Eight year old Helen Bailey was found dead. The tragic case remains unsolved after five decades.
Her body was found the next day on a farm close to the M6, in an area locals called “Magic Wood.” She wore blue shorts, a blue blouse, and blue plimsolls, earning her the nickname “Little Girl Blue.” The killer has never been caught despite a long probe.
The anniversary of her death is approaching. The murder horrified the nation. The Bailey family had planned a holiday to Cornwall in 1975. Helen was last seen at 4:30 pm, and her parents reported her missing an hour later when she did not return home for tea.
Police searched waste ground and a quarry. They also made house-to-house inquiries. Helen’s dad found her at 6:30 am, lying on her back with a knife wound to her throat. Some claimed to have seen her walking under the motorway at 7:10 pm on the night she died, though this sighting was never confirmed.
A “ginger-haired” man was seen nearby, near where her body was found. Police never traced this man. The case went cold in 1976. The inquest jury gave an open verdict, considering an accident or a joke gone wrong.
A pathologist found no signs of a struggle, saying the death lacked “homicidal attack” signs. Locals blamed two boys, thinking they were linked to the death. Helen’s mom, Margaret, sought justice, and the case re-opened in 2014.
A pathologist studied old photos and said the cuts were not shallow. He also saw signs of strangulation. The original verdict was quashed in 2018. A prime suspect was named in 2019.
John Sir was questioned after Helen’s death but never charged. Sir confessed to killing Helen three times between 1978 and 1979. He was jailed in 1991 for trying to kill his mother.
Sir lived near where Helen’s body was found and admitted being near there that day. Sir told a doctor he strangled Helen and used a pen knife to cut her throat. He claimed he confessed to get into a mental hospital.
His story matched new evidence from 2014, which he called “coincidence.” Detective Caroline Marsh believes Helen was murdered and thinks Kenneth Etchells did it, stating there are no other suspects.
Coroner Louise Hunt will write to the CPS, wanting them to consider the case again. The CPS thinks a conviction is unlikely, citing a lack of new evidence. Helen’s dad died without seeing justice, tormented by finding his daughter.
Margaret learned her daughter was murdered, contrasting with an accidental death ruling, and said she never grieved the same way following. Helen’s death blighted their lives. She wanted closure, even late. People can contact West Midlands Police if they have information.