BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — Megan Boswell, the mother of baby Evelyn Mae Boswell, was given two felony murder charges Wednesday, officials said. She was given aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect charges, according to officials.
She was also charged with 12 counts of false reporting, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and failure to report a death under suspicious circumstances, officials said. In total, Megan Boswell faces 19 counts.
"If found guilty of felony murder, she could spend the rest of her life in prison," lawyer Don Bosch said.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, and the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office held a news conference at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the latest development in the investigation into the death of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell.
On July 31, the prosecution told the judge they had another matter regarding Megan Boswell that would be brought to a grand jury, which met August 19.
The hearing for the mother was delayed until Aug. 28 on July 31.
"This case is another example of excellent collaborative efforts of police departments across Tennessee," TBI Director David Rausch said.
Investigators said the mother gave conflicting information during the search for her missing daughter after she had been reporting missing in February 2020 and the TBI issued an AMBER Alert. The TBI said the child had last been seen in December 2019, long before she had been reported missing.
Evelyn's remains were later found in March on a Blountville property belonging to a family member.
Here is a timeline of the case:
February 18, 2020
- The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office received a referral from the State of Tennessee Department of Children Services
- Referral said certain family members had not seen Evelyn in approximately two months
- The referral came after Evelyn's grandfather, Tommy Boswell, Sr., reported his granddaughter missing
- At this time, Evelyn was last seen by family members on December 26
- Sullivan County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation after receiving the report
February 19, 2020
- The TBI issued an AMBER Alert for Evelyn Boswell at around 8 p.m.
February 21, 2020
- A gray 2007 BMW, with Tennessee license plate 3M9-6W9, is believed to be carrying suspects linked to the case
- Evelyn's grandmother Angela Boswell was arrested with boyfriend William McCloud in Wilkes County, North Carolina after being found in the gray BMW
- Both McCloud and Angela Boswell were charged with and arrested for theft of property
- Angela's court date is set for March 4
- Evelyn's mother, 18-year-old Megan Boswell, went on camera for the first time, claiming she knew who had the toddler. She later claimed it was Angela Boswell
- At this time, Megan also said in an interview with WCYB that she was pregnant again
February 25, 2020
- Megan Boswell was arrested and charged with one account of false reporting. Her bond is set at $25,000
- Her court date is set for March 2
- The Tennessee Department of Children's Services announced its own investigation involving Evelyn
February 26, 2020
- The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Megan is not actually pregnant
- The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office searched a pond in Wilkes County, North Carolina
- The search was inconclusive
February 28, 2020
- The TBI searched Lakeshore RV trailer park in Blountville, TN, near Boone Lake
- Over 700 tips related to the case have been submitted to the TBI
March 2, 2020
- A judge denies Megan Boswell's request to reduce her $25,000 bond. She is appointed an attorney in Bristol and has a new court date set for May 8
March 4, 2020
- Grandmother Angela Boswell and her boyfriend William McCloud appear in court for the theft charges. Both have bonded out of jail
- Angela Boswell is given a March 24 court date, the state asks for more time to bring in witnesses from North Carolina in McCloud's case
March 6, 2020
- The TBI announces it found remains believed to be of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell in Blountville on a property belonging to a family member of Megan Boswell
- An autopsy begins to confirm the identity of the body and circumstances of death
March 9, 2020
- A judge raises mother Megan Boswell's bond to $150,000 after attorneys said she could be a flight risk
- The TBI said the child's remains were found in an outbuilding on the property with diapers and toys around the body, wearing the same clothes Evelyn was wearing when she was reported missing
March 11, 2020
- The Sullivan County DA announces autopsy results will be sealed due to large public interest in the case
- The TBI confirms the remains found Friday to be Evelyn Boswell
May 6, 2020
- Investigators identify a person of interest in the case, but do not publicly identify who that is
May 20, 2020
- Megan Boswell is charged with ten additional counts of false reporting, with a grand jury saying she lied multiple times to detectives and TBI agents about the child's whereabouts
May 27, 2020
- Megan Boswell appears before a judge via video, who declines to lower her bond
July 31, 2020
- Megan Boswell has her hearing date rescheduled for August 28 at 9 a.m.
- Prosecutors confirm they would bring "another matter" regarding Megan Boswell to a grand jury on August 19
August 19, 2020
- Megan Boswell is formally charged for felony murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse in the death of Evelyn Boswell five months after the baby's body was found.