On February 18, 2020, 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell was reported missing when her grandfather, Tommy Boswell Sr., realized he hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving. This prompted an immediate investigation, and the following day, authorities in Tennessee issued an Amber Alert for Evelyn.

Initially, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicated that Evelyn was last seen on December 26, 2019, a date provided by her mother, 19-year-old Megan Maggie Boswell. However, this claim contradicted other details that emerged during the investigation, raising suspicions.

Sheriff Jeff Cassidy of Sullivan County noted conflicting reports regarding Evelyn's last known whereabouts. Investigators eventually concluded that she hadn't been seen since December 10 or 11, 2019, with the last person believed to have seen her being her babysitter. Authorities considered this information more credible, as it came from outside the family, and began to question Megan's inconsistent statements, which changed with each interaction with law enforcement—a significant warning sign.

The urgency of the investigation escalated, and by February 21, 2020, officials announced they were searching for a gray BMW, as individuals associated with the vehicle might have information about Evelyn's location. Despite over 300 tips, no leads were fruitful. On the same day, Megan publicly addressed the situation, claiming:

> "The reason I didn’t report it or anything is because I knew the person who had her, and I didn’t want them to run away with her. And as soon as they thought anything was going on, they just kind of vanished. So I’m just worried, you know, about where they’re at, what they’re doing with her at this point in time."

However, she refrained from naming the alleged kidnapper and expressed concern that they were avoiding her calls, while pleading for their return of Evelyn. Megan also admitted she would have acted differently had she known, wishing she had contacted authorities immediately, but feared the suspects would flee.

On February 21, Tommy Boswell Sr. revealed he had contacted Tennessee's Department of Children’s Services out of concern for Evelyn’s absence since Thanksgiving. He recounted telling Angela Boswell, Megan's mother, that if he didn’t see Evelyn soon, he would report her missing. Angela allegedly warned him, "You better not. You’re going to regret this."

That same day, Angela and her boyfriend, William McCloud, were arrested in connection with the gray BMW for property theft over $2,500. The vehicle was revealed to belong to Melissa Wood, Megan’s boyfriend’s mother, who had been trying to sell it to Megan. Melissa stated that Megan had taken the car for inspection and never returned.

In response to Evelyn's disappearance, Sullivan County announced a reward for her return, with Tommy Boswell Sr. and his son each contributing $10,000, and even the sheriff donating $1,000, reflecting the community's concern for the missing child.

Megan spoke again on February 24, spinning a new story that Angela had taken Evelyn to Mendota, Virginia, stating:

> "I told the TBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, where to find her in Mendota. My mom took her to a campground in a silver camper, and if they don’t go tonight, I’m going to go find her myself. Because I’ve told them, and they’re not really, like, taking it seriously."

However, investigators found this claim to be false, as they had already searched the campground with no results. Frustrated by Megan's ever-changing narrative, authorities arrested her for false reporting, with Captain Andrew Seabolt noting:

> "Every time we talk to her, her story changes. I am serious when I say, every single time."

Megan was held on a $25,000 bond as over 500 tips continued to pour in, including one suggesting a search in a North Carolina pond associated with William's grandmother. This lead also yielded nothing.

On February 26, William stated he had seen Evelyn only once or twice since June 2019. He offered to take a polygraph test and provide DNA samples, while Megan claimed she couldn't take the test due to pregnancy—a claim that was disputed as jail records indicated she was not pregnant.

Tragically, on March 6, police discovered human remains in a shed on Tommy Sr.'s property. Subsequent confirmation revealed that the remains were Evelyn's, accompanied by items typical for a toddler, such as toys and diapers. Authorities sealed the autopsy records to protect the investigation's integrity.

During a court appearance on March 9, Megan's bond was raised to $150,000. Angela claimed she hadn't seen Evelyn since September and believed she may have been placed with a foster family, which led her to reconnect with Megan.

On March 12, the Boswell family expressed their grief over the loss of Evelyn, while many questions surrounding her case lingered. A September 2022 hearing unveiled grim details about the discovery of Evelyn's remains. Investigators had found her body placed in a trash bag amid other refuse, with the coroner stating she was alive when her body was disposed of, as she suffocated when placed headfirst into the trash can.

At one point, Megan altered her account, suggesting that Evelyn had suffocated while co-sleeping with her and her boyfriend, but experts deemed this unlikely given Evelyn's age at the time of her death. Ultimately, her death was ruled a homicide.

Megan's trial, initially set for February 2023, remains ongoing, with numerous charges against her, including felony murder and child abuse. She has pleaded not guilty to a new first-degree murder charge and is seeking to relocate her trial due to media attention surrounding the case.

In a positive development, Tennessee passed Evelyn’s Law, mandating that parents report missing children under 13 within 24 hours, with penalties including potential jail time and fines for noncompliance.

Sources: - https://www.usatoday.com/evelyn-boswell-life-started-family-racked-chaos-amber-alert-tennessee - https://abcnews.go.com/US/tennessee-mother-charged-murder-death-15-month-evelyn