In the early hours of January 4, 1924, a horrific tragedy unfolded in the rural town of Mapleton, South Dakota, where a young mother’s descent into madness left a trail of death and destruction in her wake. Mrs. Fred Vans, wife of a local farmer, lived with her three children on a remote farm three miles outside of Ute, Iowa. But on this fateful morning, she succumbed to a temporary bout of insanity, pouring kerosene over her three tiny tots and setting them ablaze.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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