Changeling stories — Part IV |

Changeling stories — Part IV

Posted on October 29, 2008 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photoLouisa Northcott, the mother of Gordon Northcott, isn’t portrayed in “Changeling,” but played a key role in the actual case. Above, she’s booked in jail.

Los Angeles Times file photoLouisa Northcott with one of her attorneys (she was represented by Norbert Savay, A.H. De Tremaudan and J. McKinley Cameron).

Los Angeles Times file photoDeputy P.H. Peterson and his wife escort Louisa Northcott to San Quentin for her role in the killings.

Los Angeles Times file photoLouisa Northcott, December 1928. She was paroled in 1940.

About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times

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10 Responses to Changeling stories — Part IV

morbid mary says:

October 29, 2008 at 12:41 pm

thanks for all of the posts on this story. I’ve read every inch of the newspaper pages you’ve posted about it, and I’m astounded both at how complex a story it is, and that I have never heard of it before. This case easily rivals any of So. Cal’s more notorious murders.

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alabama says:

November 1, 2008 at 8:22 pm

I have just seen the movie “CHANGLING”. I have never before heard of this occurance nor of Gordon Northcott. I am very curious as to information of the poor Christine Collins.

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amber says:

November 1, 2008 at 9:49 pm

this is seriously the saddest story i have ever heard. I just watched the movie “Changeling” today. I’ve never seen a movie so moving, and so sad. It devestated me. I sat in the theatre at the end of the movie with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t even move. I can’t believe people are capable of things like this. It really makes me sick. I can’t believe Christine Collins never found her son. It’s not right. and it’s so heartbreaking. She was such a strong woman. I feel so bad every time I think about this story.It’s just so devestating.

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Michelle says:

November 3, 2008 at 1:37 pm

This was a truly sad and horrific movie, The Changeling, I had to keep reminding myself, ‘my God this really happened!” I just kept thinking did Walter make it out alive? did he hid in obsecurity the remaining days of his life? And his poor mother..I can’t even imagine being able to live thru this. Angelina Jolie was absolutely tremendous in the role of Christine Collins, so much so that I forgot she was Angelina and that she really was Christine. Truly emotional, truly moving, intense…this is by far her best role EVER!

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cheryl alva says:

November 3, 2008 at 10:25 pm

I just watched this movie and as a mother of six, I can’t imagine what christine went through when she came home to find her son missing! I couldn’t wait to come home and hug and kiss my babies! I don’t know how I could live knowing my son or daughter was missing. This has been one of Angelina’s best roles, and I hope she wins an academy award for this role. Great Job Angelina!! Great movie very touching.

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Tara says:

November 22, 2008 at 11:14 pm

I can’t believe she was paroled. Thank you for all of these posts I’ve spent the last three hours after seeing the movie reading articles online about these killings. I’m surprised the mother wasn’t mentioned in the movie, it makes the whole thing sicker. Glad the torture wasn’t mentioned though, i was sick to my stomach enough.

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Jonaphan says:

December 13, 2008 at 7:10 am

I was just wondering did Mrs collins evr get any closure to what might have happened to walter

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jennifer says:

December 15, 2008 at 3:25 pm

i love the movie chanlging so much! it really was so sad and i was crying at the end but it was definately one of the best movies i have ever seen. i would recommend this movie to everyone!

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Mira Loma (aka Wineville) says:

February 26, 2009 at 1:54 am

I grew up a few houses down from where these murders had occurred. However, I was born in 1965, so it was a little before my time. I recall mention of the Wineville Chicken Murders on occasion as a kid, but no one ever went into any great detail (most likely because I was a kid and they did not want to scare me). When I saw the movie, “The Changling,” it shocked me as to how close evil was to my home! My father was a baby when the murders occurred, but he told me that he remembered his father talking about how they changed the name from Wineville to Mira Loma because of the shameful association. It is so sad to think that there are such horrible monsters out there that would do something so atrocious to innocent children and their families!

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Regina says:

March 6, 2009 at 1:41 pm

I just watched the movie Changeling & OMG was this story so touching. I live 20 minutes away from the Wineville chicken coop murder house. So after i saw the movie i decided that i wanted to see the actual house in Mira Loma. There’s a house in the front that is vacant, then in the back of that house is the Northcott’s house, it is also vacant. No one knows why this house is still up and why they built around it. (I also think when the new owners of these houses found out what went on here they decided to leave.)There is a chicken coop in the back of the house too, it looked really old and rustic, but i don’t know if it’s the same one. As soon as i walked by the house i got this creepy feeling because of the thought that a bunch of bad things happened on this property at one time!!!!:-(

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