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Hannah Ocuish (born 1774) was executed at the age of twelve years and nine months, being hanged on 20 December 1786, in New London, Connecticut. She is believed to be the youngest person legally executed in America. [1]

A mentally retarded Pequot Indian girl, she was accused of killing the young daughter of a prominent white family after quarreling with her over some strawberries. The primary evidence against her was her confession to the investigators. At her execution, she thanked the sheriff for his kindness as she stepped forward to be hanged.

Various websites mistakenly report her name as Hannah Omish and report the year of her death as 1876.

References

• Streib, Victor L. 1987, Death Penalty for Juveniles, Indiana Univ Press, ISBN 0-253-31615-4

See also

• Capital punishment in Connecticut
• Capital punishment in the United States
• List of individuals executed in Connecticut