Babes in the Wood murders (Pine Grove Furnace)

he Babes in the Wood murders is a name which has been used in the media to refer to a child murder case in which the bodies of three victims were found concealed in the Pennsylvania woodland. On November 24, 1934, John Clark and Clark Jardine found Norma Sedgwick, 12, Dewilla Noakes, 10, and Cordelia Noakes, 8, under a blanket in the woods along Pennsylvania Route 233, Centerville Rd. The girls were suffocated, presumably by their father and stepfather Elmo Noakes. The next day, Elmo shot his niece Winifred Pierce and then himself with a .22 rifle. Elmo Noakes: Elmo James Noakes was born January 8, 1903 in Springville, Utah Co., UT. He was the youngest son of John Thomas Noakes and Amilla Ann Guymon. Elmo and his brother Robert served in the United States Marine Corps from 1920 to 1922. On July 28, 1923 Elmo married Mary Isabbella Hayford. Hayford had a daughter named Norma Sedgwick from her previous marriage to Roland Burningham Sedgwick. Noakes and Hayford had two children, Dewilla (b. May 2, 1924) and Cordelia (b. Jun 2nd, 1926). Hayford died from "septicemia hemolytic" following a self-induced abortion on July 10, 1932 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Noakes took the three girls to Roseville, CA where his three sisters could help with the children. Noakes was employed there by the Pacific Fruit Express. Winifred Pierce: Winifred Pierce was born September 1, 1916 in Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake, Utah to parents Hugh Pierce and Pearl Noakes, Elmo's older sister. Her family moved to Roseville, CA where she attended high school. At the age of 18, she worked for Elmo Noakes as a housekeeper. Key Events Preceding the Murders: 1934: Noakes is known to have a good reputation and non-violent nature. He has a good job and lives in a good home well stocked with food. His niece, Winifred Pierce, works during the days in Noakes' home taking care of his children. September 1934: Noakes acquired life insurance policies on his children and changed the beneficiary of his life insurance policy from the children to his sister Mrs. Pierce. October 31, 1934: Noakes purchases a blue sedan later found abandoned near the area of his death which would connect him with the deaths. November 11/12, 1934: Noakes leaves home with Winifred Pierce and his children leaving 2 weeks pay of $50 due to him. November, 1934: The family stops at a diner in Philadelphia, PA and shares a single meal. November, 1934: The girl's bodies are left in the woods of Pine Grove Furnace Park near Carlisle, PA. November, 1934: Noakes and Pierce abandon the blue sedan at McVeytown, PA and hitchhiked to Blair Co. PA. November 23, 1934: Failing to sell Noakes' spectacles, Pierce sells her coat. In Altoona, PA, Noakes purchases a .22 rifle with $2.55 from the coat sale. November 24, 1934: Norma, Dewilla, and Cordelia are found dead under a blanket in the Pine Grove Furnace Park near Carlisle, PA. Cause of death is determined to be "suffocation by external means." November 24, 1934: Noakes and Pierce are found dead in a railroad flat station near Duncansville, PA. Pierce, with breast exposed, was shot through the heart and then in the head. Noakes had a single gunshot wound to the head. Identification of Bodies: Discovery of the girl's bodies started a nation wide media frenzy resulting in many false leads as to the identities of the girls. Photographs of the children lying in a blanket at the site of their death were printed in newspapers across the country. Thousands came to view the bodies in hopes of identifying them. Death masks were made before burial to continue the search. Some clothing, towels, and children's books were found, but labels that may have contained names were torn off. Only the name "Norma" was found on one of the children's books. Noakes and Pierce were found over 100 miles away near Altoona, PA the day following the discovery of the girl's bodies. Pierce had a gunshot wound to the heart and another to the head. Noakes had a single wound to the head. Investigators speculated there was a connection between the deaths. A car was also found without a license plate and engine identification number intentionally obscured. Given the description of the car, the physical features of the dead, and Elmo's finger prints on military records, the bodies were identified. Family Strife: After the bodies were identified, two of Elmo's sisters were given a suspended 90-day sentence for disturbing the peace by harassing a third sister, Winifred Pierce's mother. One of the sisters, Ms. Gibbs, accused Ms. Pierce, Winifred's mother, of spreading stories about Elmo and that "If it hadn't been for your family, he'd still be alive." Ms. Gibbs further claimed she "warned Elmo not to have anything to do with her [Winnifred Pierce] ... Winnie could make him do about anything she wanted him to." Both sisters denied the charges against them in court claiming they merely wished to console their sister and inquire about Winifred's foot deformity to help identify her body. On sentencing, the two sisters screamed furiously, disrupting the court and requiring the judge to restore order. Robert Noakes, Elmo's brother, responded to the media by saying "There's been trouble in the family for years, I guess that's why Elmo went away." Robert also claimed "There was trouble in the Pierce home, Mrs. Pierce and her husband didn't get along sometimes. My Brother made a home for Winifred. It was more pleasant there, and so when he left I suppose she felt she would be happier with him." Concerning his quarreling sisters Robert said, "Those three sisters are good as gold, but they just don't seem to understand each other all the time. And then there are stories about 'boy friends' and it is all rot and just made up for spite." Robert felt strife in the family may have caused Elmo to leave: "Sometimes I don't blame Elmo, because in 1930 I went away for a couple of years myself to Tucson, Ariz. to get away from it. I think that's just what he did." Funeral Services: Funeral services for the three girls were attended by thousands. Boy and girl scouts were pallbearers and prayers were given by various local religious leaders. Noakes and Pierce were buried in the same cemetery as the three girls. The American Legion honored Noakes for his military service with full military honors about 100 feet from his daughters. Competing Theories: Many theories for the tragedy have been postulated. Early speculations included a cult killing due to a "sign" or mystic symbol on the head of Norma Sedgwick, but other experts believe it is a head wound. Chief of Police E.E. York of Roseville, CA believed Noakes may not have killed his family because "His affection for the children was known all over the community." York believed automobile exhaust accidentally killed the three girls. Noakes and Pierce, stricken with fear of being held responsible, committed suicide. For others, the suddenness and speed of travel plus attempted destruction of identification lead them to speculate the family was being pursued by an armed gang. Most theories consider Noakes to be responsible for the deaths and may include: Noakes and Pierce fled so they could be together. Noakes's inability to find work and the threat of starvation was too much for Noakes and Pierce, the girls were suffocated to prevent further suffering. Noakes was mentally ill and fleeing an imaginary evil. The children were killed to protect them. Difficulties with family and rumors of their romantic relationship led to feelings of hopelessness. A murder-suicide pact resulted between Noakes and Pierce. Legacy and Aftermath: In March 1935, the Pennsylvania General Assembly discussed a bill sponsored by Representative John L. Powers to fingerprint all school children in the state. In 1968 Pennsylvania Highway workers placed a blue and yellow sign that reads "On this spot were found three babes in the woods -- November 24, 1934" Cumberland County, PA spent $997.75 to doctors, coroners, and photographers investigating the deaths. A publication of the Noakes family history states Winifred Pierce died at 18 and that "Elmo J. Noakes and his children died in an auto accident." The memory of these events is kept alive by numerous web pages that tell the story. Some of these include a graphic picture of the deceased girls where they were discovered dead, death masks, and funeral procession. Location: A blue marker with yellow lettering identifies the spot where the three girls were found at 40°03.956′N 77°18.299′W.