Timeline of the Evelyn Boswell case

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The disappearance and death of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell, of Sullivan County, Tennessee has captured the attention of many throughout the region and beyond. Below is a timeline of the case.

February 19, 2020

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an AMBER Alert for 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell on February 19, after she was reported missing on February 18. She had not been seen since December 2019.

CBS affiliate WJHL reported that Evelyn’s grandfather, Tommy Boswell Sr., launched the investigation by calling the Department of Children’s Services.

February 20, 2020

On February 20, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released another photograph of Evelyn, hoping to reach more people.

February 21, 2020

On February 21, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that investigators were seeking information about a gray BMW, and that the individuals traveling in it were connected to Evelyn.

Sheriff Jeff Cassidy told the media that his office received conflicting reports about when Evelyn disappeared. He said one report indicated that Evelyn was last seen on December 26. However, Sheriff Cassidy told media that a babysitter claimed to have seen her on December 10 or 11 and those dates were more accurate.

Officials said the child's parents, Megan "Maggie" Boswell and Ethan Perry, were both involved with the investigation. Perry, the sheriff said, was stationed in the military in Louisiana. The sheriff said the mother had full custody of Evelyn. However, the sheriff said some of the information from the mother had been not been "accurate."

"Her stories aren't leading up to stuff we went out and checked on," the sheriff said, pointing to video surveillance evidence and eye witness testimonies, but he would not clarify what those were. The sheriff said described some of the information as "conflicting" and "inaccurate." The sheriff said they believed Evelyn was alive.

As of February 21, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said more than 300 leads had come in about Evelyn's disappearance, none developing into any credible sightings.

Also on February 21, Megan Boswell spoke with WCYB outside of a Bristol courtroom. Boswell told WCYB that she knew who had Evelyn and didn’t want to contact police because she thought the person would disappear with her daughter.

“The reason I didn’t report it or anything was I knew the person who had her, and I didn’t want them to run away with her,” Boswell said. ”I’m just kinda worried, you know, about where they are at. What they’re doing with her at this point in time.”

She claimed that Evelyn was with a person she trusted to watch her daughter while she was at work.

On the night of February 21, several hours after Megan spoke with WCYB, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that the vehicle wanted in connection to Evelyn had been discovered in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Fox 8 later reported that two people, identified as William McCloud and Angela Boswell, were arrested in connection to the vehicle for theft over $2,500. It was revealed that Angela is Megan’s mother.

February 22, 2020

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced on social media that the search for Evelyn continued.

A petition, called “Evelyn’s Law,” was launched and addressed to the Tennessee State Senate. It asked lawmakers to craft a law making it illegal for parents to wait longer than 24 to 72 hours to report a missing child.

February 23, 2020

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released a new photograph of Evelyn and said agents and detectives were working around the clock to find her.

February 24, 2020

On the afternoon of February 24, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released new video of Evelyn and new information.

Megan Boswell spoke to CBS affiliate WJHL and told them that her mother, Angela, had taken Evelyn to Mendota, Virginia.

“I told TBI where to find her in Mendota. My mom took her to a campground in a silver camper and if they don’t go tonight, I’m going to go find her myself, because I’ve told them and they’re not really like taking it seriously and if they don’t go tonight, I will go myself and go get her…They’re not taking me seriously, TBI isn’t, because I’ve not fully told them I’ve been like ‘hey, like my mom camped out in Mendota, you know, to go check them out,’ but I’ve never been like, ‘hey,’ specifically, ‘hey, she’s like in a silver camper,’ because my mom did threaten me like you know if I told anybody – I’m not gonna get into that – but she did,” Boswell said, adding that her mother “was just going off on” her after the AMBER Alert was announced.

She also told WJHL that she wanted to address rumors about her family.

“Gypsies are not a cult. They have been asking people if there is like a Gypsy ringleader and like…I mean like we’re not like ringleaders, we’re not like out here kidnapping babies, or anything like that. Well, yeah, and like my dad’s very proud of that, you know, but he’s just mad about all the rumors going around like trashing them cause like we’re not a cult, you know what I mean, we’re not like, nothing like that at all,” Boswell said.

WJHL reported that the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office scoured a campground in Mendota but found nothing.

February 25, 2020

On February 25, WJHL reported that Megan told them in a Facebook message that she was pregnant and she couldn’t take a polygraph test because of it.

