In the summer of 1628, Janet Reid, a 50-year-old resident of Prestonpans in Haddington, found herself drawn into the judicial machinery of the Scottish witch trials. The records from July 3, 1628, indicate that Janet was caught in a broader network of accusations that touched her own family; her daughter, herself an adult estimated to be at least 25 years of age, was also accused of witchcraft. Within the context of the legal proceedings of the period, the proximity of these charges suggests that the legal scrutiny applied to the household was comprehensive, marking both women as targets of the local investigative efforts.
Following her appearance before the authorities under case reference C/EGD/1016, Janet was subjected to formal legal processes defined by the trials recorded as T/LA/162 and T/LA/163. The progression of these proceedings concluded with the ultimate penalty of the court. As documented in the extant archives, Janet was executed, bringing her life and her involvement in the Haddington case to a final close.