Flora Maxine Barnett: A Detailed Account of Her Crimes
Background
Flora Maxine Barnett, born in 1923 in Indiana, was a factory worker whose life took a dark and tragic turn in the early 1950s. Living with her uncle, Ray Devirel Warren, and his wife, Barnett became entangled in a clandestine and abusive relationship with her uncle, leading to a series of heinous crimes that shocked the community of Peru, Indiana.
The Crimes
Between 1951 and 1954, Barnett gave birth to four children, all fathered by her uncle. Tragically, she admitted to suffocating three of these infants shortly after their births and disposing of their bodies by burning them on trash piles. The details of these crimes are as follows:
- Ray Barnett: Born on June 26, 1951. Suffocated and body burned.
- Marion Barnett: Born on March 8, 1953. Suffocated and body burned.
- Arthur Barnett: Born on July 24, 1954. Suffocated and body burned.
The fourth child, Walter Joseph, born prematurely on October 11, 1955, survived and was hospitalized at James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Initially in critical condition, Walter Joseph's health eventually stabilized.
Investigation and Arrest
The gruesome series of events came to light when complications arose during the birth of Walter Joseph. Medical staff at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru questioned Barnett about her previous pregnancies. She initially claimed that the infants had been given up for adoption in Logansport. However, under further scrutiny and during a lie detector test at the state police headquarters in Indianapolis, Barnett confessed to the murders of her three infants and the subsequent disposal of their bodies.
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Account
