Episode 199: Baby Lawrence Noxon (With Jim Overmyer)

Suffer the Little Children

Suffer the Little Children Pod

True Crime, Social Sciences, Science, Society & Culture

4.6 • 937 Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Lawrence Swift Noxon was born in March 1943. At five months old, he was diagnosed with what we now call Down syndrome. Three weeks later, on September 22, 1943, baby Lawrence died from electrocution under highly suspicious circumstances. His father, John Franklin Noxon Jr., was soon charged with murdering his infant son in what many considered a “mercy killing.”

For this episode, I spoke with author Jim Overmyer, who wrote The Electrocution of Baby Lawrence, the definitive story of Lawrence’s murder and the long, complicated legal proceedings that followed. This is the story of a baby boy who deserved to live a lot longer than he did, and a father who some at the time said wasn’t punished harshly enough for his son’s murder, while others believed that what John did was for the best.

This is the tragic story of baby Lawrence Noxon.

The Electrocution of Baby Lawrence: A Murder that Shook a New England Town by Jim Overmyer on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Electrocution-Baby-Lawrence-Murder-England/dp/1538181290/ref=sr_1_1

Jim’s author website: https://www.jamesovermyer.com/

Jim’s Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/p/James-Overmyer-author-100041727673681/

Jim’s Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B081QRYTRM/about?ccs_id=c7fa7aac-e829-4449-9d6a-e61d26b9b8e0

Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@STLCpod

My Linktree is available here: https://linktr.ee/stlcpod

Visit the podcast's web page at https://www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.

By supporting me on Patreon, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive rewards. Visit www.patreon.com/STLCpod.

You can also support the podcast on www.Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

**New! Become a member of my YouTube channel for perks, ranging from a shout-out, members-only chat emoji, and loyalty badges to other rewards. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCogRWoIzWMy7TX5PuX18smQ/join

Join my Spreaker Supporters' Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

Music for this episode is licensed from https://audiojungle.net.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/id1499010711
Google Podcasts: https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I5mx3lacxpdkhssmk2n22csf32u?t%3DSuffer_the_Little_Children%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/suffer-the-little-children
Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/PC:61848?part=PC:61848&corr=podcast_organic_external_site&TID=Brand:POC:PC61848:podcast_organic_external_site
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0w98Tpd3710BZ0u036T1KE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/77891101/
...or on your favorite podcast listening platform.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This podcast contains descriptions of violence against children and adult language and is not suitable for all audiences.
0:06.9	Listener discretion is advised.
0:25.9	Hi everyone, and welcome to suffer the little children,
0:30.8	the podcast giving voices back to the victims of child abuse murder and their families.
0:37.3	I'm your host, Lane, and this is episode 199, baby Lawrence Knoxon.
0:42.0	Lawrence Swift Knoxon was born in March, 1943.
0:47.4	At five months old, he was diagnosed with what we now call Down syndrome.
0:56.6	Three weeks later, on September 22nd, 1943, baby Lawrence died from electrocution under highly suspicious circumstances.
1:05.4	His father, John Franklin Knoxon Jr., was soon charged with murdering his infant son in what many considered a mercy killing.
1:12.2	For this episode, I spoke with author Jim Overmeyer, who wrote The Electrocution of Baby Lawrence,
1:17.4	the definitive story of Lawrence's murder and the long, complicated legal proceedings that followed.
1:23.7	This is the story of a baby boy who deserved to live a lot longer than he did, and a father who some at the time said wasn't punished harshly enough for his son's murder,
1:28.0	while others believed that what John did was for the best.
1:32.2	This is the tragic story of baby Lawrence Knoxon.
1:36.3	I'll jump right in.
1:38.2	Here's my conversation with author and former court reporter Jim Overmeyer.
1:46.4	I'm Jim Overmeyer. I'm Jim Overmeyer, an author of a few books, the others on sports history.
1:52.3	And I have strayed back to my sort of roots as a courthouse reporter in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
2:00.5	Okay, so that's how you ended up telling the story because it's local.
2:04.3	Yes.
2:05.2	I covered the court in which this happened, not at the same time.
2:08.8	This case goes back to 1943 and 44.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Suffer the Little Children Pod, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Suffer the Little Children Pod and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.