Derek and David Bousquet

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Derek Bousquet
Born
Derek D'Alton

(1940-02-27)27 February 1940
Disappeared1946 or after
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Died1946 or after
Cause of deathHomicide by beating
Body discoveredJanuary 14, 1953; 71 years ago (1953-01-14)
Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Other namesBabes in the Wood (prior to identification)
Known forUnidentified and unsolved murder victim who remained unidentified for more than 6 decades.
Parent
  • Eileen Bousquet (mother)
RelativesDavid Bousquet (half-brother)
David Bousquet
Born
David D'Alton

(1941-06-24)24 June 1941
Disappeared1946 or after
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Died1946 or after
Cause of deathHomicide by beating
Body discoveredJanuary 14, 1953; 71 years ago (1953-01-14)
Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Other namesBabes in the Woods (prior to identification)
Known forUnidentified and unsolved murder victim who remained unidentified for more than 6 decades.
Parent
  • Eileen Bousquet (mother)
RelativesDerek Bousquet (half-brother)

Derek Bousquet (born Derek D'Alton; (1940-02-27)27 February 1940 – 1946 or after) and his younger half-brother David Bousquet (born David D'Alton; (1941-06-24)24 June 1941 – 1946 or after), who both were known in the media as The Babes in the Woods prior to their identification, were Canadian children whose skeletal bodies were discovered in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 14 January 1953 by Albert Tong, a gardener who unearthed the children's graves whilst clearing brush behind a bush.[1] The coroner revealed that the children died via homicide by beating. They were beaten so hard, that at the time of their death they suffered from skull fractures. A hatchet (a type of axe) was one of several items found not far from the children's graves, along with what is believed to be their clothing and shoes. For more than 6 decades after the children's bodies were discovered, they remained unidentified. They were finally positively identified in June 2022, when their great-grand niece Ally split her DNA tube to find out more about her ancestors and family. Once they were identified, their family (or at least the new and current generation of their family) found out that Derek and David were never taken away by ministry because their mother was too poor in wealth to take care of them, but that they were murdered (beaten to death).[2]

Biography[change | change source]

Derek D'Alton (later Bousquet) was born on (1940-02-27)27 February 1940 in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and his younger half-brother David was born on (1941-06-24)24 June 1941, to Eileen Bousquet (born (1917-08-18)18 August 1917 – died (1996-06-11)11 June 1996), and a unknown father, whose surname was probably D'Alton. The children also had a elder sister named Diane (born (1937-07-16)16 July 1937 – died (2020-07-19)19 July 2020). Eileen raised her children in the city of Vancouver. Eileen and her 3 children were born and raised in poverty, with Eileen failing often failing to pay rent to the landlord in the apartment they were living in, and having to change the apartments they lived in, mostly by escaping and running away from their apartment, before the landlord would come. Fortunately, by c. 1946, Eileen was eventually able to buy a house in Kitsilano, for her and her 3 children to reside in. The house was located on 1535 Artubus Street. Here, Derek and his elder sister Diane, were attended and enrolled in Henry Hudson Elementary School. It takes just about 6 minutes to walk from their house to the school. At some point in a later unspecified date, David and Derek's elder sister Diane told her mother Eileen that she did not see her younger brothers anywhere, anymore, and asked about their whereabouts. Their mother explained to her that they were simply "taken away by the ministry as she was too poor in wealth to take care of them". Diane wondered about the whereabouts of her brothers, almost all her life, after they were "taken away by the ministry". Eileen died on (1996-06-11)11 June 1996 and her daughter Diane died on (2020-07-19)19 July 2020.

References[change | change source]

  1. "New clues may revive 60-year-old 'Babes in the Woods' case". The Province. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. "VPD identifies child victims in historic cold case murder". Vancouver Police Department. Retrieved January 14, 2024.