Susan Smith Drives Car Into Lake With Sons Inside

Susan Smith told police and reporters that her car was stolen by an unknown Black man with both of her sons inside the backseat. For nine days, Smith stuck to this story, appearing on television pleading for the safe return of the boys, Michael, age 3, and Alexander, 14-months.

The story gained local and national attention. America’s Most Wanted broadcast an episode highlighting the boy’s disappearance, which garnered hundreds of tips.

Slowly but surely, the bogus story began to unravel and investigators found cracks in her story. She gave conflicting statements several times. Smith and her husband, David, were asked to take polygraph tests. Both agreed to take the test, but Susan did not pass.

Police Did Not Believe Smith’s Story

From the beginning, police suspected something was astray with the story. Police pushed Smith and finally, she made a shocking confession. With tear-filled eyes, Smith told police she strapped her kids in the backseat of the car, locked the backdoors, and drove the vehicle off a ramp into a lake.

Searchers later found the car after an intensive search. They initially thought the car would be found within 30-feet offshore, however, it was found 122-feet offshore.

An autopsy later determined both boys were alive when the car was submerged in water. Further testing indicated that it would have taken the car at least six minutes to fill up completely with water.

Smith Killed Her Kids to be With a Man

Details unraveled over the coming weeks that indicated Smith was having an extramarital affair with a man who did not want kids. Because of this, he broke off their fling. Smith wanted things to continue and thought if she was not a mother, he would again want to be with her. That’s when Smith conjured up the plan to murder her children and blame it on a Black man.

Smith denies she planned to murder the children. She says she was out of her mind after reciting an email from Tom Findlay, her ex-lover who know said he wanted nothing to do with her.

Details of the affair were sordid enough, but that's only one gigantic revelation prosecutors made during their investigation.

Sexual Molestation

Smith’s parents divorced when she was six years old. Her mother attempted suicide and Smith tried to kill herself when she was 13-years-old. It is said that Susan experienced mental health problems throughout her teenage years.

A short time after her attempted suicide, Susan's mother remarried, this time to a man named Beverly Russell. He was a well-respected member of the community and leader of the local Christian Association. Soon after marrying Smith’s mother, Russell began molesting Susan. The abuse continued until six months prior to the 1994 murders. Smith was 24-years-old, married, and the mother of two children at that time.

Susan Smith Trial

Smith’s lawyers argued that she suffered from a range of mental health problems that rendered her competent on the day she murdered her sons. The jury did not buy those claims.

Smith was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. She is eligible for parole on November 4, 2024. She was originally sent to Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution, however, was moved to another prison after two guards were charged with having sex with her.

Smith currently spends her time incarcerated at Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina.

More Case Information --

https://apnews.com/article/a7da0567d147567548f2d237c94fc994

https://www.eonline.com/news/1287080/wife-of-former-prison-guard-who-had-affair-with-child-killer-susan-smith-speaks-out

https://nypost.com/2020/11/18/convicted-killer-susan-smith-could-be-free-in-2024/