In a shocking incident that occurred on Christmas, a man took the lives of his wife and six out of their seven children before ending his own life. The tragic event unfolded shortly after the family had a portrait taken in town.
Charles ‘Charlie’ Lawson, a sharecropper residing in Germanton, North Carolina, USA, married Fannie Manring in 1911, and the couple had eight children together. In 1920, their third child, William, passed away from an illness.
In a surprising move just before Christmas in 1929, Charles arranged for a family portrait in town, despite their modest means. He purchased new clothes for his family for the occasion, causing a stir in the community due to the expense involved.
On December 25, 43-year-old Charlie carried out a horrific act of familicide, claiming the lives of his wife Fannie, 37, and their children Marie, 17, Carrie, 12, Maybell, 7, James, 4, Raymond, 2, and baby Mary Lou, who was only four months old. The only survivor was his eldest son, Arthur, who had been sent on an errand.
The tragic events unfolded as Marie began baking a Christmas cake, while Carrie and Maybell prepared to visit their aunt. However, they were met with violence as Charles ambushed them near the tobacco barn, using a shotgun to end their lives.
Subsequently, Charles proceeded to the house where he shot his wife and then his daughter Marie. He then targeted his young sons, James and Raymond, before ending the life of baby Mary Lou. Following the brutal spree, Charles took his own life in the woods.
The bodies of the family members were found arranged in a particular manner, with some having pillows placed under their heads. Charles’ body was discovered near the woods, alongside letters addressed to his parents.
Decades later, a book titled White Christmas, Bloody Christmas suggested that Charles had sexually abused his daughter Marie, leading to claims of a disturbing family secret. Despite various accounts hinting at underlying issues within the family, the true motive behind the tragic events remains a mystery.