Article
In the early morning hours of November 13, 1957, a terrible tragedy unfolded in Morton when three-year-old Ann Marie Barker was found dead in her home from a violent blow to the head.
Ann Marie Barker was born September 15, 1954, to Cecil Barker and Ruby Marie (Cook) Barker. She was the only child of the family.
The distraught father stated his wife had arisen about 10:30 pm to see about the child in another bedroom. He was awoken at approximately 12:45 am by the sound of his wife screaming and gagging and discovered her in the kitchen covered in blood. He stated he rushed to the daughter’s bedroom where he found her laying on the floor with a gaping wound to her head. He immediately called his brother and brother-in-law who notified the authorities and called for a doctor and ambulance.
Dr. Dan Brown arrived a short time later and found the girl’s body laying on the bedroom floor. He immediately administered a sedative to Mrs. Barker who was then taken to Cochran Memorial Hospital to be treated for ingestion of bleach and cuts on her chin and neck. Just before noon that same day, she was removed by Singleton Funeral Home ambulance to Big Spring State Hospital. She was originally admitted through a letter signed by Deputy Sheriff Chester Miller and Dr. Dan Brown. Judge Fred Stockdale then ordered her committed on a temporary 90-day basis for observation and treatment. Later, Mr. Barker signed papers for a longer commitment.
Justice of the Peace A. D. Forehand returned a verdict of death from a blow on the head, supposedly administered by a hatchet. A shingle hatchet believed to have been used in the killing was found by investigators in a utility room of the house. Officers also pursued other details in the case, including taking samples of blood found outside the home and it is believed that the child may have been killed in a shed behind the house rather than inside the home itself.
In the investigation that followed it was discovered Mrs. Barker had been under severe mental strain. Ann Marie had been “mentally retarded” since birth, a condition Mrs. Barker was convinced could be cured but had learned from doctors six weeks prior the condition was permanent. This discovery put Mrs. Barker into an “extreme case of nervousness” for which she had been seen by a doctor for only the day prior to the murder.
Funeral services for Ann Marie Barker were held on November 14, 1957 at the Morton Church of Christ, with Denton Thompson officiating, assisted by Rev. A. R. Coleman. Arrangements were under the direction of Singleton Funeral Home. She was laid to rest in Morton Memorial Cemetery. In addition to her parents, she was survived by her grandmothers, Mrs. J. H. Barker and Mrs. Rosie Weaver of Mayesville, Oklahoma.
Mrs. Barker was permanently committed to the mental hospital in Big Spring, Texas following a sanity hearing before a Howard County Court. She was formally indicted for Murder with Malice on April 16, 1958 by a 72nd District Court Grand Jury in Cochran County. Her bond was set at $3,000. District Attorney George Gilkerson commented that under the law, Mrs. Barker must stand trail in accordance with the indictment, when and if she is ever released from the hospital.
Ruby Barker was released from Big Spring State Hospital after a 15-month commitment and returned to Morton. She died in an ambulance enroute to Cochran Memorial Hospital on March 19, 1959 at the age of 49. Dr. B. H. Lee listed her cause of death as “D. O. A. Unknown”. She was laid to rest at Morton Memorial Cemetery.