Most kids look forward to December. If they celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, they eagerly anticipate the holidays. Also, the possibility of snow and time with family. But for Evelyn Mae Boswell, her month may have been filled with fear and trauma. While the toddler was officially reported missing in February, the last time she was seen was in December.
It's horrifying to think that family members waited so long to report her missing. Obviously, someone knows something about her whereabouts that they're not fessing up to. The 15-month-old from Tennessee had an Amber Alert set up when her grandfather finally told authorities about her disappearance on February 19.
All eyes are on her mother, Megan “Maggie” Boswell, who has been questioned by police. Megan is a teen mom who, on camera, seems very distraught over the disappearance of her daughter. According to USA Today, Megan's upbringing wasn't the healthiest. She herself grew up around domestic violence. However, there are multiple fuzzy details that make this story even more heartbreaking.
Back in February, officials were given a hint about a gray 2007 BMW with Tennessee plate 3M96W9. The car in question reportedly had front-end damage. After tracking the car, they found it in North Carolina, and they found Evelyn’s maternal grandmother, Angela Boswell. Angela was with a man named William McCloud.
The two were arrested because the car was reportedly stolen. However, police couldn't figure out how the car was connected to young Evelyn. But Megan's grandmother isn't the only one who's been acting suspiciously. Megan herself has been giving conflicting information when asked questions about her daughter. She stated that she knew that Evelyn was with her mother, which didn't seem to be the case.
Talking positively about her missing daughter, Megan spoke to WHJL 11 about what happened, insisting that Evelyn was camping with Angela. "I told [Tennessee Bureau of Investigation] where to find her in Mendota," Megan told the camera crew. "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 and if they don’t go tonight, I will go myself and go get her."
But as it's now March, it looks like that never happened. "My mom did threaten me like you know if I told anybody — I’m not gonna get into that — but she did," Megan added. She said that her mom was watching over Evelyn while Megan went to work that day. When asked if she trusted her mom, Megan stated that "well, she’s my mom. I wanted to trust her."
Evelyn's father, Ethan Perry, is currently serving in the United States military. According to Megan, he hasn't had many interactions with his daughter. "He’s actually trying to get leave approved right now to come up here and try to you know, help find her," she said. "She’s only been around him a couple of times because of where he was in the Army."
As mentioned, Megan's stories were found to have inaccuracies. At the end of February, she was jailed, and she remains in custody under a $25,000 bond. "We were already behind the eight ball, 67-68 days before she was reported missing,” Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy said in a news conference, per Knox News. "I hope and pray, my staff hopes and prays and everybody who's worked on this case hopes and prays that she is alive."
Megan also told people that she was pregnant again, so she couldn't take a polygraph. However, this story may also be inaccurate. USA Today notes that Evelyn’s grandfather, Tommy Boswell Sr., isn't talking to the public. When approached by a USA Today journalist, he reportedly stated, "You’re all vultures." But truth be told, the more information that's out about Evelyn, the sooner she'll be found.
USA Today also dug into the true backstory behind Megan's mother and father, which may be why he tried to dodge journalists. Much like Megan, Angela Boswell was only a teen when she gave birth to Tommy Boswell Sr.'s first child — a boy. Megan followed. The couple got married shortly after Megan's birth. In March 2009, Tommy Boswell Sr. claimed that Angela had tried to stab him with a pen.
More fights and misdemeanors followed. In 2014, Angela filed for divorce from her husband. At the time, Megan was just 13. While Angela was granted custody of Megan and the other children they had shared throughout the years, Tommy Boswell Sr. fought back, saying that Angela was "using illegal drugs in front of our children," and "exposing our children to criminals."
Angela was reportedly in jail when she became a grandmother. Megan had to deal with the birth alone, as Evelyn's father had already left for the Army. On Facebook, she reportedly mentioned how she knew she wasn't the best mom — but it seemed like she was really trying. "I'm not the best mom in the world, but I try so hard for this little beauty," she wrote, according to USA Today. "I can't even explain the love I feel for her, and I know she loves me too. Lately, my life’s been really sucky but she'll come reach for me and say ‘mom mom’ and my heart melts and I'm reminded of her unconditional love."
She also said that Evelyn's birth gave her purpose. However, based on her past inconsistencies, it's even tough to know whether or not Megan's words can be trusted at all. "Every time we talk to her, her story changes," Jeff Cassidy said. "Every single time."
For those who also want to be on the lookout for Evelyn, she's reportedly 2 feet tall and 28 pounds. She was last seen in a pink tracksuit, with pink shoes. She also had a pink bow in her hair, which is a reddish blonde color. She has blue eyes.
As of February 26, police have followed up on 570 tips from the community. Still, Evelyn remains missing. The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office has set a reward of $70,000 for finding the little girl, with $20,000 of that fund coming straight from Tommy Boswell Sr. and Tommy Boswell Jr. If you have any information on Evelyn's whereabouts, call the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
A vigil was also set for Evelyn. It took place on Tuesday, March 3, at the Blountville United Methodist Church. The little girl is still under an Amber Alert. Hopefully, the family — and the public — gets some answers soon. There's nothing more heartbreaking than a missing child.
