Katharina Buczek
In 1953, Evelyn Grace Hartley was a 15-year-old sophomore attending Central High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Her mother, Ethel, was a stay-at-home mom; meanwhile, her father, Richard, was a professor of biology at La Crosse State College.
And on the evening of October 24, 1953, Evelyn was asked to babysit a 20-month-old baby for another college professor named Viggo Rasmusen.
So, the 15-year-old headed out, wearing a white blouse, red jeans, white bobby socks, and her glasses.
Evelyn was not new to babysitting and would usually phone her parents to check in during her gigs. That night, though, she did not call home, and after some time passed, her father began to worry.
Richard eventually decided to call Rasmusen’s home phone himself but ultimately received no answer. So, he decided to drive to the residence to check in on his daughter.
Upon arrival, Richard realized that the home was locked. This forced him to repeatedly knock on the front door to get his daughter’s attention, but she never came to the door.
Puzzled, he began to look around the property. And after a few minutes, Richard realized a basement window had been left open– allowing him to climb inside the house.
To his complete surprise, though, he realized his daughter was not there. No one else was, either. Instead, only the Rasmusen’s baby was home– sleeping in an upstairs bedroom.
Upon making this discovery, Richard immediately contacted the police. Then, once officers arrived and searched the home, they found Evelyn’s broken glasses and one of her shoes.
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