Around 4:20 p.m., the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that more than 500 tips related to Evelyn's disappearance had been reported. At that time, there were no credible sightings.

There were unsubstantiated reports circulating on social media that investigators were going to Mendota to search for Evelyn. The sheriff's office said that was not true.

Captain Andy Seabolt said, "Investigators did ask the US Marshals and the Washington County Virginia Sheriff's Office to check campgrounds in Mendota yesterday [February 24], but there has been no further mention of Mendota today [February 25]."

Their response came after the child's mother spent hours in the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. As of 9 p.m. that night, she was still at the sheriff's office.

WVLT News Reporter Robert Grant was at the scene and spoke with a group of people waiting outside the sheriff’s office, ready to confront Megan about Evelyn’s disappearance. Grant had been on scene since about 5 p.m.

Nearly five hours after Grant arrived, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Megan had been taken into custody and was being charged by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office with false reporting.

Evelyn was still missing. The sheriff's office said Boswell's bond was set at $25,000 and that she was being held at the Sullivan County Jail.

WVLT News reporter Robert Grant went live again after Boswell's arrest was announced.

February 26, 2020

On February 26, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office held a press conference after the arrest of Megan Boswell.

Investigators said Boswell was arrested for false reporting after continuously giving bad information and conflicting reports.

"Every time we talk to her, her story changes. I'm serious when I say that every single time," said Captain Andrew Seabolt.

Just after the conference ended around 1:40 p.m., investigators in Wilkes County received a tip and kicked off a search for Evelyn near a pond in Wilkes County. The pond was located north of Wilkesboro.

WVLT News reporters Robert Grant and Justin McDuffie went live shortly after it was revealed that investigators were searching the pond.

Just after 4 p.m., it was reported that the property at the center of the search for Evelyn in Wilkes County, North Carolina was connected to Boswell through family. Property records show a home near the pond is owned by a family member of William McCloud — the boyfriend of Evelyn's grandmother.

At around 5:20 p.m., the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office announced the search for Evelyn in the pond was inconclusive. Investigators used a Remote Operated Vehicle to search the pond and found nothing.

On Wednesday evening, an alleged friend of Megan’s spoke to WVLT News and said she believed Megan knew where Evelyn was and who had her. Investigators said Megan repeatedly offered conflicting stories.

Later that evening, WVLT News spoke with William McCloud, connected to Megan’s mother Angela, over the phone. McCloud had called A-Hood Bonding in Kingsport, Tennessee, and WVLT News reporter Gwendolyn Ducre interviewed him via the phone.

McCloud said he had only seen Evelyn one or two times since he began dating Angela Boswell in June 2019. He said he had offered to do a polygraph test and offered his DNA to investigators.

As of about 10 p.m. on Wednesday night, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office said there were no updates on Evelyn.

February 27, 2020

Angela Boswell and William McCloud appeared in Bristol court. McCloud's bond was lowered to $10,000 with a caveat that he wear an ankle monitor if he was released.

McCloud’s grandmother, Mary McCloud, said her grandson and Angela Boswell came to her home on February 21, the same day the two were arrested, and asked for gas money. Mary said her grandson’s feet were wet.

At around 5 p.m., police in Yadkinville, North Carolina confirmed they were investigating a tip that Evelyn was spotted at a KFC there with her grandmother and McCloud weeks previously.

At around 7 p.m., the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office addressed claims that Boswell was pregnant.

Captain Andy Seabolt said, "I cannot confirm or deny her pregnancy. What I can tell you is that the jail medical staff keeps track of pregnant inmates for obvious purposes. On Monday, 2/24, there were 4 pregnant inmates. On Tuesday, 2/25, there were 4 pregnant inmates. Megan Boswell was booked in at 9:19 pm on Tuesday. The pregnant inmate count went to 5 on Tuesday, 2/25, at 11:00 pm when a pregnant woman was booked in. On Wednesday, 2/26, the pregnant inmate count was 5 total."

February 28, 2020

On February 28, investigators confirmed they were looking into a mobile home in Sullivan County. The man who lived at the home said authorities took something from the scene. The man, identified as Zachary Warfield, said he saw officials digging up “soft ground” near the home.

As of about 4 p.m., the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had received more than 750 tips, but there had been no confirmed sightings of Evelyn Boswell.

March 1, 2020

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said they received 770 tips in relation to Evelyn’s disappearance, but none of them led to confirmed sightings.

