White woman who claimed black man kidnapped her children charged with their murder

Jet, Nov 21, 1994

The South Carolina woman who told authorities that a Black man stole her car with her children inside during a carjacking, recently was charged with murdering the children.

Susan Smith of Union, SC, told police a gun-toting Black man jumped into her car at a stoplight, ordered her to drive several miles, and then forced her out and took off with her two young sons who were still strapped in their safety seats.

In truth, there was no Black suspect with a weapon. Smith, 23, fabricated the entire story. After she failed two lie detector tests and was unable to explain several inconsistencies in her story, Smith confessed to police.

The woman whose heart-wrenching story gained the sympathy and prayers of a nation was jeered by spectators as she entered the local courthouse to be arraigned in connection with the murders of Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months.

"I hope you get what you deserve!" one of the spectators shouted. "You deserve whatever you get," another said. Smith, who covered her face with her hands, said nothing. When authorities pulled Smith's burgundy 1990 Mazda out of a nearby lake, they found the bodies of her two children in the back seat.

Although authorities had not revealed a motive at JET press time, CNN has reported that police found a letter from Smith's boyfriend saying he wasn't ready for the responsibilities of being a father.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people crowded into a church to pay their respects to the two children who during the course of their 10-day disappearance won the hearts of a nation.

The boys' father, David Smith, who sobbed during the funeral service, said only that, "It's wrong. It's just wrong."

At press time, Smith remained in prison under a suicide watch.