On December 31, 1898 5-year-old Mary Jane Voller was sent to get a penny worth of linseed oil at a shop only across the street from her home in Barking, London, England. She left the home around 5:10 p.m. with a threepenny and was never seen alive again after that.
After 10 to 15 minutes Mrs. Voller who sent Mary on the errand got worried. The errand should have been quick and it shouldn't have taken this long. Mrs. Voller would ask Mr. Voller, but he believed she was overreacting. He didn't search for her and was trying to finish fixing Mary's shoes.
Mrs. Voller went and looked for her herself. She asked neighbors and went to the shop to ask if they'd seen the 5-year-old. The shopkeeper could not remember the girl as the family had only moved to the area weeks before. But when Mrs. Voller asked if a young girl buying linseed came in the answer was that no one had bought any since 2 that afternoon. This meant that no one had seen Mary, she never made it to the shop and had been taken young Mary within the 10 to 15 minutes she'd been gone. The family did a search was soon done on the streets for Mary.
Mr. Voller searched the streets with his father, and after finding no sign of his daughter they went to the police station. They hoped the girl had wandered off and was lost and reported that she was a lost child. A description of her was sent out across the country.
Mr. Voller would continue to search unfrequented places for his daughter. They would search abandoned houses and such. Going down Barking-Lane Mr. Voller went over to inspect a shed. Near the shed was a brook and his heart dropped when he saw something floating inside of it.
When they got close to the water the lantern blew out. Knowing there was something floating in the water Mr. Voller went into the water and searched the area blind on his hands and knees where he saw something floating. In his arms was the lifeless body of his daughter.
News soon spread of the discovery. Mr. Voller initially refused to move the body until the police came, but his wife convinced him to bring her home. The police and coroner met them at their home and it was obvious that the girl was brutally murdered.
Mary had been raped she had 2 punctures in her neck, one near her groin, and one on the inside of her left thigh. the wounds were accompanied by scratches and were believed to be done by a blunt object. These did not kill her and it was believed she drowned in the 3 feet. She did not have mud or such in her throat so it's believed she was unconscious or in shock when put in the water.
It's unknown who did this horrific murder to the young girl and will remain unsolved.
SOURCES:
The Standard January 4, 1899
The Essex County Standard Ect. January 7, 1899
The Weekly Standard and Express January 7, 1899
Lloyds Weekley Newspaper January 8, 1899
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