March 2, 2020

On Monday, Megan Boswell appeared in court before a judge. She was charged with false reporting, and the judge denied her request to lower her bond from $25,000 to $10,000.

Her next court date was set for May 8 at 9 a.m.

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office asked for the public to stop sharing false information on social media.

March 4, 2020

William McCloud appeared in court. A crew with CBS affiliate WJHL caught him on camera trying to speak with Angela Boswell, Evelyn’s grandmother, and he appeared to be blowing kisses to someone.

McCloud was arraigned for theft of property and was released, although a judge denied his bond reduction request. He was required to wear an ankle monitor as a condition of his release. He was set to appear in court again March 24.

March 6, 2020

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that the remains believed to belong to Evelyn Boswell were found at a property that belonged to a family member of Megan Boswell’s.

Investigators, along with the District Attorney General, held a small press conference that night.

March 9, 2020

Megan Boswell appeared in a Sullivan County court Monday morning, marking her first appearance since the remains believed to belong to her daughter, Evelyn, were found.

A judge raised her bond to $150,000.

During the hearing investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation revealed details about what the found during the search that led to the discovery of remains.

TBI special agent Brian Fraley testified in court that when he interviewed Megan Boswell, she made several false statements, which he said cost investigators time during the investigation.

Fraley said a body of a child approximately one year to one-and-a-half years old was found during a search at a home in the 500 block of Muddy Creek Road belonging to Megan’s father, brother and grandmother.

Investigators found clothing matching the description of the clothes Evelyn was last seen in, as well as other child’s clothing, toys and diapers.

Boswell's case is expected to be bound over to a grand jury in April.

A memorial set up by deputies and members of the community for Evelyn had to be moved due to a neighbor complaint.

March 10, 2020

The family of Evelyn’s father, Ethan Perry, released a statement, saying in part, “Our focus has always been Evelyn and now on the investigation and bringing all of those responsible to justice. We have complete faith and confidence in law enforcement to do just that.”

March 11, 2020

On March 11, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed the remains found belonged to Evelyn Boswell. That same day, a judge sealed court documents about Evelyn’s autopsy.

Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus requested the results be sealed. “I thought it was necessary because of the publicity the case has engendered, and because it’s still under investigation, I thought it would maintain the integrity of the investigation.

March 12, 2020

Members of the Boswell family released a statement a day after investigators confirmed Evelyn’s remains were found.

The statement said, “The immediate Boswell family (excluding Angela Jones Boswell ) of Evelyn are in anguish and grief over their loss. It has been a very rough and trying time for everyone. At this time they do not want to speak publicly in regards to the tragedy. They are still trying to process what has happened. They ask for media and the public to respect their wishes. They need more time to grieve, privately.”

April 27, 2020

As of April 27, Megan Boswell had been in jail for 45 days for the false reporting charge. Investigators said they were still waiting to receive autopsy and toxicology results in the case, but the results will not be made public due to a judge’s court order to keep them under seal.

May 6, 2020

On Wednesday, May 6, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said “a person of interest” was being investigated in relation to the death of Evelyn.

Officials said they had still not received autopsy results on Evelyn as of that day.

May 8, 2020

Megan Boswell appeared in court May 8. Lawyers reviewing the case said they needed more time to review interviews with Boswell before submitting the case to a grand jury.

State Prosecutor Teresa Nelson said there were more than 25 hours of video interviews with Boswell to review before the case could be submitted.

May 21, 2020

Officials with the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office confirmed a grand jury indicted Megan Boswell on 11 counts of false reporting charges.

May 27, 2020

Megan Boswell appears before a judge and is arraigned on false reporting charges. A judge decided that Boswell’s bond would remain in place and set the next hearing for July 31 at 9 a.m.

July 31, 2020

Megan Boswell appeared before Sullivan County Judge James Goodwin via video conference Friday morning. Prosecutors wanted to move Boswell’s hearing date to a time after August 19 because they said they intended to “bring another matter regarding Ms. Boswell to the Grand Jury on August 19th.”

Boswell’s hearing was then set for August 28.

August 19, 2020

Wednesday morning the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced there were new updates in Evelyn Boswell’s case with intentions to hold a press conference later that day.

At 5:30 p.m., investigators announced Megan Boswell was indicted on 19 counts, including two counts of felony murder. Boswell’s hearing was set for August 28, and she was being held under a $1 million dollar bond.