America’s Most Hated Mother: How Susan Smith Deceived a Nation While Her Children Were Searched For

This story once shook the entire United States. Grieving parents could not hold back their tears as they begged kidnappers to bring their children home. But when the truth was finally revealed, everyone was left in shock.

In October 1994, America was rocked by the disappearance of two young boys. The Smith family desperately pleaded for the return of their sons: 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander. Ten days later, the story took an unexpected turn when David Smith, the boys’ father, appeared on television to reveal that he had unknowingly been married to a child killer for years.

A Difficult Childhood

Susan Lee Vaughan was born on September 26, 1971, in Union, South Carolina. She was the third child and the only daughter in her family. At the age of six, tragedy struck when her father, Harry Ray, took his own life. This loss deeply affected Susan. She would repeatedly listen to recordings of his voice, cherish his coin collection, and at age 13, she even attempted suicide herself, though unsuccessfully.

Her older brothers and mother coped differently; her mother quickly remarried Beverly K. Russell Jr., a successful stockbroker and active Republican Party member involved with the Christian Coalition. Despite this seemingly stable new family life, a dark reality was hidden beneath the surface. When Susan was 15, her stepfather began to sexually abuse her. She confided in her school psychologist and mother at 16. Her mother confronted Beverly, who promised the abuse would stop. However, the abuse continued despite therapy, and the mother was more concerned about the social embarrassment than her daughter’s suffering.

It is no surprise that Susan sought to escape her home life. At 17, she took a part-time cashier job at Winn-Dixie grocery stores, quickly advancing to an accounting position. During this time, she had a brief affair with a married coworker. When he ended the relationship, Susan attempted suicide again.

Following this, she began psychiatric treatment and once confessed that her sexual relationship with her stepfather was consensual, driven by resentment toward her mother, who received all male attention. This shocking admission was unexpected by everyone.

A New Romance and Attempt at a Normal Family

After working on herself, Susan reconnected with David Smith, a high school acquaintance who worked as a manager. Their relationship quickly blossomed, and Susan soon discovered she was pregnant. They planned to marry, but eleven days before the wedding, David’s younger brother died from Crohn’s disease, devastating the family. Despite this, Susan and David married and moved into his great-grandmother’s house. Their son Michael was born on October 10, 1991. Though they showered him with love, their relationship lacked mutual understanding, as neither had experienced a happy family to model after.

By March 1992, after unsuccessful attempts to fix their marriage, they separated. Susan became involved with another coworker but was found to be pregnant by David again in November. They reunited and moved into a new home, hoping for a fresh start. However, after their second son Alexander was born, it became clear within three weeks that their marriage was doomed. Despite their marital issues, they remained caring parents.

A New Chapter

Susan changed jobs to minimize contact with her ex-husband, becoming an accountant at a major local company. She was soon promoted to executive secretary to the president and CEO Jay Cary Findley, whose son Tom was one of Union’s most eligible bachelors. In January 1994, Susan and Tom began a romantic relationship. That spring, Susan briefly reunited with David but they permanently separated three months later.

Susan found solace in her relationship with Tom, but he had different plans. In October 1994, Tom ended their relationship in a letter, citing their different social backgrounds and his lack of interest in marriage or children, especially raising someone else's kids. He advised Susan to behave appropriately if she wanted to find a worthy partner, specifically warning against involvement with married men. Susan responded by threatening to expose Tom’s long-term sexual relationship with his father, but her threats were ineffective.

On October 25, 1994, Susan picked up her children from daycare and asked a friend to watch them while she visited Tom’s office. There, she denied sleeping with Tom’s father, claiming it was a ploy to make Tom jealous. Tom dismissed her quickly. Susan then questioned her colleague, who had lunch with Tom and friends that day, about any comments Tom might have made about her, and was disheartened by the negative response.

She Took Out Her Anger on Her Children

At 8 PM that fateful day, Susan put her children into the car and drove aimlessly until she reached John D. Long Lake. There, she stopped by the shore, exited the vehicle, released the brake, restarted the engine, and watched as the car with her sons inside began to sink. She then ran to a nearby house, pounding on the door in hysteria. The homeowners asked what happened, and Susan fabricated a story about a black man who had carjacked her and abducted her children at a red light.

For nine days, Susan’s fabricated story captivated the nation. She and David appeared regularly on national television, pleading for the return of their children. However, viewers began noticing inconsistencies: Susan seemed more concerned about her appearance on camera than the ordeal. Her attempts at crying appeared forced, and her eyes remained dry.

“That day, Michael said to me, ‘I love you, Mom.’ No one loves their children more than I do, and I would never harm them. Wherever you are, stay strong, my babies! We will do everything to bring you home!” she said, but belief in her story waned.

Howard Wells, the lead investigator, grew suspicious of Susan’s story. He found multiple strange details and decided to administer polygraph tests to both parents. Susan’s results were inconclusive. She gave multiple interviews and daily statements to police, but contradictions piled up. Initially, she claimed she was visiting a friend named Michael Sinclair and took her children along; later, she said she was just driving with them. On the lie detector, she failed twice when asked if she knew where her children were.

On November 3, 1994, after a CBS live broadcast, Susan met with Sheriff Wells, who revealed that the traffic light where she claimed her car was hijacked was green most of the time, only turning red when another vehicle approached. Susan had said no other cars were nearby. Overwhelmed, she broke down and confessed. She admitted she initially intended to commit suicide but changed her mind and exited the car.

The 1990 Mazda was recovered from the lake, and people from neighboring states gathered to pay their respects, bringing flowers, wreaths, and ribbons in memory of the boys. The nation watched the boys’ funerals across all news outlets.

The next day, only David appeared on television. According to those close to him, he nearly lost his sanity, haunted by nightmares of his children’s tragic deaths caused by their mother. For months, he woke in cold sweats from the same recurring nightmare.

Susan’s trial began soon after her confession. Her attorney, David Brook, argued that her actions stemmed from untreated chronic depression. Prosecutor Thomas Pope portrayed Susan as a ruthless manipulator who killed her children to win back her lover, freeing herself from obstacles to her happiness with Tom, whom she often mentioned and worried about.

The jury deliberated for only two and a half hours before delivering the verdict. On July 22, 1995, Susan Smith was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with parole eligibility after 30 years. That same year, David Smith published a book titled "Out of My Mind: Life with Susan Smith," candidly detailing his life with his child-killing wife.

"I Was a Good Mother and Loved My Boys"

For many years, Susan refused to discuss the case. In 2015, she finally spoke to The State newspaper in South Carolina, explaining how difficult it was to endure lies about her without a chance to defend herself.

“What hurts me most is that people think I harmed my children to be with a man. I had no motive. I never planned to do it. I am not the monster society believes me to be. I was a good mother and loved my boys. I was not in my right mind,” Susan wrote.

She remains incarcerated at Greenwood County Prison, South Carolina. Throughout her sentence, she has been caught using mild drugs and engaging in sexual relationships with prison staff. Despite this, in 2024, her defense will petition for her release.

Now 52, Susan actively corresponds with men and hopes to build a personal life upon release. One man in his 40s, who learned about her through a documentary, quoted her saying, “I can’t believe I could fall in love with someone I’ve never met.” He believes she should never be freed given her crimes.

Photos: Getty Images, Legion-Media.ru, East News

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