Hannah Ocuish

Hannah Ocuish
1964 depiction of Ocuish's execution
BornMarch 1774
DiedDecember 20, 1786(1786-12-20) (aged 12)
Cause of deathExecution by hanging
Resting placeLedyard Center Cemetery
Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S.
(Plot unknown)[2]
Known forYoungest person executed in American history
Criminal status
  • Executed
    (December 20, 1786; 237 years ago (1786-12-20))
Conviction(s)Murder
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
DateJuly 21, 1786
Date apprehended
July 22, 1786[1]: 28 

Hannah Ocuish (sometimes "Occuish";[3] March 1774 – December 20, 1786) was a 12-year old Pequot Native American girl, possibly with an intellectual disability, who was hanged on December 20, 1786, in New London, Connecticut, for the murder of Eunice Bolles, the 6-year-old daughter of a wealthy farmer. She is believed to be the youngest person executed in the United States.[4] In recent years, Ocuish's guilt, culpability, and the fairness of her trial have come into question.[2][5]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Channing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference revisit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Caulkins, Frances Manwaring (1895). History of New London, Connecticut: From the First Survey of the Coast in 1612 to 1860. New London: H. D. Utley. pp. 576–577. ISBN 9781548747817. OCLC 654229578.
  4. ^ "Regional Studies, The Northeast". Archived from the original on February 4, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
  5. ^ Suess, Jessica (February 17, 2023). "The Heinous Execution of Hannah Ocuish, Aged 12, by the State of Connecticut". OddFeed. Retrieved July 25, 2023.