Caroline Sorenson, a white female infant, died in 1896 in Cook County, Illinois. Her death was attributed to acute colitis, a condition whose symptoms closely resemble those of various types of poisoning. Notably, her life was insured, and the insurance company paid out the policy following her death. Despite the suspicious circumstances, there is no record of any investigation or arrest related to her passing. Caroline was buried in Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois, but no headstone marks her grave.
Caroline was the daughter of Belle Gunness, one of America's most notorious female serial killers. Born Brynhild Paulsdatter Størseth in Norway in 1859, Belle immigrated to the United States in 1881. She married Mads Sorenson in 1884, and the couple had several children, including Caroline and Axel. Both Caroline and Axel died in infancy under circumstances that raised suspicions of foul play, as their symptoms mirrored those of poisoning. Belle collected life insurance payouts following their deaths.
Belle's pattern of suspicious deaths continued with the demise of her husband, Mads Sorenson, in 1900. He died on the exact day his two life insurance policies overlapped, leading to speculation that Belle had orchestrated his death for financial gain. Though his death was officially attributed to heart failure, the timing and circumstances fueled suspicions. Belle received a substantial insurance payout following Mads' death.
After relocating to LaPorte, Indiana, Belle continued her deadly pursuits. She placed matrimonial ads in newspapers, luring wealthy suitors to her farm with promises of marriage. Many of these men disappeared without a trace, and later investigations uncovered numerous bodies buried on her property. Belle's crimes were eventually discovered after a fire destroyed her farmhouse in 1908. Among the remains found were those of her children and a headless woman believed to be Belle herself. However, doubts about the identity of the remains persisted, and some believe Belle faked her death to escape justice.
Despite the mounting evidence of her involvement in multiple murders, Belle Gunness was never apprehended or tried for her crimes. Her fate remains a mystery, and she is suspected of having killed at least 14 people, including her own children. Caroline Sorenson's death is one of the earliest known instances in Belle's series of suspected murders, highlighting a chilling pattern of familial and financial exploitation.
