The name "Susan Smith" is spelled as /ˈsuːzən smɪθ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first name, Susan, starts with the "s" sound, followed by the "u" sound, pronounced like "oo". The second syllable is pronounced as "zən" with a short "u" and an "n" sound. The last name, Smith, is pronounced with the "s" sound followed by a short "i" sound, and the "th" is pronounced with an unvoiced dental fricative sound. This phonetic spelling helps to accurately represent the pronunciation of the name "Susan Smith".
Susan Smith is an American woman who gained notorious notoriety for committing an appalling act of filicide in 1994. Born on September 26, 1971, her name has become synonymous with this tragic incident. Smith was the mother of two young boys, Michael Daniel Smith and Alexander Tyler Smith, aged 3 and 14 months respectively, at the time of the horrific incident that shook the nation.
The term "Susan Smith" has since been used to refer to this specific case where a parent intentionally murders their own children. The phrase often denotes the extreme level of depravity and immorality associated with such a heinous crime.
The Susan Smith case unfolded in Union, South Carolina, when Smith falsely reported her children as abducted by an unidentified black man. This fabrication initiated a massive search effort and nationwide media coverage, evoking public sympathy and outrage. However, after intense investigation and mounting evidence, Smith eventually confessed to the crime, admitting that she had deliberately strapped her children into their car seats and rolled her vehicle into a lake, drowning them both on October 25, 1994.
The name "Susan Smith" has since become a symbol of betrayal, maternal infanticide, and the shocking betrayal of a parent's duty to protect and care for their children. The case brought attention to several significant societal issues, including mental health struggles, postpartum depression, and the prevalence of child abuse. It has also fueled discussions on motives behind such unthinkable acts and society's responsibility to support struggling individuals and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
The word "Susan Smith" does not have an etymology as it is a combination of two common names. "Susan" is a female given name derived from the Hebrew name "Shoshannah", meaning "lily". "Smith" is a common English surname of occupational origin, referring to someone who worked with metal.