Case 182
Freda Burnell & Florence Little
*** Content Warning: child victim, child sexual assault ***
On February 5 1921, eight-year-old Freda Burnell went missing in the small coal-mining town of Abertillery, Wales. The unusual disappearance reached a tragic conclusion when her bound and beaten body was found dumped inside a sack in an alleyway.
Suspicions were immediately cast on 15-year-old Harold Jones, who’d had a run-in with Freda shortly before her disappearance. But locals weren’t convinced – Harold had a solid alibi for the time of the murder.
When 11-year-old Florence Little disappeared from the same town five months later, the community was once again shocked. Was Harold Jones responsible for yet another murder? Or did the authorities have it wrong, as the residents of Abertillery adamantly insisted?
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth
Creative direction – Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
PREMIUM
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RESOURCES
WEBSITES
NEWS ARTICLES
Strangled 9-year-old girl – The Manchester Guardian
A name revealed at a seance – The Manchester Guardian
Abertillery mystery – The Manchester Guardian
Murder charge resumed – The Times
Second child murder at Abertillery – The Manchester Guardian
Boy murderer’s desire to kill – The Manchester Guardian
Boy enigma is in a new crime tangle – Times Herald
Abertillery inquest verdict – The Manchester Guardian
The murdered Welsh girl – The Manchester Guardian
Harold Jones sent for trial – The Manchester Guardian
The Welsh murder – The Manchester Guardian
Allegations against a witness – The Manchester Guardian
Boy’s second murder charge – The Observer
Abertillery murder – The Times
Hundreds attend unveiling of new graves for murdered Freda Burnell and Florence Little – South Wales Argus
Muriel Drinkwater murder: Harold Jones ruled out – BBC Wales
BOOKS
A desire to kill: The mystery of Harold Jones – Kevin Banks