Earlier this month, Sarah Boone was arrested on second-degree murder charges. She is accused of stabbing her boyfriend in the neck. She has also been accused of committing domestic violence. In addition to this, she has been accused of inventing a device that could potentially kill someone.
Inventor
During Black History Month, children in New Haven can be proud of a woman who was one of the first black women to receive a patent in the United States. Sarah Boone invented an ironing board in 1892. Her design was a reversible board with curved edges, which made ironing a more convenient process for women.
The patent for the ironing board was issued on April 26, 1892. Sarah’s board was padded and collapsible, and had an arm for ironing sleeves and waist-seams. It also had a movable support to press the inside and outside seams.
Sarah Marshall (or Sally) Boone was born to enslaved parents in Craven County, North Carolina, in 1832. She escaped slavery in 1847, when she married a free man, James Boone. They settled in New Haven, Connecticut.
In the mid-1870s, Boone’s husband died, leaving her with eight children. The family relocated to New Haven, where they lived at 30 Winter Street. They were part of a small but vibrant Black community.
Ironing board
Invented by Sarah Boone, an African American, the Sarah Boone ironing board was a precursor to the modern ironing board of today. Boone’s ironing board was a small, curved board, padded to avoid creases and foldable for storage.
Sarah Boone was born into slavery in Craven County, North Carolina, and escaped her captor when she married free Black man James Boone in 1847. They moved to New Haven, Connecticut, after the end of slavery in 1848. Sarah was a skilled seamstress who worked at home, supporting a large family of eight children.
She invented the ironing board in 1892. She was the first African American woman to receive a patent in the United States. She wrote a patent application that included the ironing board’s main features.
She designed a board with a curved top and a padded arm that could iron sleeves without creases. She also created a padded board that could fit inside a narrow sleeve.
Domestic violence
Several years ago, Sarah Boone and her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr., had a very rough relationship. They had a history of domestic violence. In fact, Torres had been arrested twice in two months for battery – dating violence.
In July, Boone was arrested on a charge of battery with strangulation of her boyfriend. The arrest came after Torres was found unresponsive in a suitcase and was begging for help. He had bruising on his neck and eyelids and nail scratches on his back, according to authorities.
Torres was a father of three. He was reportedly drinking wine with Boone in their Winter Park apartment when the incident occurred. He had red markings on his neck and a small laceration on his lip.
According to investigators, Torres said that Boone attempted to strangle him. He pleaded for help and told them that he couldn’t breathe. Boone allegedly laughed at him and yelled out, “Shut up,” when he yelled for help.
Arrest on second-degree murder charges
Despite being sworn in as a witness, Boone has been booked into jail without bail for second-degree murder charges in the death of her boyfriend. According to the arrest affidavit, Boone and Torres had a history of domestic violence and arguing.
Boone told investigators that she and Torres had been playing “hide and seek” while drinking. When Torres cried out for help, Boone allegedly laughed. She said she thought it would be funny if Torres got into her suitcase.
When Boone woke up, she found her boyfriend unresponsive in a suitcase. She then reportedly went downstairs to try to find him.
When she did, she found him dead. Torres’ body was next to a blue suitcase. The two had been drinking Chardonnay wine, according to police. Torres was also found to have bruising around his eye and forehead and a nail scratch on his back.
According to the arrest affidavit, Torres said that Boone tried to strangle him. He also said that she hit him in the head and on her arms. He was also found to have abrasions on his neck, and red markings on his left skull.
