Baby’s Tragic Demise: Mother Walks Free, But Questions Remain

In a shocking turn of events, the grand jury in Washington D.C. declined to indict Mrs. Hazel Gnash for the alleged poisoning of her 15-month-old baby, found dead with her at the entrance of Rock Creek Park on November 1, 1923. Bichloride of mercury poisoning was suspected, but the jury’s decision has left many wondering if justice was truly served. Dr. Herbert H. Schoenfeld, a physician from Garfield Hospital, testified that the child suffered from pneumonia in both lungs and symptoms of diphtheria, casting doubt on the mother’s alleged culpability.