of sadistic and corporal punishments: Angered at Dennis for rejecting certain foods, she responded by placing horseradish on the food and then force-fed it to him. So began a painstaking inquiry into the past--an inquiry that in recent months has pulled back the curtains on a decidedly uncomfortable vision.

 

Retrieved 12 February 2015. Her brother, Jerome Zerwas, was the police lieutenant of the town of White . They had seen Lois yank Dennis violently by the ears. There is no evidence we are dealing with any people here who have any demon-like motives. Sherwood eventually located Dennis's death certificate; because the death was categorized as "deferred", the case was still technically open. . Lois JURGENS - Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers ``I prayed for eight years that shed die in there. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He looks like a boy of 10. The same day that she spoke to the priest--Aug. 30, 1962--Rekdahl informed the Jurgenses that they were going to be approved for a second adoption. The county had filed a custody petition, alleging neglect. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Then there was the coroners report. Soon after, Jerry Puckett dropped her plan to convert--but by then Dennis was already registered as Catholic on the adoption rolls. She died aged 87 on May 7, 2013. and Judith Ivey as When Lois found him gasping and gurgling at 9 a.m., she promptly called Dr. Peterson. State v. Jurgens :: 1988 :: Minnesota Court of Appeals Decisions Lois Jurgens at the time that she had custody of Dennis. At first Bob Brass thought the squad car was Loiss brothers, but then they saw VanderWyst in the driveway. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Lois Jurgens, One of The Most Terrible Moms in America! Her features were still attractive, although the years had added a certain hardness and fleshiness. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Homicide was not the issue at the hearing. called, 'A Child Lost The hole had allowed a fifth of a quart of infectious, purulent fecal material to flow into the abdominal cavity. People were not then inclined to believe that middle-class families in suburban homes killed their children. Late in August, Lois had called Rekdahl to report the matter. Lois considered herself a devout Catholic and believed she was doing "God's work" by making Dennis "perfect" in her eyes. She knew the agencys policy was not to place children with couples who were over 40, an age they were approaching.

They covered the face, the head, the arms. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Now VanderWyst was looking at him, asking a question: What was the cause of death?. Peterson, a slender 6-footer, was a respected local doctor, a University of Minnesota medical graduate who had served in the Marines before opening a private practice in White Bear Lake in 1951. She did not want this to influence their decision, but in all truthfulness, that was the reality. By all accounts, Lois was obsessed with abusing Dennis, and she wanted the world to know he was a "bad child," and made no apologies about the inappropriate way she was disciplining him. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. ). Try again. The next morning, six coroners jurors were asked to view the body of a dead boy, and to remember everything they saw. There was also the matter of community attitudes. He assured that it was going on, that this would be his responsibility to get the information, bring it back to me so I could complete the certificate.

You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Although Lois was not charged with Dennis's murder, the death caused sufficient suspicion for the authorities to remove Robert from the home; he was placed with various relatives and one foster family for a period of just over five years, during which the Jurgens spent a great deal of effort and money attempting to regain custody. ?Tadeusz: I never remember pretty women. She saw Harold, then 40, as a tall, rather swarthy man of German and Norwegian extraction, with dark brown hair and eyes. But, at a hearing just one month after Dennis death, Peterson, when asked if there was anything unusual about the burn accident, said: No, not in particular.. The specter of homicide hovered, but would not land in this hearing room in 1965. In the minute she was gone, she said, he turned on the hot water. April 11, 1965. This sort of thing happened back then.. This, coupled with the lack of a statute of limitations for a murder charge, could lead the way to a prosecution of Lois Jurgens. There is some suspicion that Lois Jurgens herself set the fire, given that it occurred while Robert was hospitalized, and that Lois had been known to threaten burning down the homes of several neighbors and family members who had spoken to authorities. A dead boy, though, was something else. Lois Jurgens had a reputation amongst her extended family and neighbors as an intense, angry woman with a short and volatile temper, but Dennis' arrival in her home provoked sadistic rages that targeted Dennis as he aged from one to three-and-a-half years of age. Lois Jurgens Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information With the exception of the severe burns, his health remained quite good. memorial page for Lois Germaine Josephine Zerwas Jurgens (12 Aug 1925-7 May 2013), Find a Grave Memorial ID 134346102, citing Union Cemetery, Maplewood, Ramsey County . Clayton Robinson Jr., a former prosecutor in the case, said Jurgens should not have been released yet. Searching him out, she discovers he died at 3 1/2, though the death certificate does not show what killed him. Murder of Dennis Jurgens - Wikiwand Fittingly for a major anniversary like . My deputy reassured me from time to time. The suspicious death of Dennis Jurgens wasnt properly investigated for 20 years. During the early morning hours of April 11, 1965, Dennis Jurgens died at the hands of Lois Jurgens. The mother was an unmarried 17-year-old, Jerry Ann Puckett, an attractive blonde of Danish-German extraction. Barry Siegels chilling true crime book, A Death in White Bear Lake, chronicles the chilling case of a family from a picturesque town in Minnesota, and the cover up of a horrific crime that lasted for 20 years. Its so expensive.My friend, after twenty thousand years murder is still a business thats mainly in the hands of amateurs.Orson Welles (19151985), Its almost as if they were saying, You live your life, and well live ours.Richard Fielding, and Lee Sholem.

DENNIS JURGENS WAS ONLY 3-YEARS-0LD WHEN HIS LIFE ENDED AT THE CRUEL HANDS OF HIS MOTHER LOIS JURGENS AND SHE WOULD HAVE GOT AWAY WITH IT, BUT HIS BIOLOGICAL MOTHER JERRY SHERWOOD STARTED. Los Angeles, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; 1 arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. In 2005, playwright Brian Vinero wrote a theatre piece, The Jurgens File, which was developed at New York City's 78th Street Theatre Lab; it told the story from the perspective of the community. DEATH OF SUPERMAN 30TH ANNIVERARY SPECIAL- 1:100 JURGENS & BREEDING FOIL VARIANT. The neighbors talked among themselves that afternoon. Lois Germaine Josephine Zerwas Jurgens (1925-2013) - Find a Grave There is in the Scott County records a description of Dennis in the foster home where he lived his first year: He is solidly built, with blue eyes and blond hair. To receive the type of severe burns he suffered, Dennis would have had to be exposed to steaming-hot water for a significant length of time. Lois Jean (Jones) Jurgens Obituary We are sad to announce that on June 13, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Lois Jean (Jones) Jurgens of Arvada, Colorado. On or around the night of April 11, 1965, Dennis Jurgens died at the hands of Lois Jurgens. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. English I tried to assure her that these things happen in any family.. The psychiatrist thought it fortunate that Lois Jurgens could not get pregnant because a child would only compound and complicate her emotional disturbances. Drag images here or select from your computer for Lois Germaine Josephine Zerwas Jurgens memorial. Four days after he drafted this analysis, on April 30, he and VanderWyst were pulled off the case. they figured. Statements in the police logs were riddled with discrepancies. This is the story of a small boys murder that went undeclared and unprosecuted for 22 years in a community full of people who knew what had happened. Aided by the testimony of the Jurgens' other adopted son, Robert, . Minnesota Woman Found Guilty of Killing Adopted Son in 1965 He would later learn much more, would attend seminars and organize a county task force on the problem, but it cannot be said that Gingold knew nothing in 1965 about the battered-child syndrome.

Paul O'brien Obituary 2021, Who Is Still Married From Four Weddings, Wreck In Cookeville, Tn Today, Articles L