What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
On March 1, 1932, Charles Lindbergh III, a toddler of 20 months, was kidnapped from his bedroom in Hopewell, New Jersey.
The baby's bedroom window was accessed by the kidnapper, who then left the ladder behind.
Charles's parents discovered a ransom letter in his room, requesting an amount of US$50,000 in cash. The Lindberghs were sent another letter three days later, demanding US$70,000.
Mobster Abner "Longie" Zwillman also announced a reward for the boy's safe return. He asserted that his associates in the criminal realm possessed knowledge about Charles' location.
However, due to the ongoing Prohibition in the US and increased police surveillance in the area, Zwillman's primary intention was to safeguard his illicit alcohol operation from detection.
At one point, the kidnapper told the Lindberghs that if they delivered the money, their son would be discovered on a boat near Massachusetts. Despite their compliance and an extensive search, there was no sign of their baby.
Tinder delivery truck driver William Allen made a distressing discovery when he found a baby's body while taking a break in the woods.
After enduring two weeks of decomposition and partial consumption by animals, Charles' body was identified by his nightshirt and unique overlapped toes.
The father of the baby, Charles Lindbergh, gained fame as the first aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic. The family had widespread recognition and admiration. He actively participated in the investigation concerning his son.
Lindbergh actually ended up causing a lot of problems for the detectives on the case by ignoring their advice and lying about hearing the kidnapper's voice during a ransom drop-off at a cemetery.
The case remained unsolved until 1934, when a gas station worker spotted a marked bill from the ransom money. The license plate was noted, and the police traced it to a German man named Bruno Hauptmann.
During the search of Hauptmann's residence, detectives discovered a hidden stash of Lindbergh's ransom money.
Hauptmann's trial occurred in Flemington, a small New Jersey town.
There were 5,000 spectators in total, which was twice the town's population.
The courtroom had a capacity of 500 people, and the local police had a difficult time maintaining order among the eager crowd waiting outside the courthouse.
The trial was overwhelmed by the press and the judge warned them that no photos were allowed in the courtroom. A reporter who tried to take a photo disturbed the trial, leading the judge to threaten the others into line.
The defense swiftly requested a mistrial after the prosecution's opening statement, but their request was rejected.
Hauptmann's trial established a precedent in utilizing forensic evidence, including fingerprint, handwriting, and wood analyses, among other techniques.
According to handwriting experts, Hauptmann's handwriting was a match to the ransom notes. They also noted that he misspelled certain words, both in the note itself and in other samples discovered at his residence.
Arthur Koehler, a specialist from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, provided crucial evidence against Hauptmann. According to his testimony, the wood of the ladder discovered at the Lindbergh's residence was identical to wood obtained from Hauptmann's attic.
In 1935, Bruno Hauptmann was executed in New Jersey's electric chair called "Old-Smokey."
Bruno Hauptmann had a record of encounters with law enforcement, which involved engaging in three incidents of break-in burglaries and two instances of robberies at gunpoint. During his imprisonment for one of the burglaries in Germany, he successfully escaped and evaded capture.
Following Hauptmann's execution, kidnapping was officially established as a federal crime in the US.
See also: The worst crimes in history
The Lindberghs published his daily diet in the local newspaper in hopes that the kidnapper would see and provide him with appropriate nourishment. Sadly, their efforts were in vain.
Al Capone, who was in prison at the time, offered a US$10,000 reward from his own funds to anyone who could locate the Lindbergh baby.
After identification, Charles's body was promptly cremated.
Anna Hauptmann dedicated the remainder of her life to establishing her husband's innocence. Pursuing justice, she initiated a lawsuit against New Jersey, seeking US$100 million in compensation for wrongful death. Her pleas were ignored.
This gallery offers a retrospective on the horrendous crime that left the nation astounded, along with the captivating story that surrounded the kidnapping.
The American nightmare: the Lindbergh baby kidnapping
The abduction of Charles Lindbergh Jr. led to "The Trial of the Century"
LIFESTYLE Crimes
The Lindbergh baby kidnapping is widely recognized as one of the most well-known crimes in the history of the United States. Referred to as "The Trial of the Century," it gained immense global attention. The victim, little Charles Lindbergh, named after his famous father, was abducted from his New Jersey residence on March 1, 1932, and was tragically discovered deceased two months later on May 12.
This gallery offers a retrospective on the horrendous crime that left the nation astounded, along with the captivating story that surrounded the kidnapping.