NO PICTURE AVAILABLE
Betsey Van Amburgh
Age 6 years old
Died 1805
New York (Cooperstown is where Stephen Arnold was held after the crime)
Adopted father/uncle, Stephen Arnold, was tried for a crime related to Betsey's death (I'm not sure what the outcome was. I only found a preview for reference.)
Susannah Arnold (adopted mother) and Sally Adams (servant girl) didn't stop the brutal beatings that resulted in the eventual death of Betsey.
Why? He was angry because of Betsey's speech impediment. She couldn't pronounce the word "gig" the way he wanted her to. She finally did pronounce it to his satisfaction. Then she laid in pain for several days before dying. (As with every case I've ever studied, the child was never the problem. The adults in cases of murdering children always have other issues and take it out on a child; giving weak excuses and blaming the victim.)
The defense claimed Betsey provoked her own death because she wouldn't say the word right. (Found on page 103 of the reference listed below.)
Reference:
Through a Glass Darkly: Reflections on Personal Identity in Early America: Ronald Hoffman, Fredrika J. Teute "The Unhappy Stephen Arnold": An episode of murder and penitence in the early Republic: Alan Taylor (pages 96-104) Google Books
The Google Book documents other references related to this case.
