23 month old baby Dies Mysteriously in Lubbock, Texas Apartment
by Traciy Curry-Reyes
In December 1955, William Mcmorris lived at 412 East 34th St. Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas with his live in girlfriend Colleen Parker along with his three daughters, Debra, Kay, and Carolyn. William Mcmorris was not legally married to Colleen at the time. She was still considered their stepmother. Colleen Parker was a very abusive and emotionally disturbed stepmom, and she had little patience for the children. The girls' biological mother was not living with them. She was going through a lot of problems in her own life. She did maintain contact with the girls. The girls lived in fear most of the time while they were living with their stepmother Colleen. The oldest sister Kay, just 5 years old, did her best to protect the sisters.
December 5, 1955, Baby Carolyn Mcmorris Injury and Death
Kay Clark and her sister Debra Clark were in the kitchen when they heard what was going on in the living room. They stated that dressed baby Carolyn, and he was in the process of trying to put on her shoes. But, the baby didn't want to put her shoes on so she kept balling up her toes. Colleen was becoming visibly upset at the baby for not putting on her shoes. Carolyn, started to sense Colleen's growing frustration so she started crying. Her sisters, stepped to the door of the kitchen again to see what was happening when they saw Colleen slapping and shaking her. Baby Carolyn saw her sisters in the doorway and she reached up her arms for them to pick her up and console her. Just when they were about to pick up their baby sister, Colleen snatched her by the thighs threw her across the room. Colleen hit her head against the floor and an old rocking chair. Colleen snatched her up and took her to the bathroom and thew water in her face to make her wake up, but the baby was unresponsive. She put Carolyn in the car along with Debra and Kay. They drove to West Texas Hospital where Colleen told the doctors that the baby had fallen. Dr. Allen T. STEWART was the attending physician. Carolyn was still clinging to life while he was attending. She expired at 6pm that same evening. The death is ruled an accidental fall. The case is closed.
December 6, 1955 The Next Day
The girls Debra and Kay are with their biological mother. They tell her everything that had happened. The biological mother takes her girls to the police station to make a statement about everything that happened. When they arrived at the police station, the girls would not open their mouths. The police told the mother that there was nothing he could do because they were too young to even be taken seriously. The biological mom left with her girls and told them to never speak of it again. (no one ever found evidence of the mother's speaking with police)
1990 the investigation is reopened
No one can find evidence that the girls' biological mother brought them to the police station to speak with police. The retired detectives do not remember the event. Nor does the biological mother's description of the policeman match anyone who worked at that police station at the time.
Trial Testimony
Kay Clark, in tears, told the jury of the abuse that was going on in the Lubbock home. She also detailed how the murder occurred. When the police reopened the investigation they found that the apartments where the crime occurred had been torn down to make way for a civic center complex, and the doctor who attended had also died. They had no photos of Carolyn's injuries.
