After 53 Years, Mom Charged in Baby Daughter's Death

More than 50 years after the suspicious death of a 7-month-old little girl, her mother has been arrested and charged with the killing. Jeaneen Marie Klokow supposedly died after falling off a sofa in 1957, but relatives thought Ruby C. Klokow, now 74, may have played a role in the death. In 2008, Klokow’s oldest child, James, finally reported his suspicions to police and told them of the abuse Klokow allegedly inflicted on him and his siblings. After a two-year investigation, she was arrested Monday and charged with second-degree murder, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Police had a tough time investigating the case, because physical evidence and many records were gone. An autopsy, as well as testimony from relatives, helped. Ultimately, Klokow herself admitted she had a hard time raising four children and might have treated her daughter too roughly. Both Jeaneen and another baby sibling, Scott, were disinterred; James believed his mother may also have played a role in Scott’s 1964 death. Klokow admitted causing Jeaneen’s death, but no evidence of foul play was found on Scott’s remains. Click for more on the tragic case, including how Jeaneen actually died.
(More child murder stories.)