The body of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell was found in March, and the court case has dragged on since then.
A court hearing is scheduled for Friday in the long, confusing legal case surrounding the death of Tennessee toddler Evelyn Boswell, whose body was found in a storage shed four months ago. The 15-month-old girl was reported missing in February by her grandfather, who said relatives had not seen her since before Christmas.
The baby's then 18-year-old mother, Megan Boswell, lied repeatedly about who had custody of the child, police said. Evelyn's remains were found after weeks of searching on property owned by the family, and where Megan Boswell and Evelyn had been living with her father, Tommy Boswell Sr., before the toddler disappeared.
The case has dragged on since that gruesome discovery, with no one facing murder charges in the killing, which authorities have called a homicide. Much of the trial evidence has been filed under seal and there has been no cause of death released by Sullivan County authorities, who are still investigating the slaying.
Search warrant applications, which could shed more light on who is suspected of killing the child, are likewise barred from public view.
Megan Boswell was indicted by a grand jury in May on 11 counts of giving false reports to authorities. She pleaded not guilty. She remains in jail in lieu of $150,000 bail. Prosecutors have said they have been delayed in proceeding with the case by the sheer volume of evidence to review.
There are more than 25 hours of videotaped police interviews with Megan Boswell to review. “It’s taking awhile because it’s been a very exhausting and meticulously investigated case,” Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus told a local station. “And of course the delay between the reporting of the child, and the death of Evelyn, has also created a lot of the length and the difficulty."
Friday's scheduled court date will be an announcement hearing, where Megan Boswell's court-appointed attorney will give an update on where the case stands. The lawyer has said he is reviewing the state's case and may file additional court motions.
Staubus declined comment to a local station on whether Megan Boswell is the only suspect in the death.
"Our investigation is continuing," he said in May. "We have voluminous material to review."
Evelyn's grandmother, Angela Boswell, 42, has been arrested on various charges, including car theft, shoplifting and breaking into the home of Evelyn's maternal grandparents and stealing household items.
She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is free on bail. Evelyn's grandfather has consistently denied having any part in Evelyn's disappearance and death.
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