Death of Mary Jane Barker

The body of Mary Jane Barker (February 28, 1953 – March 3, 1957) a 4-year-old from Bellmawr, New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia, was recovered from the 3' x 5' bedroom closet of a nearby vacant ranch house 2 blocks away from her home. Her disappearance "touched off an intensive search for a kidnapper or murderer". Despite the initial suspicion of foul play, the death was ruled an accident due to starvation and exposure from Barker's inability to escape the closet. The dog of another neighborhood girl had also gone missing, bounding out of the closet alive upon the discovery of the body.

Death of Mary Jane Barker

The body of Mary Jane Barker (February 28, 1953 – March 3, 1957) a 4-year-old from Bellmawr, New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia, was recovered from the 3' x 5' bedroom closet of a nearby vacant ranch house 2 blocks away from her home. Her disappearance "touched off an intensive search for a kidnapper or murderer". Despite the initial suspicion of foul play, the death was ruled an accident due to starvation and exposure from Barker's inability to escape the closet. The dog of another neighborhood girl had also gone missing, bounding out of the closet alive upon the discovery of the body.