Lindbergh Kidnapping Case Study

The Lindbergh baby kidnapping case and investigation used many resources, as many as were available at the time, but if compared to today’s advancements and procedures it was very little. There were some inconsistencies that occurred between the investigation and the eventual sentencing of the suspect, Bruno Richard Hauptmann, primarily that there was no real opportunity for him to be the kidnapper. There was a special set of circumstances that brought about the kidnapping, namely being that the Lindbergh’s were not supposed to be at their home in Hopewell, NJ at the time of the kidnapping, instead due to the baby being sick they stayed in Hopewell not returning to Morrow, breaking their normal routine. It is possible that the kidnapping was a

One of the advancements that would allow for a different course of action is the AMBER Alert plan, it broadcasts information about missing children through local broadcasters, like television and radio, to help aid law-enforcement in locating the missing child. During the investigation there should have been more questions asked of the parents, due to the fact that the kidnapping was believed to be aided by an insider. Another difference between investigations now and then is that back then there was not as much importance placed on chain-of-command and the proper handling of evidence and crime scenes. Perhaps the muddy footprints could have been identified, or the “chisel and homemade three-piece ladder” (“The Lindbergh…”), should have been able to be traced and directly matched to the set that was found belonging to Hauptmann’s home. One of the similarities with this case that has not and should never change is the sense of urgency to solve it, everyone want the child to be returned to their family safe. Unfortunately for the Lindbergh’s that was not their