Cry-Baby: Carolyn Loretta Wasilewski

🧥Carolyn Loretta Wasilewski 🧥

She was born on June 12th, 1940 in Morrell Park, Baltimore City, Maryland to Stanley and Mary Wasilewski. Carolyn was the eldest of seven children and a Southern High School student. She resided at 3121 Mardel Ave., and had a reputation as a rebel who was a part of a gang called the "Drapes." They often would commit crimes such as auto theft.

On Monday, November 8th, 1954, 14-year-old Carolyn had told her parents she was going to hang out with her friend, 16-year-old Peggy Lamana who lived in a nearby Washington Boulevard trailer park. They were going to register for a winter dance program at Morrell Park Elementary School. 

Carolyn left home at 6:15 p.m. dressed in a pink sweater, black skirt with pink and blue arrowhead-shaped figures and a black corduroy jacket. A black scarf was knotted at her neck, and her hair, which was in curlers, was covered by a green scarf. 

Her family expected her back shortly. When it grew later and later, with no sign from their daughter, the family set out and spend the night anxiously searching for Carolyn. Police spoke with the Peggy who claimed Carolyn never showed up.

The around 7 a.m. the next morning, an engineer on a Pennsy express train bound to Baltimore from Harrisburg spotted a crumpled body lying face down and half naked on the tracks. The police were contacted. Had they been a few minutes later, the Parkton Local, a commuter train following the express, due to pass the spot at 7: 17 p.m., would have destroyed all evidence. Luckily the Parkton was slowed down and diverted just in time.

When the police inspected the body, the noticed it was of a female,  covered in bruises and scratches. They also found the name "Paul" written in lipstick on her right thigh. Police concluded that the murder had occurred elsewhere and she had been thrown from the spidery two-lane iron bridge above, or dragged down a bank to the tracks.

The body was confirmed to be that of Carolyn. The medical examiner reported that the cause of death was a skull fracture and there was "no evidence of violent sexual attack." He placed the time of death at 11 p.m. The last train to pass under the Belvedere bridge was at 10: 30 p.m.

Eight miles away on Gable Avenue, near Carolyn's home, police found bloodstains and her shoes and jewelry. This confirmed the theory the she had been beaten to death in a vacant lot near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's Mount Winans yard.

Over 300 people, including members of The Drapes, were interviewed and leads were followed. It turned out, that seven days before Carolyn was found murdered, on November 1st, she had testified in a carnal knowledge case involving one of her girl friends.  It was theorized that her murder could have been retaliation for her cooperation. The man was questioned by police but was soon ruled out.

A light colored, dark topped car was seen on the bridge the night that Carolyn died. It sped away when another car approached it. Police considered it a suspicious vehicle and were on the look out for it at the time.

The first suspect held in questioning for Carolyn's murder was a 23-year-old department store truck driver and helper. He was held for six hours then released when his wife and a cousin corroborated his alibi.

45-year-old Ralph Garrett was a possible suspect as well, but police never were able to question him. Garrett lived near the murder scene and was said to have been seen talking with the Carolyn on the night of her death. Two days after Carolyn was found murdered, Garret was found hanging by a belt from the brake wheel of a gondola sitting on a siding in the rail yard. The car stood opposite the vacant lot where the attack had taken place. According to Ralph Garret’s wife, he had been depressed because his mother had recently died and that was the cause of him committing suicide. Police did check the tires from his car and discovered that they did not match the tracks left at the scene of Carolyn's murder.

The police had held friend of Carolyn's named "Lefty" for questioning in Carolyn's murder. I have no idea what happened with that.

On November 12th, Carolyn was buried in Holy Redeemer Cemetery near the grave of her grandfather. 

Carolyn's murder remains unsolved.